Mikko’s Burson Playmate with beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO

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Great opamps for SoundBlasters but I got hungry and now I have Playmate Everest.

The System

Listening with

beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO · Headphones: open-back, dynamic (45 mm Tesla), circumaural · discontinued
  • Impedance: 250 Ω
  • Sensitivity: 102 dB SPL (1 mW / 500 Hz) ≈ 108.0 dB/V (calc.)
  • Frequency response: 5 Hz – 40 kHz
  • Plugs / cables supplied: detachable cable: 3-pin mini-XLR at cup; 6.35 mm stereo jack plug

Matching notes: At 250 Ω and 102 dB/mW, the DT 1990 PRO is a high-impedance load that needs voltage more than current: about 1.3 V (6.3 mW, 5 mA) for 110 dB SPL (calc.). Burson does not publish a 250 Ω rating for the Playmate. Its 150 Ω and 300 Ω ratings (0.3 W SE; 0.1 W SE) fall either side of it. The Playmate’s under 2 Ω headphone output impedance is less than 1/125 of the load. [1] [2]

beyerdynamic DT 880 600 Ohm
Sennheiser HD 6XX · Headphones: open-back, dynamic, circumaural
  • Impedance: 300 Ω
  • Sensitivity: 103 dB SPL @ 1 kHz, 1 V (as published) ≈ 97.8 dB/mW (calc.)
  • Frequency response: 10 Hz – 41 kHz
  • Plugs / cables supplied: 3.5 mm stereo jack plug (6.35 mm adapter); 1.8 m cable
  • Other: THD <0.1% (1 kHz, 1 V)

Matching notes: At 300 Ω and 103 dB/V, the HD 6XX is a high-impedance load that needs voltage more than current: about 2.2 V (17 mW, 7.5 mA) for 110 dB SPL (calc.). Burson rates the Playmate at 0.1 W (SE) into 300 Ω, which is about 5.5 V RMS (calc.), roughly 8 dB more than that. The Playmate’s under 2 Ω headphone output impedance is less than 1/150 of the load. [3] [4] [2]

HiFiMAN HE400
Audio-Technica ATH-M40x · Headphones: closed-back, dynamic, circumaural
  • Impedance: 35 Ω
  • Sensitivity: 98 dB (reference not stated on page; A-T M-series)
  • Frequency response: 15 Hz – 24 kHz
  • Plugs / cables supplied: detachable cables (coiled/straight)
  • Other: 40 mm driver; max input 1,600 mW @ 1 kHz

[5]

Kali Audio LP-6
Monitor Audio Bronze 2 · Speakers: passive 2-way standmount, bass reflex (25 mm C-CAM gold dome, 6.5 in C-CAM bass/mid, HiVe II port) · discontinued
  • Impedance: 8 Ω
  • Sensitivity: 90 dB (1 W / 1 m)
  • Frequency response: 42 Hz – 30 kHz
  • Recommended amplifier power: 30 – 100 W
  • Other: max SPL 113 dBA (pair); power handling 100 W RMS; crossover 3.1 kHz; 350 x 185 x 255 mm; 5.3 kg

[6]

Burson

Burson Playmate · DAC / headphone amplifier / preamp · discontinued
  • Output power (headphone): 16 Ω 1.8 W · 32 Ω 2 W · 100 Ω 0.5 W · 150 Ω 0.3 W · 300 Ω 0.1 W
  • Output impedance: <2 Ω (headphone); 15 Ω (pre out)
  • Gain: not published
  • Inputs: USB (XMOS; PCM to 768 kHz/32-bit, native DSD512); Toslink
  • Input impedance: 38 kΩ
  • Outputs: RCA pre out; headphone jack (SE)
  • DAC / chipset: ESS SABRE32 ES9038 (suffix not stated)
  • Other: Original Playmate (Playmate 1); THD <0.002%; FR ±1 dB 0-35 kHz

[2]

Also in the system

Little Dot MK3
Topping D10 · DAC: USB DAC / USB-to-S/PDIF converter (ES9018K2M, USB powered) · discontinued
  • Output voltage: RCA 2.0 V
  • Inputs: USB (PCM 384 kHz/32-bit, DSD256 native)
  • Outputs: RCA; coaxial; optical
  • DAC / chipset: ESS ES9018K2M; XMOS XU208
  • Other: THD+N <0.0008% (1-10 kHz); 5 V / 0.5 A USB power

[7] [8]