[kebcy]

Bang is only a power amplifier - to power ( shelf or floor ) Speakers. NOT headphones.

From what you say you want Bang as source (?!!!) to power the Play ? That's not only nonsense but also impossible,

If you want an amplifier for you headphones - other than the Play - which is enough btw, you can try FUN.

So you can have:
Burson Play -> Beyerdynamic Amiron Home
or
Burson Play -> FUN -> Beyerdynamic Amiron Home
or
Burson Play -> Bang - > Speakers. Like... Monitor Audio Monitor 200 ( just an example )

You cannot have
Burson Bang -> Burson Play -> Beyerdynamic Amiron Home This is impossible.
Also you cannot have
Burson Play -> Burson Bang -> Beyerdynamic Amiron Home It may burn your headphones.

Hey Eiffel!

Thank you the answer! I am just looking around on the market, cause I would love to improve somehow my setup, and I am looking after something new, that's why I wanted to install something between my BursonAudio Play! and Amiron to boost my listening experencies (and also gaming too) but seems like this is pointless cause Bang only amplify Spearkers and actually won't gonna make my much more superior, neither the Fun too, as I read from your explanation.

Any good opamps (besides Burson own opamps) to maybe swap in-out to have other listening experencies? Anyone can suggest some? Or should I buy another DAC/AMP combo like Woo Audio Wa7 Fireflies 2nd Gen with the vacuum tube upgrade? Maybe different cans?
Any suggestions for different but somehow similar (like wide and rich soundstage) headphone like Beyerdynamic ones?

 

[raoultrifan]

Is there a way to set the Play to "low" gain? I thought the gain level is fixed and there's just no button to switch it
[...]

That really depends on how much you care about the 5-years warranty.

​

Two simple metallized 1KOhms resistor will cut the gain almost in half. Of course, background noise decreases too.

Hope this helps, although I don't suggest you to trade the 5-years warranty on this modd. After all, with volume around 10-15% we can listen to sensitive cans for sure.

 

[Eiffel]

Aren't the same places with the capacitor mod from v1 ?

 

[raoultrifan]

Exactly! Those caps were placed like the gain resistors. I did this modd and it works like a charm, but I don't much care about the warranty anymore, given the 100 USD linear PSU I built last year for my PLAY.
(I thought I shared this info with you in an previous page...maybe I missed that, don't know).

​

Background noise becomes almost non-existent with linear PSUs, but that will void the warranty and involves removal of the power regulators and of those big diodes.
However, THD was not really improved, only the background noise, so I can't recommend this modd, unless you really want to have lot of fun and if you really love DIY electronics.
I did this to my PLAY because while doing measurements with my scope I did a short-circuit and I burned one regulator. I simply couldn't wait over 1 month to get a new one from eBay/Alibaba, so I built 3 x linear PSUs in less than 2 weeks (including shipping time): 12V and +/-15V.

 

[DarKu]

True - more harmonic distortions. But it's possible.

Again ?
B.T.W. I like your new site, but not the way you have to log for comments.

I just enabled guest commenting, you no longer need to log in.
Glad you like it.

 

[CoryGillmore]

Just picked up a Play this week and am thoroughly enjoying it so far. I'm mostly an IEM guy though, and as such really only have one headphone that pairs well with the Play, my 250ohm DT880. What are some cans that pair extremely well with the play? I've been looking at getting a DT1990, since I enjoy the pairing with the DT880 so well. It's funny, I've owned my DT880 for nearly 10 years and this week was the first time I'd truly heard them, since this was my first proper desktop amplifier....Anyway what's some good pairings with the Play, sub 1k?

 

[raoultrifan]

Given the 8 x "TO-220 case" output transistors that can easily drive speakers up to 15-20W/channel (with higher voltage rails and proper heatsinks), PLAY/PLAYMATE/CONDUCTOR will drive absolutely all headphones (but electrostatics).

Given it's low output impedance (0.45 Ohms) the damping factor is extremely low and PLAY can be paired with 8 Ohms IEMs too, just don't try it with >100dB/mW SPL headphones because some noise might appear,...also, it's not safe to drive 10mW headphones from 2000mW amplifier, right?

