# Burson V6 Vivid and V6 Classic Discrete Audio Opamps Discussion and Reviews



## newdoughboy (Jul 12, 2017)

Hey Guys,
It's been a little while since the release of the V5 opamps by Burson Audio.
Since then, they have brought us a compact option in the V5i for those with limited space and budget.
Once I get my hands on these opamps I will update you guys on how they sound in my phono preamp, and my Supreme Sound headphone amp.

*********************************************************************************************************************

I am very excited to bring to you some information for the upcoming V6.

Burson is about to introduce not one but two V6 audio opamps!

The V6 Vivid is an improvement on the V5.  Dynamic, transparent and exciting, it has the same sonic characteristics as the V5 but better on all aspects.


The V6 Classic deviates further from its V5 foundation.  With an entirely different output stage design, it is intimate, exquisite and very engaging.


Key features of V6 Vivid and V6 Classic:


* Higher voltage supply.  Up to 16.5V+-

* Unity Gain and I/V stage stable.

* Improved enclosure to accommodate a higher working voltage and temperature.

* Reverse voltage protection.  They are the only opamps in the world that don't die when plugged in reverse.

* No other opamps in the world offers warranties.  On the other hand, Burson doesn't just offer a warranty, we offer a LifeTime warranty!

Here's how the two new V6 compare with the rest of Burson's audio opamps


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## newdoughboy (Jul 12, 2017)




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## grig

subscribed, curios to read some review


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## jazzwave

I use V5 and V5i in my headphone amplifiers, love both opamps.
Curios with V6 especially the Classic _"The V6 Classic deviates further from its V5 foundation. With an entirely different output stage design, it is intimate, exquisite and very engaging"
_
regerds
~ron~


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## newdoughboy

The web page just came up. : )
Why not be the first to review it.
I love the v5. And can't imagine how they can be improved on. Excited to try and find out

https://www.bursonaudio.com/products/supreme-sound-opamp-v6/

*Early Bird Offer*
It ends on the 21st July, 2017. 
Shipping starts on the 21st of July 2017
It is opened to the public so please share the good news with your friends.

*How: *

Complete your order selection.

Before check out, enter EARLYBIRD into the promotional coupon section and receive 15% off the total. Any orders above $199 will also enjoy free shipping.


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## Faber65

I am tempted to place an order.......


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## bcschmerker4

*Thanks for this preview of new hardware.*  I'm currently awaiting information on a potential V6i due to space limitations in my LinUX box; both discrete V6's will require as much space as do the V4 and V5, and I anticipate needing a video display adapter alongside the ASUS® XONAR® STX™ (contraindicating the discrete V's due to insufficient room for the multiple-coaxial extension harnesses needed to stretch the V's to hook up to the sockets for the STX' stock Japan Radio 2114 I-V amps and Texas Instruments LM4562N line-level buffers).  The V5i fits beneath the STX' stock RFI shield, unlike the Sparkos® SS3602, and I'd like to find out what fitment issues, if any beyond the V5i, I can expect of a V6i.


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## VRacer-111 (Jul 13, 2017)

Can't add anything to cart... get an error dialog that pops up....rrrrrRRRRR! Ready to purchase full set of Vivid and Classic for the Gustard H10.

Update: It's working now. Site is not the most customer friendly... but I did manage to order a complete set of Vivid and Classic (with the discount) for the Gustard H10.


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## Ricard

People who buy the burson V6, I would like to know what cons and pros has with respect to the V5?


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## Gradius

Here is the link from official web site btw:
https://www.bursonaudio.com/products/supreme-sound-opamp-v6/


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## chaiyuta

Anybody bought it?


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## EternalChampion

Burson Audio is destined to succeed in the long run.

