Marco’s Burson Conductor 3 Reference with Hegel H190 and KEF LS50 Meta

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Sales Burson
December 7, 2021

Post Info

Feedbacks - Conductor 3R | 3XR
Audeze LCD-3, Burson Conductor 3 Reference, Burson Conductor 3X Reference, Focal Clear, Hegel H190, KEF LS50 Meta

So far, it’s the best DAC amp I have ever experienced. I’m also thinking about making it my primary DAC for my living room Setup with Hegel H190 and KEF LS50 meta

The System

Listening with

Hegel H190

KEF LS50 Meta · Speakers: bookshelf, two-way bass reflex (Uni-Q)

Impedance: 8 Ω (minimum 3.5 Ω)
Sensitivity: 85 dB (2.83 V / 1 m)
Frequency response: 79 Hz – 28 kHz (±3 dB); 47 Hz – 45 kHz range
Recommended amplifier power: 40 – 100 W
Other: max SPL 106 dB

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Burson

Burson Conductor 3 Reference · DAC / headphone amplifier / preamp · discontinued

Output power (headphone): 16 Ω 7.5 W · 32 Ω 5 W · 100 Ω 1.75 W · 150 Ω 1.16 W · 300 Ω 0.58 W
Output impedance: 0.5 Ω (headphone); 1 Ω (pre out); 25 Ω (DAC out)
Output voltage: RCA 2 V (DAC out)
Gain: High / Medium / Low; dB not published
Inputs: 2x RCA; USB (XMOS; PCM to 768 kHz/32-bit, native DSD512); Toslink; coaxial; Bluetooth 5.0 aptX HD; microphone
Input impedance: 40 kΩ
Input sensitivity: line level
Outputs: RCA pre out; RCA DAC out; 2x 6.35 mm headphone
DAC / chipset: 2x ESS ES9038Q2M
Other: Model R180 (3R); SE only; THD <0.0015%; FR ±1 dB 0-58 kHz

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Burson Conductor 3X Reference · DAC / headphone amplifier / preamp · discontinued

Output power (XLR / SE): 16 Ω 7.5 W / 3.75 W · 32 Ω 5 W / 2.5 W · 100 Ω 1.75 W / 0.88 W · 150 Ω 1.16 W / 0.58 W · 300 Ω 0.58 W / 0.3 W
Output impedance: 0.5 Ω (headphone); 1 Ω (pre out); 25 Ω (DAC out)
Output voltage: RCA 2 V (DAC out)
Gain: High / Low; dB not published
Inputs: 2x XLR; USB (XMOS; PCM to 768 kHz/32-bit, native DSD512); Toslink; coaxial; Bluetooth 5.0 aptX HD; microphone
Input impedance: 40 kΩ
Input sensitivity: line level
Outputs: XLR pre out; line-level DAC out; 6.35 mm + 4-pin XLR headphone
DAC / chipset: 2x ESS ES9038Q2M
Other: Model R180X (3XR); THD <0.0015%; FR ±1 dB 0-58 kHz

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Also in the system

Audeze LCD-3 · Headphones: open-back, planar magnetic, circumaural

Impedance: 110 Ω
Sensitivity: 101 dB/1mW (at Drum Reference Point) ≈ 110.6 dB/V (calc.)
Frequency response: 10 Hz – 50 kHz
Plugs / cables supplied: 4-pin XLR cable; 4-pin XLR to 6.35 mm adapter cable; 6.35 to 3.5 mm adapter
Other: recommended power >250 mW;

^[6]

Focal Clear · Headphones: open-back, dynamic (40 mm Al/Mg M-dome), circumaural · discontinued

Impedance: 55 Ω
Sensitivity: 104 dB SPL / 1 mW @ 1 kHz ≈ 116.6 dB/V (calc.)
Frequency response: 5 Hz – 28 kHz
Plugs / cables supplied: 4-pin XLR; 6.35 mm; 3.5 mm cables supplied

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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.