[Katsukare]

Thank you for your reply. Once I decide to get Classic op-amps, should I use them in Soloist or Composer?

I would try the Classic OP amps in the Soloist first, as that is your next closet path to your headphones.
But some would say run them in the composer as that is your "source" but you could always experiment by trying with 1 set. You don't need to buy two sets. Unless the sound is still not to your liking.

 

[Katsukare]

Is it ok to leave the Soloist on all the time? I have been lately and haven't had any problems. If anyone else leaves it on or has any information on whether it is recommended or not plz let me know. I love the Soloist and I want too take care of it.

Ryan from Burson replied with this in an email I had been contacting them with.

"Ryan: Please turn off the unit once you're finished even without unplugging the headphones. There's no reason to leave it on 24/7."

I don't think it would do any harm, but there is no necessary reason to leave them on 24/7, it creates excess heat in the room and there isn't much of a "break-in" time necessary with these modern amps.

 

[9bphillips]

Ryan from Burson replied with this in an email I had been contacting them with.

"Ryan: Please turn off the unit once you're finished even without unplugging the headphones. There's no reason to leave it on 24/7."

I don't think it would do any harm, but there is no necessary reason to leave them on 24/7, it creates excess heat in the room and there isn't much of a "break-in" time necessary with these modern amps.

Ok thanks for the reply. I will start cutting mine off again. I have bee. Keeping it on lately because I just got the Verite Closed and I'm doing a lot of listening.

 

[gonzalo1004es]

Anybody compared the Soloist 3X to the Kinki THR-1?

 

[Desmohifi]

I have this amp going on 8 months know and I have to say it has been my favorite sounding amp so far.

The only complaint I have is the battery in the remote does not seem to last more than 2-3 months at a time. I have replaced the battery 3x already. Is anyone else experiencing this issue?

 

[betula]

I have this amp going on 8 months know and I have to say it has been my favorite sounding amp so far.

The only complaint I have is the battery in the remote does not seem to last more than 2-3 months at a time. I have replaced the battery 3x already. Is anyone else experiencing this issue?

Apparently this is a known issue at Burson, some older remotes drain the battery. I am currently waiting for my replacement PCB board.

 

[Desmohifi]

Apparently this is a known issue at Burson, some older remotes drain the battery. I am currently waiting for my replacement PCB board.

Thank you for the info, I will reach out to Burson.

 

[rmsanger]

Anybody compared the Soloist 3X to the Kinki THR-1?

these might be helpful

https://soundnews.net/amplifiers/headphone-amps/burson-soloist-3x-review/

https://soundnews.net/amplifiers/headphone-amps/kinki-studio-vision-thr-1-review-a-gentle-giant/

 

[raoultrifan]

Just curious, is this measured with actual music playing? Or just with a resistance? Because wouldnt that impact the power available?

30 Ohms resistors connected to headphones-output while playing 1 KHz pure sinewave. With music playing the actual power should be higher (lookup music power vs. RMS power).

 

[akelew]

With music playing the actual power should be higher (lookup music power vs. RMS power).

I looked itup, but do you mean that with music playing it would clip sooner? So, less power peak available? (due to dynamics)

 

[akelew]

I had a thought, lets say you really like the direction power-amp mode brings to your headphones in terms of power delivery and the changes that might bring, but you find it just a bit too much. Couldnt you just say, instead of putting power amp mode on, just raise the volume to say 80 or 90 on the amp side, and then continue to control the volume with your pre-amp? I know your adding back in the volume stage, but that shouldn't impact the total power delivery I believe? Only adding another set of opamps back into the chain (Which you might actually prefer!).

Or am I misunderstanding how power-amp mode works?

 

[betula]

I had a thought, lets say you really like the direction power-amp mode brings to your headphones in terms of power delivery and the changes that might bring, but you find it just a bit too much. Couldnt you just say, instead of putting power amp mode on, just raise the volume to say 80 or 90 on the amp side, and then continue to control the volume with your pre-amp? I know your adding back in the volume stage, but that shouldn't impact the total power delivery I believe? Only adding another set of opamps back into the chain (Which you might actually prefer!).

Or am I misunderstanding how power-amp mode works?

Power amp mode is quite unique to Burson. Normally you would need to set the DAC to fixed output and control volume on the amp. Otherwise you are degrading/distorting the signal.

 

[akelew]

Normally you would need to set the DAC to fixed output and control volume on the amp. Otherwise you are degrading/distorting the signal.

