Thomas from Thomas & Stereo reviewed the Burson Funk Max Current, the Signature Edition of the Funk tuned by Jay Lee of Jay’s iyagi. He reviewed a pre-production sample.
Thomas says the Burson monoblocks with the Max Current Power Supply were the first amps that changed his mind about switch-mode supplies, and he expected the same from the Funk Max Current: “and yes it did”. He was impressed that such a small supply could still power the amp “with good base authority”. The Signature Edition uses Burson’s Vivid op amps, which in his experience lean towards clarity.
The one thing he says this amp does better than most integrated amps in a desktop setup is the depth of the soundstage: he could hear the singer a little further away, which creates a real sense of depth.
He describes a warmer tone and a smooth, pleasant, non-fatiguing presentation that is great for long listening sessions: detailed but not tilted up on top, with strong dynamic bass and a very balanced tone overall. The presentation is slightly laid back, so listeners who want a bright, forward sound may prefer something else.
One of his audio friends heard it against a 100-watt integrated amp with a built-in DAC and Bluetooth, and said “wow this is way better”. At another friend’s place, once the speakers were brought into a near-field position, the centre image was solid and the soundstage “crazy deep”. The Funk Max Current had no problem driving his friend’s 86 dB Sonus faber speakers.
Thomas notes that the amp is optimised for near-field listening. He says that if you like a smooth, slightly laid-back presentation, you should put the Funk Max Current on your audition list.
Discover the full features and specifications on the Burson Funk product page.
