Reviews by raabje
This is a review of the Burson V6 vivid used with Zishan DAP's. I only have these devices, and no other gear to roll opamps. Keep in mind the Zishan DAP's are technically limited devices, and this will probably have a big influence on the performance of high-end opamps.
First, big thanks for John from Burson for letting me try the V6 vidid dual. He asked me if I wanted to try a V5i-D with my Zishan DAP's, but I already bought two myself. And because there is no space inside the DSD for more than a standard IC opamp, he provided also extension wires.
The DAP's I have used for this review, all stock, no modifications on the circuit boards:
- Zishan Z1
- Zishan Z3 with ESS 9038q2m dac
- DSD with dual CS43198 dac
- DSD with dual ESS 9038q2m dac
About the Z1, I can keep it short. I have a V5i-D fitted inside. The V6 vivid is no improvement. The Z1 sounds mostly as itself anyway. To keep it convenient I haven't used it further for my review.
About the DSD with ESS dac, there is a Muses01 fitted inside, and that one is really stuck in the DIP socket. I tried to remove it, but I was afraid a leg would break. So I stopped trying. I have used this player for reference.
About the DSD with CS dac, I modified and extented the extension wires from Burson to get the 8 pins connected in the DIP socket between the two circuit boards. I don't know if this solution compromises the sound quality because of a longer signal path or interference. I guess this will be marginal and not audible.
About the Z3, for convenience I used the stock extension wires from Burson to try the opamps.
The DSD's have a bit better sound than the Z3, more authority and a bit more space, only recognizable when hot swapping the headphone between devices.
To get a better understanding of the performance of the V6 vivid dual, I have compared it to other opamps I have collected.
From left to right:
V6 vidid dual - V5i-D - Muses02 (genuine) - Muses 8920 (probably fake but sounds good) - NE5532P - LM4562NA - LME49720HA
Some of the music I have played for my review (flac 24 bit, 96khz capture of HQ tidal stream)
B.B. King - Live at the Regal
Buddy Guy - Stone Crazy
Roy Buchanan - Live Stock
Nirvana - Nevermind
War on Drugs - Lost in the Dream
Rory Gallagher - Irish Tour
Peter Green - In the Skies
Maurizio - M-series
Scion - Arrange and Process Basic Channel Tracks
Michael Mayer - Immer
I have multiple memory cards with the same collection, so I can hot swap my headphone to test between devices, at the same volume. The headphone I mostly have used is the Sennheiser HD 560S. For preparation I have read some other reviews, like the one on audiofools and here on head-fi.
So, after this long introduction I can be really short about the conclusion. I thought I would need more time for a proper conclusion but in the context, and between the technical boundaries of the Zishan devices this is not the case.
If you pop in the V6 vivid, you instantly think that is sounds really good. And it does sound good, I assume this opamp will maximize the potential of the stock Zishan devices. But for precisely pin-pointing what is so good about the V6, I compared this opamp with my other opamps, and then the differences are actually really small. My conclusion is that the V6 vivid sounds (when used in my Zishan devices, and with my headphone) identical as Muses02, Muses 8920, V5i-D. And the DSD with CS dac + V6 sounds identical to the DSD with ESS dac + Muses01. For me it is really hard to find differences between the V6 vivid and the other higher end opamps. I listened the same songs a lot of times, there is nothing that really stands out between them.
The NE5532P and LM4562NA have little bit duller and flatter sound, if you listen carefully. Like the sound is played in a bit smaller room. The LME49720HA is problematic, with Z1 and Z3 it distorts, and with the DSD the operating system became unstable, songs stopped playing.
When the V6 is used as it is, it does sound good, vocals are close and intimate, guitars are real. Bass and drum are precise with pressure and rumble. And you can hear or feel the reverb of the recording room. Especially with the live recordings the sound stage is wide and deep. So I have given the rating 4. Hopefully I will get an other audio device in future where I can use the V6 vivid with more result, like a proper desktop DAC or a headphone amp. Until that day I will keep the V6 vivid installed in my DSD. Battery drain is not abnormal when used in the DSD, the DSD battery doesn't last long anyway.
Are the Burson V6 vivid's (or the V5i-D) worth the money and the effort when used in a Zishan device? I guess it only does if you like to thinker and experiment, and appreciate the experience, no matter the outcome. If you want to close the casing and keep the device portable, a Muses 8920, 01 or 02 would be a more logical purchase if you want to upgrade your Zishan player. And mind you, there are other Zishan players out there with more desirable dac's like the AK4495, 4497, 4499. My result is limited to the dual CS and single ESS dac. And if burning in the opamp is an important factor, results could change over time, I let the V6 play for a couple of hours before I started my critical listening sessions.
