Press reviews and awards for the Burson Playmate 3. It is a compact Class-A DAC, headphone amplifier and preamp from the Party Series with an ESS9039 DAC. Each post links to the original review, written or on video.
Ed Selley reviewed the Burson Playmate 3 in the September 2026 issue of Hi-Fi Choice (issue 544) under the headline “Play time!”, and gave it the Hi-Fi Choice Recommended award. Read the reprint (PDF). Beyond the Specs Ed writes that the Playmate 3 “offers a fairly elegant demonstration of the ‘beyond the specs’ element to […]
James Fiorucci of eCoustics included the Burson Playmate 3 in Best DAC/Amps for Headphones: Editors’ Choice 2025, alongside the Burson Conductor GT4. One of the Most Complete All-in-One Desktop Solutions eCoustics calls the Playmate 3 “one of the most complete all-in-one desktop solutions in the sub-$600 category”, bringing “serious horsepower and flexibility to a segment […]
Gaming Audio Lab reviewed the Playmate 2 back in 2022 and called it the best in gaming audio. In this video review the channel asks whether the Burson Playmate 3 can improve on it. Design Refinements The controls sit in the same places as on the Playmate 2. The power button, volume knob and menu […]
Dave from the Honest Audiophile reviewed the Standard Burson Playmate 3 on YouTube and asked whether it is better as a DAC/preamp than as a headphone amp. Sound Quality Dave describes a musical sound with slight warmth, deep bass and lush mids. Headphone Matching He found it fussy with some headphones: he heard hiss with […]
GirlOnAMission unboxed the Burson Playmate 3 Deluxe on YouTube and shared her listening impressions. Sound Impressions She found the Playmate 3 detailed, clean and smooth, and a good match for Hifiman headphones. She felt its soundstage was slightly smaller than the Chord Mojo 2’s. Room to Grow She highlights that the Playmate 3 is upgradeable, […]
Alexander from Kinemoss Tech reviewed the Burson Playmate 3 Deluxe on YouTube, covering the box contents, the menu system and the sound in detail. Sound Quality He describes the sound as full, punchy, transparent and natural. Tested with About 15 Headphones Alexander ran the Playmate 3 with around 15 headphones. With sensitive IEMs he heard […]
David from Prime Audio Reviews reviewed the Standard Burson Playmate 3 on YouTube and in a written review. Sound Quality Clarity combined with Class A warmth Mids are the strongest trait Tight, controlled bass Polished treble A wide, natural soundstage Headphone Pairings The Meze 99 Classics paired well, and the Sennheiser HD650 was a great […]
Ed Selley, Hi-Fi editor at AVForums, reviewed the Burson Playmate 3 in a video and a written review. The written review awards it the AVForums Recommended badge. Specs Don’t Tell the Whole Story Ed compared the Playmate 3 with the Topping DX5 II, a rival with a longer feature list for less money. After a […]
Audiophile Heaven reviewed the Standard version of the Burson Playmate 3 on YouTube, with planar headphones and IEMs. Quiet Enough for IEMs The reviewer found the Playmate 3 silent and usable with IEMs. The volume curve gives finer control at low levels, which helps with sensitive earphones. Sound: Wide, Natural and Warm The Playmate 3 […]
Andrew from Passion for Sound reviewed the Burson Playmate 3 Deluxe on YouTube, using it as a headphone amplifier and as a DAC. Sound Quality Andrew describes the Playmate 3 as detailed, clean and refined. In his view the amplifier stage is its real strength. He also tried the THD compensation setting and found that […]
