[Libertad]

great impressions it mirrors my sonic observations so I'm not as crazy sounding anymore

 
 the V5 is impressive especially considering that it seems to out do the previous gen chip in every way 

 

[beyerdude]

  great impressions it mirrors my sonic observations so I'm not as crazy sounding anymore

 
 the V5 is impressive especially considering that it seems to out do the previous gen chip in every way 

The comparison/review for me was easy - I usually keep the old source (i.e. DAC/Headphone Amp) and compare/contrast with the old before selling on the equipment - sometimes especially with DACs I have ended up swapping between sources and finding Subtle changes, things that I have to listen to for a long time to quantify. In the case of the V5 swap out the changes were immediate, easy to quantify and not subtle.

 

[Libertad]

listening to this album now has just simply taken my breath away from what it sounded like before with the V4 installed. The V5 has given this already legendary album (to me at least) a whole new dimension of enjoyment...and I'm listening to this crap on youtube for the love of all things and its sounds ridicules. MIND BLOWN

 

[beyerdude]

 
listening to this album now has just simply taken my breath away from what it sounded like before with the V4 installed. The V5 has given this already legendary album (to me at least) a whole new dimension of enjoyment...and I'm listening to this crap on youtube for the love of all things and its sounds ridicules. MIND BLOWN

Cool - nothing like a bit of Infected Mushroom - I agree the impact of listening to them with the V5 is awesome - the new album is also pretty decent!

 

[wersus]

I have two V5-OPA-Ds in my Asus STX II and I'm using one with my Lycan amp. I was pleasantly surprised how much these affect the sound quality and I hear only improvements compared to orginal STX II op-amps. I can easily notice  difference in many areas. Sound is now more clean, accurate, airy, 3D, lifelike and bass sounds more precise. It's hard to explain but overall sound quality sounds way more "hi-fi" and "expensive" to me.
 

 

 
This didn't work for me. That's why I'm using extension legs which cause some interference but very rarely. Sometimes on game loading screens etc I heard some weird noises for some reason. It doesn't bother me too much and it never happens when I'm listening music or watching videos or actually gaming. I might try something like this later but I have never done any soldering.
 

I have been very happy with my purchases from Burson and their customer support. I will replace the last V4 with V5 later.

 

[newdoughboy]

Simply said, I didn't expect such a big difference in sound quality. It is like owning a much more expensive audio gear. I thought I had it good, but this really made me feel like I was in the dark ages.

 

[Libertad]

 
The Review!
The photo above is used here to give you a better sense for just how large the V4/V5 are in comparison to normal op amps
 
Now my obligatory background 
 
I am a young audio enthusiast looking for new and interesting ways to create the sound im after. I used to use the little cheapo headphones that came with your phone and such thinking that was great then i stumbled on to headfi and its been a journey ever since. Going from sources to different headphones im not a happy owner of my own set of custom in ear monitors and a proper sound card and a growing library of flac and nicely done mp3 files for me to enjoy. I like a neutral sound and i never use EQ as im a purist at heart and feel less is more in principle for audio. I myself like every part of the sound spectrum despite my musical taste for mostly electronic i enjoy the whole picture which i was missing before i got on the headfi band wagon. So given this know ye to all reading that im not a professional reviewer by any means and what you will read are my thoughts from what I've experienced and you can take with that what ever you want.
 
Now i must thank Burson Audio for sending the V5 for me to review as they did so at no cost to me which i find incredibly generous. The review is purely my opinion and i myself am not affiliated with Burson Audio in any way shape or form and i have not been paid by them or under any NDA ect. Everything in this review is straight up Libertad and i will do my best to honestly give you folks my best effort to convey
 
Now the unit itself
 
When i first received the package in the mail i was shocked at how small it was initially. Compared to the V4 its thinner and shorter all around an (to me) looks pretty cool with the red cover. The cover is smooth plastic and is non removable. The backside of the casing opposite the Burson logo has a notch running the entire height of the Op amp and this is the pin 1 indicator or the front indicator so you can install it correctly which i thought was a classy touch. I also noticed it felt a hair meatier in weight in my hands it definitely feels like some solid silicon lending to the overall quality of the build.
 
Installing it was easy enough i just had to pluck out the V4 and the included pin protector the unit comes pre installed with fits nice and snug in the op amp socket.
 
