Ryan’s Burson Playmate 3 with beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X

Published on

Sales Burson
May 1, 2025

Post Info

Feedbacks - Playmate 02 | 03
beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X, Burson Playmate 3

The amp sounds absolutely fantastic. It delivers outstanding precision and detail, with a beautifully low noise floor that allows every nuance in the music to come through clearly. What really sets it apart is how immersive it is—listening through this amp feels like a true experience rather than just hearing sound. It brings music to life in a way that engages you fully, drawing you into the performance with clarity, depth, and emotion.

The System

Listening with

beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X · Headphones: open-back, dynamic (STELLAR.45), circumaural

Impedance: 48 Ω
Sensitivity: 100 dB SPL (1 mW / 500 Hz) ≈ 113.2 dB/V (calc.)
Frequency response: 5 Hz – 40 kHz
Plugs / cables supplied: detachable 3-pin mini-XLR cable (3 m / 1.8 m), 3.5 mm plug with 6.35 mm adapter

Matching notes: At 48 Ω and 100 dB/mW, the DT 900 PRO X is a low-impedance load, and an efficient one: about 0.69 V (10 mW, 14 mA) for 110 dB SPL (calc.). Burson does not publish a 48 Ω rating for the Playmate 3. Its 32 Ω and 100 Ω ratings (2.5 W SE; 0.6 W SE) fall either side of it. The Playmate 3’s under 2 Ω headphone output impedance is less than 1/24 of the load. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

Burson

Burson Playmate 3 · DAC / headphone amplifier / preamp

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: 16 Ω 3.5 W / 1 W; 32 Ω 2.5 W / 0.8 W; 300 Ω 150 / 80 mW; dB not published
Inputs: USB (XMOS; PCM to 768 kHz/32-bit, native DSD512); Toslink; 3.5 mm AUX headset with mic
Input impedance: 38 kΩ
Outputs: headphone jack (SE); pre out; DAC out (fixed line level)
DAC / chipset: ESS ES9039 (manual: ES9039Q2M)
Other: THD <0.002%; FR ±1 dB 0-35 kHz; versions Standard (NE5532, SP01, 24V3A) / Deluxe (V7 Vivid, SP02, Super Charger 3A, remote)

^{[2] [3]}

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.