A while ago I said this:

Speaking of preferences, I have to say that the V5s are not ideal for my tastes. I miss some of that liquid warm presentation I used to get from the Muses to be honest. *It has less coloration* (I'm sure it pairs better with HD650 than HD600) and perhaps very slightly dryer stance. Coincidentally, the instrument/vocal placement is exactly the same to my previous op amp configuration (Muses8920+Muses8820(swap kit)+lme49720). Mid-distance is perfect for 50% of the recordings, some others are just "ok" with that while a great deal of them sounds just awful. Sadly, this is the case with SS V5 as well, the sense of compressed tone hasn't changed at all. The lack of fatigue helps to crank up the volume a bit but this does not solve the issue, it simply doesn't fill your ears.
*Therefore, it would be great if Burson Audio decides to deliver such an alternative: A closer sounding V6!!*

https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/b...appreciation-impressions-thread.793431/page-6

How can you not appreciate this? Small things make huge of a difference.


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## Nikorasu

bcschmerker4 said:


> *Thanks for this preview of new hardware.*  I'm currently awaiting information on a potential V6i due to space limitations in my LinUX box; both discrete V6's will require as much space as do the V4 and V5, and I anticipate needing a video display adapter alongside the ASUS® XONAR® STX™ (contraindicating the discrete V's due to insufficient room for the multiple-coaxial extension harnesses needed to stretch the V's to hook up to the sockets for the STX' stock Japan Radio 2114 I-V amps and Texas Instruments LM4562N line-level buffers).  The V5i fits beneath the STX' stock RFI shield, unlike the Sparkos® SS3602, and I'd like to find out what fitment issues, if any beyond the V5i, I can expect of a V6i.


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## Elocai

I had a Soundblaster ZXR, and now I´m left with 2 Burson V5 Dual or 2 Burson V6 Vivid - what should i get to use them again? Buying the ZXR again is not an option.


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## newdoughboy

Well I was in a similar situation when I sold my desktop with my HT Omega claro halo. I saved the opamps, and when it was time to upgrade my phono preamp, I found that Cambridge Audio had a well designed layout but with inferior parts. So I had my local epic audio store remove the opamps and solder on a swappable slot. Now I have utilized 3 out of the 4 I used on my sound card.

You can always look for mid grade equipment that cut cost by using IC opamps and make them realize their full potential.


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## snellemin

Got a confirmation that my V6 classic is on it's way this morning.  Ordered it on the 13th.


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## newdoughboy

I know I'm on that list, but no confirmation


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## Elocai

but you have no recommendation of what should I buy?


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## newdoughboy

Well, I absolutely loved my HT Omega claro halo, that's the one with a dedicated headphone output. But needs 4 dual.
Asus has a pretty big product line. Essence is a very good desktop unit. I believe the sound card unit has a shroud that needs to be removed. Just look at Burson kits. That gives you an idea on who else is using them, and how many.


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## Mihaidmg

Sorry if i am not asking in the right place, what kind of v6 vivid should i buy for replacing the stock op amps that comes with asus xonar stx II? The dual ones ? And how many? 3? I am looking to put 2 tannoy 802 on the rca ouputs and maybe with a splitter to go in my headphones amp. I don,t want to use the hp amp that comes with the board. I have allready Jds Labs Element. Thank you in advance!


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## newdoughboy

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/ASUS-Xonar-E...993127?hash=item1a2f41d4a7:g:NV4AAOSwYXVY0Jv5

You can get these, or the new ones.
I love the v5, so the vivid v6 should be just a bit better.
Based on their description, the classic would be a more intimate sound.
I love the details and clarity of the v5


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## snellemin

To how I like to listen to my music, I prefer the V4 in my equipment.  The V5 is nice, but doesn't have the lowend of the V4.  I'm hoping the V6 classic is a nice blend between the V4 and V5, to use in one of my preamps.


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## hma101 (Jul 28, 2017)

I got mine yesterday. I've placed them in my Gustard H10 (vivid, 2 dual and 2 single). Even without burn-in they're amazing. So much better than the stock opamps. I've used the v5s before and (from memory) these are much livelier, smoother, with a larger soundstage.


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## EternalChampion

Mihaidmg said:


> Sorry if i am not asking in the right place, what kind of v6 vivid should i buy for replacing the stock op amps that comes with asus xonar stx II? The dual ones ? And how many? 3? I am looking to put 2 tannoy 802 on the rca ouputs and maybe with a splitter to go in my headphones amp. I don,t want to use the hp amp that comes with the board. I have allready Jds Labs Element. Thank you in advance!



