Lachlan Fennen of Melbourne-based YouTube channel Passion for Sound has reviewed the Burson Conductor Voyager DAC, preamp and Class A headphone amplifier. He tested the MAX version, and compared it with the Topping D900, the Burson Conductor GT4 and the Soloist Voyager. Here are the highlights.
Lachlan explains that the Conductor Voyager is priced from $3,799 to $4,999, depending on the package. The core specifications are the same across all three. It uses the ES9039 Pro DAC, and its Class A amplifier can drive any non-electrostatic headphone. Because the gain is low enough, it stays free of hiss. Inputs include coaxial, optical, USB-C (up to 768kHz and DSD512) and Bluetooth with LDAC and aptX HD. The front 3.5mm socket also works as a headset jack for gaming.
Lachlan places the DAC section at about the level of the Topping D900 (around $1,800). He describes the tonality as very undigital, which he credits to the V7 Vivid op-amps. He found the Voyager slightly flatter in staging than the D900. He slightly preferred the D900’s fullness but liked the Voyager’s crispness.
Against the Conductor GT4 (about $1,000 less, compared using the Supercharger), he found the Voyager more relaxed and refined. It also showed more texture, for example on the Swingers soundtrack and “Wake Up”, and more room ambience.
He found the two almost identical in sound, with the Soloist Voyager a fraction more resolving. The Conductor converts its analogue inputs to digital for volume control, which slightly reduces stage depth. For premium vinyl playback, he says the Soloist is the better pick.
Lachlan suggests pairing it with a streamer such as the EverSolo T8 or Volumio Rivo Plus for a compact single-box system. He concludes that separates can still win, but at a cost in space, clutter and cash. That makes the Conductor Voyager “an incredible choice”.
Watch the full review on Passion for Sound’s YouTube channel.
Discover the full features and specifications on the Burson Conductor Voyager product page.
