Burson Soloist 3X Performance Head/Pre Amp - 8Wpc XLR with MUSE72320 volume control
Mar 16, 2021 at 3:43 AM Post #811 of 3,087
Thanks for your input
My pleasure. I'd absolutely demo the bursons with your own headphones if you have a shop that stocks them. I went for the X, balanced version, because My Cambridge Audio 840C CD player and Rotel RB1080 200wpc Power Amp all have balanced connectors, and for connecting components balanced is an advantage in rejecting noise. But as a headphone amp Andrew Sparko says this in the review linked below:

Q2: It is clear that Aries targets the ones that are looking only for the best headphone amps out there. Is there a reason you didn’t feel making it a true balanced amplifier with a 4-pin XLR jack on the face plate?

SparkoS Labs: Yes. The design is single ended, so we didn’t want to mislead anyone by putting an XLR output jack which may give the impression that it was balanced when it isn’t. Balanced designs are good when the power supply voltage is limited (such as in car audio) but this was not the case in the Aries since its powered from the AC line. Balanced designs also have 3dB more noise and require 4 amplifiers (two per channel) which would increase costs.

https://soundnews.net/amplifiers/headphone-amps/sparkos-labs-aries-review/

He has 2 versions, a single ended headphone amp US$2500 and a single ended headamp and balanced preampUS$3000
 
Mar 16, 2021 at 3:44 AM Post #812 of 3,087
...sadly you cannot change the gain setting with remote (you have to use the menu on the device):
1615877916787.png

It baffles me why they decided to do it like this. If it was Mute / Enter for the top button and Menu for the second button, you would be able to do everything just like you can on the front of the unit.
 
Mar 16, 2021 at 5:21 AM Post #813 of 3,087
...sadly you cannot change the gain setting with remote (you have to use the menu on the device):
1615877916787.png

The remote is basic, but easy to live with. I am running a HIFI system through it, and an AV system. All the AV system sources are hooked to the TV via HDMI and the single optical out goes to the C3X, so the TV remote selects the AV source picture and sound.

Perhaps I'm lucky, but I haven't found the need to change the gain once I set it. The volume range is wide. But the CX3 has 2 gain levels while the soloist has 3?
Thanks both!

I love the fact that it has one, haha! So not complaining here. Can leave it on high for my VC, no need to change that. Was just wondering.

Final question. When using the 3XP as pre-out for my speaker amp. Will this gain setting also be used? Or is that just for headphone out?
 
Mar 16, 2021 at 7:40 AM Post #814 of 3,087
Thanks both!

I love the fact that it has one, haha! So not complaining here. Can leave it on high for my VC, no need to change that. Was just wondering.

Final question. When using the 3XP as pre-out for my speaker amp. Will this gain setting also be used? Or is that just for headphone out?
Id have to go and check but I'm pretty sure on the conductor the gain changes for both the headphone and line level outs, but i'd have to check.
 
Mar 16, 2021 at 7:40 AM Post #815 of 3,087
I bought an ADI-2 to use as an all in one one with my MDR-Z1R but as nice as it is, even with some recommended EQ for the Z1R I am not wowed by it. Your impressions of the 3X and the MDR-Z1R has me wondering if I should sell the ADI-2 and go for the 3X and could get by with a lower priced dac or even my WM1A. A local store stocks the Burson so I would be able to try.

Could anyone please offer any opinions.
I've been using the Soloist w/ the ADI-2 and am very pleased. I 'started' with the iFi Zen XXX Signature pair and needed more ooomph for the 8XX cans I'm evaluating, so got the Burson after learning/reading about it here. I was using the Zen DAC Signature and then I fell into the rabbit hole and got the ADI-2. TBH, for me, the ADI-2 has enough gas to drive the cans on its own with an excellent sound; I know others disagree.

But I'm going to stick w/ the Burson, as I also hope to get some other cans down the road that will require more ooomph. And the Burson I got (used) came w/ the Sparkos already installed; that may make a diff where I may like the sound a little more than straight out of the ADI-2. Don't really know as I haven't even tried to swap the Sparkos back for the original opamps.

And, I'll probably try some tube amps too, down the road.
 
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Mar 16, 2021 at 8:34 AM Post #816 of 3,087
All vertical now)

DSC_0059_2.png
 
Mar 16, 2021 at 10:31 AM Post #817 of 3,087
Love the HE-6se’s on my FA-10. Not only them, but any of my Hifiman headphones plays nice with the FA-10. It has a warmer tone, a fuller sounding midrange, and the notes have more weight to them. This adds body to neutral, open sounding like the HE6se’s and HD600’s.
So if I owned a pair of He-6se(I also own Final Audio D8000pro) and I was in the market for a SS amp which one would you choose ? my top 3 picks have been the burson soloist 3 xp vs FA-10 vs singxer SA-1 ?
 
