#and just post purely n/sr stuff for a bit

[erigold13261]

Small story/anecdote thingy I think. Just some feelings about the Eriverse and junk that I need to deal with at some point instead of pushing it to the back of my mind.

You know how when you play a game so much, usually a game like Sims or a simulator game (Stardew Valley or others like that), and you hit a point you want to just start over with a fresh batch?

I get that feeling a lot with those games. I would make one family of sims and turn off aging just so I can be with them for a long time. Then I would get bored, make them have kids and have a small spark of fun for a bit before wanting to reset everything and start from the beginning all over again.

It happens a lot with idle games too. The struggle of the beginning is the most fun part to me. So getting so far into the game there is nothing else to do just makes it pointless, so restarting is the only way I can really find motivation to keep playing.

I say all of this because I've honestly been wanting to reset everything recently. Maybe because the Eriverse is getting really complex and fleshed out (definitely not a bad thing at all), but it's becoming like... overwhelming? Maybe that's the word for it?

Like I am definitely having fun! There is no doubt about that! But the story was not made with other media in mind. It was just supposed to be NSR and NSR only. And even then, I've gotten so far into my own headcanons for NSR characters I have been thinking of resetting myself and my mind for a long while in this area.

I think this is why I like AUs so much. It gives me a break from the longer storyline as a whole and allows me to play with different aspects of a character I find important than the ones I ended up originally choosing.

This is also a thing I do in Sims and Idle games. I will play the first round for a very long time, getting really far until I get bored. Take a break, and then reset. But each reset is just shorter and shorter until I abandon the game for a LONG time and come back to have along playthrough again before doing my shorter resets.

I used to have a story with multiple medias in my mind (mostly animes, creepypastas, and horror movie villains) that I kept up for YEARS. Like all throughout middle and high school. Very in depth and complicated. Similar to how I am doing the Eriverse.

And I just gave up on it. Haven't thought about that stuff in YEARS until this moment. It was the center of my life and I just gave it up because I found something more fun at the time? I think that is what happened to me.

Anyway, I don't know why I said this. Just something I've been feeling for a very long time. It happened in a few roleplays I did when I was younger too. I just kept making it more and more complex, and that kind of like... ruined it? I guess.

I'm not saying that Eriverse is ruined for me at all. I am still very much going to continue talking about it and stuff (I still have PLENTY of stuff queued up for like another couple of weeks), but just like... maybe I'm getting burnt out because the story was never meant to be like this?

I'm sure if I had actually planned shit out I would be a lot more happy and ecstatic for this story, which is why I am really happy to think of the Future Act which is being planned for multiple media than the Present Act of the Eriverse.

I don't know. This was just a ramble. I'm not resetting anything, maybe if I do it will be a soft reset. But I guess I just wanted to say this out loud (or you know, write it out loud lol), just so that it was out there and not just stuck in my mind.

It's like this depression that hits once you lose a hyperfixation or end a really good TV show. That in-between phase that feels empty and void of a lot of emotions.

I definitely still love NSR, a lot more than any of these other medias I am talking about, but I was loosing the love for NSR a bit and decided the best course of action would be to do a crossover.

Which turned into all this Eriverse stuff. Well, I guess even before the NSpidR AU crossover stuff I was kinda running on fumes by just adding more OCs into NSR instead of playing with the canon characters themselves. Which was the start of the complexities that kinda made me want to step away from NSR in the first place.

But it feels like I have nothing else. I am not attached to any of these other medias like I am NSR. Even now, if there was no connection to NSR, I wouldn't give a shit about making art or content at all for HFR, Psychonauts, Spiderverse, Homestuck, or JJK.

NSR literally is the glue for me and I've been wanting to reset my version of NSR for at least a year, maybe 2 years now. Just to go back to canon and start making a new version of NSR that is different from the one I built up in my head after all these years.

I guess it's my AU brain doing this? Wanting to always have a new "what-if" scenario to play with? I don't know. It makes me sad.

Sad that I can't just love another media with the same love I have for NSR. I literally can only have one main media at a time until I throw it away for something else entirely. Then it becomes a sad memory or a passing thought that takes over my brain for like a week before I go back to the new main media I am in love with.

It sucks. It honestly really does. It reminds me how I just can't do major things at the same time. I can't watch JJK and read Homestuck at the same time. I can't learn to drive and be in college at the same time. I can't do shit half the time because I am too busy doing another thing.

I can't fucking multitask properly and it fucking sucks. It impacts my everyday life, work life, fandom life. It is all just one thing or nothing at all. And once I put everything into that one thing I get sick of it and want to throw away years of work just because I am bored as shit and want something new in my life.

