[haasaaroni]

…that will not stop me from trying, buying, crying (in joy)…

This is the ideal progression! Sometimes I find myself buying, then trying, then crying (out of disappointment)

 

[m usicguy]

Well I just got my soloist. Wow. Looks awesome. I got the upgraded power supply and the cooling stand. So far. The sound is very detailed and textured and not harsh.

A Big thank you to This forum and Burson Audio.

M usicguy.

I normally like to get about 100 hours of burn in. But With this amp it might not need it.

 

[m usicguy]

So if im correct. in the stand the volume knob should be at the bottom. The discrete output is on the same side and the xls headphones out. So by putting the xls headphone output up top. the output section will only radiate heat up and the volume knob side stays cooler. In this photo. this is the wrong way to stand the amp on its side.

 

[Sebbai]

My Soloist lays flat, and what your saying is probably right! The left side of the unit is cooler

 

[betula]

So if im correct. in the stand the volume knob should be at the bottom. The discrete output is on the same side and the xls out. So by putting the xls headphone output up top. the output section will only radiate heat up and the volume side of the stays cooler. In this photo. this is the wrong way to stand the amp on its side.

I would not worry about heat radiation. I think it is simply safer to have the headphone cable inserted on the bottom also ergonomically it looks better to me. I do not think it matters too much.

 

[David222]

+1 for not worrying too much about it. I usually keep my 3XP flat. If decide to use cool stand -- Agree with @betula ... headphone jacks at bottom ...safer that way.

 

[Moses Kwon]

I'm getting bifost 2, but it doesn't have a volume knob.. In order to try poweramp mode, I'm planning to add 3rd device. Can anyone tell me if following plan will work?
1. Bifrost xlr out to Soloist xlr in
2. A90 or Jotunheim preamp rca out to soloist rca in
I'm a beginner. I don't even know if this setup will work. Can anyone help?

 

[akelew]

I'm getting bifost 2, but it doesn't have a volume knob.. In order to try poweramp mode, I'm planning to add 3rd device. Can anyone tell me if following plan will work?
1. Bifrost xlr out to Soloist xlr in
2. A90 or Jotunheim preamp rca out to soloist rca in
I'm a beginner. I don't even know if this setup will work. Can anyone help?

Hi, I am currently waiting on a bifrost 2 and soloist 3xp myself!

There's a bit of discussion on this thread about using a passive preamp for this purpose.
I did some research, and it seems a lot of people believe that if you are just after a volume control between your dac and power amp, the best/simplest/cheapest way is with a passive pre-amp. So basically no power. Just input balanced or single ended, a volume knob on the front, and output balanced or single ended. This way you basically aren't adding an extra 'stage' in your chain, as every extra electronic stage is going to add some more distortion or colour on the end. Where as a passive preamp is literally just a volume attenuator added to the circuit.

So something like this: https://www.amazon.com.au/Nobsound®-Fully-balanced-Single-ended-Pre-amplifier-Controller/dp/B01MXC9HHW?th=1
or this
https://www.amazon.com.au/Nobsound-...-Ended-Pre-Amplifier-Controller/dp/B07255VHZS

(note im not certain if these exact preamps would be compatible with the bf2/3xp, the only thing you need to make sure is that the preamp impedance matches your dac/amp and i'm not sure just yet how to exactly work that out)

 

[centuriones]

Sorry if I intervene in the discussion.
I apologize for the English.
In my opinion I strongly advise against a passive preamp.
I used a Palmer Monicon passive preamp until a few days ago. I have to agree with those who say that passive preamps change the phase, change the stereo image and create other artifacts.
In fact the passive preamps are fine for those who use them as volume controllers for monitors but in our case (pre + Soloist 3XP) it is absolutely not good. I encountered an artificial sound with unnatural and backward voices.
After installing an active preamp (in my case a Topping Pre90) everything is back in the right direction and I can enjoy the Soloist 3XP in the amplifier version.

 

[Donald Russell]

Hi, I am currently waiting on a bifrost 2 and soloist 3xp myself!

There's a bit of discussion on this thread about using a passive preamp for this purpose.
I did some research, and it seems a lot of people believe that if you are just after a volume control between your dac and power amp, the best/simplest/cheapest way is with a passive pre-amp. So basically no power. Just input balanced or single ended, a volume knob on the front, and output balanced or single ended. This way you basically aren't adding an extra 'stage' in your chain, as every extra electronic stage is going to add some more distortion or colour on the end. Where as a passive preamp is literally just a volume attenuator added to the circuit.

So something like this: https://www.amazon.com.au/Nobsound®-Fully-balanced-Single-ended-Pre-amplifier-Controller/dp/B01MXC9HHW?th=1
or this
https://www.amazon.com.au/Nobsound-...-Ended-Pre-Amplifier-Controller/dp/B07255VHZS

(note im not certain if these exact preamps would be compatible with the bf2/3xp, the only thing you need to make sure is that the preamp impedance matches your dac/amp and i'm not sure just yet how to exactly work that out)

