I should note here, however, that the Veritas, and other reflex speaker designs with lots of output right down to 30hz and below, react very well to amps with well damped bottom-end like the Brystons. When talking bass the 3B ST is best described as a vice, exerting truly fascist control over woofer cones, resulting in extremely taut and precise low frequency reproduction. Many, however, might find this sound over-damped or too lean, especially with sealed box loudspeakers or in big rooms where there's lots of space between speakers and walls. Pavement's new Terror Twilight CD , which has some of the best recorded electric bass I've ever heard, sounded really outstanding through the Blue Circle. When you can't resist repeatedly turning up the volume something is definitely right.
Chances are it's at least partly dynamics, both micro and macro.
Not only did the Blue Circle handle the big volume swings with aplomb, it did an excellent job of revealing low level detail and of keeping the most subtle transient events intact. Jazz and rock really benefited from the punchy mid bass, the BC22 doing an excellent job conveying the impact of drums and rhythm sections in general. The influence of Blue Circle's love of tube based electronics carries through to the BC22's midrange too. Critical listening and comparison helped me get a handle on the BC22's warmth and up-front perspective in the midband. Although definitely slightly coloured in comparison to the Bryston or MDG, the Blue Circle had an immediacy and presence which the other amps lacked, characteristics most apparent on close miked instruments and, especially, vocals.