Sorry. I don't know what I am really trying to prove at this point. I am just sick of my brain telling me to reset my ideas and headcanons over and over. I want to go back to when I first was introduced to NSR, when there was an active community, when I had a lot more online friends.

It all just feels like it fell apart and I ma just screaming into the void. Even though I fucking know I'm not because I have so many people sending me in asks and actually interacting with me.

Maybe it's because I can tell that my followers' main focus isn't NSR anymore like it used to be. I get so many more asks just about Spiderverse, Homestuck, and JJK with only a few mentions of an NSR character and it just feels like... Like I am listening to other people talking to me about their interest that I kinda share.

I know that sounds fucking rude and shitty. Because I really do love hearing other people's opinions and headcanons, even if it isn't for NSR characters, but it's almost as if I'm just not interested in hearing it, even when I am!

I actively can't think about these other media's unless they connect to NSR. And when they don't then I just can't give a shit. I have an ask for Sam and Dion sitting in my inbox that I want to answer but I just can't fucking actively think of an answer or a drawing without seeing the ask because I can't give a shit about them outside of asks!

It fucking sucks so much! I want to think more actively about these other medias! I want to be able to come up with my own headcanons and not just piggyback off of others!

Do you know how much it fucking sucks to know people want to hear my headcanons for characters like Peni, Kento, Sam, or any other character I fucking love but I literally just can't come up with shit for them at all?!

I feel fucking awful when someone puts their heart and soul into an ask about a character with such an amazing headcanon and I just can't care about it at all!

I WANT TO FUCKING CARE ABOUT IT! I WANT TO CARE ABOUT YOUR HEADCANONS! I WANT TO HAVE MY OWN I CAN ACTIVELY SHARE WITHOUT NEEDING TO BE PROMPTED FOR AN ANSWER!

This fucking shit is going nowhere! I hate this so much! I thought talking about this would make me better but it just makes me think I am not appreciating the little community I made and I fucking hate myself for it!

I really do appreciate you all for sending me in asks. I have so many I still need to answer but damn. I think the reason it takes me so long is because I just can't actively think of these characters outside of asks being sent to me.

I don't daydream about half these characters like I do with NSR characters. I wish I could, but I just can't seem to do it.

. . .

Okay, I'm done. I think I got it all, or at least mostly, out of my system. I just... wanted to share that I guess. I don't know.

Sorry. You don't have to change your asking habits for me. It's fine really. I think I just need to visit source material again for most of these media. Maybe that will spark something in me.

I did get the two Spiderverse movies recently. Maybe I'll watch those again and replay Psychonauts when I get the chance.

Anyway, anyone who actually read this, thanks. I'm not resetting or ending the Eriverse at all. This has been stuff in my mind for probably years now (even more so actually since I abandoned my first major multi-media daydream).

Hope everyone is doing good. I'm gonna eat some chocolate and watch fun videos to just ignore my problems.

[gender-mailman]

We're very pro consent and we do absolutely understand if you'd prefer we not reblog stuff of yours anymore Y/N. Like no harm no foul for real. Cause like all our hoard reblogs, whether for individuals or the system as a whole, are truly things we identify with, applied purely for fun, or meant to be viewed through the lense of fiction/fantasy/etc. We do have posts in our hoard that understandably would make anyone decent sideye us but we'd rather be banished or dead than act out any of the more controversial IDs of ours. This isn't venting exactly? Or trying to make excuses, gods no. Just letting you personally know, Y/N, that we do mean well. And that if you'd prefer, we won't reblog stuff from you anymore. We want to express ourselves, but more than that, we want people to feel safe and comfortable. /npa /srs /ci

[[Jorge // 🪐☄️]]

No no its fine! I promise its ok! You dont constantly post about it it seems and i do understand

You can still reblog our terms and even send some asks if you want! I just mostly said that for other people to know too

Like, i mostly try not to use terms made by proshipers, radqueer and/or anti endo for comfort, but we dont mind them using our terms if they are ok with terms made by someone with different views then them

I cant stop someone from iding with a term we made and i think anyone that does that and dont want alt flags/alt terms for it, are a bit dumb

I probably wont call you like, best friend or moot, cause of comfort, but im totally ok if you reblog our terms and send some silly asks not related to being radqueer and stuff!

[taww]

Review: Bryston 4B Cubed Stereo Amplifier

Bryston 4B Cubed stereo amplifier

The Audiophile Weekend Warrior (TAWW)

TAWW Rating: 4.5 / 5

An honest, refined and easy-going amp that may leave many questioning if they need more.

