Burson Timekeeper 3X GT Wins Soundnews Gold Award: “In Dual-Mono We Trust!”

Note: the Timekeeper 3X GT reviewed here is the predecessor of the current Burson Timekeeper GT4. The reviewer’s impressions apply to the 3X GT.

Sandu Vitalie of Soundnews reviewed the Burson Timekeeper 3X GT dual-mono power amplifiers, and they “fully deserved my absolute highest Gold Award”. The package he tested, at $4,000, included two Timekeepers, two Super Chargers and two Cool Stands.

Design

Sandu praises the rock-solid build and small footprint, with the case doubling as a heatsink. There is a single power button on the front. The rear has the DC input, two triggers, speaker terminals, RCA and XLR inputs, and buttons for gain and input selection. There is no volume control, so you need a preamp or a DAC with volume control. The op-amps can be swapped.

Compared With the Benchmark AHB2

Sandu uses a pair of Benchmark AHB2 amps as his reference. He spent about two days comparing them and found the two very close in transparency and detail retrieval. The Timekeepers hit harder in the bass and sounded a little sweeter in the midrange. He calls the 3X GT the cleanest-sounding Burson amplifier so far.

Sound: Dual-Mono Scale, Bass and Silence

• Noiseless at any gain or volume: “a dead silent amplifier”
• Bass with both quantity and control, impactful and punchy
• A fuller-bodied midrange and sweeter vocals
• Clean, extended treble without brightness or fatigue
• One of the biggest, most holographic soundstages he has heard at home, which he credits to the dual-mono design

Drawbacks

• Active cooling
• The Cool Stands are needed for heat dissipation

Verdict: Soundnews Gold Award

“These are really proper high-end power amplifiers”, Sandu concludes. He considers the price fully justified and gives the Timekeeper 3X GT his highest Gold Award.

Watch the video on YouTube and read the full written review on Soundnews.

Discover the full features and specifications on the Burson Timekeeper GT4 product page.