Stuart’s Burson Soloist GT4 with Meze Elite and Meze Empyrean II

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Post Info

  • Feedbacks - Soloist GT3 | GT4
  • Burson Soloist GT4, Eversolo DMP-A6, HiFiMAN HE1000 V2, Holo Audio Cyan 2, Meze Elite, Meze Empyrean II, Sennheiser HD 6XX, Sennheiser HD 800 S

I encountered no issues with my order, and everything arrived as expected. I’m really impressed with the amplifier – it performs excellently and meets all my expectations.

The System

Listening with

Meze Elite · Headphones: open-back, planar magnetic (Rinaro Isodynamic Hybrid Array), circumaural
  • Impedance: 32 Ω
  • Sensitivity: 101 dB SPL / mW @ 1 kHz ≈ 115.9 dB/V (calc.)
  • Frequency response: 3 Hz – 112 kHz
  • Plugs / cables supplied: dual 4-pin mini-XLR cup sockets
  • Other: max SPL >130 dB; Aluminium and Tungsten editions share figures

Matching notes: At 32 Ω and 101 dB/mW, the Meze Elite is a low-impedance load, and an efficient one: about 0.5 V (7.9 mW, 16 mA) for 110 dB SPL (calc.). Burson rates the Soloist GT4 at 10 W (XLR) / 5 W (SE) into 32 Ω, which is about 17.9 V / 12.6 V RMS (calc.), roughly 31 dB / 28 dB more than that. The Soloist GT4’s 0.5 Ω headphone output impedance is 1/64 of the load. [1] [2] [3]

Meze Empyrean II · Headphones: open-back, planar magnetic (Rinaro Isodynamic Hybrid Array), circumaural
  • Impedance: 32 Ω
  • Sensitivity: 90 dB SPL / mW @ 1 kHz ≈ 104.9 dB/V (calc.)
  • Frequency response: 8 Hz – 110 kHz
  • Plugs / cables supplied: dual 4-pin mini-XLR cup sockets; mini-XLR to 6.3 mm cable
  • Other: max SPL >130 dB

Matching notes: At 32 Ω and 90 dB/mW, the Meze Empyrean II is a low-impedance load, and a fairly demanding one: about 1.8 V (100 mW, 56 mA) for 110 dB SPL (calc.). Burson rates the Soloist GT4 at 10 W (XLR) / 5 W (SE) into 32 Ω, which is about 17.9 V / 12.6 V RMS (calc.), roughly 20 dB / 17 dB more than that. The Soloist GT4’s 0.5 Ω headphone output impedance is 1/64 of the load. [4] [2] [3]

Sennheiser HD 800 S · Headphones: open-back, dynamic, circumaural
  • Impedance: 300 Ω
  • Sensitivity: 102 dB SPL @ 1 V ≈ 96.8 dB/mW (calc.)
  • Frequency response: 4 Hz – 51 kHz
  • Plugs / cables supplied: 6.35 mm unbalanced; 4.4 mm balanced

Matching notes: At 300 Ω and 102 dB/V, the HD 800 S is a high-impedance load that needs voltage more than current: about 2.5 V (21 mW, 8.4 mA) for 110 dB SPL (calc.). Burson rates the Soloist GT4 at 1.3 W (XLR) / 0.65 W (SE) into 300 Ω, which is about 19.7 V / 14.0 V RMS (calc.), roughly 18 dB / 15 dB more than that. The Soloist GT4’s 0.5 Ω headphone output impedance is 1/600 of the load. [5] [2] [3]

Sennheiser HD 6XX · Headphones: open-back, dynamic, circumaural
  • Impedance: 300 Ω
  • Sensitivity: 103 dB SPL @ 1 kHz, 1 V (as published) ≈ 97.8 dB/mW (calc.)
  • Frequency response: 10 Hz – 41 kHz
  • Plugs / cables supplied: 3.5 mm stereo jack plug (6.35 mm adapter); 1.8 m cable
  • Other: THD <0.1% (1 kHz, 1 V)

