Bryston BP-19 Analog Preamplifier with MM/MC Phono

Your Turntable Plugs Straight Into It

This is the Bryston BP-19 with the MM/MC phono module built in at the factory. Moving magnet and moving coil are both covered. The cartridge leads go to Input 1, the ground wire goes to the post beside them, and the whole analog chain lives in one chassis.

The rest of the preamp is pure Bryston. Two pairs of balanced XLR inputs and four pairs of RCA take your other sources. Outputs come as a variable pair and a fixed pair, in both XLR and RCA, so your power amp and a recorder can run at once.

Switch Cartridge Types From the Front Panel

Change tables, or change cartridges, and nothing has to come out of the rack. The front panel menu reads MC Phono or MM Phono. Pick one and the matching stage takes over, so a moving-coil upgrade later costs you a menu press rather than another box.

Bryston hand-builds the BP-19 in Dwight, Ontario, and backs it for ten years. Faceplates come in 17-inch and 19-inch widths, silver or black, with a professional rackmount version offered too. The BR-4 remote is in the box.

What the Phono Boards Are Doing

The moving-magnet side is Bryston's standard RIAA equalization stage, the same circuit idea as the BP-2. It gives 41dB of gain at 1kHz. It presents 47K ohms and wants 5mV, which is where the great majority of moving-magnet cartridges sit.

Where the Moving-Coil Gain Comes From

Moving-coil cartridges put out far less, so Bryston puts custom step-up transformers ahead of the same RIAA stage. Gain is selectable at 20dB or 26dB. That suits cartridges in the 0.3 to 0.5mV range. The input presents 180 ohms and wants 350 microvolts.

The line stage around it measures the way Bryston line stages do. THD+N sits at or below 0.0006%. Intermodulation is at or below 0.0003%, noise is 110dB down on both output types, and response holds within 0.05dB from 20Hz to 20kHz.

Turn It Down Without Losing the Balance

Volume runs on a digitally controlled analog step-ladder in half-decibel steps. The channels track to within a tenth of a decibel, so low-level listening stays centered. A quarter-inch headphone jack on the front panel mutes the speakers when you plug in.

RS232 and an Ethernet port hand control to an installer. A trigger input drops the preamp into standby, and trigger outputs bring your power amp up with it. Standby draw is half a watt, so leaving it wired is cheap.

What Reviewers Are Saying

Malcolm J. Gomes of Positive Feedback, reviewing the BP-19 on July 26, 2024, made it his reference preamplifier, writing that Bryston had "achieved the holy grail of combining precision and accuracy with truly seductive musicality."

Andrew Dewhirst of Future Audiophile, in a January 20, 2025 review, wrote that the preamp "is built to last, doesn’t add any color, and will easily compliment systems with components costing much more."

Who Is This Preamplifier Best For?

• Vinyl is your main source — the phono stage is inside, wired to Input 1. There is no outboard box to buy, power, or find a shelf for.
• You own a moving coil, or expect to — 20dB or 26dB of transformer gain is already fitted. Your next cartridge upgrade is a menu choice, not another purchase.
• You want the signal to stay analog end to end — every stage is discrete and balanced. Your cartridge and your ears are what shape the sound.
• You keep components for a decade or more — hand assembly in Ontario, and a ten-year warranty. This is a buy-once box, not a stopgap.
• If your sources are digital, add a converter first — the BP-19 is analog from end to end. A USB, coaxial or optical feed needs converting before it arrives. Pair it with one of our DACs and the digital side is covered.

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Your turntable goes to Input 1, with its ground lead on the post beside the phono jacks. Other sources fill the remaining XLR and RCA inputs. Run the variable outputs to your power amp, and keep the fixed pair for gear with its own volume control. Give the preamp its own shelf rather than the top of the amplifier, so the phono stage stays away from the amp's transformer.

Drop the needle. Everything else is already in the box.

Pairs Well With

Building a system around the BP-19? These are the natural companions:

• Turntable: The source this version was built around — see our Turntables.
• Interconnects: Balanced XLR cables carry the signal to your power amp — see our Interconnect Cables.
• Floorstanding Speakers: The end of the chain, downstream of your amp — see our Floorstanding Speakers.
• Audio Rack: Its own shelf, away from the amplifier — see our Audio Racks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which input does my turntable use?

Input 1. The phono module is wired to it, and the ground post sits next to those jacks on the rear panel.

Which cartridges suit the moving-coil input?

Bryston sizes the step-up transformers for cartridges putting out around 0.3 to 0.5mV, with 20dB or 26dB of gain to choose from. The input presents 180 ohms.

What does the moving-magnet stage load my cartridge at?

47K ohms, at 5mV sensitivity and 41dB of gain at 1kHz. That is the standard loading most moving-magnet cartridges are designed around.

How do I switch between MM and MC?

From the front panel menu, which reads MC Phono or MM Phono. The change takes a moment and nothing needs rewiring.

What comes in the box?

Bryston ships the BP-19 with its BR-4 infrared remote, which covers volume, mute, power and all six source buttons.

What warranty does it carry?

Bryston covers the BP-19 for ten years from the date of purchase. Buy from an authorized dealer, and register it in your name as the first owner.

See It in Action

Hifi Pig Television covers the BP-19 at its launch:

Tabi walks a full Bryston system built around the BP-19 at Montreal Audiofest 2024:

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Learn More

Want to learn more about phono stages, cartridge matching, or building a system from separates? Visit our Learning Center for guides, tips, and expert advice.