The card accepts only dual channel op-amps.  You'll need 2 of them for the headphone output or 3 for the RCA.  Right now I'm using headphone out because it feels less fatiguing and closer sounding than RCA with V5s installed.


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## Mihaidmg

Thank you all for you answers.From what i understand v6 are pretty new, i will probably wait a bit before making a purchase.


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## VRacer-111 (Jul 29, 2017)

Is there going to be an option for V6 in the warranty registration anytime soon?

Got my V6's today and am trying the V6 Classic in the Gustard H10 right now. Hope they get better with some run time on them because honestly, overall, I currently prefer the stock sound. There is more detail and clarity with the V6 classic, but as of right now I'm not sure I like the shift in sound. Need to really give it some more time though, only been listening for about 1 hour so far.












EDIT:  Nevermind about the sound, totally forgot needed to switch the gain dip switches in the back of the H10 from when using the Burson's... just got reminded of the need to change the switches. All is fine with the sound now, bass and overall sound signature is like it should be...


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## snellemin (Jul 29, 2017)

VRacer-111 said:


> Is there going to be an option for V6 in the warranty registration anytime soon?
> 
> Got my V6's today and am trying the V6 Classic in the Gustard H10 right now. Hope they get better with some run time on them because honestly, overall, I currently prefer the stock sound. There is more detail and clarity with the V6 classic, but as of right now I'm not sure I like the shift in sound. Need to really give it some more time though, only been listening for about 1 hour so far.
> 
> ...



How hot do the back opamps get?

I like that the V6 have better cooling then the V5 now.


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## VRacer-111 (Jul 30, 2017)

snellemin said:


> How hot do the back opamps get?
> 
> I like that the V6 have better cooling then the V5 now.



The duals are getting pretty hot from the top opening, almost like the voltage regulator heat sinks and main heat sink but not quite... really need to get a thermometer so I can see if there is any difference between +6 and +12V.


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## snellemin

I installed the V6 Classic in a Parasound preamp, which had the V4 in it.  It has been playing for a while now and I can't make up my mind if I like it or not.  The Classic sound lifeless, like it's missing the warmth.  Maybe it's my setup, but I'll keep using it and see where it goes.


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## EternalChampion (Aug 5, 2017)

I don't know how the V6 react to burn-in, but I'm in a position to confirm after breaking-in two sets of V5 duals that they change a lot for the better with use.   Switching back to the untouched set for comparison every time it was like you said: lifeless, harsh and thin.  After 150-200 hours of playing time (playlist run 16/24) they improved a lot, mostly by getting clean and control over things.  At 500-600 hours mark they became exceptional and finally settled.  Full of sweetness and warmth.  I couldn't believe the level of refinement compared to the starting point, but it's true.   Had they stayed unchanged, I would have gotten rid of them right away for such a cost.

V6 must be a similar situation.  So I think it is unfair to judge the op amps from the first listen.


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## mikaelmark

I have now purchased 4 pcs (2 pairs) of Bursons new OpAmp V6 Vivid dual, and waiting for them to arrive!

A big thumb´s up to the Bursonaudio´s costumer support, that are very handsome and easy to do with!!

Just a small question; The spec´s are telling the V5 and V6 will pperate at a minimum of +-3,5/7 VDC.

As my headphone amp only has 5 Volt to the OpAmp, will i be enough to operate the V5 and V6? Or is 7 VDC adding +3,5 AND -3,5?


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## mikaelmark

Do anyone having experience of settle the V5 or V6 into BIAS Class A, using two resistors at about 4 Kohms between the Power pins and the output pin? Operating my OPA627 and THS4032 this way in my headphone amp.

I know Burson themselves are using Class A in there new heaphone amp, but I´m not sure if they are doing it the same way?

https://tangentsoft.net/audio/opamp-bias.html


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## alphanumerix1 (Aug 6, 2017)

subscribed for impressions with v6 vivid.


