Possible New Benchmark Alert: Bryston Mini A monitors ($1200)

I just got in for review the Bryston Mini A monitors in a cherry finish. They cost $1200 a pair.

I will be honest, I was skeptical when I was offered Bryston speakers for review. I think they make incredible digital front ends, and I have reviewed a good number of their products, but I was unsure why they ventured into speakers.

Well...took them out of the box..removed my Harbeth Comapct 7's...installed the Mini A's....and...wait a minute...woah....Among the most impressive products I have come across in the last 10 years.

They are not even broken in, but I may have a found a new benchmark for speakers under $1500. I say may, because I will a few months to determine that.

 

Specs? Are they tube friendly? Nothing can be a bench mark unless they play nice with flea watt amps ... JK

 

They're basically souped-up Axioms. I'm in the camp that thinks Axiom makes really decent speakers. I'm not surprised they sound great!

They look kinda like a cross between an Axiom M3 and Axiom M22. I have a pair of the Axiom M22s in the bedroom. I think they kick-ass! Axiom don't make the prettiest or fanciest speakers, but they make really good sounding speakers at a decent price. I use Bryston professional gear in the studio. They make solid gear too.

Bryston and Axiom are excellent Canadian audio companies. Both have been around for a while too.

Look forward to your review!

 

Thanks. I have not heard Axiom speakers my self.

But the Bryston team did not just place a Bryston logo on an Axiom product. They voiced the speaker on their own.

 

http://www.bryston.com/products/speakers/Model_A_Mini.html

 

Wow, I'd like to hear these and the ~$1500 Wharfedales that received a rave in this month's STEREOPHILE.

 

Oh definitely! They used Axiom's facilities and some design ideas based on their NRC research, but it's definitely a Bryston product.

 

The Jade is a very good speaker too.

 

Now you have me curious about the Axiom bookshelf models!

 

I remain open minded. Are they that good?

 

THAT good. Think really good British monitor with even better depth, spacing, imaging, and coherence. Hard to believe, right?

 

These look exactly like the tweeters in my M22s.




I bet they are very similar. When I first got the M22s, they sounded great out of the box. I was afraid that the metal dome tweeter would be harsh. It was not. Although around the 3 hour mark it started to ring and had a metallic "honk" to them that freaked me out. I thought: "I will not be able to live with this!" but they eventually evened out as they broke in. Now I love them.

Wait until they break in more. I think those babies will sound really spectacular.

 

Bryston keeps telling me to run them in...a 100 hours at least..but I just can't get over how smooth they are right of the box...Man, I would love to hear the M22 and the Mini A side by side.

BTW, the Mini T, is the A on Roids...that will come in next, early next year.

 

The pic in the OP looks like the 'T' ???

 

A and T together..in black finish.

 

Speakers made by solid state amplifier companies don't tend to be easy to drive from what I've seen. Gotta give the customers a reason to use that 300 watt amp, after all.

 

Efficiency sucks ... no real stunner there. Too bad they couldn't design their speakers with the same sensitivity as Axiom's M50 v4 floorstander. Oh well, I will still be looking forward to your review and some Harbeth comparisons for fun!

 

Interesting tid bit..recommended amplifier power 10-100 watts.

 

More efficient than my Harbeths...which are 6 ohm, and around 87 Db.

 

Actually, thanks for this link, speakers are going to be my next purchase, also looking at the Tekton's