Reviews by kolisten09
Intro
To start, thanks again to Bhavneet and Burson Audio for having me review this Super Charger locally. This really caught my eye and curiosity as to see for myself if such a change in power supply really affects the sound output without just being snake oil and so here we are and spoiler alert - it was definitely noticeable! For the unitiated, Burson Audio has been around for more than 12 years as one of the few audio specialist brands hailing from the country down under, making their names especially with their discrete opamps being used by DIYers all around the globe. By establishing the Max Current Power Supply (MCPS) proprietary technology, they seem to know their way around the benefits of an efficient power supply and not just come up with a snake oil product.
Build, packaging, and configuration
The main product packaging is a black carton box with print and a clear window in order to see the actual product. Then inside is the actual item itself with various adapters for every outlet need. The Super Charger is in premium black plastic, the cable seem supple and durable, and feels solid overall. The cable itself is 5 feet in length and terminated by a 2.5mm plug for your devices. The one that I received is the 3A version and its compatibility/design seem to be proprietary almost all the current Burson Audio portfolio. If your unit complies with these questions:
Performance - this is not snake oil!
Using the Burson Playmate 2 since it's a DAC and amplifier in one so that the power supply is being used in its holistic nature to power the entire output system - right off the bat, there was definite noticeable improvement switching from the stock powerbrick to the Super Charger. And I thought it was going to be minimal. The sound immediately sounds cleaner and smoother, with details squeezed out of the system. The response of the overall setup was more dynamic and is really quick to catch up with the busiest of music without distortion that you may nitpick from your first time hearing it. And the 3D effect of the soundstage is felt more with this upgrade. Mileage may vary depending on the user but I can definitely say that this is an improvement. Though I cannot speak for those who plan to use this with a non-Burson device if the effect will be more substantial.
Overall
If you're like a tuner who want to maximize and squeeze every potential of your system, the Burson Super Charger fits the bill and is your definite upgrade of choice especially if your system chain is composed of Burson components. Pushing the limits in terms of cleanliness of output, noise reduction, and detail retrieval, this power supply does small wonders to your system and is properly implemented. The only remaining question though is if it is worth it to spend half the cost of a Burson entry-level component such as the Playmate or Funk for such an upgrade and it depends but you may or may not appreciate the mileage of difference you'll hear. But if you do find the time to nitpick every noise or transient you hear and want to extract every potential of your Burson system, then this is a solid purchase even for its price. Thumbs up!
To start, thanks again to Bhavneet and Burson Audio for having me review this Super Charger locally. This really caught my eye and curiosity as to see for myself if such a change in power supply really affects the sound output without just being snake oil and so here we are and spoiler alert - it was definitely noticeable! For the unitiated, Burson Audio has been around for more than 12 years as one of the few audio specialist brands hailing from the country down under, making their names especially with their discrete opamps being used by DIYers all around the globe. By establishing the Max Current Power Supply (MCPS) proprietary technology, they seem to know their way around the benefits of an efficient power supply and not just come up with a snake oil product.
Build, packaging, and configuration
The main product packaging is a black carton box with print and a clear window in order to see the actual product. Then inside is the actual item itself with various adapters for every outlet need. The Super Charger is in premium black plastic, the cable seem supple and durable, and feels solid overall. The cable itself is 5 feet in length and terminated by a 2.5mm plug for your devices. The one that I received is the 3A version and its compatibility/design seem to be proprietary almost all the current Burson Audio portfolio. If your unit complies with these questions:
- Is your current power supply unit 24Volt with the same amp or less? (eg 3A or less)
- Does it have a 2.5mm DC barrel plug?
- Does it have a centre positive polarity?
Performance - this is not snake oil!
Using the Burson Playmate 2 since it's a DAC and amplifier in one so that the power supply is being used in its holistic nature to power the entire output system - right off the bat, there was definite noticeable improvement switching from the stock powerbrick to the Super Charger. And I thought it was going to be minimal. The sound immediately sounds cleaner and smoother, with details squeezed out of the system. The response of the overall setup was more dynamic and is really quick to catch up with the busiest of music without distortion that you may nitpick from your first time hearing it. And the 3D effect of the soundstage is felt more with this upgrade. Mileage may vary depending on the user but I can definitely say that this is an improvement. Though I cannot speak for those who plan to use this with a non-Burson device if the effect will be more substantial.
