Burson Conductor 3 Reference with Sennheiser HD 800 S and Audeze LCD-XC

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From Playmate to Conductor 3R

The System

Listening with

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 Conductor 3 Reference at 0.58 W (SE) into 300 Ω, which is about 13.2 V RMS (calc.), roughly 14 dB more than that. The Conductor 3 Reference’s 0.5 Ω headphone output impedance is 1/600 of the load. [1] [2] [3] [4]

Audeze LCD-XC · Headphones: closed-back, planar magnetic, circumaural
  • Impedance: 20 Ω
  • Sensitivity: 100 dB/1mW (at Drum Reference Point) ≈ 117.0 dB/V (calc.)
  • Frequency response: 10 Hz – 50 kHz
  • Plugs / cables supplied: 1.9 m 4-pin XLR cable with 6.35 mm adapter
  • Other: recommended power >250 mW (min >100 mW; max 5 W RMS);

Matching notes: At 20 Ω and 100 dB/mW, the Audeze LCD-XC is a low-impedance load, and an efficient one: about 0.45 V (10 mW, 22 mA) for 110 dB SPL (calc.). Burson does not publish a 20 Ω rating for the Conductor 3 Reference. Its 16 Ω and 32 Ω ratings (7.5 W SE; 5 W SE) fall either side of it. The Conductor 3 Reference’s 0.5 Ω headphone output impedance is 1/40 of the load. [5] [2] [3] [4]

Fostex TH-610 · Headphones: closed-back, dynamic (50 mm BioDyna, neodymium), circumaural · discontinued
  • Impedance: 25 Ω
  • Sensitivity: 98 dB/mW ≈ 114.0 dB/V (calc.)
  • Frequency response: 5 Hz – 45 kHz
  • Plugs / cables supplied: 3 m Y-cable, detachable 2-pin; 6.3 mm plug
  • Other: max input 1,800 mW; approx. 375 g without cable

Matching notes: At 25 Ω and 98 dB/mW, the TH-610 is a low-impedance load: about 0.63 V (16 mW, 25 mA) for 110 dB SPL (calc.). Burson does not publish a 25 Ω rating for the Conductor 3 Reference. Its 16 Ω and 32 Ω ratings (7.5 W SE; 5 W SE) fall either side of it. The Conductor 3 Reference’s 0.5 Ω headphone output impedance is 1/50 of the load. [6] [7] [2] [3] [4]

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

[2] [3] [4]

Also in the system

Chord Mojo · DAC / headphone amp: portable DAC / headphone amp (FPGA, battery) · discontinued
  • Output power (headphone): 8 Ω 0.72 W · 600 Ω 0.035 W
  • Output impedance: 0.075 Ω
  • Output voltage: RCA 3 Vrms (line level mode, 3.5 mm)
  • Inputs: Micro USB (768 kHz/32-bit, DSD256); 3.5 mm coax (768 kHz); Toslink (96 kHz)
  • Outputs: 2x 3.5 mm headphone
  • DAC / chipset: Chord custom FPGA
  • Other: dynamic range 125 dB; THD @ 3 V 0.00017%; supports 800 Ω headphones; 8 h battery

Matching notes: Burson lists the Conductor 3 Reference’s analogue inputs as line level (40 kΩ input impedance). The Chord Mojo is rated at 3 Vrms (line level mode, 3.5 mm) (RCA) output. [8] [2] [3] [4]

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