Bryston 7B³ Cubed Mono Amplifier

One channel, all of the headroom

The Bryston 7B³ Cubed Mono Amplifier is a single channel monoblock rated at 600W into 8Ω and 900W into 4Ω, built around Bryston's patented Cubed input stage. It is sold as a single unit, so a stereo system needs two of them, one behind each speaker. Handbuilt in Canada and convection cooled, with no fans to add noise to a quiet room.

Why You'll Love It

• Power that does not run out. 600W into 8Ω and 900W into 4Ω means demanding speakers and big rooms stop being a problem, and the amplifier stays comfortably inside its limits at normal listening levels.
• One amplifier per speaker. Running monoblocks gives each channel its own power supply and output stage, which keeps the left and right channels from competing for current on heavy passages.
• Built to fit your rack. Choose a 17 inch or 19 inch faceplate in black or silver, with the 19 inch version adding rack handles for professional installations.

Under the Hood

• Patented Cubed input stage using Bryston's Salomie circuit, with 12 active devices providing the first 6dB of gain and cancelling distortion before it reaches the output section.
• Balanced XLR and single ended RCA inputs, switchable 23dB or 29dB gain, input impedance 7.5kΩ unbalanced and 5kΩ per leg balanced, plus a DC trigger input with passthrough.
• Frequency response below 1Hz to 100kHz at -3dB, THD below 0.005% across 20Hz to 20kHz at rated power, and microprocessor controlled SoftStart to limit turn-on current.

CHT Insider Verdict

This is the amplifier you buy when the speakers are already sorted and you want to hear what they can actually do. The 7B³ is not a subtle upgrade over a good stereo amp, it changes how a system handles dynamics and bass control. Bear in mind you are buying one channel, so budget for a pair, and leave room for the heat these put out even without fans.

Pro Tip: Because each monoblock sits beside its own speaker, you can run long balanced interconnects from the preamplifier and keep the speaker cables very short. That is the better way around, and it is one of the real practical advantages of going mono.