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## The Chief

EternalChampion said:


> I don't know how the V6 react to burn-in, but I'm in a position to confirm after breaking-in two sets of V5 duals that they change a lot for the better with use.   Switching back to the untouched set for comparison every time it was like you said: lifeless, harsh and thin.  After 150-200 hours of playing time (playlist run 16/24) they improved a lot, mostly by getting clean and control over things.  At 500-600 hours mark they became exceptional and finally settled.  Full of sweetness and warmth.  I couldn't believe the level of refinement compared to the starting point, but it's true.   Had they stayed unchanged, I would have gotten rid of them right away for such a cost.
> 
> V6 must be a similar situation.  So I think it is unfair to judge the op amps from the first listen.





snellemin said:


> Got a confirmation that my V6 classic is on it's way this morning.  Ordered it on the 13th.


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## The Chief (Sep 4, 2017)

Got them, now I have a fine collection of Burson V4, V5, V6 vivid and V6 classic single op amps. and a special candidate also...
What I want to give here is a first impression, how they behave If they are new and not burned in.
V4 is good. Better than any IC Op Amp I tried.
V5 is a little more open, and a very little sounding like modern parts.
V6 classic is more open, detailed and v e r y into face, more 3D (realistic) than classic, great for classical music, voices ect...
V6 vivid Very open, clear, more dynamic than classic, great for Jazz, Pop, Rock, my personal favourite for the music I listen to.... exept : look at the right side of the photograph...  there are only 3 pieces alive all over the planet. I will tell more about it, if all my op amps are burned in. So then things can be compared...
But as far as I can say now: V6 is a progress...






 1"]Got a confirmation that my V6 classic is on it's way this morning.  Ordered it on the 13th.[/QUOTE]


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## mikaelmark

Regarding my quiestion about settling the V6 discrete OpAmp into Class A, I have now seen Burson´s description/philosophy about standard Class D and the differenties to Class A:

Are they saying the V6 already are Class A? In this case there should be no need to implement any extra resistors, i assume?

https://www.bursonaudio.com/about-us/


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## dmz555

I'm still waiting for burson v6 vivid dual.
Ordered last Aug 6, 2017, haven't receive any transit info yet.
Anyone tried it on zishan z2?Ü


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## Ricard

*To this day I do not know if I buy "Sparkos Labs SS3602" or "Burson V5 / V6" Op Amp.*
Please someone who has tested the two brands who can tell me which one to buy to improve my op amp stock.
I want an original and faithful sound, I do not want an artificial or metallic sound.

In return I will tell you to those who are looking to listen to the highest quality music on speakers I am using: Asus STX II 7.1 + Creative T6300 + Unixonar Driver + Foobar2000. I listen to songs to mp3 320kbps / Flac in 5.1 thanks to channel mixer DSP of Foobar2000.
It is an excellent combination


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## Faber65

dmz555 said:


> I'm still waiting for burson v6 vivid dual.
> Ordered last Aug 6, 2017, haven't receive any transit info yet.
> Anyone tried it on zishan z2?Ü



Relax, I did ordered on July 21st, and I have just received the AWB number and the confirmation that the dispatch has been handled to the courier.
Enjoy the music in the meantime....


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## mikaelmark

How long from your purchase until you get a tracking number from Burson? I purchased a bit more than a week ago, and have not received any tracking yet after askeing for it.


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## mikaelmark

Regarding using the V6 in a DAC, is it suitable both in the I/V stage and the output stage? And without any needs for modding, such as removing/adding any cap´s?


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## Faber65

From the purchase to the shipment confirmation it took 21 days.


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## mikaelmark

Maybe they´re soldering the OpAmp´s directly for the customer after every purchase!?

I´m curious if it´s possible to buy them unsoldered and finishing by myself, and how much money to save?


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## Faber65

Toys arrived.


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## dmz555

Congratz faber65!
I'm happy for you bro.
Please update us here once your done in the burn in period of your Burson V6.
i gotta have those 35mm Extension Lead and some Extra DIP8 Socket.


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## alphanumerix1

Faber65 said:


> Toys arrived.



Nice look forward to your impressions!!


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## mikaelmark

Yes, please describe your impressions, and what you compare with that you had earlier.

My shipment from Burson has been sent, less than two weeks since I order.

Did you get any Noise shielding included? Or do Burson want extra payment for that?