First, big thanks for John from Burson for letting me try the V6 vidid dual. He asked me if I wanted to try a V5i-D with my Zishan DAP's, but I already bought two myself. And because there is no space inside the DSD for more than a standard IC opamp, he provided also extension wires.
The DAP's I have used for this review, all stock, no modifications on the circuit boards:
- Zishan Z1
- Zishan Z3 with ESS 9038q2m dac
- DSD with dual CS43198 dac
- DSD with dual ESS 9038q2m dac
About the Z1, I can keep it short. I have a V5i-D fitted inside. The V6 vivid is no improvement. The Z1 sounds mostly as itself anyway. To keep it convenient I haven't used it further for my review.
About the DSD with ESS dac, there is a Muses01 fitted inside, and that one is really stuck in the DIP socket. I tried to remove it, but I was afraid a leg would break. So I stopped trying. I have used this player for reference.
About the DSD with CS dac, I modified and extented the extension wires from Burson to get the 8 pins connected in the DIP socket between the two circuit boards. I don't know if this solution compromises the sound quality because of a longer signal path or interference. I guess this will be marginal and not audible.
About the Z3, for convenience I used the stock extension wires from Burson to try the opamps.
The DSD's have a bit better sound than the Z3, more authority and a bit more space, only recognizable when hot swapping the headphone between devices.
To get a better understanding of the performance of the V6 vivid dual, I have compared it to other opamps I have collected.
From left to right:
V6 vidid dual - V5i-D - Muses02 (genuine) - Muses 8920 (probably fake but sounds good) - NE5532P - LM4562NA - LME49720HA
Some of the music I have played for my review (flac 24 bit, 96khz capture of HQ tidal stream)
B.B. King - Live at the Regal
Buddy Guy - Stone Crazy
Roy Buchanan - Live Stock
Nirvana - Nevermind
War on Drugs - Lost in the Dream
Rory Gallagher - Irish Tour
Peter Green - In the Skies
Maurizio - M-series
Scion - Arrange and Process Basic Channel Tracks
Michael Mayer - Immer
I have multiple memory cards with the same collection, so I can hot swap my headphone to test between devices, at the same volume. The headphone I mostly have used is the Sennheiser HD 560S. For preparation I have read some other reviews, like the one on audiofools and here on head-fi.
So, after this long introduction I can be really short about the conclusion. I thought I would need more time for a proper conclusion but in the context, and between the technical boundaries of the Zishan devices this is not the case.
If you pop in the V6 vivid, you instantly think that is sounds really good. And it does sound good, I assume this opamp will maximize the potential of the stock Zishan devices. But for precisely pin-pointing what is so good about the V6, I compared this opamp with my other opamps, and then the differences are actually really small. My conclusion is that the V6 vivid sounds (when used in my Zishan devices, and with my headphone) identical as Muses02, Muses 8920, V5i-D. And the DSD with CS dac + V6 sounds identical to the DSD with ESS dac + Muses01. For me it is really hard to find differences between the V6 vivid and the other higher end opamps. I listened the same songs a lot of times, there is nothing that really stands out between them.
The NE5532P and LM4562NA have little bit duller and flatter sound, if you listen carefully. Like the sound is played in a bit smaller room. The LME49720HA is problematic, with Z1 and Z3 it distorts, and with the DSD the operating system became unstable, songs stopped playing.
When the V6 is used as it is, it does sound good, vocals are close and intimate, guitars are real. Bass and drum are precise with pressure and rumble. And you can hear or feel the reverb of the recording room. Especially with the live recordings the sound stage is wide and deep. So I have given the rating 4. Hopefully I will get an other audio device in future where I can use the V6 vivid with more result, like a proper desktop DAC or a headphone amp. Until that day I will keep the V6 vivid installed in my DSD. Battery drain is not abnormal when used in the DSD, the DSD battery doesn't last long anyway.
Are the Burson V6 vivid's (or the V5i-D) worth the money and the effort when used in a Zishan device? I guess it only does if you like to thinker and experiment, and appreciate the experience, no matter the outcome. If you want to close the casing and keep the device portable, a Muses 8920, 01 or 02 would be a more logical purchase if you want to upgrade your Zishan player. And mind you, there are other Zishan players out there with more desirable dac's like the AK4495, 4497, 4499. My result is limited to the dual CS and single ESS dac. And if burning in the opamp is an important factor, results could change over time, I let the V6 play for a couple of hours before I started my critical listening sessions.
