Announcing Bryston Integrated Audio Device Card

MEMO: To All Bryston Customers
SUBJECT: Bryston Integrated Audio Device – Feedback
July 2015

Hi James

The Bryston Integrated Audio Card should be considered an essential upgrade.

bda2-bdp2-SET-02.jpg

My initial observations of the new card from a posting under the BDP-2 Thread were: "This is an essential upgrade to the BDP-2, especially for systems having high resolution.

The new card simply seems to stay out of the way of the music. I was jotting down a few notes while listening and the first noticeable improvement is how much quieter the background is, the noise floor has really been lowered (which I did not think possible after listening to the previous card). The sound stage is huge, both in width and depth. There is greater delineation of fine musical details. Notes seem suspended on a cushion of air with the space between notes better delineated. Micro and macro dynamics are improved and impressive (likely due to the lowered noise floor). Very subtle fine details in music are clearly delineated with this card (no need to lean into the music, just sit back and lots of detail will unfold naturally). Pitch definition is improved, especially in the lower frequencies. There is improved extension, delineation, and definition of low frequencies. All in all this new audio card is a spectacular achievement and elevates the already fine performance of the BDP-2 to a new level.

Highly recommended upgrade!"

...... Having spent more time listening, I feel the factor that is vastly improved with the new integrated audio card is the lowering of timing errors.

Timing errors will smear the sound causing a loss of focus and pitch definition. As I have been listening, I was struck by a similarity of the improved pitch definition of the new integrated audio card to my experience listening to a Meridian MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) lossless audio format technology demonstration. The Meridian MQA technology is impressive and one goal of this lossless audio format is to greatly reduce timing errors. One of the cuts demonstrated was Roberta Flack's Killing Me Softly With His Song. Without MQA, the kick drum has a bloated unfocused sound, but with MQA, the drum was focus with vastly improved pitch definition.

The same is now heard with this particular cut with the new Bryston Integrated Audio Card. The drum is taut, focused, with vastly improved pitch definition (176/24 file). Vocals now have an organic quality due to lack of smearing. Cymbals have a more natural sound (an instrument that was murdered when digital was introduced), but the reason was partially due to timing errors in the digital signals.

I consider the new integrated audio card a crowning achievement for Bryston's engineering team. Once heard, there will be no turning back!



Ned F. Kuehn
 
Just a comment that the BDP-2 with the new sound card really shines on cello music.

The Bach Cello Suites (Linn Records) in 192/24 is amazing!

The sound is much improved compared to my BDP-1 (which had the same sound card as the original BDP-2).

I need to re-listen to all my recordings.

Truly impressed so far.

mv
 
MEMO: To All Bryston Customers
SUBJECT: Bryston IAD Sound Card TEST

July 2015

Hi James

We tested your new Bryston ‘Integrated Audio Device’ in our BDP-2 digital player against the old card on our ‘Cowboy Junkies Mastering Project.’

E Room.jpg
E ROOM MASTERING

The exact same Cowboy Junkies Trinity Sessions file played out via AES/EBU of the original BDP-2 audio card into the BDA-2 D/A Converter with up sampling on. This was then recorded ‘analogue’ at 176.4khz_24bit using the DAD (Digital Audio Denmark) AX24.

We then replaced the old sound card with the Bryston IAD and the exact procedure was repeated. The 2 files are aligned and phased match on parallel tracks and played, switching A & B between the two.

No Contest, empirically proven, Night and Day Difference. As if a wool sweater has been removed!!

The High frequency definition is outstanding, in fact, it is scary how rolled off the old card top end was. Slight improvement in bass transients. Sound stage was much more stable. Less sibilance on voice. Upper midrange was more open. Depth perception much deeper and wider (better resolution of high frequency reverb reflections)

Congrats James

Yours Truly
Peter J. Moore
President

E-mail: [email protected]
Web: The E Room Mastering and Restoration
 
MEMO: To All Bryston Customers
SUBJECT: Bryston Integrated Audio Device – Feedback

July 2015

BDP-2 – New Integrated Audio Device


Well, well, well, got my BDP-2 back with the new integrated sound card installed. She does sound way more open than the old card.