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## newdoughboy

Ricard said:


> *To this day I do not know if I buy "Sparkos Labs SS3602" or "Burson V5 / V6" Op Amp.*
> Please someone who has tested the two brands who can tell me which one to buy to improve my op amp stock.
> I want an original and faithful sound, I do not want an artificial or metallic sound.
> 
> ...




Unfortunately many of us haven't tried both. I know the Burson sound signature is very warm and easy to listen to without losing detail. Sounds like it can be a very good fit.
If your stock op amp is an IC then it is almost 100% going to be a major upgrade going with the discrete op amps.


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## newdoughboy

btw these just came in the mail today






My nice testing bench






I will give them 50ish hours burn-in before critical listening

Review will come soon after


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## Faber65

Just started the burn-in....


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## dmz555

My Burson v6  vivid is on its way!
Starting 10-14 working days countdown heheh


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## Faber65




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## Faber65

mikaelmark said:


> Did you get any Noise shielding included? Or do Burson want extra payment for that?



I have no problem of RFI or EMI.
But yes, if you want some of those things, you must pay for (or make by yourself).


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## 37mil

Ricard said:


> *To this day I do not know if I buy "Sparkos Labs SS3602" or "Burson V5 / V6" Op Amp.*
> Please someone who has tested the two brands who can tell me which one to buy to improve my op amp stock.
> I want an original and faithful sound, I do not want an artificial or metallic sound.
> 
> ...



I'm using sparko's in my teac ud-501, you'll find a review compared to the v5 here somewhere. The sparko's are very nice - good bass, nice treble, good dynamics and detail, good soundstage - it's a good balance between musical and analytical. However, when the v5 was working it performs at another level - deeper bass, smooth treble, crazy dynamic indicative of low, low noise floor, massive soundstage, timbre of some tracks definitely more detailed. Soundstage is slightly recessed though, sparko's more forward. However, there were overheating problems and the v5 didn't last. I suppose not many people know this but Burson tried to modify the v5 circuit to fix the overheating, which worked. Unfortunately, the sound quality was worsened and significantly worse than sparko's. The modified v5's have a black filling visible when looking up at the pins, whereas the original had a yellow resin.

I would think the v6 attempts to improve upon the modified v5, and i'm tempted to try but don't know which version to pick. If the v6 are anything like the original v5, that would be a godsend.


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## dmz555

Burson said they are no longer selling those 30mm noise shield as it traps the heat inside which is no good for stability. They also said that v6 wont be needing it anymore. Hth bro.


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## Ricard

37mil said:


> I'm using sparko's in my teac ud-501, you'll find a review compared to the v5 here somewhere. The sparko's are very nice - good bass, nice treble, good dynamics and detail, good soundstage - it's a good balance between musical and analytical. However, when the v5 was working it performs at another level - deeper bass, smooth treble, crazy dynamic indicative of low, low noise floor, massive soundstage, timbre of some tracks definitely more detailed. Soundstage is slightly recessed though, sparko's more forward. However, there were overheating problems and the v5 didn't last. I suppose not many people know this but Burson tried to modify the v5 circuit to fix the overheating, which worked. Unfortunately, the sound quality was worsened and significantly worse than sparko's. The modified v5's have a black filling visible when looking up at the pins, whereas the original had a yellow resin.
> 
> I would think the v6 attempts to improve upon the modified v5, and i'm tempted to try but don't know which version to pick. If the v6 are anything like the original v5, that would be a godsend.




Thank you very much for responding, it has been very helpful because I was about to buy the Burson V5, now I will not, haha. Too bad, because it had gone down in price.

The question now is what difference is there between the "V6 Classic and vivid"
If you buy it or if someone here proves it I would like to comment on it.

While I'm thinking of going with Sparkos, it's also very expensive.


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## mikaelmark

There is a review from The Chief from Aug 6 at page 3. You can also read the comparison between the V6 Vivid and Classic at Burson´s homepage: https://www.bursonaudio.com/products/supreme-sound-opamp-v6/


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## mikaelmark

The only purpose I can see for the red/orange plastic cover (except it look´s nice), is to protect from any outer component to risk short circuite.

