When the original Soloist GT was released in Nov. 2021, I was in the market for a headphone amp that could power the entire collection & have a modest footprint on the hifi rack. Conveniently, the OG Soloist was announced and it fit the bill. Watching Lachlan’s review swayed some doubt & came off the fence. For almost 2 years it never failed to provide sonic enjoyment & I never felt obligated to upgrade until watching Lachlan’s re-review. I was also nervous about jumping to something else and losing the neutrality Burson is known for. This new amp is refined and noticeably cleaner. Can’t imagine parting with her anytime soon.
The System
Listening with
HiFiMAN Susvara · Headphones: open-back, planar magnetic, circumaural
- Impedance: 60 Ω
- Sensitivity: 83 dB (reference not stated by HiFiMAN)
- Frequency response: 6 Hz – 75 kHz
- Plugs / cables supplied: not published (HiFiMAN spec page lists no connector)
- Other: weight 450 g
[1]
Abyss AB-1266 Phi TC · Headphones: open-back, planar magnetic, circumaural
- Impedance: 50 Ω
- Sensitivity: 88 dB/mW ≈ 101.0 dB/V (calc.)
- Frequency response: 5 Hz – 45 kHz
- Plugs / cables supplied: 2.5 m 4-pin XLR cable with 6.3 mm adaptor (JPS Labs); other terminations optional
Matching notes: At 50 Ω and 88 dB/mW, the AB-1266 Phi TC is a low-impedance load, and a fairly demanding one: about 2.8 V (158 mW, 56 mA) for 110 dB SPL (calc.). Burson does not publish a 50 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 1/100 of the load. [2] [3] [4]
Dan Clark Audio EXPANSE · Headphones: open-back, planar magnetic, circumaural
- Impedance: 26 Ω
- Sensitivity: ~90 dB/mW
- Frequency response: not published (page states “Yes, it has one”)
- Plugs / cables supplied: VIVO cable
- Other: 418 g; THD <0.1% ref 80 dB
[5]
Audeze LCD-5 · Headphones: open-back, planar magnetic, circumaural
- Impedance: 14 Ω
- Sensitivity: 90 dB/1mW (at Drum Reference Point) ≈ 108.5 dB/V (calc.)
- Frequency response: 5 Hz – 50 kHz
- Plugs / cables supplied: 2.5 m braided 4-pin XLR balanced cable; 4-pin XLR to 6.35 mm adapter; 6.35 to 3.5 mm adapter
- Other: recommended power >500 mW (min >100 mW; max 5 W RMS);
Matching notes: At 14 Ω and 90 dB/mW, the LCD-5 is a low-impedance load, and a fairly demanding one: about 1.2 V (100 mW, 85 mA) for 110 dB SPL (calc.). Burson does not publish a 14 Ω rating for the Soloist 3X GT; its nearest published rating is 10 W XLR / 5 W SE into 16 Ω. The Soloist 3X GT’s 0.5 Ω headphone output impedance is 1/28 of the load. [6] [3] [4]
Burson
- 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
[3] [4]
Also in the system
Denafrips Terminator Plus · DAC: flagship fully balanced discrete R-2R DAC (NOS/OS selectable)
- Output impedance: 625 Ω (RCA); 1.25 kΩ (XLR)
- Output voltage: RCA 2.2 V · XLR 4.4 V
- Inputs: USB; coaxial; optical; AES (single/dual); I2S via HDMI and RJ45
- Outputs: RCA; XLR
- DAC / chipset: discrete R-2R ladder (no DAC chip)
- Other: FR 20 Hz-80 kHz (+1/-3 dB); THD+N 0.001% (A); S/N >=127 dB (A); DR >132 dB; crosstalk -110 dB; <=20 W; 430x380x109 mm; 19.15 kg
Matching notes: Burson lists the Soloist 3X GT’s analogue inputs as line level (35 kΩ input impedance). The Denafrips Terminator Plus is rated at 2.2 V (RCA) / 4.4 V (XLR) output. [7] [3] [4]