PROS: Clean, smooth and clear with a hint of warmth; effortless power; superb bass; bulletproof engineering, build and operation; that 20 year warranty.

CONS: Excruciatingly long break-in; not as lively or dimensional as some of the audiophile competition; balanced input seems slightly compromised.

Bryston is a name that needs no introduction, and the company’s popularity is obvious every time I post anything about them on social media - those posts consistently get a ton of likes and comments. Perhaps for this reason, along with Bryston's no-nonsense pro audio heritage, elitist high-enders seem to shun the brand as too mainstream and un-audiophile to be taken seriously. This hasn't stopped their latest Cubed series of amps from garnering some solid reviews since its introduction in 2016, with some proponents in online forums putting it in the conversation with some of the more revered high-end amps under $10k. I was intrigued, and thanks to the graciousness of Bryston's James Tanner and their US marketing rep Micah Sheveloff I was able to spend a full year getting to know one of their most popular models, the 4B Cubed (MSRP $6,695), along with the BP-17 Cubed preamp. Read on about my long but rewarding journey with this workhorse.

Design, Features & Usage

Compared to typically-spartan, even downright crude high-end amplifiers, the Bryston 4B Cubed (4B3 in shorthand) has a number of nice features:

Switchable unbalanced RCA and balanced XLR inputs

Low (23dB) and high (29dB) gain settings

Bridged mono operation

Soft start with remote trigger option

The distinguishing aspect of the Cubed series vs. Bryston’s previous line (e.g. SST2) is the Salomie input buffer. Co-developed with the late Ioan Alexandru Salomie, the circuit is said to reduce noise and distortion by 10x vs. the previous implementation and excel at immunity to RFI and power supply noise, a critical factor in today’s world where literally every device imaginable has a microprocessor and/or switching PSU buzzing away. Much has been written about the circuit in other reviews and the objective proof is in the 4B3’s superb measured performance - 0.005% THD and > 119dB S/N at full power (300W) across the entire audible spectrum.

I got the amp in black, with standard 17” front panel (no rack handles). The status LEDs glow green, but apparently this can be internally changed to blue if the customer prefers. I found the remote trigger feature quite handy when paired with the BP-17 Cubed preamp, and the switchable inputs useful for preamp/interconnect comparisons. The binding posts are of the standard 5-way insulated variety to meet EU regulations, and worked well with different sized spades. An extra pair of posts would have been nice to aid bi-wiring or my REL subwoofer hookup.

All business inside.

The 4B3 consumes a reasonable 60 watts powered up at idle - certainly not EPA EnergyStar territory, but about the same as my 60 watt Ayre AX7e integrated and just warm to the touch thanks to the generous heatsinks and extensive use of aluminum. Ecological concerns aside, I had no qualms leaving it running 24-7 in an open shelf with just a few inches of clearance above. Should you decide to do the green thing and power it down between sessions, the 4B3 consumes under half a watt on standby, and powers up quickly and smoothly. You'll hear the distinctive clicking of the soft-start circuit, and sound will start flowing within a few seconds. From a cold start, the sound takes about a half hour to get the juices flowing, and maybe an hour to reach full potential.

Setup

Preamp: I had the good fortune of having 3 very different preamps on hand during my time with the 4B3 - the companion Bryston BP-17 Cubed, the tubed Valvet Soulshine from Germany, and the Pass XP10. I found the Bryston pre to be a reasonably good match, but the Pass and Soulshine were simply better musically and both worked well, my top choice being the Pass. The 4B3's RCA input impedance is on the low-ish side (30kΩ), not the 100k+ that many tube pres seem to favor, so something to keep in mind when matching. The Soulshine did just fine, others may not.

Balanced vs. unbalanced input: for some reason, I preferred the sound of the 4B3 through its unbalanced inputs, save with the Pass preamp which doesn't fare as well unbalanced. It's hard to control for all the factors, but I had identical model of cable (DH Labs Air Matrix, Audience Au24 SX) in both RCA and XLR, and contrary to expectations I found the RCA input to sound fractionally more open and dynamic, and equally as quiet. Normally balanced operation affords you these qualities but I heard no such advantage with the 4B3. One clue is in the specs, which show drastically different input impedances for the balanced terminals - 30kΩ for positive, and a shockingly low 6kΩ for negative. This seems to indicate that it's not a differential/complementary input circuit like you'd find with e.g. Ayre or Pass, and I'd imagine this lack of symmetry compromises CMRR and some other benefits of balanced operation. I inquired with Bryston about how the circuit was implemented but didn't get a response.