But would you be degrading the signal if you were to do both at the same time? Since its not the same as lowering say your windows volume output which can impact the signal. I know its an extra step in the signal path, but passive pre-amps are very good at passing through the signal without altering it to any real degree.

My understanding is that power amp mode effectively hard-sets the burson volume to 99, and the signal skips the volume stage+opamp. And then you control the pre-amp input to adjust your listening volume. So from what i understand, theres two parts to how this changes the sound profile, #1 is you have removed the volume stage/opamp from the signal path, that is going to change the tonality of the sound. And the second change, is you are now providing more power to your headphones, because the amp is always running at full amplification capacity, you are just reducing the line level pre-amp volume that the amp is then amplifying to its fullest capacity.

I have read quite a few reports here that power-amp mode seems to be well received especially in power hungry planars, with people noticing increase impact, clarity, wider soundstage. But also noticing a more forward/sharp sound given the increase in power. Some people seem to find it a bit 'too much', and so im just checking if my understanding above is correct, because if it is, then i believe you could 'dial in' how much of the power-amp changes (that come from increased power, not op-amp being removed), by instead of setting power amp mode, instead just leave the volume on the burson on say 90 (as opposed to the 99 it would otherwise be hard set to in power-amp mode) and then continue adjusting the pre-amp level as you otherwise would in power-amp mode. Thus, you are dialing in the balance between pre-amp level and amp level to get a sound that may be more impactful, more clarity, then running in standard mode, but not quite to the point where it may be too forward or too impactful for your liking in straight power-amp mode.

I guess this is all just an exercise in trying to understand how power-amp mode works. I do know there are other amplifiers out there that allow you to switch the amp to act as a straight forward power amplifier. I believe its also common for people who use a pre-amp with an amplifier that has volume adjust to just set it to max and then control everything through their pre-amp.

 

[550591]

I thought the volume stage and the op amps are what makes the Burson "unique" . Why would you want to take that out of the equation?

 

[betula]

But would you be degrading the signal if you were to do both at the same time? Since its not the same as lowering say your windows volume output which can impact the signal. I know its an extra step in the signal path, but passive pre-amps are very good at passing through the signal without altering it to any real degree.

My understanding is that power amp mode effectively hard-sets the burson volume to 99, and the signal skips the volume stage+opamp. And then you control the pre-amp input to adjust your listening volume. So from what i understand, theres two parts to how this changes the sound profile, #1 is you have removed the volume stage/opamp from the signal path, that is going to change the tonality of the sound. And the second change, is you are now providing more power to your headphones, because the amp is always running at full amplification capacity, you are just reducing the line level pre-amp volume that the amp is then amplifying to its fullest capacity.

I have read quite a few reports here that power-amp mode seems to be well received especially in power hungry planars, with people noticing increase impact, clarity, wider soundstage. But also noticing a more forward/sharp sound given the increase in power. Some people seem to find it a bit 'too much', and so im just checking if my understanding above is correct, because if it is, then i believe you could 'dial in' how much of the power-amp changes (that come from increased power, not op-amp being removed), by instead of setting power amp mode, instead just leave the volume on the burson on say 90 (as opposed to the 99 it would otherwise be hard set to in power-amp mode) and then continue adjusting the pre-amp level as you otherwise would in power-amp mode. Thus, you are dialing in the balance between pre-amp level and amp level to get a sound that may be more impactful, more clarity, then running in standard mode, but not quite to the point where it may be too forward or too impactful for your liking in straight power-amp mode.

I guess this is all just an exercise in trying to understand how power-amp mode works. I do know there are other amplifiers out there that allow you to switch the amp to act as a straight forward power amplifier. I believe its also common for people who use a pre-amp with an amplifier that has volume adjust to just set it to max and then control everything through their pre-amp.

I get what you are saying, but it doesn't work like that. The whole point of power amp mode is to bypass the amp's volume stage. Not just skipping 2 op-amps, but a whole volume circuitry. This is what is changing the sound to what you have described and many of us enjoy. I personally do not think you can reach the milder effect you theoretically seek and I also don't support the idea of lowering the DAC output level and then compensating volume on the amp. The effect of power amp mode is less about power and more about using less circuits.

The preference of power amp mode vs. normal mode mostly depends on headphones (also DACs, you need good quality DACs for good result), but indeed perhaps the majority here prefers power amp mode.