Overall
If you're like a tuner who want to maximize and squeeze every potential of your system, the Burson Super Charger fits the bill and is your definite upgrade of choice especially if your system chain is composed of Burson components. Pushing the limits in terms of cleanliness of output, noise reduction, and detail retrieval, this power supply does small wonders to your system and is properly implemented. The only remaining question though is if it is worth it to spend half the cost of a Burson entry-level component such as the Playmate or Funk for such an upgrade and it depends but you may or may not appreciate the mileage of difference you'll hear. But if you do find the time to nitpick every noise or transient you hear and want to extract every potential of your Burson system, then this is a solid purchase even for its price. Thumbs up!
Intro
To start off, thanks to Bhavneet and Burson for having me as part of the Funk review tour locally. After my experience with the Playmate 2, I am really looking forward to how the other products in the lineup sound. With the Funk, it may share similarities with the Playmate 2 in terms of its amp section but since it is not dependent on the built-in DAC like the PM2 then the sound chain with Funk can really be tuned according to preference, based on the DAC, preamp and/or EQ that you'll be connecting. For the unitiated, Burson Audio has been around for more than 12 years as one of the few audio specialist brands hailing from the country down under, making their names especially with their discrete opamps being used by DIYers all around the globe.
Build, packaging, and configuration
The main product packaging is housed in a cardboard box wherein the white labeled box holds the item and its accessories protected by solid hard foam. The Funk in itself feels solid, sturdy and shall withstand abuse case situations on a desktop placement, similar to all the current Burson Audio lineup despite being part of the entry series. The metal casing also serves as a heatsink since it does get warm after a couple of hours use but will not reach concerns of overheat levels. The accessories portion comes with the powerbrick, a RCA-RCA cable for connecting to your audio sources, a headphone/mic splitter, a very small replacement fuse (in the case of internal burnout I guess), and a small hex tool for opening up the unit in order to change to opamps, which is quite addictive that such option gives it the feeling similar to rolling with tubes to tune your sound preference (of course, it can be possibly costly as well). Since it does not have a built-in DAC, you can somewhat tune your sound within the chain based on the DAC, preamp, and/or EQ you apply before the Funk. Out of the box, it is transparent to the source and audio chain with its stock NE5532 opamp configuration unlike the Playmate 2, which is a bit harsh and noisy in its default configuration. The Funk functions really well on its own as an amp in contrast with the Playmate 2, wherein the experience of changing the PM2 opamps seem to be a must as the change is really a noticeable improvement especially with the V6 Vivid dual. In the case of this review, we used the Funk in its stock package as well as adding the V6 Classic dual in this case for this review. The amp section also differs from the Playmate 2 as the Funk only has two opamp stage for rolling, which is the headphone output and speaker output sections (unlike the PM2 wherein you can change the pair of duals for IV stage and another for single at the LP stage).
At the back, it has RCA stereo input ports for connecting your source, mic passthrough, and a pair of speaker binding posts for speaker output powering at a Class AB 45W per channel @ 4 ohms and 35W per channel @ 8 ohms. At the front, you have a 6.3mm and 3.5mm 3W Class A headphone output jacks as well as the volume pot (which feels really good) and 3 buttons to control the gain, output (speakers or headphones), as well as the on/off function.
Sound
Right off the bat, I have to inform that the amp is too powerful for any IEMs even at Low gain though you can listen to them at low volume without channel imbalance at a sweet low spot so for its use case, will focus on the headphones output with the HD650 and tried it with the Hifiman Edition XS as well. Out of my HD650, the class A 3W sound is really powerful, energetic without being grainy, retaining the smooth reference character of the HD650. Adding the V6 Classic dual opamp onto the mix, it squeezed out more details and separation from the default setup. It also gave a deeper, rumbling bass as well as a more extended treble to the Edition XS. The V6 Classic opamp gave more texture and somewhat a humanistic factor and personality to the overall sound, bringing in a more intimate, vocal-centric character while expanding on the bass and treble extension without any sibilance. Though just to mention in comparison to the Playmate 2 w/ V6 Vivid opamps installed, the Playmate 2 does sound smoother while being more dynamic to cater as more of the all-rounder option between the two. For those who are planning to get the Funk, the default configuration is already the way to go especially if you have a preferred DAC or an existing tube preamp for your preferences. Getting the V6 or other opamps changes the overall character of the amp and is a totally different experience worth exploring if you have the extra funds. Though with the sound I got by connecting a Dragonfly Cobalt DAC onto the chain, the amp is really transparent that it took the Dragonfly Cobalt sound I hear from my IEMs and gave it a powerful oomph, magnifying it for your headphone setup.