High vs. low gain: Some people have commented that you can "tune" the sound of the Bryston, with the low gain (23dB) setting sounding a bit smoother and more laid back, while high gain (29dB) is more dynamic and detailed. I agree they sound different, but I had a different take: to me, high gain sounds transparent, and low gain sounds subtly dulled and veiled. For me it's a no brainer - unless absolutely necessary to attenuate, I'd always use the high gain setting. It simply sounds more truthful to me. I also inquired whether the low gain setting adds an additional attenuator in the signal path (it sounded like it to me) but again, I didn't hear back.

All the preamps, plus a DAC.

Bridged mono operation: I didn't test it, at least not intentionally, as I only had one amp on hand. I did accidentally flip the bridging switch once during playback which fortunately did not cause anything to explode. One note: if you do bridge it as a monoblock, be aware the input impedance drops to a very, very low 7.5kΩ, which I imagine will make some preamps quite uncomfortable.

Power cord/conditioner: The Bryston comes with a standard but appropriately-heavy 14-3 power cord, and it sounds quite good with it and wasn’t particularly fussy about changes. That said, I felt it was really locked in with the latest version of the Twirling Gerbil Red Electrum, a really fascinating cord made by our own MGD - bass became even more grounded, the soundstage locked in place and everything just clicked. Given that this cord isn’t readily available though, I’d say it’s worth trying a few different things (e.g. the Audience powerChord was a bit nicer than stock) but don’t worry too much - as long as you don’t use something gimmicky or too light, your amp is still going to sound good. One thing was clear though - the Bryston perferred being plugged directly into the wall vs. my Audience ar6 TSSOX conditioner. Even though the Audience is designed specifically with low impedance and high current delivery in mind, the Bryston felt constrained running through it - give it as direct a connection to the wall juice as possible.

Speaker cables: I got the impression that the Bryston prefers having a very direct connection to the speakers, working better with the heavier gauge cables I had on hand like the Cardas Clear Light or DH Labs Q-10 Signature (both 10 gauge or larger), vs. the Audience Au24 SX. I have a completely unsubstantiated theory that high damping factor amps employIng more negative feedback are more effective when there’s less between them and the speakers, whereas low/zero feedback designs (e.g. Pass or Ayre) don’t care as much and are more amenable to being tuned/voiced with lighter cables. Whatever the reason, I’d recommend sticking to the heavy stuff to maximize the Bryston’s grip on the speaker.

Speakers: I had a few speakers on hand, all of the 2-way monitor variety - Silverline Minuet Grand and SR-17 Supreme, Audiovector SR-1 Avantgarde Arreté, Role Audio Kayak. I really wish I had had a big 3-way floorstander as I’m sure the Bryston would have flexed its muscles and flourished wrangling a big speaker. My comparatively small speakers don’t provide that much of a challenge, all being amendable to low power tube amps. That said, the Bryston showed no favoritism towards any particular speaker - its voicing is essentially neutral and you’ll hear what the speaker is capable of. This is in contrast to my Ayre AX7e integrated, which clicks with the Silverline while sounding thin and unengaging with the Audiovector. I really did not think the Bryston would work at all with the Audiovector, an ultra high-resolution speaker that will megaphone any solid state liabilities like brightness, hardness or lack of body, but the Bryston impressively held its own with the unyielding Dane. I wouldn’t call it the most organic or emotive pairing, but they were quite agreeable working together. The Silverline SR-17 Supreme with Cardas Clear Light wound up being my preferred pairing, the combo bringing out wonderful midrange density and great dynamics, and most of my listening notes below reflect that setup.

Pure conjecture - I think the Bryston would be killer with a speaker like the Role Audio Enterprise - something a bit on the warm side with an silky-smooth but still-detailed soft dome tweeter that complements the transparency of the 4B3, and with some meat on the bottom end that could take advantage of the amp’s grip and power (I'm a fan of Role’s transmission lines). I’d also be curious to hear the 4B3 with a relatively inefficient but neutral speaker like something from ATC - that could be a good one, and ATC has a similar pro-audio pedigree. I’d steer clear of pairing with more forward/harder-sounding speakers, e.g. Focal Sopra or B&W or Paradigm Persona - not because the Bryston does anything wrong, but I frankly find those speakers with their metal/diamond drivers and higher-order crossovers too brittle and aggressive and in need of something more laid back (e.g. Naim) to sound anywhere near balanced.

Counterpoint: a reader reports getting great results with the 4B3, Focal Electra speakers and Crystal Cable with primarily hard rock and metal. I could see how the qualies of the 4B3 would click in such a system, particularly with harder-driving material.

