Sandu Vitalie of Soundnews has reviewed the Burson Soloist Stellar in its Deluxe package, testing it with headphones, IEMs and as a preamplifier for his loudspeaker system. His headline says it all: “From IEMs and Planars… Burson Soloist Stellar Does It All.”
Sandu once used the Soloist 3X Performance as his go-to headphone amplifier and preamplifier. He calls the Soloist Stellar its spiritual successor, but “a much higher-tiered amplifier and preamplifier, if you ask me.”
“When it comes to dynamics and to resolution, you cannot beat the Soloist Stellar at this size and at this price.”
He describes the Soloist Stellar as “more like a miniature version of the Soloist Voyager”, which he rates among the top three solid-state headphone amplifiers and preamplifiers he has tried.
“Once you select that IEM amplifier from the menu, then it’s absolutely stellar. It’s fantastic with all sorts of IEMs… It’s pitch black when you connect a pair of IEMs. And if you have a couple of IEMs, I believe, it’s a dream amplifier.”
With demanding loads, he calls the Soloist Stellar “quite a scary beast”, livelier and punchier than the Conductor Stellar.
Placed in his hi-fi system with Chord Ultima 3 monoblocks and Raidho loudspeakers, the Soloist Stellar “didn’t introduce any noise whatsoever”. The experience “felt quite engaging and punchy, having a nice control over the bass, while never pushing the trebles higher.”
“The sound is now clearer, it’s more transparent, it’s also a bit more open and 3D. It’s also completely noiseless with both IEMs and loudspeakers… Its rich and full-bodied tone will be appreciated by both audiophiles and music lovers.”
Read the full review on Soundnews.
Discover the full features and specifications on the Burson Soloist Stellar product page.
