YouTube reviewer SuperChonk has reviewed the Burson Soloist Voyager headphone amplifier in a video titled “This Is The End Of My Audiophile Journey” (26 May 2024). He paired it with the Final D8000 Pro Limited Edition planar headphones. Burson lent him the review unit and did not preview the review before release. Here are the highlights, including the points he would change.
He first heard the D8000 Pro with the Soloist Voyager in Hong Kong in January and says he was “really blown away”. He felt his previous amp section was good, but not as good as the Voyager, and chose the D8000 Pro Limited Edition as the most fitting headphone he owns to review it.
SuperChonk highlights the pure Class A, dual mono, fully balanced design, with the left and right channels isolated so each gets its own independent power. His unit had six Burson V7 discrete op-amps, and he notes the 10 Watts at 16 Ohms from the XLR output is more power than most people will ever need. He accepts that Class A is less efficient and runs warm, because for him sound comes first.
What sets it apart, he says, is how dark the background is. He credits the Silent Power modules in the power supply and hears no hiss on headphones. With more sensitive IEMs he heard a very slight amount of noise, which he did not feel took away from the performance.
He describes the Voyager as natural, not colouring the D8000 Pro while lifting it well beyond its usual level. Bass became taut with excellent impact and no mid-bass bloat, and vocals sounded clear with excellent resolution and texture, with micro-details in voices easy to hear.
Treble had plenty of extension and control with no shrillness. The soundstage was holographic and wide, “probably one of the best” he has heard on a planar, with precise positioning and good depth. He adds that an electrostatic headphone may edge it on staging, but without the D8000 Pro’s weight.
He enjoyed its natural, easy-going character and found it “surprisingly musical”, pairing well with almost any headphone. He was sad to pack it up and send it back, and suggests anyone after a flagship headphone amp should take their favourite headphones to a store and give the Soloist Voyager a serious listen.
Watch the full video on SuperChonk’s YouTube channel: This Is The End Of My Audiophile Journey | Burson Soloist Voyager and Final D8000 Pro Ltd Ed.
Discover the full features and specifications on the Burson Soloist Voyager product page.
