Hello,
This DAC/headphone amplifier combo is a good successor of the end of life PLAY (some inside pics here: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ac-headphone-amplifier.2399/page-3#post-81680).
They swapped TO-252 boost-regulators with SO-8 ones for a lower EMI/RFI noise injected into the surrounding components, Also, the negative XLSEMI regulators were also swapped with TI ones, that seem to perform better, at least regarding the output noise.
The background noise with sensitive IEMs is very low, with my sensitive 103dB/mW (121dB/V) IEM's it's hard for me to hear the hiss, unless the room I'm in a very quiet. Given the fact that there is no analogue pot, the background noise is identical, no matter the rotary controller is at min. or max.) although, like I said, noise shouldn't be heard at all on most headphones).
There are 5 power regulators that are boosting the main 12V/5A power brick (SMPS) to +/-15V twice (so 4 regulators for the power amplifier, one pair per each channel) and the 5th regulator for the relays. The digital parts (XMOS transport and the ES9038C2M DAC) are powered from dedicated linear regulators.
The 8 powerful TO-220 transistors (8 per channel) are able to deliver up to 2W/channel on 32 Ohms cans and 10V RMS @ 600 Ohms.
There are several polymer ELNA caps to filter and reduce the ripple of the DC voltages and to minimize the headphones output background noise too.
The default BASIC version (399 USD), with 5532 opams, has a low THD and very low background noise and it drives all my cans, from IEM to planars and to my 600 Ohms DT880.
There's also the EVEREST or VIVID or CLASSIC options, to mix solid-state opamps inside this combo, like it used to be in the former PLAY. Given the much higher price (649-749 USD), not sure many of us will do that, but for those hating opamps and caps into the audio path this option might be considered.
I think the BASIC version at 399 USD (today's price) is very good combo and with the several digital filters built-in the output sound can be re-shaped according to our own liking. The central LCD, the adjustable internal gain and the relay that switches between headphones and RCA outputs are very good addition vs. the former PLAY combo, although they both share the same DNA after all.
The internal gain doesn't seems to be analogue, so I think everything's done inside the ES9038 chip, by adjusting the output voltage.
When I will get a better ADC I'll remeasure this combo, but till now the above graphs is all I got. My ASUS U7 is quite noisy and the 8 KHz is simply there and I can't get rid of it, so feel free to ignore it.
I think this combo worth a try, it has plenty of power, output stage made of transistors instead of opamps and a 0.5 Ohms output impedance after all.
Note: This device was sent by Alex from Burson Audio to give it a listen. Not sure why he thinks I could be the right person to test it, but I do my best to find highlights and lowlights in these audio devices.
Later Edit: I consider LME49720 in I/V stage as being an upgrade over the NE5532, in regard with the specs and datasheet, although not a real sonically benefit. In my pics I got these opamps in I/V and the NE5532 are used as Low-Pass (half of opamp) and headphones amplification stage (the other half of opamp).
This DAC/headphone amplifier combo is a good successor of the end of life PLAY (some inside pics here: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ac-headphone-amplifier.2399/page-3#post-81680).
They swapped TO-252 boost-regulators with SO-8 ones for a lower EMI/RFI noise injected into the surrounding components, Also, the negative XLSEMI regulators were also swapped with TI ones, that seem to perform better, at least regarding the output noise.
The background noise with sensitive IEMs is very low, with my sensitive 103dB/mW (121dB/V) IEM's it's hard for me to hear the hiss, unless the room I'm in a very quiet. Given the fact that there is no analogue pot, the background noise is identical, no matter the rotary controller is at min. or max.) although, like I said, noise shouldn't be heard at all on most headphones).
The 8 powerful TO-220 transistors (8 per channel) are able to deliver up to 2W/channel on 32 Ohms cans and 10V RMS @ 600 Ohms.
I think the BASIC version at 399 USD (today's price) is very good combo and with the several digital filters built-in the output sound can be re-shaped according to our own liking. The central LCD, the adjustable internal gain and the relay that switches between headphones and RCA outputs are very good addition vs. the former PLAY combo, although they both share the same DNA after all.
The internal gain doesn't seems to be analogue, so I think everything's done inside the ES9038 chip, by adjusting the output voltage.
About 10V RMS @600 Ohms
When I will get a better ADC I'll remeasure this combo, but till now the above graphs is all I got. My ASUS U7 is quite noisy and the 8 KHz is simply there and I can't get rid of it, so feel free to ignore it.
I think this combo worth a try, it has plenty of power, output stage made of transistors instead of opamps and a 0.5 Ohms output impedance after all.
Note: This device was sent by Alex from Burson Audio to give it a listen. Not sure why he thinks I could be the right person to test it, but I do my best to find highlights and lowlights in these audio devices.
Later Edit: I consider LME49720 in I/V stage as being an upgrade over the NE5532, in regard with the specs and datasheet, although not a real sonically benefit. In my pics I got these opamps in I/V and the NE5532 are used as Low-Pass (half of opamp) and headphones amplification stage (the other half of opamp).
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