Foreword
Over the years, I have never been someone who believes in sound improvement through cables, as long as they have a minimum level of quality. I have also never really thought much of an improved power supply that is supposed to lead to better sound. I myself have always operated all of my Bursons, which I have owned in the past, with the SuperCharger. Here, too, the difference to the standard power supply was rather small, as I was mainly concerned with the look and the good feeling. Yes, it did sound a little better, but the difference was very small. But now a big power supply that costs around 1000 EUR? Does that offer any audible added value in the chain? Let's see...
I will be listening with a DCA Expanse and Hifiman HE1000 Stealth. The Soloist 3X GT is equiped with SP02 power modules, four V7 Vivids and two V7 Calssic OpAmps. The DAC is a Topping Centaurus, which is set to "Best Mode". Everything is wired with cables from Supra.
Technical data
The Burson Fusion Core delivers up to 480W, which uses GaN transistors (GaN = gallium nitride transistors). It is available in 24V (for DAC and headphone amplifiers) or in the 32V version (e.g. for the Burson Timekeeper power amplifiers). For more technical details, I would like to refer you to the review by raoultrifan, which is also written here.
Scope of delivery & unboxing
It is just a power supply with one input and one output, so the scope of delivery is very manageable. The general unboxing is like with almost all Burson products. It comes in an outer packaging that contains the actual Burson original packaging of the device. So it is definitely packaged safely.
Appearance & workmanship
The appearance is very similar to Burson's industrial design. However, with square instead of rounded housing edges. The slats are also thicker/coarser and not as fine. I would have liked it better if they had used the Burson DAC/headphone amplifier chassis 1:1, I think that would have looked a bit more harmonious.
The device itself is extremely solid and heavy. When you take it out of the original packaging for the first time, you immediately get the impression, as with all Burson products, that you are holding quality in your hands.
What I don't like, however, is the design decision to place the 4-pin cable, which serves as an output, on the front of the device. I don't know the reasons, it's the same with PC power supplies, but somehow I think that it could have been put on the back as well. That would make the front look much cleaner and in the stack, in my Burson Mothership, it would simply look more attractive.
Temperature
This is often a topic with Burson devices, due to the technology used... The power supply, like the other Burson devices, is cooled by the housing itself, which serves as a passive heat sink. The Fusion Core does have an active fan, but I can't hear it at any point, and that's at a listening distance of about 70cm. The power supply itself only gets slightly warm to the touch when in use. So you don't have to worry about that and you probably wouldn't even have needed the fan.
Sound
And now we come to the part that definitely surprised me. To get straight to the point, the Fusion Core takes the music to a higher level in every aspect. It's not a night/day difference, but it's definitely more than just nuances. The background is extremely "black" and the separation of each instrument and each soundtrack is shown razor-sharp and the space between them is larger and with improved imaging. The entire holographic display is more spatial and better displayed around the head. The bass is slightly stronger, but at the same time punchier and more precise - very, very cool. In general, the detail reproduction and resolution increases, no matter which headphones I listen with. Although I have the feeling that the Expanse benefits a little more from the Fusion Core than the HE1000 Stealth.
https://tidal.com/browse/track/164115303?u
This is a purely electronic song, but everything is soooo precise and I just can't help but bob along.
https://tidal.com/browse/track/7120693?u
A voice to melt away to... but the interesting thing is everything that is around the voice. Every little note is placed so precisely around the head and can be located with plenty of space.
https://tidal.com/browse/track/27557253?u
The voice hits hard, even though it's a generally electronic track. You get the feeling that the effects are coming past you from the front and you can practically feel the sound in your ears. Plus all the playful effects that are presented around you. That's actually one of Hifiman's strengths, but suddenly the Expanse, with the Fusion Core in the chain, is doing it so well.
https://tidal.com/browse/track/61802004?u
Bam, that hits really hard. Crisp, dry, precise.
https://tidal.com/browse/track/27777?u
Very difficult title... But here you can really see what the chain with the Fusion Core can do. Everything is "set up" very precisely and can be clearly located and the voice is amazing.
https://tidal.com/browse/track/120633077?u
Voice, instruments, effects. Everything is here and it's a pleasure in terms of resolution and spatial representation. The sounds play playfully around you, the singer's breathing is audible. Lots of attention to detail, which is presented even better by the Fusion Core.
Conclusion
Well, I initially found it very difficult to spend so much money on a headphone amplifier power supply. I also looked for alternatives beforehand, but the selection with 24V and at least 5A power supplies is small. There is actually only the Keces P14, but that costs €1700, even if it offers more options, but also costs almost twice as much. And it is not available in silver, which was also important to me. In the end, after testing the Fusion Core extensively, I was sure that the thing was definitely worth it and that the chain had now been perfected. I went back for fun and immediately I missed the emotion, the bobbing along, simply everything that makes the Fusion Core what it is, was somehow no longer there. So the magic had to be brought back and the decision was made that there was no way around the Fusion Core. And yes, after all the years of believing that a significantly better power supply also improves the sound, this has now been confirmed. It is worth it!
Definitely a clear purchase recommendation and the perfect icing on the cake for every Burson owner. You can buy it directly from Burson:
https://www.bursonaudio.com/shop/fusion-core/