So why not drill some hole´s in it or completely remove it for better cooling of the V6?


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## Faber65

Maybe it's not easy to disassembly the plastic shell for drilling it, but he idea is very good. 
Especially on the V5, which had overheating issues.


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## Faber65

Ricard said:


> Thank you very much for responding, it has been very helpful because I was about to buy the Burson V5, now I will not, haha. Too bad, because it had gone down in price.
> 
> The question now is what difference is there between the "V6 Classic and vivid"
> If you buy it or if someone here proves it I would like to comment on it.
> ...



And don't forget that what counts is the end result at the end of the reproduction chain based on your personal taste. 
Maybe in some systems Sparko works better than Burson, while in other systems it is the opposite.


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## mikaelmark

Burson are not recommending to use BIAS Class A (the simple way we DIY:ers are use to, with two resistors to the output) due to the risk of overheating and the fact the discrete OpAmp are FET.

But one question still remain: Are the V6 already Class A from the factory?


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## mikaelmark

For comparison, the Sparko Labs discrete´s are 100% Class A Biasing.

http://sparkoslabs.com/discrete-op-amps/

Just wonder if it´s the same with Burson´s?


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## mikaelmark

As V6 is my first discrete OpAmp, and earlier I have used OPA627, LM4562 and THS4032 in many of my projects, and the THS4032 tend to oscillate because it´s not stable - I used to solder a small unpolarized 0,1uF film cap between the Power pins (pin 4 and 8 for dual).

And as Burson also sales Wima 0,1uF caps, I asked them if V6 should need it for Power pins, and get the following answer: 

With our V6 opamps, there is very little need for 220uf caps and 0.1uf caps.  : ) 

But then I read this article at Burson´s homepage:

https://www.bursonaudio.com/burson-ss-opamp-101-part-1-mkp-cap-tweak/

Maybe it will be a good ide to use 0,1uF film for V5/V6 however? May there be any downside´s with this tweak?


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## Ricard

mikaelmark said:


> As V6 is my first discrete OpAmp, and earlier I have used OPA627, LM4562 and THS4032 in many of my projects, and the THS4032 tend to oscillate because it´s not stable - I used to solder a small unpolarized 0,1uF film cap between the Power pins (pin 4 and 8 for dual).
> 
> And as Burson also sales Wima 0,1uF caps, I asked them if V6 should need it for Power pins, and get the following answer:
> 
> ...




This article is very old, not even the V5.
Do you already have the V6? How you listen unlike the previous ones.

I think I'll go first with Sparkos


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## mikaelmark

My V6`s is shipped with Hong Kong Post. Are those made in China? Strange, as Burson are in Australia.


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## mikaelmark

As I only bought Dual one´s and my DAC need two Single OpAmp´s, may it be possible to make own wire adapter like this:






Voltage is only taken from one of them, so I left the other socket´s voltage pin´s unused. Do someone think this this will work well, or not?


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## choisan

I am testing the V5I Dual on my Zishan Mini DAC and Little Bear B1+ (Single Tube). Both are China made.
For the Zishan Mini, i was using the ceramic version of AD827.


 

 


Owing to the thickness of the socket and corresponding spacing in between 2 circuit boards via the pins connector on the circuit board, V5i installed couldn't be used even though it fit into the socket perfectly.
I had to leave the the AD827 in it. 

And in turn, insert this Burson V5i into my Little Bear B1+ single tube portable amplifier, which i already used a LME49720HA from its original bundled NE5532P, see below.



 

 

 

 

First Impression, V5i Dual was already producing a clear sound quality with my Zishan, AK on my UE900s, and KZ ZS5.
Right now V5i Dual is burning in with this Little Bear B1+, I will update later on.
I will test with my AK Junior and Onkyo DPX1 on my Shure 535 and AK Layla 1. 

Anticipating more detail from these combinations.


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## bcschmerker4

@choisan *Ouch!  Zishan® packed things even tighter than ASUS®.*  I'll definitely double-check the heights to determine whether the RFI shield for the ST and/or STX II needs a bump at each I-V socket - at least there's no PC board forcing a monolithic on the Essence™ series.  Obviously the Little Bear would need a hole punched into the case above the DIP8 to accommodate a full-size Burson® V-series dual op amp such as the just-released V6 Vivid.