Leave the default NE5532/5534 opamps in place for the best transparency and neutrality, but for lower background noise MUSES8920 or AD8599/AD797 or OPA1612/1611 could be used to lower the background noise (for IEMs with an SPL higher than 100dB/mW might help).

I was testing PLAY (3xNE5532 + 2xNE5534 and 3xAD8599 + 2xAD797 and 3xMUSES8920 + 2xAD797) and default power supply with:
- Superlux HD381f (103dB/mW or 121dB/V) - during the night and very quiet environment, a bit of background noise could be heard, but it's really low intensity and it doesn't interfere with my listening at all.
- Beats Solo 2 - background noise is very hard to hear, even during the night
- Grado SR60i (can't hear any noise)
- Audio Technica ATH-M30x (really difficult to hear any noise)
- AKG K550 (difficult to hear any noise)
- AKG K701
- Beyerdynamic DT880 600 Ohms
- Hifiman HE560
- FOSTEX T50RP-mk3

Technically, with all of the above headphones the sound is the right one, not an issue with bass nor with the trebles. Headphones are sounding exactly like their manufacturer intended to.
Subjectively, I love planars sound, so Hifiman HE560 and FOSTEX T50RP-mk3 are my preferred cans right now, although the soundscene of the K701 and the way bass sounds is something that pleases my ears for few times per month.
As long as you're not driving FiiO FH5 or more sensitive IEMs, I don't think you'll actually feel any background noise while music is playing.

Like I said in the first paragraph, the output stage in BURSON amplifiers is simply oversized for a headphone amplifier. These Toshiba 2SA1930/2SC5171 transistors are even more powerful than the BD139/BD140 used inside the well-known Lehman amplifier (20W vs. 12.5W power dissipation with collector temp. of 25C).

Feel free to read my PLAY's review here: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/burson-audio-play.22702/reviews?page=2#review-19746. I tried to cover several technical aspects, but some listening tests as well.

P.S.: I'm glad you like the sound out of DT880, I don't like myself it's bass...it simply too recessed and lacking impact, no matter the amp I'm using. Also, the trebles are a bit on the sparky sound. I only purchased this pair of cans to test headphones amplifiers, but I'm using it sometimes for critical listening (when looking to get some more microdetails).

 

[holden4th]

Just picked up a Play this week and am thoroughly enjoying it so far. I'm mostly an IEM guy though, and as such really only have one headphone that pairs well with the Play, my 250ohm DT880. What are some cans that pair extremely well with the play? I've been looking at getting a DT1990, since I enjoy the pairing with the DT880 so well. It's funny, I've owned my DT880 for nearly 10 years and this week was the first time I'd truly heard them, since this was my first proper desktop amplifier....Anyway what's some good pairings with the Play, sub 1k?

I've got Sennheiser HD580 and lets face it, they are old technology. However, they have always been great cans and when they were introduced the only competition they had were the Beyers. I got my 580s for a great price second hand and they sounded very good when I first listened. The addition of the Play to my sound system has taken the 580s to another dimension. They are simply superb at bringing out the life in a recording. I've tried many audio upgrades over the years but the Play has been the only one to make a significant difference to the sound regardless of source.

 

[DjBobby]

I've got Sennheiser HD580 and lets face it, they are old technology. However, they have always been great cans and when they were introduced the only competition they had were the Beyers. I got my 580s for a great price second hand and they sounded very good when I first listened. The addition of the Play to my sound system has taken the 580s to another dimension. They are simply superb at bringing out the life in a recording. I've tried many audio upgrades over the years but the Play has been the only one to make a significant difference to the sound regardless of source.

From all the cans I've tried in the past with the Play, the Senns were always the best match for me. It looks like the Senns are Burson's house cans for tuning the equipment .

 

[CoryGillmore]

Given the 8 x "TO-220 case" output transistors that can easily drive speakers up to 15-20W/channel (with higher voltage rails and proper heatsinks), PLAY/PLAYMATE/CONDUCTOR will drive absolutely all headphones (but electrostatics).

Given it's low output impedance (0.45 Ohms) the damping factor is extremely low and PLAY can be paired with 8 Ohms IEMs too, just don't try it with >100dB/mW SPL headphones because some noise might appear,...also, it's not safe to drive 10mW headphones from 2000mW amplifier, right?

