Takuro’s Burson Soloist 3X GT with HEDD HEDDphone, Fostex T60RP and Philips X2HR

Published on

Sales Burson
April 19, 2025

Post Info

Feedbacks - Soloist GT3 | GT4
Antelope Audio Discrete 8 Synergy Core, Fostex T60RP, HEDD HEDDphone, KS Digital B88 Reference, KS Digital C8 Reference, Philips X2HR

The Soloist 3X GT is my first dive into the Burson world, and it’s already made a bold statement. What initially drew me in was the technical allure—the high-speed, high-current switching power supply and the use of fully discrete opamps. On paper, it sounded like an audiophile’s dream. But once I actually plugged in my headphones and hit play, I realized this wasn’t just impressive engineering—it translates directly into the sound in a way that’s immediately tangible.
Listening to Slipknot through the Soloist 3X GT paired with the HEDDphone was a revelation. The sound is insanely powerful and electrifying, with a sense of scale and impact that had me cranking the volume higher and higher. And yet, no matter how loud it got, the sound never became fatiguing or harsh. It remained controlled, immersive, and clean—like the amp was daring me to keep going. It’s an adrenaline rush in audio form.
Right now, I’m running my headphones through the single-ended output, but I’m already planning to upgrade to a balanced cable to see how far this amp can really go. I’m also incredibly curious to hear how the sound would evolve with a stronger external power supply like the Fusion Core, or with an opamp swap to the V7 series. If the stock setup already delivers this kind of thrill, the potential upgrades could push it into truly endgame territory.

The System

Listening with

HEDD HEDDphone · Headphones: open-back, AMT (air motion transformer, VVT), circumaural · discontinued

Impedance: 42 Ω
Sensitivity: 87 dB SPL / 1 mW ≈ 100.8 dB/V (calc.)
Frequency response: 10 Hz – 40 kHz
Plugs / cables supplied: not published
Other: impedance “42 Ω flat”

Matching notes: At 42 Ω and 87 dB/mW, the HEDD HEDDphone is a low-impedance load, and a fairly demanding one: about 2.9 V (200 mW, 69 mA) for 110 dB SPL (calc.). Burson does not publish a 42 Ω rating for the Soloist 3X GT. Its 32 Ω and 100 Ω ratings (8 W XLR / 4 W SE; 3.8 W XLR / 1.9 W SE) fall either side of it. The Soloist 3X GT’s 0.5 Ω headphone output impedance is 1/84 of the load. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

Fostex T60RP

Philips Fidelio X2HR · Headphones: open-back, dynamic (50 mm neodymium, Layered Motion Control), circumaural · discontinued

Impedance: 30 Ω
Sensitivity: 100 dB @ 1 mW ≈ 115.2 dB/V (calc.)
Frequency response: 5 Hz – 40 kHz
Plugs / cables supplied: 3.5 mm socket; detachable 3 m OFC cable, 3.5 mm plug + 6.3 mm adapter
Other: max input 500 mW; THD <0.1%; 380 g

Matching notes: At 30 Ω and 100 dB/mW, the Fidelio X2HR is a low-impedance load, and an efficient one: about 0.55 V (10 mW, 18 mA) for 110 dB SPL (calc.). Burson does not publish a 30 Ω rating for the Soloist 3X GT. Its 16 Ω and 32 Ω ratings (10 W XLR / 5 W SE; 8 W XLR / 4 W SE) fall either side of it. The Soloist 3X GT’s 0.5 Ω headphone output impedance is 1/60 of the load. ^{[4] [2] [3]}

KS Digital B88 Reference

KS Digital C8 Reference

Burson

Burson Soloist 3X GT · Headphone amplifier / preamp (Class-A) · discontinued

Output power (XLR / SE): 16 Ω 10 W / 5 W · 32 Ω 8 W / 4 W · 100 Ω 3.8 W / 1.9 W · 300 Ω 1.3 W / 0.65 W · 600 Ω 0.64 W / 0.32 W
Output impedance: 0.5 Ω (headphone); 25 Ω (pre out)
Gain: High / Medium / Low; dB not published
Inputs: 2x XLR; 2x RCA; mic bypass
Input impedance: 35 kΩ
Input sensitivity: line level
Outputs: XLR + RCA pre out; RCA subwoofer out; 4-pin XLR + SE headphone
Other: Model R-120X (“GT3”); THD <0.0015%; FR ±1 dB 0-48 kHz

^{[2] [3]}

Also in the system

Antelope Audio Discrete 8 Synergy Core

Specs from manufacturer data unless a source below says otherwise. “calc.” values are worked out from those figures (V = √(P × R); 110 dB SPL used as a loud reference level). Gear listed without specs is not in our spec library yet.