Bass control with Darkside's "Paper trails" as well as the presentation with Ariana Grande tracks are really a wonder to be heard with these, not ever going at a time where it is all around the place. Details are easily picked out and the presentation is whatever the DAC and preamp chain you put before the Funk. The power it brings is more than enough for almost all the headphones in the market except the most demanding electrostats as it goes really loud at just 12 o'clock of the volume pot for both the HD650 and the Hifiman Edition XS.
Overall
The Burson Funk is your definite value combo of choice as both a headphone and speaker amp for your desktop if you have a listening station setup for both. With its relative-sized footprint that does not take too much space and its more-than-adequate power, it's a gear that belongs on everyone's desk especially if you fancy trying out different DACs and preamp options while doing your studio monitoring on a pair of passive speakers. The only caveat is if balanced connections really matter with your setup. The premium solid feel and look also does not feel outdated along with any peripheral you might have as it is a straighforward amplifier for your other gears. Unless you want an all-in-one box like the Playmate 2 that connects to your PC to save space for other elements and you fancy playing around with other parts of your audio chain to attain that desired sound, then this is a very solid purchase. Great job Burson and thumbs up!
To start off, thanks to Bhavneet and Burson for having me as part of the Funk review tour locally. After my experience with the Playmate 2, I am really looking forward to how the other products in the lineup sound. With the Funk, it may share similarities with the Playmate 2 in terms of its amp section but since it is not dependent on the built-in DAC like the PM2 then the sound chain with Funk can really be tuned according to preference, based on the DAC, preamp and/or EQ that you'll be connecting. For the unitiated, Burson Audio has been around for more than 12 years as one of the few audio specialist brands hailing from the country down under, making their names especially with their discrete opamps being used by DIYers all around the globe.
Build, packaging, and configuration
The main product packaging is housed in a cardboard box wherein the white labeled box holds the item and its accessories protected by solid hard foam. The Funk in itself feels solid, sturdy and shall withstand abuse case situations on a desktop placement, similar to all the current Burson Audio lineup despite being part of the entry series. The metal casing also serves as a heatsink since it does get warm after a couple of hours use but will not reach concerns of overheat levels. The accessories portion comes with the powerbrick, a RCA-RCA cable for connecting to your audio sources, a headphone/mic splitter, a very small replacement fuse (in the case of internal burnout I guess), and a small hex tool for opening up the unit in order to change to opamps, which is quite addictive that such option gives it the feeling similar to rolling with tubes to tune your sound preference (of course, it can be possibly costly as well). Since it does not have a built-in DAC, you can somewhat tune your sound within the chain based on the DAC, preamp, and/or EQ you apply before the Funk. Out of the box, it is transparent to the source and audio chain with its stock NE5532 opamp configuration unlike the Playmate 2, which is a bit harsh and noisy in its default configuration. The Funk functions really well on its own as an amp in contrast with the Playmate 2, wherein the experience of changing the PM2 opamps seem to be a must as the change is really a noticeable improvement especially with the V6 Vivid dual. In the case of this review, we used the Funk in its stock package as well as adding the V6 Classic dual in this case for this review. The amp section also differs from the Playmate 2 as the Funk only has two opamp stage for rolling, which is the headphone output and speaker output sections (unlike the PM2 wherein you can change the pair of duals for IV stage and another for single at the LP stage).
At the back, it has RCA stereo input ports for connecting your source, mic passthrough, and a pair of speaker binding posts for speaker output powering at a Class AB 45W per channel @ 4 ohms and 35W per channel @ 8 ohms. At the front, you have a 6.3mm and 3.5mm 3W Class A headphone output jacks as well as the volume pot (which feels really good) and 3 buttons to control the gain, output (speakers or headphones), as well as the on/off function.