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Mar 16, 2021 at 8:32 PM Post #819 of 3,087
@Bazaar @Sam Spade
Thank you again for your input.
I'll try the Soloist 3X and see if the magic happens with my MDR-Z1R, I also had the Playmate 2 suggested. In my country the iFi NEO and Topping DX7 Pro are similarly priced to the Playmate 2 so I am curious how they all compare (another can of worms).

As I have only opted for all in one dac/amps in the past can anyone please tell me if I was to get the Soloist 3X how much a dac impacts the overall sound - what I mean is, is it just the quality of the dac chip or signature or are there other factors of the dac output to the amp like power etc that needs to be considered in choosing a dac to pair with the Soloist?
I haven't had time to read the whole thread yet, is everyone using high end dacs or are there some lower priced options that can be recommended if I choose to go this route?
Does anyone amp a portable device? Obviously not ideal but I was wondering if I could just amp my Walkman until I could settle on a dac.
 
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Mar 16, 2021 at 8:36 PM Post #820 of 3,087
One thing I recommend would be to use the balanced out from the DAC to the Burson, I feel it makes a significant difference. FWIW I have my Burson on Medium and I'm able to listen to it comfortably from 25-50 or so.
 
Mar 16, 2021 at 8:45 PM Post #821 of 3,087
One thing I recommend would be to use the balanced out from the DAC to the Burson, I feel it makes a significant difference. FWIW I have my Burson on Medium and I'm able to listen to it comfortably from 25-50 or so.
I've heard mixed opinions on the balanced topic but coming from Walkman my iems and headphones are all balanced and I have experienced what I deem to be a better presentation using balanced with several devices I've owned.
 
Mar 16, 2021 at 9:44 PM Post #822 of 3,087
I've been using the Soloist w/ the ADI-2 and am very pleased. I 'started' with the iFi Zen XXX Signature pair and needed more ooomph for the 8XX cans I'm evaluating, so got the Burson after learning/reading about it here. I was using the Zen DAC Signature and then I fell into the rabbit hole and got the ADI-2. TBH, for me, the ADI-2 has enough gas to drive the cans on its own with an excellent sound; I know others disagree.

But I'm going to stick w/ the Burson, as I also hope to get some other cans down the road that will require more ooomph. And the Burson I got (used) came w/ the Sparkos already installed; that may make a diff where I may like the sound a little more than straight out of the ADI-2. Don't really know as I haven't even tried to swap the Sparkos back for the original opamps.

And, I'll probably try some tube amps too, down the road.
Hello, can you give me a mini review or comparison to other gears on your zen signature combo? tks
 
Mar 16, 2021 at 9:52 PM Post #823 of 3,087
Well, I really liked the Zen Sig combo w/ the 660S cans. The HDXX profile was an improvement, but only a slight difference, not a HUGE jump, to me. I tried the 820/800S on it and while it wasn't bad, it just didn't drive them as well, to my ears. It makes sense, as the 'cheat sheet' that iFi provides clearly indicates the improvement for these two cans is not strong (see pg. 2 of this review for the chart I'm referring to).

So this lead me to look for a headphone amp as I intend to keep the 660S cans for portable use w/ my iFi hip-dac; this is where the Burson came in, which I do prefer to the Zen CAN combo.
 
Mar 17, 2021 at 2:33 AM Post #824 of 3,087
Well, I really liked the Zen Sig combo w/ the 660S cans. The HDXX profile was an improvement, but only a slight difference, not a HUGE jump, to me. I tried the 820/800S on it and while it wasn't bad, it just didn't drive them as well, to my ears. It makes sense, as the 'cheat sheet' that iFi provides clearly indicates the improvement for these two cans is not strong (see pg. 2 of this review for the chart I'm referring to).

So this lead me to look for a headphone amp as I intend to keep the 660S cans for portable use w/ my iFi hip-dac; this is where the Burson came in, which I do prefer to the Zen CAN combo.
I almost bought a sennheiser 820. Ended up with audeze LCDxc mainly because all the reviews said that the LCDxc leaks a lot less sound. They were cheaper too and i knew i liked the house style as i had LCD3s. I ordered a pair of Burson V6 classics as I was pretty sure they would combine well with the analytical nature of the Sennheisers
 

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