[Dark Ayla]

  The background noise is different with the volume sensitive noise. It is there and stay at the same level whatever the volume tuning is. 
 
As far as I can heard the background noise won't change when tuning the volume up.

WOW!
I am kinda shocked, how come Burson allowed to pass this model with noise level?
Do u hear it with quite music? do u hear it when there is no music?

 

[fb24601]

 
Did you contact Burson?
Why you didn't return it back?
 
Burson must say something about this issue ASAP. I am wondering if they are still monitoring this thread. 

Well I have asked Burson if it is suitable for low impedance headphones such as k812 and th900 and about the noise issue. They commented the noise difference with conductor with +2db only can hardly be heard but with improved sonic performance, and suggested me to bring the headphones for testing.
 
I did bring k812 to testing and may be due to the environment I cannot hear background noise at the shop. The sound quality drving the k812 is indeed excellent as I have mentioned above. I believe it can output enough current for the current hungry k812. The noise level is very subtle for k812 and can only be heard upon focusing. I am not sure if that is acceptable on hifi standard.
 
The noise level for sensitive headphones th900 and iem k3003 is very apparent, I also own them.

 

[fb24601]

 
WOW!
 
I am kinda shocked, who come Burson allowed to pass this model with noise level?
 
Do u hear it with quite music? 

When music is on the noise cannot be heard, it is covered by the music. 

 

[PetarCV]

It's true that most music will cover the noise, but this is not always the case. When you use a low impedance headphone and play music that has a lot of quiet parts (as, for example, in orchestral music where there's often just one or a couple of instruments playing in a very soft mode, musically called piano, pianissimo and pianississimo), then the background noise can certainly be heard together with the instruments.
 
This wouldn't be an issue with rock, metal, and many other genres, I guess, but in acoustic music, classical, jazz and so on, where you have  shifts in volume dynamics quite regularly, the background noise can definitely interfere by being audible during softer and quieter parts of music.

 

[PetarCV]

 
 
Why you didn't return it back?
 
 

I don't think it can be returned based on this. It's just how it's designed, so I assume any unit would act the same noise-wise.

 

[PetarCV]

  The background noise is different with the volume sensitive noise. It is there and stay at the same level whatever the volume tuning is. 
 
As far as I can heard the background noise won't change when tuning the volume up.

Yes, the noise is not related to volume levels at all.
 
Btw, is k812 only 35 ohm? Grado PS1000 is 32 ohm and they produce a lot of background noise.

 

[Dark Ayla]

  It's true that most music will cover the noise, but this is not always the case. When you use a low impedance headphone and play music that has a lot of quiet parts (as, for example, in orchestral music where there's often just one or a couple of instruments playing in a very soft mode, musically called piano, pianissimo and pianississimo), then the background noise can certainly be heard together with the instruments.
 
This wouldn't be an issue with rock, metal, and many other genres, I guess, but in acoustic music, classical, jazz and so on, where you have  shifts in volume dynamics quite regularly, the background noise can definitely interfere by being audible during softer and quieter parts of music.

I will wait to get my hands on the Conductor before making my final judgement. 

 

[fb24601]

k812 is 36ohm, may be noise is also related to sensitivity besides impedance. k812 should be considered insensitive?

The noise level of lcd-xc should also be very low if there is any (as I have tried), it is 20 Ohm. For th900 it is 25 Ohm but the noise is very significant.

 

[PetarCV]

AKG K812: 36 ohm, 110 dB
Grado PS1000: 32 ohm, 98 dB
Fostex TH900: 25 ohm, 100 dB
Audeze LCD-X: 20 ohm, 103 dB
Audeze LCD-3: 110 ohm, 102 dB
Beyer DT990: 250 ohm, 96 db
 
Based on what the few of us here have noticed:
PS1000, TH900 and LCD-X produce high levels of noise with Virtuoso.
K812 and DT990 are almost silent.

 

[Dark Ayla]

  AKG K812: 36 ohm, 110 dB
Grado PS1000: 32 ohm, 98 dB
Fostex TH900: 25 ohm, 100 dB
Audeze LCD-X: 20 ohm, 103 dB
Audeze LCD-3: 110 ohm, 102 dB
Beyer DT990: 250 ohm, 96 db
 
Based on what the few of us here have noticed:
PS1000, TH900 and LCD-X produce high levels of noise with Virtuoso.
K812 and DT990 are almost silent.

I expecting mine to come soon, I hope to have positive experience with it. 

 

[fb24601]

Seems for low impedance headphones, may be the previous conductor model is more suitable, and can change the usb output to cm6631a module?

 

[Chik0240]

Seems for low impedance headphones, may be the previous conductor model is more suitable, and can change the usb output to cm6631a module?

Reading the thread seemed that the new conductor is redesigned in some ways, so maybe not that easy to mod the old model, whereas the old model is discontinued at the same time?

 

[fb24601]

Reading the thread seemed that the new conductor is redesigned in some ways, so maybe not that easy to mod the old model, whereas the old model is discontinued at the same time?

Officially the old conductor model is replaced by conductor virtuoso and no longer being listed on webpage, may be some dealers still has carry some stock. If you have conductor, it seems that you can buy the cm6631a module separately and replaced the existing usb module as an upgrade.
 
http://www.bursonaudio.com/products/cm6631-usb-module/

 

[fb24601]

Everything is so good including the sound quality and design except the noise level for low impedance headphones. Hope Burson can improve the circuit to eliminate the noise for those low impedance and sensitive headphone models. 

 

[Dark Ayla]

  Everything is so good including the sound quality and design except the noise level for low impedance headphones. Hope Burson can improve the circuit to eliminate the noise for those low impedance and sensitive headphone models. 

I assume that the new EL8 will not be a good match with the virtuoso. This is because the EL8 is a sensitive headphone. 
I will wait to test it by myself.