Sound
Right off the bat, I have to inform that the amp is too powerful for any IEMs even at Low gain though you can listen to them at low volume without channel imbalance at a sweet low spot so for its use case, will focus on the headphones output with the HD650 and tried it with the Hifiman Edition XS as well. Out of my HD650, the class A 3W sound is really powerful, energetic without being grainy, retaining the smooth reference character of the HD650. Adding the V6 Classic dual opamp onto the mix, it squeezed out more details and separation from the default setup. It also gave a deeper, rumbling bass as well as a more extended treble to the Edition XS. The V6 Classic opamp gave more texture and somewhat a humanistic factor and personality to the overall sound, bringing in a more intimate, vocal-centric character while expanding on the bass and treble extension without any sibilance. Though just to mention in comparison to the Playmate 2 w/ V6 Vivid opamps installed, the Playmate 2 does sound smoother while being more dynamic to cater as more of the all-rounder option between the two. For those who are planning to get the Funk, the default configuration is already the way to go especially if you have a preferred DAC or an existing tube preamp for your preferences. Getting the V6 or other opamps changes the overall character of the amp and is a totally different experience worth exploring if you have the extra funds. Though with the sound I got by connecting a Dragonfly Cobalt DAC onto the chain, the amp is really transparent that it took the Dragonfly Cobalt sound I hear from my IEMs and gave it a powerful oomph, magnifying it for your headphone setup.
Bass control with Darkside's "Paper trails" as well as the presentation with Ariana Grande tracks are really a wonder to be heard with these, not ever going at a time where it is all around the place. Details are easily picked out and the presentation is whatever the DAC and preamp chain you put before the Funk. The power it brings is more than enough for almost all the headphones in the market except the most demanding electrostats as it goes really loud at just 12 o'clock of the volume pot for both the HD650 and the Hifiman Edition XS.
Overall
The Burson Funk is your definite value combo of choice as both a headphone and speaker amp for your desktop if you have a listening station setup for both. With its relative-sized footprint that does not take too much space and its more-than-adequate power, it's a gear that belongs on everyone's desk especially if you fancy trying out different DACs and preamp options while doing your studio monitoring on a pair of passive speakers. The only caveat is if balanced connections really matter with your setup. The premium solid feel and look also does not feel outdated along with any peripheral you might have as it is a straighforward amplifier for your other gears. Unless you want an all-in-one box like the Playmate 2 that connects to your PC to save space for other elements and you fancy playing around with other parts of your audio chain to attain that desired sound, then this is a very solid purchase. Great job Burson and thumbs up!
Intro
First off, thanks to Bhavneet and Kim for trusting and being a part of the Playmate 2 Tour locally. Really excited to experience a taste somewhat of that Australian-flavored gear and that Burson sound that it was known for. For those unfamiliar (in which I was initially am), Burson Audio has been around for some quite sometime as one of the few audio specialist brands hailing from the country down under and was really looking forward to listen to any of their products. Grateful as that the time has come.
Build and packaging
For their entry-level product, this certainly is built really well and sturdy. The overall metal housing seem that it would withstand quite some abuse and scratches on your desktop while the sides serve as heatsink though I did not experience any noticeable heat during operation even for the whole afternoon that would make it hot to touch, just warm. Comes with the powerbrick, a USB-C to USB-C cable for connecting to your devices, a headphone/mic splitter, a very small replacement fuse (in the case of internal burnout I guess), and a small hex tool for opening up the unit in order to change to opamps, which is a joy that such option gives it the feeling like rolling with tubes to tune your sound preference (of course, it can be possibly costly as well). It has a optical and USB-C port in the back for your input options while the headphone jacks in the front and RCA at the back serve as your outputs/preouts. Sadly, it does not have line-in/analog-in so you're restricted with the onboard DAC which seems to be a Sabre ESS9038Q2M. Only the two digital inputs here and though it doesn't always work on your first try with my mobile phone and laptop, the USB-C at times is iffy and you have to disconnect-reconnect your source to be recognized.