The Sound

Out of the box, things were not promising. Compared to the Ayre AX7e I had been using for some time, or even an old Bryston B60 integrated, the 4B sounded drab. It wasn't bad per se, but everything was a little lacking - dynamics were a little flat, soundstage lacked depth, highs were a little glazed, midrange wasn't very dimensional, etc... even my wife couldn't help but comment, "this sounds boring." I saw a comment online describe the 4B3 as "gray," apt given what I was hearing for the first several days. A couple weeks later things were slowly improving, but not to the extent I was hoping. I was starting to get a little nervous about the conversation I'd be having with Bryston.

I fought the urge to swap other amps back in, and fortunately things continued to get better - much, much better. Despite having 100 hours of burn-in at the factory, the first 100-200 hours in my system were not at all representative of what this amp is capable of. After a month of continuous operation, virtually all of the aforementioned detractions had largely faded away; after 3-4 months and perhaps 500+ hours of music, it really started to push all the buttons. All my comments henceforth shall refer to the sound of the 4B after 6+ months in my system, and are representative of the long-term ownership experience.

With that out of the way... a standout aspect of the Bryston was how it delivered its obvious power with an easy finesse and speed. The Bryston sounds good for every one of its rated 300 watts (and actually more according to my unit's factory spec sheet)... this is an amp that revels in being cranked up, and the more watts I asked for the better it seemed to sound. But it also delivered those watts with delicacy and articulation, effortlessly revealing tons of musical detail in recording after recording without the typical detractions of high-power solid state - the glazed or harsh treble, the hard or murky midrange, the lack of rhythm and pulse. It was equally at ease floating Magdalena Kozena's vocals over delicate period accompaniment on a Mozart Aria, as it was hammering out the bass line of a Depeche Mode track. The 4B3's ability to reproduce music at realistic volume levels without strain or loss of transparency was addictive and had me cranking up number after number and pushing the limits of my neighbors' tolerance.

The treble was surprisingly delightful. In the past I've found big Bryston amps to lack refinement and resolution there, but the 4B3’s highs caught me off guard with how silky and delicate they were. Violins had just the right amount of brightness, bringing out the steeliness of the E string without sounding tinny, and triangles had realistic tinkle without popping out of the fabric of the soundstage. There was enough detail to do justice to the extremely high resolution AMT tweeters on my Audiovector monitors, but at no point did the 4B3 come close to burning my ears off the way some detailed amps can. Compared to the ol' Bryston B60 integrated, a longtime favorite that sacrifices some detail for sweetness and musicality, the 4B3 has far higher resolution in the upper registers that will bring out more energy without glare. There's no euphonic give in the high frequency response either, so if you need an amp that'll take some zing off a problematic tweeter (metal domes, I'm looking at you), look elsewhere.

Another nice surprise was how smooth and grainless the 4B3 was in the midrange, with just a hint of richness in the lower mids on things like cello, baritone, french horn or piano. It's subtle, and nothing like the bloom you'd get from a tube amp, or the coziness created by the Bryston B60 for that matter - just enough to balance out the transparency and power of the frequency extremes and keep the otherwise ruler-flat response from sounding too dry. Bryston claims the 4B3's quad-complementary output stage "mimics the characteristics of a Class-A design, but with dramatically lower distortion"; while it's not as round and juicy as true Class A designs like the Pass Labs XA30 or Valvet A4, it does approach their naturalness and smoothness much more than I'm used to from a high-power Class AB amp. I've found most gear that isn't blatantly colored to tend toward the leaner side these days, which can really put you in a pickle if you don't have something to balance it out. The 4B3 has a relaxed, generous quality to it which will help keep your system from getting too lean and bright, one of the more common traps of a modern system. I think this character of the 4B3 is summed up well in Christian Punter's extensive review on hifi-advice.com, and while I wouldn't go quite as far as he does, my listening observations largely align with his.

That warm, smooth quality might sound at odds with neutrality, but unlike some amps I've heard (ahem tubes) this came without biasing or distorting the sound in any particular way. Tonality of woodwind instruments in particular was spot-on, with the timbre of reed instruments - oboes, clarinets and bassoons - coming through distinctly and realistically. The wide variety of instrument timbres in a symphony orchestra are the toughest test for any gear and at no point did I pick up on anything nasal, bright, muffled or otherwise colored with the 4B3. True to its pro audio heritage, it gives the sense of telling it like it is with minimal editorializing and exceedingly low distortion.