That is exactly what I use. I use the nobsound balanced passive preamp between my modius and soloist. You can use the nobsound balanced or single ended. I Use balanced out cables from the modius into the Passive preamp and then another set of balanced cable out from the passive preamp into the balanced Imput on the soloist. I put the soloist into headphone amp mode then use the volume knob on the passive preamp and it seems to work great to me. I just make sure the volume knob is at zero until I am ready to listen. You can change the gain while in headphone amp mode but I pretty much leave it on medium.
I have listened extensively to the soloist directly from the modius balanced using the soloists volume control and one set of balanced cables vs using the passive preamp and soloist on headphone amp mode and I prefer it in the amp mode. I also have put the nobsound preamp turned up to maximum volume in between the modius and soloist using the soloist in normal mode using it’s volume control vs just taking it out and going directly from modius to soloist in normal mode and I can’t tell any difference. If that cheap passive preamp and extra set of cables changes the sound or introduces noise I can’t hear it. Plus I like it’s volume control knob better. I don’t like having to spin the soloists knob so much to change volume. I can’t see the volume number the way I have it set up beside my chair so I can’t tell what the volume is. With the passive preamp i can feel where the knob is from zero. I was using a singxer SA-1 as a preamp into the soloist and just decided to try the passive preamp and I liked the passive preamp sound better than using the singxer as a preamp for volume control. I don’t know anything about phase or artifacts etc. I just know what I hear and I dont Hear anything extra just a very clean clear sound.

 

[vinnydotc]

I have a Bifrost 2 and a Soloist 3xp and I have headphone amp mode turned on and just use Windows volume control. Is there something with what I'm doing or I need a preamp with volume knob between the BF2 and Soloist? Cause I do hear a difference in headphone amp mode with just what I'm using.

 

[betula]

I have a Bifrost 2 and a Soloist 3xp and I have headphone amp mode turned on and just use Windows volume control. Is there something with what I'm doing or I need a preamp with volume knob between the BF2 and Soloist? Cause I do hear a difference in headphone amp mode with just what I'm using.

This has already come up and only a few pages ago: top of page 140.
The 'search' line at the top of each thread page is a useful little tool that many Head-Fiers ignore for some reason.

I'm getting bifost 2, but it doesn't have a volume knob.. In order to try poweramp mode, I'm planning to add 3rd device. Can anyone tell me if following plan will work?
1. Bifrost xlr out to Soloist xlr in
2. A90 or Jotunheim preamp rca out to soloist rca in
I'm a beginner. I don't even know if this setup will work. Can anyone help?

The less components you have in your audio chain the better. Every extra component increases distortion and degrades the signal. You probably get a better sound out of your Bifrost + 3XP in normal mode than forcing power amp mode with additional components in your chain.
IMO power amp mode only makes real sense with a DAC that has volume control. Just as Burson intended.

While I also prefer the additional dynamics/clarity/impact of the power amp mode, it is not necessarily an absolute 'must' for everyone. The 3XP is a nice sounding and capable amp in normal mode too.

 

[vinnydotc]

This has already come up and only a few pages ago: top of page 140.
The 'search' line at the top of each thread page is a useful little tool that many Head-Fiers ignore for some reason.



The less components you have in your audio chain the better. Every extra component increases distortion and degrades the signal. You probably get a better sound out of your Bifrost + 3XP in normal mode than forcing power amp mode with additional components in your chain.
IMO power amp mode only makes real sense with a DAC that has volume control. Just as Burson intended.

While I also prefer the additional dynamics/clarity/impact of the power amp mode, it is not necessarily an absolute 'must' for everyone. The 3XP is a nice sounding and capable amp in normal mode too.

I did before and also tried just now and only my post came up.

Tell me what you would have searched for?

 

[akelew]

have a Bifrost 2 and a Soloist 3xp and I have headphone amp mode turned on and just use Windows volume control. Is there something with what I'm doing or I need a preamp with volume knob between the BF2 and Soloist? Cause I do hear a difference in headphone amp mode with just what I'm using

This has already come up and only a few pages ago: top of page 140.



The less components you have in your audio chain the better. Every extra component increases distortion and degrades the signal. You probably get a better sound out of your Bifrost + 3XP in normal mode than forcing power amp mode with additional components in your chain.
IMO power amp mode only makes real sense with a DAC that has volume control. Just as Burson intended.

While I also prefer the additional dynamics/clarity/impact of the power amp mode, it is not necessarily an absolute 'must' for everyone. The 3XP is a nice sounding and capable amp in normal mode too.

By your logic here, he could be getting better sound quality since he would be removing a component in his signal chain (the entire preamp/volume control section). Although I think your trying to say he would then be adding a new stage in the form of windows volume control.

The reason ive gathered not using volume in windows is best is because it degrades your signal a bit before getting amped and isn't ideal

 

[Moses Kwon]

Sorry if I intervene in the discussion.
I apologize for the English.
In my opinion I strongly advise against a passive preamp.
I used a Palmer Monicon passive preamp until a few days ago. I have to agree with those who say that passive preamps change the phase, change the stereo image and create other artifacts.
In fact the passive preamps are fine for those who use them as volume controllers for monitors but in our case (pre + Soloist 3XP) it is absolutely not good. I encountered an artificial sound with unnatural and backward voices.
After installing an active preamp (in my case a Topping Pre90) everything is back in the right direction and I can enjoy the Soloist 3XP in the amplifier version.

You meant A90? So how did you connect A90 between you DAC and Soloist? Let me guess... xlr out from dac to xlr input to A90 then xlr output from A90 to xlr input to soloist? I'm confused and trying to learn