Could it be as I haven't had her here for a few weeks, NO it sounds way to obvious. Somebody mentioned before a veil being lifted off and I will agree 1000%. Reminds me when I had my BCD-1 CD playe, music opened up big time (I miss her a tad) not like my BDP though. For 500, as far as I'm concerned do the upgrade as it's too obvious not to hear the improvements.

I guess I's happy and especially to have her back. A couple of weeks is not enough for my memory to go sour as have been doing music for 47+ years so yes you hear the difference.

Pull the curtain back and be ‘Entertained’.

THX to MIKE and AudioArk.

Drummer Mitchell
 
Dear Bryston,

The Bryston Integrated Sound card arrived here today, installation was a breeze with the included instructions, and an hour later I’m listening to music. I really appreciate that you included the necessary tools. Thank you for excellent service!

As it so happened, a long holiday intervened but now I’m back in front of the system and listening, to old & new music.

I’m hearing a quite significant upgrade to the sound with the new Bryston card - definitely the same source as before, but more intense, focused?

Connected via SPDIF into an Accuphase DAC30.

Erik
 
New Bryston Integrated Audio Device

I have a BDP-1 which I moved to my second system. I put the first generation BDP-2 in my first system and the improvement was mostly convenience.

Then I purchased a BDA-2 and which made a noticeable improvement over the BDA-1. Now the new sound card has taken the BDP-2 and BDA-2 to a new level. With the new card the BDP-2 should be called the BDP-3.

I like to thank the Bryston team for making the BDP-2 upgradable.

Cheers
bjski
 
Hi,

I am Peter from Malaysia.

I received the new Bryston integrated audio card the next day after I paid online.

Thank you for superb service.

The new Bryston card really brings the BDP-2 digital player to another level. I would say night and day difference. The sound is more musical and analog, less digital sounding.

We are impressed and super happy. :)

Regards,
Peter Cheeng
 
Hi James,

Hope you are doing well.

I've really been enjoying the BDP-2 with the new Integrated Audio Device. Your engineering team has done a fantastic job.

In addition to all the other published comments, I've been hearing details in the music that I have never heard before! That is incredible.

Thanks,
Marc
 
MEMO: To All Bryston Customers
SUBJECT: Bryston New Integrated Audio Device - Feedback

Hi James;

The BDP-2 with the new Bryston IAD audio card is outstanding!

Bravo to you and the rest of the Bryston team! The detail and resolution of the BDP-1 is still there, but the soundstage is now deeper and wider and the imaging is spot on. Instruments now occupy a very distinct 3-D position in space, and you feel like you can reach out and touch them. The “texture” of sound is also more apparent – plucked and bowed strings really show this off.

Coming from a BDP-1 with the ESI Juli@ soundcard, the BDP-2 with the Bryston IAD is a distinctly audible improvement.

Anyone with a BDP-2 who is thinking of upgrading to the Bryston IAD should just do it, you won’t be disappointed. Also, anyone who thinks that analog is superior to digital (personally I see them as equals) should give the BDP-2/BDA-2 combination a try to hear just how good digital can be (and it’s damn more convenient than fussing with vinyl to boot).

Thanks again James for another fantastic product !

Dan

P.S. I love the look of the 19” rack mount too – it ties in nicely with my vintage 10B.
 
Hi Folks,

This months issue of Absolute Sound Magazine has a very detailed review on the new Bryston Integrated Sound card in the BDP-2 Digital Player.

Capture.JPG

Here' a teaser from the review:

"As someone who has been generally disappointed with USB Audio—not due to dogmatic bias, but because most such products that I've auditioned have failed to deliver the performance that I routinely achieve with SPDIF sources—I was thrilled (and, frankly, relieved) to hear the USB-derived SPDIF and AES/EBU outputs of the BDP-2's Integrated Audio Device deliver across-the-board improvements above and beyond the performance of its predecessor's customized ESI Juli@ PCI audio interface.

At last, here was "proof of principle" evidence that the USB interface could function as an audio conduit of the highest caliber."
 
Hi James,

FYI, a text message from a customer who just upgraded his BDP-2 with the new audio device…

Hello! Bryston should have called it a BDP3.. it's a step-up.

The difference is immediate. It's more musical n' 3d soundstage . The highs flares up( I didn't notice much highs been rolled off until the sound card been replaced w Bryston one). You must encourage all the existing bdp2 users to listen to it.

Regards,
Low
Malaysia
 
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