[Covenant]

 
Quote:

I think the burson is good for headphones which need a little help coming to life but it might make some other headphones sound a bit to lively/bright/forward. At least thats the impression I get from it.  It makes my HD600 and DT880 sound much more punchy and vibrant. 

I would mostly concur with this. I find the Burson to also be on the warm side of neutral, but the combination with the HD600 is excellent. I likewise quite enjoyed it with the HD800.

 

[fdhfdy]

I had BCL and Burson 160, would go for the former as 160 is bit too aggresive for me

 

[angle_sh00ter]

I guess I don't really understand what "warm" means in the audio context.  I always thought warm was linked to dark and thick sound, the opposite of cold analytical thin/bright and harsh.  I associate warmth with tubes, is this what people mean when they say the burson is warm?  That it sounds close to a tube amp or something?  I agree with fdhfdy that the burson is very aggressive but I actually like that quality.  Aggressiveness is also not a sound characteristic that I would associate with a warm amp.

 

[JB197]

Another perspective:
 
The tune you are looking for is already in your music, and the item that can most change it is likely to be the headphones.
So buy the cleanest, most undistorted, most neutral amp you can afford, because that way you have deleted a variable. Then you can focus-in on the sound you like by changing headphones. Believe me - borrowing headphones is far easier and cheaper than borrowing amps!
 
Most neutral amp at a reasonable price is probably a 2 channel Beta 22.
 
(IMHO)
 
 

 

[Shahrose]

Quote:

Another perspective:
 
The tune you are looking for is already in your music, and the item that can most change it is likely to be the headphones.
So buy the cleanest, most undistorted, most neutral amp you can afford, because that way you have deleted a variable. Then you can focus-in on the sound you like by changing headphones. Believe me - borrowing headphones is far easier and cheaper than borrowing amps!
 
Most neutral amp at a reasonable price is probably a 2 channel Beta 22.
 
(IMHO)
 
 

That honour would go to the Dynalo actually.

 

[winma]

Quote:

Aggressiveness is also not a sound characteristic that I would associate with a warm amp.

Exactly...it doesnt make sense for me....
Warm and aggressive at the same time? How? 

 

[Shahrose]

Quote:

Exactly...it doesnt make sense for me....
Warm and aggressive at the same time? How? 

Aggressive refers to up-front/forward treble or upper midrange. An amp can be warm (prominent midbass to lower midrange) and aggressive at the same time. The opposite of warm is cool (thin), not aggressive.

 

[angle_sh00ter]

http://www.headfonia.com/?p=5439
 
Very interesting review of the burson comparing it with an upgraded beta22

 

[chesebert]

Quote:

http://www.headfonia.com/?p=5439
 
Very interesting review of the burson comparing it with an upgraded beta22

nor really.  He just likes a mush/mellow sound.  Nothing wrong with that, just not very informative.  If he thinks B22 is "bright" and "fatiguing" (gasp) he can probably toss GLite/GS1/Dynahi into the trash as those are even "brighter".
 
He might actually prefer the mellower sounding M3 over B22 - I guess better is not really better to everyone
 
NOTE: "fatiguing" happens because of crappy equipment (unwanted distortion) not because of the inherit characteristic of any piece of equipment. You can listen to a piece of bright equipment without becoming fatiguing.  For example, I think Magico Mini is pretty bright, but it's not fatiguing. Another example would be Vanderseen, I think some of their models are bright but again not fatiguing.
 
If the reviewer thinks B22 is "fatiguing" that just means something is wrong upstream and B22 is just revealing the up-stream faults.   

 

[angle_sh00ter]

Quote:

nor really.  He just likes a mush/mellow sound.  Nothing wrong with that, just not very informative.  If he thinks B22 is "bright" and "fatiguing" (gasp) he can probably toss GLite/GS1/Dynahi into the trash as those are even "brighter".
 
He might actually prefer the mellower sounding M3 over B22 - I guess better is not really better to everyone

Lol well if it is interesting or not is subjective.  I didn't say his review was definitive.  So according to you obviously reviews are not interesting or worthwhile due to personal taste/preference in sound.  if that is your stance then I lol even harder.
 

 

[angle_sh00ter]

Oh wait.  I just figured it out.  The review is not interesting or informative because it doesn't conform with your opinions.  And thus you prefer to dismiss it and say the reviewer likes a "mushy" sound.
On the other hand I can find a review interesting even if it might contrast with my own opinion.  It's all about getting different perspectives, and if you limit yourself to only that which falls in line with your own opinions and notions then you end up trapped in a confirmation bias spiral.  GL with that  

 

[Shahrose]

Quote:

........If he thinks B22 is "bright" and "fatiguing" (gasp) he can probably toss GLite/GS1/Dynahi into the trash as those are even "brighter".
 
He might actually prefer the mellower sounding M3 over B22 - I guess better is not really better to everyone
 
NOTE: "fatiguing" happens because of crappy equipment (unwanted distortion) not because of the inherit characteristic of any piece of equipment. You can listen to a piece of bright equipment without becoming fatiguing.  For example, I think Magico Mini is pretty bright, but it's not fatiguing. Another example would be Vanderseen, I think some of their models are bright but again not fatiguing.
 
If the reviewer thinks B22 is "fatiguing" that just means something is wrong upstream and B22 is just revealing the up-stream faults.   

 
I agree.
 

 

[Ypoknons]

He did say the B22 is technically superior; the source the Grace M902 DAC. 

 

[fishski13]

i would read the Headphonia review on the B22 by the same reviewer:  http://www.headfonia.com/2010/06/the-beta22-amplifier/
 
i will let you guys come to your own confusions and the subsequent caveats of any opinion/review.
 

 

[angle_sh00ter]

The last sentence...
 
"Despite all of these critiques, however, the Beta22 remains the best sounding solid state headphone amplifier I’ve heard and it belongs to the top of the top of headphone amplifiers."
 
I thought it was a very balanced write-up.  Obviously every1 has their own preferences for how they like the music presented, and yes it should be taken into account and Mike conveys to us his preference for impact and PRaT.  Does that make the review invalid or less informative? No, not by any means.  It is just up to the reader to put in context and determine what it means for them individually.