Bryston makes much of the extensive lengths it went through in the Cubed series to both minimize internally-generated noise while maximizing rejection of external sources (e.g. RFI and power line noise). Whatever they did, it worked a treat. While the 4B3 is quiet at idle - with no input and your ear pressed up against the speaker, there's barely any hiss and zero hum - it's really the lack of audible noise and grain imparted on the signal that makes it sound so true and clean. Most solid state amps, including the older Brystons, always sounded a bit cloudy and grainy compared to the likes of Pass or Ayre. With the Cubed improvements, much of that has been scrubbed away, giving music a newfound sense of openness and purity approaching those venerable marques. Combined with fast, clean attacks, everything comes across with great clarity. Jason Kennedy describes this quality, along with all the usual British flourishes about PRaT etc., better than I could in his excellent review for The Ear - I recommend giving it a read.

The 4B3 also produced some of the best bass I have heard in my system. I've known Bryston amps to have big bass, but perhaps lacking in subtlety and definition. I found the 4B3 to be powerful for sure, but also tight, fast, and musically balanced. It was deep and tuneful, creating a feeling of unflappable stability with big orchestral music and heavy rock tracks. Sometimes amps with very high damping factor can sound lean, but the Bryston complemented its slam and control with just enough juiciness and resonance. String bass sounded full and tuneful without bloat, bass drum whacks had realistic impact, and pop/rock tracks had relentless drive. Some Class D amps I've heard capture pitch a bit more evenly (maybe due to their switching power supplies which reduce 60Hz colorations), but the Bryston is nearly their equal in that regard. It gripped the 6" woofers of the Silverline and Audiovector monitors and coaxed low notes of remarkable clarity and power within their physical limits.

Nits & Comparisons

Okay, so what doesn't the Bryston do right? Mostly little flaws of omission - subtle things that seem like fluff to non-audiophiles, but that the fanatics among us go through inordinate lengths and expense to obtain in the name of musical nirvana. While it's very detailed, it does gloss over some fine instrumental texture and spatial cues. While it's plenty dynamic, there are more organic sounding amps that convey more emotional swing and nuance - the electrifying climaxes of Maria Callas in a Puccini aria, the ebb and flow of the Vienna Phil in a Strauss waltz, the emotional surge of cellist Alisa Weilerstein in the Elgar concerto. While its midrange is very smooth, it doesn't have the liquidity of a fine tube or Class A solid state amp that makes instruments flow from the recording to your room. And its soundstage is a tick or two less deep and open, its images less dimensional and tactile than what those amps can convey.

Things got a little out of hand with the comparison testing...

For the most part, these are things you need to pay a lot more money to obtain, but some aspects can be had in this price range. E.g. the $4k (before it was discontinued) Ayre integrated gets more of the presence and immediacy of a voice, the sense that there's less between you and the performer - little nuances like clarity of diction, articulation of a bow stroke, pauses between phrases are a hair more convincing. Some people call this "inner detail" - not the obvious stuff, but the little things. The Bryston was a little laid back by comparison - not veiled, just less forthcoming - which will likely come as a relief to those with an aversion to harsh, forward solid state sound, but it's an omission nonetheless. The flip side is the Ayre pushes a bit too much in the other direction, sounding a little on edge and over-articulate compared to the unflappable Bryston, particularly with hyper-articulate speakers like the Audiovector. The 4B3 also has a more solid "core" to its sound - a sense of solidity and anchoring in the midrange. This is most apparent with notes around middle C (262Hz), where the Ayre lacks the natural weight that the Bryston captures nicely without sounding heavy or slow... again, a very endearing quality to those traditionally allergic to solid state.

An amp that made for a fascinating comparison was the Valvet A4 Mk. II ($8k) - a handmade, Class A solid state monoblock from Germany with minimalist circuitry and real soul. Despite being rated at just 55W/8Ω, with a reasonable load and volume level the Valvet sounds just as capable of macro dynamics as the Bryston while being noticeably more expressive within the melodies and more holographic with its soundstage. Tonally they were surprisingly close, both sounding full bodied in the midrange and extended in the treble. But the Valvet really has a way of projecting a compelling image and conveying a natural, singing quality that showcases the beauty of a tune and really pulls at your heartstrings. The resonance and ring of a soprano or flute, the halo around solo instruments, the height of the stage, the harmonics of an oboe - the Valvet captued these nuances with an uncanny ease and conviction that made the Bryston sound a little restrained and disconnected by comparison. However the Valvet doesn't have the same slam in the bass, won't drive as wide a range of speakers, and will run out of steam well before the Bryston even comes close to breaking a sweat.

