[Peder 29]

This is how Burson
describes the difference
between...
• V7-Vivid
• V7-Classic
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Vivid is more dynamic and transparent, while the Classic focuses more on mid-range texture.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Has anyone here had time to test and evaluate the difference between these OP-amps.

 

[Bjorn154]

Have both coming so will post impressions when received.

 

[Peder 29]

Have both coming so will post impressions when received.

I'm looking forward to it ...

 

[proMC]

I loved the sound of the Enleum Amp23r but frustratingly, the bottom two steps of volume control were almost always too loud even in its low gain setting, with my higher efficiency, headphones. I purchased the Bliss hoping it might have a similar sound, more volume control latitude and a preamp section that would work well with my power amp to drive my 2ch speakers system. I really had high expectations for the Bliss after all the excitment surrounding its launch. I tried several DACs, with different presentations trying to find a synergy with the Bliss. After months of run in, the Bliss presentation still sounded flat and never came close to the harmonic bloom, tone and natural sounding decay of the Enleum. The Voyager has many of the qualities of the Enleum, it’s engulfing in a similar manor, where you are surrounded or apart of the mix, achieving that palpable sense of the room or venue in which the recording was made. This see through quality is a slightly different acoustic than musical detail or density, listeners describe as layering. Nonetheless, both Enleum and Voyager provide all these qualities, where, in my system, the Bliss could not. The Bliss is well loved, and perhaps there was some odd system matching that did not allow me to flesh out its potential. Both the Voyager and the Amp23r present some classic tube like / Class A tone and texture characteristics I prefer that were never apparent in the Bliss. Voyager and the Amp23r are very similar, but Voyager brings slightly better dynamics and a more visceral controlled bottom end, and the Amp23r, a tiny bit more romance. These two amplifiers have the tonal qualities, listening ease and engagment that‘s good fit with my priorities.

How does the Voyager handle harsh/sibilant passages? Ive heard the Bliss is never harsh...

 

[damascato]

How does the Voyager handle harsh/sibilant passages? Ive heard the Bliss is never harsh...

It handles them very well, much bette Ethan the great which was harsher in the highs. Maybe it’s not as refined as the bliss, but definitely great.

Not able to say if it’s due to the new output stage or the v7 opamps, but definitely a leap forward vs the GT

The real comparison, which no one has done yet, is gt23 vs voyager with the same opamps.

 

[Peder 29]

It handles them very well, much bette Ethan the great which was harsher in the highs. Maybe it’s not as refined as the bliss, but definitely great.

As this is a new head-amp with a slightly different sound signature,.it is of great importance to invest time in matching the "right" cabling to the Voyager.
It is far from certain that your previous cabling is 100% optimal against Voyager,.here a lot of time should be spent optimizing for the right cabling around Voyager.

I tried seven different XLR-
cables between my DAC
and Voyager,.before finally
settling on Shunyata Alpha
XLR-cables.
Vertere's Redline XLR-cable was really close to Shunyata's.

Between my InnuOs Zenith mk3 streamer and DAC it was the Verteres USB-cable that proved to create the best synergy vs the other system.
And,.ethernet-cable is Neotech's best Silver cable.
NOTE: Keep in mind that
direction matters.

And powercables are,.Jorma Design Duality upgraded with Oyaide's best connectors M1 F1,.see image

Not able to say if it’s due to the new output stage or the v7 opamps, but definitely a leap forward vs the GT

This is of course due to the new complete design of Voyager which contributes to this

The real comparison, which no one has done yet, is gt23 vs voyager with the same opamps.

The GT23 was Burson's former flagship head-amp...
The Voyager is Burson's current flagship head-amp.

They are two different amplifiers and should be compared as such.
Then you can always "play" with changing from V6-Vivid to V7-Vivid in your GT23.
BUT,.keep in mind that GT23 is optimized around V6-Vivid, Voyager around V7-Vivid.

A friend has "upgraded" his GT23 with V7-Vivid,.it plays fine,but my Voyager plays better in my system.
We have not compared side by side,.as this is uninteresting to me as I have optimized my system around my Voyager, I
have reported a little above.
Voyager is,.as I said, a new amplifier with a completely new circuit board design.

 

[Bjorn154]

Not sure I understand how the circuit board is optimized for a specific op-amp? Then why are they selling the Voyager base model with V6 op-amps?

 

[Triplets]

Hi Guys, here's a new review from Steve Huff.

 

[Vangelis]

Hi, Vangelis! Thanks for the comparisons. Since I only have unbalanced source (Marantz SA-KI Ruby CD/SACD Player), I wonder if Soloist Voyager also performs so well if fed by RCA unbalanced source. Have you also tried running it with unbalanced source but with balanced headphones (mine will be Meze Empyrean Mk2) connected to 4 pin XLR headphone output of Voyager? Also, is you Voyager Standard or fully upgraded Deluxe version? Thanks!

I have the Deluxe version, but I have only used it fully balanced.

 

[SuperDuke]

Initial Impressions of the Voyager (V7 vivid) for me are fantastic using the Weiss DAC 204 and DCA E3. With this chain I hear a lively, very very dynamic and fully engaging sound without any harshness.

B/c this amp runs hot I am wondering if anyone here has found good footers to raise it up for better cooling?

 

[Bjorn154]

Isoacoustics mini’s - use them on my GT’s helping them run a lot cooler and you decouple while at it.

 

[Peder 29]

These are really good...
I use them under my InnuOs streamer.

https://stackaudio.co.uk/auvaeq/

 

[Vangelis]

I wanted to try V7 classics in my Voyager, would I have to replace all the V7 vivids to hear any influence of the V7 classics?

 

[Bjorn154]

The four input/output op-amps make biggest diff. The volume less so.

 

[Peder 29]

I wanted to try V7 classics in my Voyager, would I have to replace all the V7 vivids to hear any influence of the V7 classics?

I use my Conductor 3X GT as a DAC only for my Voyager,.on the recommendation of Burson.

Burson also recommended when I was thinking of upgrading it to V7-Vivid,.to take V7-Classic instead.
Then I would get the best of both worlds according to Burson.
I did as Burson recommended, and after a longer "burn-in" I am incredibly satisfied.
In the beginning I felt they were "a little too warm" in character...
This as my InnuOs Zenith mk3 streamer also has a slightly warmer character.
But after a real "burn-in" I am, as I said, incredibly satisfied.

Burson sent me 6 V7-Classic,.so with that in mind you might want to replace all six in your Voyager too.
But write to Burson and ask,..that is the best source of knowledge on this.

In the picture you see my 6
V7-Classic installed in
my..now Conductor DAC.