Matching notes: At 300 Ω and 103 dB/V, the HD 6XX is a high-impedance load that needs voltage more than current: about 2.2 V (17 mW, 7.5 mA) for 110 dB SPL (calc.). Burson rates the Soloist GT4 at 1.3 W (XLR) / 0.65 W (SE) into 300 Ω, which is about 19.7 V / 14.0 V RMS (calc.), roughly 19 dB / 16 dB more than that. The Soloist GT4’s 0.5 Ω headphone output impedance is 1/600 of the load. [6] [7] [2] [3]

HiFiMAN HE1000 V2 · Headphones: open-back, planar magnetic, circumaural · discontinued
  • Impedance: 35 Ω
  • Sensitivity: 90 dB (reference not stated by HiFiMAN)
  • Frequency response: 8 Hz – 65 kHz
  • Plugs / cables supplied: not published (HiFiMAN spec page lists no connector)
  • Other: weight 420 g

[8]

Burson

Burson Soloist GT4 · Headphone amplifier / preamp (Class-A)
  • Output power (XLR / SE): 32 Ω 10 W / 5 W · 100 Ω 8 W / 4 W · 150 Ω 3.8 W / 1.9 W · 300 Ω 1.3 W / 0.65 W
  • Output impedance: 0.5 Ω (headphone); 25 Ω (pre out)
  • Gain: 3 levels: High full power, Medium 50%, Low 10% (IEM); dB not published
  • Inputs: 2x XLR; 2x RCA
  • Input impedance: 38 kΩ
  • Input sensitivity: RCA 2 V; XLR 4 V+ (line level)
  • Outputs: XLR + SE headphone; XLR + RCA pre out; RCA subwoofer out
  • Other: THD <0.0015%; FR ±1 dB 0-48 kHz; versions: Standard / Deluxe (V7 Vivid opamps, SP02, Super Charger 5A) / Max

[2] [3]

Also in the system

Eversolo DMP-A6 · Streamer: network streamer / DAC (dual ES9038Q2M, 6 in touchscreen) · discontinued
  • Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz (±0.15 dB)
  • Output voltage: RCA 2.5 V · XLR 5 V
  • Inputs: Wi-Fi / Ethernet; USB 3.0 x2; M.2 SSD; optical; coaxial; USB-C audio in; Bluetooth
  • Outputs: XLR; RCA (pre out); optical; coaxial; HDMI (DSD multichannel); USB audio
  • DAC / chipset: 2x ESS ES9038Q2M; XMOS XU316
  • Other: THD+N <0.000092% XLR / <0.00011% RCA (A); SNR / DR >128 dB XLR, >124 dB RCA; 13 W

Matching notes: Burson lists the Soloist GT4’s analogue inputs as RCA 2 V; XLR 4 V+ (line level) (38 kΩ input impedance). The DMP-A6 is rated at 2.5 V (RCA) / 5 V (XLR) output. [9] [10] [2] [3]

Holo Audio Cyan 2 · DAC: discrete R2R ladder DAC (separate vector-step network for DSD, NOS / OS)
  • Output voltage: RCA 2.5 V (PCM) / 1.25 V (DSD) · XLR 5.0 V (PCM) / 2.5 V (DSD)
  • Inputs: USB-B (galvanically isolated; PCM to 1.536 MHz, DSD1024 native); I2S (PCM to 1.536 MHz, DSD1024); coaxial; optical; AES (PCM 192/24, DSD64 DoP)
  • Outputs: XLR; RCA
  • DAC / chipset: discrete R2R (no DAC chip)
  • Other: PCM 48 kHz NOS: THD+N 0.0005% @ 1 kHz, DNR -127 dB; DSD128: THD+N 0.0002%; 20 W; 3.5 kg

Matching notes: Burson lists the Soloist GT4’s analogue inputs as RCA 2 V; XLR 4 V+ (line level) (38 kΩ input impedance). The Cyan 2 is rated at 2.5 V (PCM) / 1.25 V (DSD) (RCA) / 5.0 V (PCM) / 2.5 V (DSD) (XLR) output. [11] [12] [2] [3]