[royiko]

I saw that shop but wasn't sure if they were a reputable dealer. I actually placed my order directly with Burson on Thursday but if it takes longer than planned then I'll check out Hifi Heaven, thanks

Looking forwards your thoughts. Really like your reviews

 

[royiko]

Read through the threads. I want to hear more about the performance of Soloist 3x for iems. Mainly about the hiss issue. Any more inputs?

 

[betula]

I love the clear energy this amp gives to the Empyrean. It is not easy to describe but all the notes are filled with more power, and tension. Compared to the RME-ADI2 alone, the 3X is much cleaner, much faster, and more precise. Due to this improvement the sense of separation and spaciousness also noticeably increased.
I would say the 3X is a powerful, precise and energetic amp but neither the bass or treble is overblown. It is also not digital or harsh. Like the speedy and punchy notes were brushed with some analogue fairy dust. It is quite a good pairing with the Empyrean which greatly benefits from all this dynamism and clarity. Switching back to the RME alone, it feels overly smooth and muddy. Which I never thought I will say about it. Also kind of flat and boring.
Soundstage depth, clarity, impact are all strong points of the 3X.
The last thing I would mention is that the 3X reaches it is best performance level when the top feels warm to the hand. It can take up to 1-2 hours.

I know, Class-A products don't really like to be switched on/off too often. Are there any owners who actually leave the 3X on 24/7? Or just switch it on as you get back home so it is nice and warm by the time you start listening? What is your practice?

EDIT: just to be clear, the RME does a fantastic job as a DAC and it is a great all in one unit but the amp section falls short in this comparison.

 

[Turkeysaurus]

One of the first things that I do when I get home from work is turn on the amp. By the time Im ready to listen an hour has gone by and the amp is warm to the touch. Sounds its best by that point IMO.

 

[SQ13]

Read through the threads. I want to hear more about the performance of Soloist 3x for iems. Mainly about the hiss issue. Any more inputs?

really depends on your iem collection but you will need to use Low gain. i don’t hear any hiss using ier-z1r but this also has a higher impedance than normal iem.

 

[Bazaar]

<snip>

I know, Class-A products don't really like to be switched on/off too often. Are there any owners who actually leave the 3X on 24/7? Or just switch it on as you get back home so it is nice and warm by the time you start listening? What is your practice?

Like Turkeysaurus, I'll turn mine on at least 30 mins before sitting down to listen, if I can. I have left it on overnight by accident, and it was fine. I measured the temp w/ an infrared surface thermometer (non-calibrated) and it was between 90º-100ºF on various parts of the top surface.

 

[sabloke]

Mine is always on. So is the R2R DAC

 

[godmax]

I know, Class-A products don't really like to be switched on/off too often. Are there any owners who actually leave the 3X on 24/7? Or just switch it on as you get back home so it is nice and warm by the time you start listening? What is your practice?

I turn all my gear off overnight, also class A amps and R2R, but I know I need to wait at least 15-20 minutes before serious listening after powerup.

 

[djeudoo]

I turn off before sleeping for eco reason

 

[MusicBeforeGear]

I love the clear energy this amp gives to the Empyrean. It is not easy to describe but all the notes are filled with more power, and tension. Compared to the RME-ADI2 alone, the 3X is much cleaner, much faster, and more precise. Due to this improvement the sense of separation and spaciousness also noticeably increased.
I would say the 3X is a powerful, precise and energetic amp but neither the bass or treble is overblown. It is also not digital or harsh. Like the speedy and punchy notes were brushed with some analogue fairy dust. It is quite a good pairing with the Empyrean which greatly benefits from all this dynamism and clarity. Switching back to the RME alone, it feels overly smooth and muddy. Which I never thought I will say about it. Also kind of flat and boring.
Soundstage depth, clarity, impact are all strong points of the 3X.
The last thing I would mention is that the 3X reaches it is best performance level when the top feels warm to the hand. It can take up to 1-2 hours.

I know, Class-A products don't really like to be switched on/off too often. Are there any owners who actually leave the 3X on 24/7? Or just switch it on as you get back home so it is nice and warm by the time you start listening? What is your practice?

EDIT: just to be clear, the RME does a fantastic job as a DAC and it is a great all in one unit but the amp section falls short in this comparison.

Very cool. Which settings do you use on the RME out, and do you use medium gain on the Burson unit?

 

[betula]

Very cool. Which settings do you use on the RME out, and do you use medium gain on the Burson unit?

RME: auto ref. level: -5dBu, width: 0.9, filter: SD Sharp. I also use a subtle loudness function.
3XP: I use it in headphone power amp mode, which bypasses the amp's volume control. I control volume on the RME. This way the amp puts out full power which to my ears leads to extra dynamism and clarity versus the normal mode. In normal mode I would use medium gain on the Empyrean.

 

[MusicBeforeGear]

RME: auto ref. level: -5dBu, width: 0.9, filter: SD Sharp. I also use a subtle loudness function.
3XP: I use it in headphone power amp mode, which bypasses the amp's volume control. I control volume on the RME. This way the amp puts out full power which to my ears leads to extra dynamism and clarity versus the normal mode. In normal mode I would use medium gain on the Empyrean.

Thanks! I take it that “a subtle loudness function” is probably NOT the not so subtle standard loudness function (which is pretty cool nonetheless ) but a customized EQ configured by you?

 

[betula]

Thanks! I take it that “a subtle loudness function” is probably NOT the not so subtle standard loudness function (which is pretty cool nonetheless ) but a customized EQ configured by you?

I don't use EQ but I did slightly adjust the default values for loudness function. Just tamed it a little bit. The RME still sounds more fun than it does without it, but the effect is more subtle.

 

[betula]

Just a quick shout-out to Burson customer service. I asked them about the warm up time and leaving the amp on 24/7. The response was quick, informative and polite.

The main point: "We do not support keeping the unit on 24 / 7.. ..we strongly suggest the initial 100 hours of burn-in for any new unit. But after that, we recommend 30 mins to 1 hour of warm-up time before listening is the most ideal."

 

[MusicBeforeGear]

I don't use EQ but I did slightly adjust the default values for loudness function. Just tamed it a little bit. The RME still sounds more fun than it does without it, but the effect is more subtle.

My unit should arrive mid/late next week! Cannot wait