I'll have more to say about the Valvet in its forthcoming review, but this isn't meant to be an indictment of the Bryston in any way - on the contrary, it proved itself a very fine sounding and satisfying amp, and I was impressed with how well it held up musically to a very special, highly tweaked-out audiophile amp costing over $1k more.

Verdict

Maybe I'm not talking to the right people, but the Bryston 4B Cubed seems to be flying under the audiophile radar. It's a very, very good sounding amp - great, even. Once properly run in, it possesses a subtly smooth and warm sound with none of the coldness or harshness one might be prejudiced to expect from such a powerful and practical solid state amp. And while not cheap, it's downright affordable compared to the astronomical price points in today's high-end market. It would be my absolute first choice for a combined music/home theater system, where it would have all the power and reliability to handle the needs of TV/movie watching while having plenty of refinement for music.

So it doesn't resolve the last few degrees of detail or stir the musical soul quite like the better high-end amps - the fuzz of the peach, the inner glow, the transcendent insight, whatever you want to call it. But those amps generally cost much more and/or have other limitations and compromises. For under $7k, the Bryston gives you musically satisfying reproduction that's easy to live with, and it will probably outlast every other piece of gear in your system. It's also a sound investment, maintaining resale value far better than average thanks to its durability, exceptional factor service and support, and of course that 20 year warranty.

Overall, I'd give the Bryston 4B Cubed 4 stars purely on sound quality, 5 for value, netting out to 4.5 stars overall. It's an amp you can set up and forget in most any system and just enjoy for years, and I came very, very close to purchasing the review unit. Ultimately my quest to get every last bit of that fuzz on the peach led me to continue my search for a reference amp, but there are times I wonder if I should have hung onto it... particularly now that I've moved to a larger space that could really benefit from the power, I have some pangs of regret sending it back. I enjoyed my time with the Bryston 4B Cubed and highly recommend giving it a listen - it might just be all the amp you need.

Many thanks to James Tanner @ Bryston and Micah Sheveloff @ WIRC Media for their generous loan.

[ohsnapitzmarvel]

Plz add more post IW headcanons !!!! Can we talk about some potential post infinity war headcanons plz n thank u???? Like I want a Tony Stark who SURVIVES and STAYS STRONG™ during and after the fight against Thanos! A Tony who seeks out PROFESSIONAL help after everything is cleaned up– i.e a therapist, social worker literally anybody who is willing to LISTEN and HELP HIM work through his potential PTSD and grief!!

I want a Pepper who DOESN’T get upset/scared when her loved one has a PTSD/grieving episode!!! I want Tony to have support from her– knowing that even if his actions scare her, she will stay with him and hold him when it’s dark

I want a Peter Parker who SURVIVES and SUCCEEDS after infinity war (plz god plz). I want him to be able to rely/trust his new avenger friends– BUT still have a normal life (plz don’t spoil his secret identity it is so marvel-y pure™)

!!!! infinity war side note: PLEASE DONT KILL HIS IRON MAN DAD PLZ PLZ PLZ HE DOESNT NEED TO SEE ALL THIS DESTRUCTION AND LOSE ANOTHER FATHER/MENTOR FIGURE !!!

Headcanons continued: I want a peter Parker who has grown from his new experiences when working with the avengers, I hope he has new SUPER FRIENDS™ but keeps his regular friends (luv u Ned n Michelle) – Idk I also wish this lil bean doesn’t get any srs PTSD he doesn’t need that in his life.

I ALSO WANT A RHODES WHO STAYS IN TONY’S LIFE AND WHO IS GETTING THE TREATMENT HE DESERVES BC I WANT HIM TO WALK AGAIN PLZ. I want this manz to have the world and the moon. Give this man his legs and more bc Tony needs him and he needs Tony (plz give me a pepperony wedding w/ him as best man????)

I want a Thor (beautiful n wonderful Space Labrador) who is HAPPPPPPYYYYY who is able to live a normal life in Asgard and be a part time avenger still (only when the world is in grave danger) I want him to be friends w/ Peter Quill, just kicking intergalactic ass together.

I want a Peter Quill who is finally reunited with his grandfather plz n thank u- his grandfather needs to know that his daughter was not ‘crazy’ when she was always talking about the stars. I also want a Peter Quill w/ a fricking IPod with music picked from every avenger / Marvel superhero (you betcha Tony would pick some AC/DC for his new pal)

I also didn’t realize I really needed a Peter Quill x Thor friendship until now plz lord help me tooooo cute!! (This is my new favourite headcanon)

I want a Rocket and Groot duo finally taking a break plz just doing easy work after infinity war – also keeping in contact with their new friends!