As per instruction i ran in the unit a solid 100hrs prior to giving it my fully undivided attention using my library with my JVC MX10s plugged in running.
 
the gear used
 
Clear tune monitors CT-6E
product link
http://cleartunemonitors.com/products/custom-in-ears/ct-6e-elite/
CT-6E review
http://theheadphonelist.com/ciem_review/clear-tune-monitors-ct-6e-elite-review-strange-yet-fun-meet-lady-gaga-iems/
 
JVC MX10
product ling
http://www.amazon.com/JVC-Monitor-Headphones-HA-MX10-B-Japanese/dp/B004MLWVKU
JVC MX10 review (im pretty sure im the onlyone on headfi with one)
http://www.head-fi.org/t/560124/new-jvc-victor-studio-headphone-the-ha-mx10-b
 
Sound card
HT Omega eClaro
product link
http://www.htomega.com/eclaro.html
 
Ht Omega eClaro review
http://www.head-fi.org/products/ht-omega-eclaro-7-1-channel-pci-express-x1-sound-card/reviews
 
the music im using to evalutate are as follows

I'm pretty sure i don't need to say anything about this album its just great and if your reading this review and haven't heard it stop right now and listen to it 

 

This is a new one and its just been blowing my mind lately so warm and inviting and relaxing fantastic listen
 

i was recommended by a friend to listen to this and its been a blast so refreshing
 

groovy new twist on 70s psychedelic rock and roll and a pure joy to listen to
 

I have no idea what i was doing with my tastes as far as heavy metal was concerned because i was never listening to heavy metal until i found this group and never looked back
 

this needs no explanation again like thriller its a instant classic and in my opinion a must listen to
 
The meat and potatoes...sound
 
The Treble
This is to me the first most striking thing about this op amp is its ridicules clarity up top. Highs seem to reach higher and shimmer more with out sounding artificial. Its hard to explain its almost like listening to music on okay brick and mortar store bought headphones then moving to something proper. The treble just has much more fluidity in extension and detail compares to the V4 to my ear very crystalline and sublime. It lends my audio that next level i was looking for or reading about on line that better gear provides and its a joy to listen to. Woman singing sound fantastic and effects and synths have added depth high notes seem more natural and not forced and are never harsh. I find myself listening to hard brass jazz now i never listen to this genre much since most recording i had sounded harsh now they just sound great.
 
Mids
This portion of audio seemed like it didn't change at all but the more i listened the more the mids seem to draw me in. Very even and very clear and musical. Faster and more detailed than the V4 i have with it seems a better sense of rhythm. All track just seem to play snappier. The fast tracks i listen to seem faster and the slower tracks seem slower. It gives a much more convincing impression of honesty and giving out the bread and butter of were music lays is no easy task but once again it seems the V5 ups the game. Voices and acoustic have a much more realistic resonance and believable character to them.
 
Lows
Honestly the lows volume at least to me as the V4. This means to me either the the V5 is more honest in low end representation or that the V4 was slightly boosted.Bass notes noticeably percussion has more Pratt to the bass or what i feel is a sharper slam not a harder slam of bass note just a better defined leading edge. The decay also come off as more natural. The low end on tracks ive been listening to give me much more feel back down low theirs more stuff going on but its not louder. Notes have better texture and watching movies with the V5 is a blast.
 
Detail
It doesn't come off as the typical sound signature associated with gobs of detail-cold analytical. Rather its on the warmer side of neutral and it doesn't abuse your senses with detail its very reserved. It has a noticeable edge in detail retrieval over the V4. Well recorded recording shine more and poorly done recordings are more obvious in there lack of quality but its not unlistenable at all. The details come across as smooth very vinyl  like analog not bright and overly accentuated but don't let that fool you into thinking that it doesn't have detail because theirs a whole lot of it. You can just listen to your favorite tracks and pick out new rhythms-notes sounds you name it that weren't discernable to you before but eh gorgeous thing is that its all done smoothly and doesn't feel forced. Exceptionally impressive given this is a op amp.
 
The overall feel
The segment here is where i just give my thoughts on the over all experience im having listening with the V5.
 
Taking everything above inter consideration, just picture what ever listening experience you've had with op amps and just imagine a much more relaxing and smooth presentation with striking natural realism. Its hard to describe it but im reaching for that phrase a lot in this review but if i were to describe the V5 sonicly in three words it would be natural/smooth/euphoric. Its given my overall listening experience at my desktop a significant improvement over the V4 op amps and this improvement (to me) feels more significant that when i upgraded to a dedicated sound card. It digs deeper into my audio and really gives me a level of performance that i feel my CIEM is supposed to have. It makes me want to listen to the track playing and not skip. I'm playing games and movies i haven't played in years just because im interested in the audio experience it will deliver now. I've spent hours just getting lost in the sound its really something you have to experience for yourself. Will it be for everyone? I cant honestly answer that at the end of the day you as an audio consumer must judge for yourself. Now for me the choice is oh so crystal clear (pun intended) as to what ill be using here on out.
 
Huge shout out to Burson Audio for sending this unit for me to review  with out that this review would not be possible. And a huge thank you for the audio community here at Head-fi with out my experiences here you wouldn't be reading what i have to say and for that I'm grateful.
 
Rock on people

 

[newdoughboy]

Nice review, how many opamps did you need for your eClaro?

