Steve from Bloom Audio asks whether the Burson Conductor GT4 is the perfect all-in-one DAC/amp. He reviewed it on video and in writing, and compared it with the Conductor 3 Reference and Conductor 3GT that came before it.
Steve explains that the headphone output stage is based on the Soloist and runs in Class A. The DAC uses two ES9038 chips, one per channel, which lowers crosstalk. Two small fans replace the single larger fan of the previous generation. Together with the Silent Power modules, this gives what he calls a “dead quiet, pitch black noise floor”. Bluetooth now supports aptX HD and LDAC.
According to Steve, the GT4 drives the hardest headphones he has, including the HIFIMAN Susvara. It also does well with higher-impedance IEMs.
Steve compared the GT4 Deluxe (V7 op-amps) against the Conductor 3 Reference and 3GT, both on V6 op-amps. The GT4 had the best sense of space, separation, detail and clarity of the three. It also had the most forward and brightest treble, which made the HIFIMAN Arya Organic sound bright. The Final D7000 and Meze Empyrean were great pairings. The 3 Reference was the warmest of the three, while the Susvara and Susvara Unveiled sounded better on the GT4.
Steve is candid that the internal DAC is not at the level of a Chord TT2 or DAVE, or a dCS Lina. As a single box, though, he finds the GT4 very attractive, because separates that beat it can cost two to four times as much.
His conclusion: with every headphone he tried, the “GT4 just kicks butt.”
Watch the full review on YouTube and read Bloom Audio’s written review.
Discover the full features and specifications on the Burson Conductor GT4 product page.