Sound
Out of my HD650, the sound is really powerful and meaty though I did notice that there was a touch of roughness and graininess to the sound despite the energy it's bringing. It is also not that detailed in its stock configuration. I could only imagine that this would be emphasized with Beyers and high-treble centered headphones. But after replacing the stock opamps with the V6 Vivid Dual on the I/V stage which is pictured below (I was not able to change the inner middle two opamps for LP stage), the sound definitely opened up. Details and resolution was taken to the next level, soundstage and presentation seem to be more correct instead of being too much stereo ( from left-right sound to a more front arc), then it gave much needed smoothness and musicality to the overall sound. I could only wish for more resources to play around with more opamps and experiment how the unit will react espeically with the V6 Classic or others. With the Burson V6 Vivid Dual, this should have been the default configuration as I guess how the manufacturers meant to but it seems it would bring the price too high. But for those who are planning to get this to experience the Burson house sound, I recommend getting the Burson opamps as well as this is how it is meant to be listened.
Overall
All I can say is that the Burson Playmate 2 is worth your attention and cash if you want a premium all-in-one desktop DAC/amplifier with its powerful output which is enough for most headphones I believe unless its an electrostat. The unit though is too powerful for IEMs even at the low gain setting so be careful when handling the volume knob and always start low on the level. Also, the unit gives a sudden 'pop' to your headphones when turned off so I suggest removing your cans first before turning off. Adding the V6 opamps to the set enhances the experience greatly which makes this seem like a no-regret purchase with its grand musical presentation that does not skimp on the details without being harsh.
First off, thanks to Bhavneet and Kim for trusting and being a part of the Playmate 2 Tour locally. Really excited to experience a taste somewhat of that Australian-flavored gear and that Burson sound that it was known for. For those unfamiliar (in which I was initially am), Burson Audio has been around for some quite sometime as one of the few audio specialist brands hailing from the country down under and was really looking forward to listen to any of their products. Grateful as that the time has come.
Build and packaging
For their entry-level product, this certainly is built really well and sturdy. The overall metal housing seem that it would withstand quite some abuse and scratches on your desktop while the sides serve as heatsink though I did not experience any noticeable heat during operation even for the whole afternoon that would make it hot to touch, just warm. Comes with the powerbrick, a USB-C to USB-C cable for connecting to your devices, a headphone/mic splitter, a very small replacement fuse (in the case of internal burnout I guess), and a small hex tool for opening up the unit in order to change to opamps, which is a joy that such option gives it the feeling like rolling with tubes to tune your sound preference (of course, it can be possibly costly as well). It has a optical and USB-C port in the back for your input options while the headphone jacks in the front and RCA at the back serve as your outputs/preouts. Sadly, it does not have line-in/analog-in so you're restricted with the onboard DAC which seems to be a Sabre ESS9038Q2M. Only the two digital inputs here and though it doesn't always work on your first try with my mobile phone and laptop, the USB-C at times is iffy and you have to disconnect-reconnect your source to be recognized.
Sound
Out of my HD650, the sound is really powerful and meaty though I did notice that there was a touch of roughness and graininess to the sound despite the energy it's bringing. It is also not that detailed in its stock configuration. I could only imagine that this would be emphasized with Beyers and high-treble centered headphones. But after replacing the stock opamps with the V6 Vivid Dual on the I/V stage which is pictured below (I was not able to change the inner middle two opamps for LP stage), the sound definitely opened up. Details and resolution was taken to the next level, soundstage and presentation seem to be more correct instead of being too much stereo ( from left-right sound to a more front arc), then it gave much needed smoothness and musicality to the overall sound. I could only wish for more resources to play around with more opamps and experiment how the unit will react espeically with the V6 Classic or others. With the Burson V6 Vivid Dual, this should have been the default configuration as I guess how the manufacturers meant to but it seems it would bring the price too high. But for those who are planning to get this to experience the Burson house sound, I recommend getting the Burson opamps as well as this is how it is meant to be listened.
Overall
All I can say is that the Burson Playmate 2 is worth your attention and cash if you want a premium all-in-one desktop DAC/amplifier with its powerful output which is enough for most headphones I believe unless its an electrostat. The unit though is too powerful for IEMs even at the low gain setting so be careful when handling the volume knob and always start low on the level. Also, the unit gives a sudden 'pop' to your headphones when turned off so I suggest removing your cans first before turning off. Adding the V6 opamps to the set enhances the experience greatly which makes this seem like a no-regret purchase with its grand musical presentation that does not skimp on the details without being harsh.