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## choisan

Actually, the little Bear has no problem fitting it in. Burning in now. The tight packing only happened on my Zishan's Mini.


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## raoultrifan (Aug 22, 2017)

mikaelmark said:


> Burson are not recommending to use BIAS Class A (the simple way we DIY:ers are use to, with two resistors to the output) due to the risk of overheating and the fact the discrete OpAmp are FET.
> 
> But one question still remain: Are the V6 already Class A from the factory?



Hello,

Please have a read here: http://www.analog.com/media/en/training-seminars/design-handbooks/Basic-Linear-Design/Chapter1.pdf, page 30 on top should suffice. Also, http://www.ti.com/lit/an/sloa011/sloa011.pdf page 33 and https://electronics.stackexchange.c...nge-the-quiescent-current-in-an-op-amp-lm4250 could help too.

As V5 and V6 opamps are having a quiescent current of +/- 14mA this means these babies will work in pure class A until the output current gets to +/-14mA; after this value the Bursons V5/V6 will work in class AB, per their internal design. Sparko's opamps are working in class A until output current gets to +/15mA, so figures are quite alike and I'd say the +/-1mA difference should not matter in sound quality.

However, opamps could sound different when used in different Hi-Fi equipment, so testing many opamps until desired sound is obtained could be a solution.


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## Ampeezy

Just Received my V6 Vivids...Will post impressions soon!


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## Ampeezy

Double post sry


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## newdoughboy

Supreme Sound Lycan (Burson) Audio & V6 Classic Dual Opamp Impressions with Cambridge Audio Azur 651p modded with swappable Opamp dip

Let me start by stating that this is my 3rd Burson Opamp review. I am an audio enthusiast, being that I spend tons of money on decent audio gear. I can tell what sounds good to me, and that generally falls in line with the general consensus amongst fellow audio enthusiasts. So take from this what you can, especially with my lack of audio vocab.

Equipment wise, I own/have owned HT Omega Claro Halo, K702, HD650, K550, Beats Studio, SE535 Reshelled (CIEM), Xiaomi Piston 2, TTPOD T1-E, Xuelin ihifi960, Blox BE03, Brainwavz S5, Bravo Audio Ocean, PreSonus HP4, Racoon SG-300.


My newer equipment tend to lean more towards speakers equipment. At120usb, Denon 110 MC cartridge, Anthem Integrated 225, Cambridge Audio Azur 651p, Totem Forest, Burson Soloist, Supreme Sound Lycan, Burson Air, Chord Mojo, and AK120.


So I get a good sense of what I can get in terms of sound quality for the extra cost. My favourite combination is Anything going into my Anthem 225 and coming out of Totem Forest. Source is very important, and most of my music is in FLAC, and I am slowly building up a decent vinyl collection.

I was first introduced to Burson through their v5 release.  “Reading through many forum gave me one simple conclusion. Burson Audio is a highly regarded/respected company when it comes to the quality of their products and customer service.”

When I first reviewed the v5, it was up against cheap if opamps, so naturally, it blew them out of the water. Now we will try to see how much of an improvement they made upon the v5.

The test will be kept simple on the Supreme Sound Lycan Opamp test bench with Chord Mojo and K702, and my Vinyl setup; I will be listening to 2 songs all in CD quality FLAC.  after 50+ Hrs Burn-in (I've read that it does make a bit of a difference)

Digital Song Selection
1. Lady Gaga - Starstruck (Feat. Space Cowboy @ Flo Rida)

2. Gorillaz - On Melancholy Hill

Vinyl Song Selection

1. Lorde - Pure Heroine


2. Florence and the Machine - Delilah


I feel that my observations of the 4 songs between the 2 opamps are very consistent. I did notice differences of the 50+ Hrs break in; the sound became more full. Everything just opened up more. Here comes the tricky part; or so I feel. I love the V5 ‘originals’ They are detailed, with large soundstage. The highs just keep on going without harshness/fatigue. THe lows are punchy which being super controlled/tight. I couldn’t imagine anything better; and it’s just that. The V6 Classics are not better than the V5; they are not worse. The V6 Classic is simply how Burson describes; same performance, but with a bit more ‘colour’. Here is the differences that I perceived.


