Dowling’s Burson Playmate 2 with Thieaudio Monarch, FiiO FH5 and FiiO FH7

Published on

Sales Burson
November 16, 2021

Post Info

Feedbacks - Playmate 02 | 03
AKG 250M, Audio-Technica ATH-AD700, Audiosense T800, beyerdynamic DT 1320, beyerdynamic DT 880 250 Ohm, Burson Playmate 2, Dunu DK-3001 Pro, FiiO FH5, FiiO FH7, FiiO K5 Pro, Onkyo, Philips Fidelio X2, Thieaudio Monarch, Yamaha

I’ve had my Playmate 2 for a few days, and with the stock op amps it is a noticeable improvement over the Fiio K5 Pro. I was waiting for the K9 Pro, which is almost impossible to find not marked up because of the lack of the AK4499. This is my 1st Sabre chip DAC, and I was concerned about the so called “Sabre glare”. None to my ears so far. Looking forward to installing the Vivid op amps I have on order.. What sold me on Burson was the 2+1 year warranty. None of the Chinese products offer that. Also the Burson reputation for support. I hope I never need it, but feel more comfortable spending my money on a product that offers that.

The System

Listening with

Thieaudio Monarch

FiiO FH5 · Headphones: in-ear (IEM), hybrid 1 dynamic + 3 Knowles BA

Impedance: 19 Ω
Sensitivity: 112 dB/mW ≈ 129.2 dB/V (calc.)
Frequency response: 15 Hz – 40 kHz
Plugs / cables supplied: 120 cm cable, MMCX, 3.5 mm plug
Other: max input power 100 mW; 8 g per earbud

Matching notes: At 19 Ω and 112 dB/mW, the FiiO FH5 is a low-impedance load, and an efficient one: about 0.11 V (0.63 mW, 5.8 mA) for 110 dB SPL (calc.). Burson does not publish a 19 Ω rating for the Playmate 2. Its 16 Ω and 32 Ω ratings (3.5 W SE; 2.5 W SE) fall either side of it. The Playmate 2’s under 2 Ω headphone output impedance is less than 1/9.5 of the load. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

FiiO FH7

Dunu DK-3001 Pro

Audiosense T800

beyerdynamic DT 880 · Headphones: semi-open, dynamic, circumaural

Impedance: 250 Ω (PRO page)
Sensitivity: 96 dB SPL (reference not stated on page)
Frequency response: 5 Hz – 35 kHz
Plugs / cables supplied: coiled cable with 3.5 mm plug and 6.35 mm adapter (PRO)

^[4]

beyerdynamic DT 1320

Philips Fidelio X2 · Headphones: open-back, dynamic (50 mm neodymium, Layered Motion Control), circumaural · discontinued

Impedance: 30 Ω
Sensitivity: 100 dB @ 1 mW ≈ 115.2 dB/V (calc.)
Frequency response: 5 Hz – 40 kHz
Plugs / cables supplied: detachable 3 m OFC cable
Other: max input 500 mW; THD <0.1%

Matching notes: At 30 Ω and 100 dB/mW, the Fidelio X2 is a low-impedance load, and an efficient one: about 0.55 V (10 mW, 18 mA) for 110 dB SPL (calc.). Burson does not publish a 30 Ω rating for the Playmate 2. Its 16 Ω and 32 Ω ratings (3.5 W SE; 2.5 W SE) fall either side of it. The Playmate 2’s under 2 Ω headphone output impedance is less than 1/15 of the load. ^{[5] [2] [3]}

Audio-Technica ATH-AD700

AKG 250M

Philips L2

Burson

Burson Playmate 2 · DAC / headphone amplifier / preamp · discontinued

Output power (headphone): 16 Ω 3.5 W · 32 Ω 2.5 W · 100 Ω 0.6 W · 150 Ω 0.4 W · 300 Ω 0.15 W
Output impedance: <2 Ω (headphone); 15 Ω (pre out)
Output voltage: RCA not published
Gain: High / Low; dB not published
Inputs: USB (XMOS; PCM to 768 kHz/32-bit, native DSD512); Toslink
Input impedance: 38 kΩ
Outputs: RCA pre out; headphone jack (SE)
DAC / chipset: ESS SABRE32 ES9038Q2M
Other: Model P171; SE only; THD <0.002%; FR ±1 dB 0-35 kHz; DAC THD+N 0.0018%

^{[2] [3]}

Also in the system

FiiO K5 Pro

Yamaha

Onkyo

Specs from manufacturer data unless a source below says otherwise. “calc.” values are worked out from those figures (V = √(P × R); 110 dB SPL used as a loud reference level). Gear listed without specs is not in our spec library yet.