Bryan Amplifier

[Trevor]

Thanks for your input MrElectronicman
where you in Washington when you heard of the Bryan ?
these things were very small scale production! My interest in these is socialogical as well as technical We have all heard of Harold Leak,Peter Walker, Ted Rule etc but I have no idea who was the owner ,designer of these
and would love to hear from any -one who has such information
Best regards Trev

[MrElectronicman]

Hi Trevor,

No! I was still in the UK at that time, and I was referring to some of the shops in Birmingham.

[Trevor]

At last here are pictures of my Ultra rare Bryan 8000 amplifier the circuitry is very similar to the 9000 except that it is fitted with a regulated supply and larger driver transistors
Please note the 5 off 2N3055 type devices on the heatsink
serial no is 8064 so I think this is the 64 unit
the manufacturing address in this case is Hale Cheshire does any one have any information on these ?
regards Trev

[Trevor]

I have just connected the Bryan to its matching tuner and the pair have worked correctly first time and as I type this I am listening to radio 4 in stereo
I collected this pair about 2 years ago after making a round trip of 360 miles
I must say the design is spot on and while the build quality may be primitive the components etc must be first class nearly 40 years old and still working as per the origional design
I will post photo,s of the tuner soon
I have also in my collection a Bryan receiver the only one I have ever come acrosss
Perhaps some one can give me any memories or details re this brand
regards Trev

[Trevor]

Please find attached photo,s of matching 1500 model tuner
It boasts Fet front end and has a fibreglass main pcb the if strip is on a seperate pcb mounted vertically The stereo decoder is on the main pcb and is a full quad diode matrix with 38 khz filtering etc
The stereo indicator is behind the Bryan logo and is illuminated in stereo mode
The fm tuner head is a bought in item !
The company has by this time moved to Oldham Lanceshire any idea,s any one?
regards Trev

[Mignun67]

Fantastic Trevor! Thanks for the pics. Yup, I too was amazed at how well my Bryan sounds after so many years and no component replacement. After a quick squirt of contact cleaner all controls are virtually silent too. Very impressive. Sadly I may have to let this one go though - too many amps these days and the new arrival of a Rogers HG88 Mk2 and a totally mint vintage Marantz means I have to make room. We'll see. I've grown rather fond of this one...

[Trevor]

Let me know if you sell it as I will always find room for a Bryan
regards Trev

[Trevor]

I have found another Bryan amplifier It should be with me in a few days
regards Trev

[Trevor]

Well Bryan have suprised me again
I have purchased yet another 9000 amplifier ser no 90392 and on opening it I an staggered to find that the output devices are plastic!
Not your normal type but an RCA device that has 2 fixing screws and the emitter /base leads come out on the left /right 1 on each side the lettering is to faded to make out !
I have over 40 years experience with audio amplifiers and have never met this package before I will post pictures later
regards Trev

[Trevor]

Please find attached pictures of the unusual power transistors that have been fitted to my latest 9000 amplifier they are a two hole fixing plastic device that has the base/emitter connections coming out either side !Despite looking for them I can find no reference to this package any Ideas any one?
Regards Trev

[MrElectronicman]

Hi Trevor,

The pics are quite blurred, can you redo them?

[Trevor]

I wish I could The Camera is not designed for close work !
This is the best of 5 attempts the transistors are bolted to the heatsink with 2 off bolts and the base emitter conections are 1 each side of the package with the collector being the metal tab with the two bolts
regards Trev

[sansui88]

Hi guys, im new to this forum but would just like to let you know, Ive recently required a Bryan 900 Amplifier serial 9385, literally at the car boot this morning so don't know whether it working or not!

I'll post some pics later

Regards Mike

[Trevor]

Welcome to the forum a most exclusive club Sansui88 ! and a Bryan owner as well !!!
Moving on to my latest Bryan amplifier with the most unusual output transistors
these are in fact RCA 2N5036 in a T0-219AB package
please see attached sketch
It must have had a very limited existence as I have never seen them before
they occupy the same area as a 2n3055 but are one sided in that you don,t have to drill base emitter hole in the heatsink but can not be directly pc mounted as with more conventional packages
But believe it or not I have found another 1 in a H+H amplifier that I have just obtained like buses you never see one and then they all come at once
regards Trev

[Jason Pero]

Photo of this unusual package would be nice since I could not dig anything up with google.

Cheers, Wizard

[sansui88]

Needs a good clean, but i can't believe how lovely and warm it sounds. Has a lovely warm midrange and crisp top end. Bass it lacking a little but it powers my big tdls with ease and doesn't hardly get warm.

[Trevor]

I will try to get a picture on over the next week
regards trev

[Trevor]

Your Bryan looks to be a Germanium 900 model fitted with non standards knobs
However if it works you have a great find !!!!
Remember the capacitors etc are at least 35 years old and the amplifier could benafit from a recap
however I tend to leave them alone if its working well done lucky you!!!!
regards Trev

[MrElectronicman]

Hi,

Did some research on the power transistor, could not find much. It looks like the 2N5036 was quickly replaced with other transistors that used more common TO-3 case.

I did find some data on the TO-219 case if this helps any.

Rgds,
David

[Trevor]

Please
Find attached pictures re the strange output transistor
Sorry its out of focus but its the best my camera can do
regards Trev