Bryston 20 Year Warranty Question

[James Tanner - Bryston]

MEMO: To All Bryston Customers
SUBJECT: Bryston 20 Year Warranty Question

June 2020

Hi Folks,

A number of times over the years I have been asked about the Bryston 20 Year Warranty and how it came about. In a recent interview I did for a European magazine I was asked again and thought my answer may be of interest to our customers.

“James you are famous for the fact that your company provides a 20-year warranty on analog devices. Does it work? Is it worth it? Is it not so that this warranty is really included in the price of the product and the customer pays for it at the start?”


ANSWER

We implemented the 20 year warranty in 1990 when we were 18 years old.

Even though back then we had a 5 year warranty we had never charged for a repair. So after 18 years we were still seeing our original amplifiers operating without issues so we decided to make it official and offer a 20 Year warranty.

So the warranty was never about who pays for it – it was the outcome of building a product with the best possible parts and with the long-term reliability in mind.

Many people assume that we just build in the cost of inevitable repairs, but we don’t. We work really hard to design robust gear that will outlast us all. Furthermore, our electronics go through a 100 hour test cycle at our factory before shipping to ensure quality.

Another unforeseen outcome at the time of implementing the 20 year warranty is it affected the way our engineers design our products. If the engineer has to think in terms of the gear lasting 20 years his or hers decisions about what parts to incorporate and what life expectancy of all circuit layouts and electrical issues are critical to the process. This makes for a culture that truLy is dedicated to a reliable and long-lasting product.

James Tanner
V/P Bryston