Bryston 9B-SST-5 5-channel amp

This is the model with the 17" faceplate and no handles. It was built in 2002 (build identifier: 0237), so it has 8 years left on Bryston’s 20 years transferable warranty. The amplifier has always been sitting on a shelf. I tried to capture the visual appearance in the pictures: there are few minor scuffs that are visible up close, but no scratches. From a normal listening position, it has an excellent appearance, I rate it a 7 because of age

Ships in the original double box. Buyer pays shipping and Paypal fees (add 3% to sale+shipping price). Will accept Paypal "send money to family and friends" option if you would like to save Paypal fees.

The amp accepts balanced and unbalanced inputs. Each channel is an independent unit with its own toroidal power supply. The only component shared by all channels is the power input board, so this is really the equivalent of five monoblocks in a single chassis. Bryston tests each unit: the one for sale has a measured output power of 158W per channel (see last picture). A very useful feature is the ability to select the input voltage sensitivity (at 3 settings: 1V, 2V, and 4V). If you like to skip a preamp for better sound purity and plug your DAC directly in the amp, this feature allows you to match the amp sensitivity to the DAC’s output voltage and use the DAC’s volume control within its optimal range. This worked very effectively for me with an Oppo BDP105 straight into the Bryston.

This unit is the SST version, which was a significant upgrade from the ST version (the current version is the SST2). The only review I could find for the SST is at http://hometheaterreview.com/bryston-9b-sst-five-channel-amplifier-reviewed/. In my system, I didn’t notice the top end brightness described in the review, but the amp was a very nice match to my Gallo Stradas. Bryston amps tend to be characterized by their neutrality (a reason for their popularity in recording studios), which may be described as brightness by people used to amps that roll off high frequencies. Consider the Bryston if you like an amp that is like a plain wire with gain.

(added 9/23) I replaced the fuses in the Left, Right and Center channels with matching silver/gold fuses from HiFi Tuning. There are a total of 6 HiFi fuses in the amp (2 per channel).