BDA-2 Arrived today!

[Ritmo]

Glad you are happy with the BDA-2. Both server options are very good alternatives.

[James Tanner - Bryston]

Hi James!

I am still in a bit of a shock over here. I mean, I spent money on assembling a PC with noiseless power supply, processor cooling and everything else only to find out the driver business is an unpenetrable obstacle. At that point I started questioning computers can be a reliable source for music playback and that put a shade on the external DAC for me and I wondered why on earth I didn't get a CD player instead.

The BDP-1 changes my mind again. Now, I am sure there is a computer somewhere inside there but it certainly doesn't show and to me, this is a real achievement. Together with the BDA-2, it makes for a compelling highly integrated separates system that makes a lot of sense. It can be as simple or as powerful as you want it to be. I had no idea... I did not think a digital transport could enhance the performance in such an extent. I have used a PC, a dedicated CD transport with fine mechanics and DVD players that measured the best on the scope but all of that is now in the past. I get shivers when I hear the Firebird Suite. It completely bowls me over. And all this time, I had no idea...

I took a bit of time to relisten to some of the old samples of vintage analogue synthesizers and let me tell you, the Spectral sounds as good as I have heard it. Searing and melodic. Staggering.

You know, when I was a kid, I heard a pair of Kef Cresta 2 soeakers connected to a Kenwood amplifier and the matching CD player. I still remember the experience and to this day I haven't been able to repeat it even though I have heard much better systems. Until now. Something clicked into it's place and I lost ground. I have no idea what you did to this player or how, but you are to be congratulated. It was the missing link that combines it all together and makes the system greater than the sum of it's parts will allow. Every part of me, as a musician and as a music listener, tells me this is right and it sounds as good as studio sessions or live venues did. Look at me! I am excited over something that knows only 0s and 1s! Insanely great!

I must also thank you for including the cute little Bryston USB thumbdrive with a lovely music selection.

I am left with no words.

Antun

[James Tanner - Bryston]

Hi Antun

You are spot on with "it just sounds right". I think there is a very fine line between a Great audio system and a Superb audio system - the difference is the ability to express the emotion in the music. If the system has the ability to induce 'shivers', 'make the hair stand up' and 'take you there' in my opinion that is the icing on the cake.

james

[SoThere]

Well put, Antun, and congratulations on your BDP/BDA system. I find the BDA/BDP combo the finest source in my system, with superb resolution and incredibly engaging sound. May you have many hours of happy listening.

Rich
________________
Whiney Napa Valley

[James Tanner - Bryston]

SkotiPati

BRYSTON BDP-1/2 DIGITAL PLAYER FEEDBACK/REVIEWS

I just bought a second hand BDP-1 unit.

My plan was to free myself from plastic disks laying around my house without any loss in sound quality. I have a Wadia S7i CD Player so going beyond it's transport capabilities was a hard target. I always had doubts that any digital server on the market can even equal the CD Transport of the Wadia on playing ripped CDs. I tried to use Apple Mini and Macbook Pro as a transport with different programs such as Audirvana and Amara. They were great for simplicity but CD Playback of the Wadia was a bit better every time. I am a critical listener so I couldn't really get into this digital media server based system because of my fail attempts. I value the sound always more than how user friendly the system works.

That's why I bought BDP-1 second hand. I didn't want to loose money on it for just a blank shot. I thought I would end up with the same result as my Apple trials.

It was nothing like that. I was hoping to equal in sound quality but no BDP-1 definetely excelled over Wadia's transport. There was so much air between instruments, so much silence and certainty with the music. I was always a Wadia fan so I was depressed and excited at the same time. I still think Wadia's DAC is part of the equation in the great sound I am getting now but there is no comparison between BDP-1 and Wadia's transport. BDP-1 wins in every domain there is at evaluating hifi performance.

I can not get back from using BDP-1. It is impossible. Now my question is; can BDA win over my Wadia DAC. I still don't think it can but now I respect Bryston so much that I will try to find out the answer even if they are not on the same league in terms of price.

Components like BDP come one in ten years. I bought and sold maybe more that 50 components over my hifi adventure and BDP makes into top 3 in terms of most impact on my senses. And I'm talking only about sound quality not about how user friendly is to work with it instead of messing with CDs.

[James Tanner - Bryston]

James:

Just to let you know I FINALLY ripped all of my CDs onto a WD My Passport Ultra 2TB drive. Whew, that was a lot of work!)

I am amazed that it sound SUBSTANTIALLY BETTER than the original CDs played through an Oppo 95 to the BDA-2 directly! Smoother with details I did not hear before – also more “coherent”. astounded

Any personal or Bryston observations around this?

Best – hope all is well

John

[scirica]

Originally Posted by James Tanner - Bryston

James: Just to let you know I FINALLY ripped all of my CDs onto a WD My Passport Ultra 2TB drive. Whew, that was a lot of work!) I am amazed that it sound SUBSTANTIALLY BETTER than the original CDs played through an Oppo 95 to the BDA-2 directly! Smoother with details I did not hear before – also more “coherent”. astounded Any personal or Bryston observations around this? Best – hope all is well John

Interesting. I loaded up a dozen HDTracks downloads onto the exact same portable drive. This is my poor man's music server until I can afford a true media server. It does sound pretty good, and the iPhone Oppo Media app gives you decent control.