 

[Libertad]

The eClaro has one dual dip op amp socket

 

[Audio Addict]

The eClaro has one dual dip op amp socket

Thanks for your review.

 

[jackharm]

Can't wait to see how the V5's play with my setup once they arrive.

 

[genclaymore]

The V5-OPA-D and the Lycan played nice together a couple of the songs was very spacious as well being able to hear where the instrument's was coming front. Some songs the tribal drums sounded like they was stage besides the piano with the drummer directly in front of you off stage in Stephen Walking - Shark City the Lycan was burned in for 2 weeks doing the normal usage. the LT1355 worked very well inside the lycan as well, of course no where as good as the Bursons.

 

[Libertad]

All this talk about that lycan makes me want to try one it drives HE-500 well?

 

[genclaymore]

Just know that it opens on all sides. So if you stay somewhere that get dusty your gonna be cleaning dust out of it. Also You can only use a Dual or Two singles not both at the same time as that will damage the lycan Circuitry.  It did a very good job driving the HE-500's and perform very well too, of course i still prefer my gustard H10 in comparison to it.But its very handy if your like me who experiment with op-amps. It does have a pre-amp out on which may be in handy for you.The lycan is very small its like the size of a smart-phone. It uses a Power brick with a power cable that a PC PSU would use.

 

[WeirdChild]

Originally Posted by WeirdChild on the The Xonar Essence STX Q/A, tweaking, impressions thread - Page 348 /img/forum/go_quote.gif

This is not review per se. This is a short story...  

Hi!

Been a happy owner of the Xonar SXT for some years now. Was really impressed from the first time since it gave life to my old crappy set of headphones, but I wanted more joy, so  almost right after I got the card acquired a nice set of headphones that have been my main drivers since then (Sennheiser 650HD). I was all happy and rediscovering the music I love and such. One day while reading thoroughly this thread took I the plunge and ordered 3 DUAL SOIC LME49990 DIP8 opamps to upgrade my the STX. Once again I was impressed.

Settled up for long time and totally forgot about improving the sound, you know, work, travels, life and other everyday issues kept me busy. I still enjoyed the sound and had a lot of fun for sure. So after a while, life became more easy going, more steady (so did work), and had the need to invest into better sound gear. So yeah, I bought my first headphone amplifier and was mesmerized by the great improvement. Along acquiring a tube amp comes the urge to improve it with better tubes (some of you can relate) and so I did, got into rube rolling and once again, results were there!

One day I was thinking of getting a new DAC, was looking into some models, calculating budget, etc. Then I looked at my long time friend, the STX and thought of getting those weird looking op amps I once read about, the old Burson ones. So I emailed Burson and said I wanted them for my card, they answered and said they had a new, improved and more compact model that fits better into the STX.

Took me a day to decide whether to get them or not, I always had the option to buy an external DAC, but I am emotionally attached to the STX, then I said, let's upgrade this fella!
 
So I took the plunge and ordered 3 dual op amps for the STX, the reasons I did so were:
 
-Life time warranty.
-Same as above, whenever I feel it is time to replace the STX (not soon) and buy an external DAC that has the option to roll op amps I can move the Bursons there. 

Hope you are not bored by the rant yet, so let's look at some pictures: 

 
Picture 1: Location of the LME49990.
 

 
Picture 2: Burson Supreme Sound Opamp V5 in the case they came with. Banana for scale.
 

 
Picture 3: Another comparison picture.
 

 
Picture 4: After removing the Xonar STX from the case I knew of course, the shield from the card wont be needed anymore so I put it away in a safe location. Then I installed one V5. 
 
 

 
Picture 5: So now we have the 3 op amps installed in the card. Easy stuff. Things looking good so far.
 

 
Picture 6: Top view. Double checked the op amps were installed in the right position. One concern before install... I was wondering if I had enough space inside the case, my STX in the far bottom slot... Even though the V5's are not that tall once installed in the card the whole thing is takes more vertical space than an average video card...so let's see what happens.
 

 
Picture 7: Wow, that was close. Had enough space to keep the STX in that slot! Of course you can always move your card to another slot, but in my case, I did not want to. So yeah, pretty good by now.
 

 
 
 
Overall Results:

-Music sounded clearer.
-Separation of instruments very much improved.
-Instruments seem to have better, more real mass (hard to explain) and of course an improved sound stage.
-More layers of sound?
-I don't recall that song having that instrument.
-More enjoyable experience.
-Going to keep the STX for a long time. 
 
 
 
Final thoughts:

I am very happy with my purchase. Justified purchase buck by buck? Depends on how much you want to push the STX. But surely the Bursons do their job and help you take your card to a next level. But do not let your wife know how much these little things cost. LOL. 
 

 
English is not my first language. 
 
Cheers!