[germay0653]

Check JPLAY out at www.jplay.eu.  It an audio player that can run standalone or has plugins for use with JRiver Media Center, Foobar2000 and iTunes.  Wow...Audeze LCD-2 or 3's...I want to hear them but no one in my area carries them.  I would have to travel to North Carolina to do that so that won't happen anytime soon.  I used to have a pair of Audio Technica electret condenser (planar magnetic like) headphones a long time ago and absolutely loved them so the LCD-3's appeal to me very much but are not in my budget right now.  Maybe someday or maybe a pair of STAX SR-009 electrostats but they're 5K. 

 

[Neo Zuko]

Ok I didn't realize that the LCD 3 was $2K, so yea, LCD 2 for $1K sounds much better. That or the $1K HD 700. $1k seems to be the comfort limit for me. I'm already spending $1K on the IE 800 for on the go too.

 

[Neo Zuko]

Which does the conductor like more? I can get the HD 700 on a 4 month payment plan. That helps a ton.

 

[K_19]

A bit off topic, but I wonder if Burson will be releasing the DAC only version unit from the Conductor like they did with the DA160? Not sure if the DA160 ever sold all that well though (was hardly mentioned here on Head-fi, anyway...).
 
There are lot of Sabre DAC options out there these days but Burson could very well be a competitive player as long as they price it right IMO.

 

[Neo Zuko]

Anyone have the HD 700 with the Burson house sound? How is the synergy?

 

[LarsHP]

Anyone have the HD 700 with the Burson house sound? How is the synergy?

Haven't heard the 700, but the HD800 was a big disapointment when I heard it. Audeze and HiFiMan orthodynamics are much better - especially in the treble. I would recommend LCD-2 if you prefer a dark sound or HE-500 or HE-6 if you like a brighter sound. Or forget full size setup and get top CIEMs like UM Miracle and a small DAC/amp.

 

[Neo Zuko]

The HD 700 is by most accounts a more playable matchable set of cans than the HD 800. But that does not mean they will beat the LCD 2 for me. It's all on paper, and I just have to trust my gut and order... In that respect the LCD 2 is safer.

 

[fishbone]

Quote:

A bit off topic, but I wonder if Burson will be releasing the DAC only version unit from the Conductor like they did with the DA160? Not sure if the DA160 ever sold all that well though (was hardly mentioned here on Head-fi, anyway...).
 
There are lot of Sabre DAC options out there these days but Burson could very well be a competitive player as long as they price it right IMO.

 
Yes they will, just need to wait few months...
 
EDIT : I did test the HD700 with the HA-160D, but It was not good at all, very artificial treble which make the sound not very unjoyable to my ears but a very technical headphones for sure. I wonder how they sound with the Soloist/Conductor as the treble is clearly smoother.

 

[Neo Zuko]

It's had to say if I would prefer one or the other, between the HD 700 and LCD 2, I defiantly like the build quality of the HD 700 more on paper, but as sound reference I did like the Westone ES5's I briefly owned quite a bit. I believe they are somewhat lush/warm-ish side of near neutral so perhaps the LCD 2 would be more like what I liked about the ES5. I also tried the Shure 535SE, while good, the ES5's blew them away. I would absolutely buy the ES5's again if not for the IE 800 intriguing me and freeing me from the custom mold process. While I loved the ES5's isolation, and the customs have their charms, the promise of the IE 800 beating them with new tech draws me in. And I don't have to worry about resell value or my ears changing shape in 4 years. But that's for my iPhone, I also want a good comfortable set of cans to slip on and off while at home. I'd be willing to step up to the HD 800's to get better sound with a quality headband comfort level, but they seem fussy to match, and the LCD 3 seems too much to rock that old style headband, well to me, on paper. I'm starting to hate the paper.

 

[Todd R]

Got my new toy and I'm pretty happy with it. 
Enough power for the HE-500 and actually quiet enough to use with my JH Audio 13's (well, there's a tiny, tiny AC buzz, but those phones pick up everything. I'll try floating the ground and see if it gets better). 
The new Cardas Clear Light headphone cable smooths out the slight edge on the HE-500's. 
 