Leave the default NE5532/5534 opamps in place for the best transparency and neutrality, but for lower background noise MUSES8920 or AD8599/AD797 or OPA1612/1611 could be used to lower the background noise (for IEMs with an SPL higher than 100dB/mW might help).

I was testing PLAY (3xNE5532 + 2xNE5534 and 3xAD8599 + 2xAD797 and 3xMUSES8920 + 2xAD797) and default power supply with:
- Superlux HD381f (103dB/mW or 121dB/V) - during the night and very quiet environment, a bit of background noise could be heard, but it's really low intensity and it doesn't interfere with my listening at all.
- Beats Solo 2 - background noise is very hard to hear, even during the night
- Grado SR60i (can't hear any noise)
- Audio Technica ATH-M30x (really difficult to hear any noise)
- AKG K550 (difficult to hear any noise)
- AKG K701
- Beyerdynamic DT880 600 Ohms
- Hifiman HE560
- FOSTEX T50RP-mk3

Technically, with all of the above headphones the sound is the right one, not an issue with bass nor with the trebles. Headphones are sounding exactly like their manufacturer intended to.
Subjectively, I love planars sound, so Hifiman HE560 and FOSTEX T50RP-mk3 are my preferred cans right now, although the soundscene of the K701 and the way bass sounds is something that pleases my ears for few times per month.
As long as you're not driving FiiO FH5 or more sensitive IEMs, I don't think you'll actually feel any background noise while music is playing.

Like I said in the first paragraph, the output stage in BURSON amplifiers is simply oversized for a headphone amplifier. These Toshiba 2SA1930/2SC5171 transistors are even more powerful than the BD139/BD140 used inside the well-known Lehman amplifier (20W vs. 12.5W power dissipation with collector temp. of 25C).

Feel free to read my PLAY's review here: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/burson-audio-play.22702/reviews?page=2#review-19746. I tried to cover several technical aspects, but some listening tests as well.

P.S.: I'm glad you like the sound out of DT880, I don't like myself it's bass...it simply too recessed and lacking impact, no matter the amp I'm using. Also, the trebles are a bit on the sparky sound. I only purchased this pair of cans to test headphones amplifiers, but I'm using it sometimes for critical listening (when looking to get some more microdetails).

Mine was purchased with MUSES8920 and AD797 installed! If you're looking for more impact from your DT880, I highly suggest you get some velour Brainwavez XL pads! They also tone down the treble a bit! I highly recommend you try them!

 

[raoultrifan]

Thank you Cory, I just want from my DT880 to be more neutral, nothing else. I will give it a try with the velour pads from Brainwavez soon.

 

[DjBobby]

Mine was purchased with MUSES8920 and AD797 installed! If you're looking for more impact from your DT880, I highly suggest you get some velour Brainwavez XL pads! They also tone down the treble a bit! I highly recommend you try them!

Thank you Cory, I just want from my DT880 to be more neutral, nothing else. I will give it a try with the velour pads from Brainwavez soon.

Having the 600 Ohm version of the DT880, IMO nothing smoothes them better than an OTL tube amp, in my case Little Dot mk ii with the Mullard tubes. Deep bass and silky treble. With most of the SS amp they were too treble-hot. To my surprise the Fun with all V6 Classics works quite well with the Beyers, somewhat better than the Play.

 

[Eiffel]

From all the cans I've tried in the past with the Play, the Senns were always the best match for me. It looks like the Senns are Burson's house cans for tuning the equipment .

"The Past" - this is the key word. Burson OP-AMP's had a V shape sound ( up to V5 + V6 Vivids ) so the Senns are complementary to them.
However the V6 Classics are mid oriented. So if you have them in Play the Beyers might be a better choice. I use DT1990 Pro with my Play.

 

[Mij-Van]

"The Past" - this is the key word. Burson OP-AMP's had a V shape sound ( up to V5 + V6 Vivids ) so the Senns are complementary to them.
However the V6 Classics are mid oriented. So if you have them in Play the Beyers might be a better choice. I use DT1990 Pro with my Play.

How is the DT1990's treble when paired with the Play?

 

[Eiffel]

With V6 Classics in I/V it's quite good.
I don't hear any sibilance.
I didn't made a test with V6 Vivids.in LPF yet.

On my Conductor Air with V5i I can hear some sibilance on some songs. This is my only device that don't pair very well with DT1990.