[scirica]

Fast forward...I finally took the plunge on a music server, the Silenzio by -E-. This is truly a major sonic upgrade over the WD Ultra (of course). Could be the beginning of the end for shiny discs at my house.

[James Tanner - Bryston]

MEMO: To All Bryston Customers
SUBJECT: Bryston BDA-2 DAC Review From Germany

5/2015 - November/December

Magazine for Digital HiFi

Test: Bryston BDA-2 DAC

Canadian Competence

The professional audio realm has its own demands. Here technical and tonal quality is of primary importance, while the appearance is of little concern. But does one want to use such components in the home? One does if the name Bryston is displayed on it.

A famous maxim which one hears again and again from engineers is “form follows function.” This nice phrase just merely expresses that with technology the inner values are those that count not the outer ones. As an inclined HiFi enthusiast one can opine about this as one wants, but after all one must look at the components one uses at home on a daily basis. However there are manufacturers who have subscribed to this creed, and by means of cleverly thought out technology and good development work achieve the best possible tonal results, while during the design phase of the components they concentrate on ease of operation. The Canadian Firm Bryston clearly belongs to this group of manufacturers. Professional use products as well as systems for daily use in the home originate here. No matter for which realm work is being done, all engineers are instructed, independent of design requirements, to develop the technically best possible product.

One of these products is the BDA-2 D/A Converter, and already on its outside one can see that we are dealing with serious electronics. Here there are no bells and whistles or optical gimmickry, but rather substantial audio technology. Substantial is also appropriate for the cabinet because despite the rather light components inside, the entire BDA-2 weighs almost eight kilograms, which is quite ample for a D/A Converter. Besides the comparatively thick metal panels which form the actual cabinet, this number can surely be explained because of the massive front panel which projects above the top and below the bottom of the cabinet. Exactly this front panel then also avoids that the BDA-2 does not simply look like a clumsy, metallic lump, because its outside is indeed endowed with a trace of finesse, because the lightly rounded off corners remove some of the hardness from its visual effect.

But with a view at the existing controls it already goes somewhat unceremonially to the nitty-gritty. Eight status LEDs and ten pushbuttons find room on the component, and every element is responsible for exactly one function. So that one does not lose any time with guessing or with the study of the instruction manual for the identification of these functions, all elements are equipped with the appropriate designation. Six of the pushbuttons serve for choosing the desired input, whereby the BDA-2 does not only glisten simply with the number but also with its wealth of variants. Data can be transferred either via two optical Toslink inputs, or via an XLR plug per AES/EBU. Additionally there are four S/PDIF inputs of which two are for coaxial cables with RCA connections, and two for BNC bayonet connections. Here again Bryston’s experience in the professional realm show up, because with newer media servers or streamers BNC connections are quite rare. Considerably more modern is the USB-B socket which is also present. Thanks to the multitude of connections one would have difficulty finding a component that cannot be used with the BDA-2 D/A Converter.

No matter which input one uses, the maximum possible sampling rate is always 192 kHz, even with the optical inputs. Besides that at Bryston one really dislikes to depend on the spadework of others, and therefore every digital signal that is received by the BDA-2 D/A Converter is newly timed by its internal clock in order to counteract the reviled jitter.

From the Japanese manufacturer AKM two AK4399EQ-DAC-Chips, which in the BDA-2 offer a maximum bit length of 24 bits, are responsible for the concluding conversion of the incoming signal. These are located directly before the analog output stage of the Converter, which in this case is a discretely built-up Class A module. At the same time the digital and analog sections of the BDA-2 D/A Converter are supplied with current independently from each other. Yes, here one works technically on a very high niveau, where every possible distortion factor is considered and thought about. Exemplary.

Another of the eight pushbuttons on the front serves to actuate the synchronous upsampling in order to help the technically less than perfect input signals. Synchronous here means that the BDA-2 D/A Converter is working with multiple whole numbers, so that signals with 44.1 kHz Or 88.2 kHz are upsampled to 176.4 kHz, while music with 48 kHz or 96 kHz is upsampled to 192 kHz. Thus during the conversion the most optimum result is achieved at all times. For every used sampling rate, whether with or without upsampling, one of the eight LEDs is available, and a value is always assigned to it.

Tonally the Bryston BDA-2 D/A Converter sounds as would be expected: The Converter generates the converted music very neutrally and detailed. This helps positively with jazz, as well as rock, and even with rap, whereby the good dynamic range and the generally very flowing playing of the BDA-2 prevents it from sounding too digital. Music of CD quality with enabled upsampling sounds still a tick more spatial than without, but the effect is limited because even without upsampling the music already sounds decidedly good. It once again proves that one should not judge things by their appearance. So perhaps Bryston’s BDA-2 D/A Converter is not an absolute eye catcher, but there is absolutely nothing lacking in technical finesse.

“Bryston’s BDA-2 is an outstanding D/A Converter, which brings all the strength of professional audio reproduction to the living room. Those who are more interested in excellent sound rather than in unusual appearance have come to the right place”

Philipp Schneckenburger


Translated from the German by Peter Ullman

[maxfli44]

I recently added the BDA-2 into my modest system and it has made a tremendous difference. Using an iMac to stream Tidal the BDA-2 opens up the sound great presence. Glad I made the investment.