 

 

[LarsHP]

I have also found that my UM Miracle (16 Ohm, 114dB) is usable with the Conductor, but that there is an audible AC buzz between tracks (or very low level music) both when listening off the internal DAC and from an external source. This haven't been the case with the Soloist at home. I should add, that I haven't heard the Conductor at home yet, so it could be caused by a cleaner electricity at home, but I don't think so. I will have to see next weekend.
 
Today I took the Conducor to a local hifi shop in order to compare the DAC section of the Conductor to Hegel HD20, a Norwegian DAC. I was using HD20 > RCA into the amp section of the Burson and listened with both my HE-6 and Miracle. Transport was Squeezebox Touch and music was my own in very different genres (pop, dance, classical, jazz, vocal).
 
Comparing the DAC section of the Conductor to the Hegel HD20, there is not much diffenence actually, but within the hour I was listening I did come to the conclusion, that the Hegel sounds more natural in the upper mids and treble. This is especially audible on voices - both male and female. It's like the Conductor's DAC accentuates the upper part of the frequency range more, but without sounding aggressive or harsh, I should add. The Hegel just sounds smoother or more analog in the upper frequencies. That's actually a little surprising to me since the DAC in the Burson just hit the market, while the Hegel is two years old. The difference was consistent when I changed between S/PDIF and Toslink from the Squeezebox Touch to the respective DAC's.
 
In other words, if going for highest possible SQ and not WAF, then a Soloist with the HD20 DAC would be a better choice. Since the Hegel is succeeded by the HD25, it should be relatively easy to get a HD20 cheap - either second hand or at a discount. When all this is said, I still think the Conductor is not only a beautiful, but also a very good sounding DAC / HP-amp, and if I didn't compare it directly to the Hegel HD20, I wouldn't miss the more natural sound of the Hegel DAC. This is my honest opinion.

 

[LarsHP]

Ah, I should add that the Conductor is only one week old, and thus probably not fully burned in. In other words my above impressions might be a little early.

Did you guys hear any difference after further burn in? If so, what difference?

 

[vegan]

I have clocked over100 hours (maybe 140?). Its sound is still changing, so I'm pretty sure it's yet to burn in fully. Bass and mids are starting to sound really good (at least in comparison to the HA-160D). However the treble remains horrid. I've had moments where the treble sounded okay, but it is generally ear-splitting to listen to (eg. Violins on 2L's Nordic Sound! sampler).

Most people here seem to suggest the treble is smoother than that on the HA-160D, so I have hope it will mellow with age.

Switching to a (generic) copper interconnect did soften the treble, so my silver cable may be the problem with the treble in my case.

I would be very interested to hear more about other people's burn in experiences - especially in regards to the treble.

 

[LarsHP]

@ vegan: Are you saying that you are taking the DAC line out signal to a line in (instead of just using the inner connection of the unit)? If so, then why? How long power on time do you have now?
 
Kingwa from Audio-gd says that the clock in the DAC actually has a burn in period. This is in addition to the amp / PSU section. The more capacitors, the more a unit may benefit from burn in, if I understand this correctly. My experience with the Master-6 amp was that it started off with a more V-shaped response with exagerated bass and  pronounced treble. When burned in it has a flat response and relaxed treble.

 

[Todd R]

Quote:

 
Enough power for the HE-500 and actually quiet enough to use with my JH Audio 13's (well, there's a tiny, tiny AC buzz, but those phones pick up everything. I'll try floating the ground and see if it gets better). 
 

 
Floating the ground made it worse. 
 
I brought the Conductor over to the main system and powered it off my PS Audio P3 power regenerator. The buzz with IEM's was still there, but was improved a little.
When the amp is at my computer I have it plugged into a Furman AC215-A filter which is mostly for protection but does cut down a little on the AC noise vs. being plugged directly into the wall, but the PS Audio does a better job.