I want a Gamora who is independent now because she has no more evil power hungry purple lard-ass dad to worry about. I also want her to let Peter more into her life plz marvel be nice to her she deserves the world n more –> plz note I also want an actual SIBLING RELATIONSHIP WITH HER AND NEBULA. I NEED THESE TWO GIRLS TO BE STRONG TOGETHER AND JUST KICK ASS!! I WANT THEM TO DO SISTER STUFF

I want a Steve Rogers WHO CAN FINALLY TAKE A BREAK BRUH IDC IF U GIVE UP THE SHIELD AND CAP FOR GOOD BUT Plz plZ PLZ LET THIS BB BOY JUST CATCH A BREAK – I also want him and Tony to talk things out after IW (@marvel plz don’t kill either of these angels)!!! (Somebody plz add more I am too emotional to think of anything else for this precious sun n light of America)

???I maybe want a Bucky Barnes(yah I just want Bucky tBH)?? Jk jk I want a Bucky Barnes who is working on himself now (mAYBE EVEN IN WAKANDA he can eat all the plums he wants, read all the books he wants, catch up on all the history that he missed out on whilst being a badass hydra assassin – maybe I also want him to be the new cap but we can talk bout that another time.

I WANT A SAM WILSON AS A FRICKING FULL TIME AVENGER WHO HAS HAPPINESS AND GOES ONTO ROAD TRIPS TO SEE BUCKY N STEVE PLZ N THANK YOU. I want this bb to just be amazing and still work as a social worker (bless this boy honestly) with soldiers n maybe even SHIELD agents who are suffering w/ PTSD

I want a Natasha who is taking some time by herself, plz let this role model of a icon (English plz) maybe teach girls of all ages how to defend themselves against the evils of the world (plz not Clint would host the male equivalent of this bc the world is a scary place for everybody). Maybe let nat even let her guard down for a bit— let her live her life she deserves– have girl nights with her friends– visit Clint n his beautiful family– keep in contact with Steve n Bucky n Sam n Tony n everybody tBH but let her live

I want a Clint Barton who stays sarcastic as always but is finally with his family, maybe teaching archery to his kids??? I’m so glad he has a lil farm plz don’t blow up his lil farm

I want a Wanda WHO FINALLY GETS THE COUNSELLING SHE DESERVES AFTER LOSING HER BROTHER AND GETTING BLAMED !!!! I want her to have a normal teenager years/ early adulthood– maybe let her be friends with peter they can gossip bout everybody. I want her to be happy and not scared. I also want her to be w/ Vision plz

I WANT A VISION WHO DOESNT DIE THANKS MARVEL

[erigold13261]

OG anon who sent the JJK asks here… I actually never thought you’d get THIS attached to the series (not complaining), it was just a “Since canon is killing characters left and right, let’s just give them a better, sillier life here!” Kinda thing. Hence the OOC characters and all… and dang. This Eriverse thing is so cool…

I'll be honest as well, I never thought I would get this attached to the show/manga either!

What I was expecting was the opposite when it came to JJK and HS. I was expecting I would get very attached to Homestuck while having to slog through JJK to get through the series. But as we can see, it is the other way around (I am VERY slowly getting through Homestuck each week, but it truly is just a slog for me right now).

It's also funny with JJK because this is one of the only medias where I have actively rooted for the antagonists to defeat the protagonists. At least in the case of the disaster curses. Those 4 are the entire reason why I even care all this much about JJK, otherwise it would probably just be a mid show to me (which means that I kinda need Choso and/or Todo to carry the future of the show for me if I don't get attached to another character since I lost my sweet baby curses that did absolutely nothing wrong ever!)

But yea, glad you like the Eriverse! I definitely think I do need to do a restructure/reorganization of plot points and specific interactions. Like to make the story flow better, but that is why I am so into the Future Act now because that is basically giving a clean slate to work with all this stuff I have in my head now.

Dealing with the Past and Revolutions Acts of the Eriverse gets harder to do when you add in more media because you have to like puzzle piece everything together into an already established canon, while in the Future Act I am just adding ONTO the story, not adding INTO the story.

Don't know when that restructure will come around (kinda want to go back into the Past Act as well sometimes, but that is almost entirely just gonna be NSR and Spiderverse since most of the newer medias added in are with younger characters who weren't around in the past), but it will come eventually!

[Again, it was a huge surprise that I also got this deep into JJK. it actually made me kick my small habit of listening to AITA reddit stories on tiktok in favor of anime/JJK tiktoks. Which is something that has been difficult for me since almost all the videos on my FYP were only AITA posts, but now I am getting mainly drawing, cooking, and anime posts again! My tiktok is healing because of JJK! lol]