Magazine-style cover for the Tone Deaf Monk video review of the Burson Conductor Stellar Class A IEM upgrade card, showing the Conductor Stellar amplifier and the orange amp card

Burson Conductor Stellar Class A IEM Upgrade Video Review by Tone Deaf Monk: A Very Worthy Upgrade

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  • Conductor Stellar
  • Burson Conductor Stellar, Class A headphone amplifier, Tone Deaf Monk, Video Review

Tone Deaf Monk has put the new Burson Class A IEM Upgrade Card for the Burson Conductor Stellar through its paces in a sound impressions video on YouTube, comparing it with the stock IEM amplifier and with the Stellar’s main headphone amplifier. His verdict: the card is “a step up” and “a very worthy upgrade”.

Watch: Tone Deaf Monk reviews the Class A IEM upgrade card

What the card brings

He describes the card as a deep Class A design in a true dual mono, mirror-symmetrical architecture, with dedicated power modules to clean up the DC supply for sensitive in-ear monitors. He also learned that Burson burns in every unit for 100 hours before it leaves the factory.

What he heard

Swapping between the stock IEM module and the Class A card, he found a clear step up:

  • More resolution: “a great deal more resolution and small inflections you can pick up with vocals and instruments”.
  • Better balance: “Bass is tighter and less thumpy, more controlled actually.”
  • Fuller mids: a mid-forward presentation that “interjects a bit more mid-range body and weight to the sound. I quite liked it a lot.”

Card versus the main amplifier

Comparing the card with the Conductor Stellar’s main amplifier, he finds the main amp has the wider, more layered stage with more height, and calls it “a beast for dynamics”. The card, meanwhile, adds “a little bit more of that sweetness”. He still finds it “kind of amazing” that the Stellar offers two separate amplifiers in one chassis, so that depending on your gear pairing, one might suit better than the other.

Conclusion

His bottom line: the new Class A card “is a step up” over the stock module and “a very worthy upgrade in Monk’s opinion”.

Tone Deaf Monk has also reviewed the Conductor Stellar itself and the Fusion Core power supply: read our Conductor Stellar review post and our Fusion Core review post.

Discover the full features and specifications on the Burson Conductor Stellar product page.