The V6 Classics makes vocals seem more intimate; female voices are more seductive. The highs get pulled back a tiny bit; where the notes are still there, but in comparison less piercing. The lows definitely get a bit of a bump. I hear a slightly greater bass extension. So it hits harder.


Due to my personal preference, I would pick the v5 (v6 vivid) over the v6 classic. I just like level of detail in the treble, even though I definitely liked the bass boost of the v6 classic.


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## alphanumerix1

Ampeezy said:


> Just Received my V6 Vivids...Will post impressions soon!



Look forward to it


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## Dricks

Burson V6 Vivid received and installed on my Asus Essence STX2
The sound using foobar and asus ASIO is simply perfect for my taste.
Highs are really precise, and bass sounds really deep. With stock opamps, sound was good, but not that smooth and clear on high.
Nice improvements 
I'm using a Meze 99 Classic as headset


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## bcschmerker4

Dricks said:


> Burson V6 Vivid received and installed on my Asus Essence STX2
> The sound using foobar and asus ASIO is simply perfect for my taste.
> Highs are really precise, and bass sounds really deep. With stock opamps, sound was good, but not that smooth and clear on high.
> Nice improvements
> I'm using a Meze 99 Classic as headset


*Glad it worked.*  The _ideal_ computer platform for using a full-size Burson® V-Series would be an extended-ATX case and standard or micro ATX 'board with an ASUS® XONAR® ST™ in one of the outboardmost PCI slots, as this would give maximum room for the discrete components in their cooling tunnel.  The V5i would probably be forced for most STX™ and STX II™ installations, as PCIe x1 and x16 slots are adjacent in late-model 'boards and a video card can be an unyielding obstacle.


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## Dricks

If you don't have PCIe 1x slots available, just use a PCIe 4x slot or a PCIe 16x slot, it will perfectly works.

In fact you can put a PCIe 1x card in every kind of PCIe slot.


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## Cruxiaer

mikaelmark said:


> My V6`s is shipped with Hong Kong Post. Are those made in China? Strange, as Burson are in Australia.


As far as I know, they are made in Australia but have a warehouse/forward in Hong Kong for cheaper international shipping.


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## mikaelmark

5 days ago, I received them in a Jiffy bag (bubble wrapped envelope) from Lik Chan in Hong Kong.

Do they Always ship like this, or in a cardboard box from Burson Australia?

I have just installed one in my battery driven Lovely Cube headphone amp. and everything seem´s to work fine.


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## mikaelmark

In the upcoming week´s, I will go on further and mod my AK4490 DAC, then my next two Lovely Cube´s with PRP9372, Mundorf´s, Polystyrene´s,  Russian Teflon caps, Audyn True Copper and Dale 24 step volume attenuator.

As I have some issue with my AKG K702 (absolutely not bass in them), I did my first hour listening to the portable amp with my HD800 at low volume, so the only thing I can tell at the moment is that the sound are fine from the V6. Will be back later wih my impressions.

Just shame the summer will going to end soon!


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## Ricard

I ordered today "Burson Vivid V6".
I wanted to ask those who have already tried some of these differences between V6 Vivid or V6 Classic.
If the soundstage is further back or more on your face, bass, details, treble.

Someone tried to put together Burson and Sparkos ?? Would be a good combination ??

Thank you for your answers


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## killerline (Aug 30, 2017)

*Review of the V6s*


Hi,

You may have seen me in my last review, of the V5i op-amp. And if you saw it then you know that it was terrific and a mind-blowing experience for me, by just changing one part, with the dimensions 2x2x2 cm, the whole experience itself can change. I thank Burson Audio for sending me their new V6 *Classic* to review, it's a pleasure working with you. I hope this review will give you some insights on if you're going to purchase it or not.


*Packaging*









They arrived in this bubble plastic padded envelope which looked safe, also recognized from before. Not much more to say.










Also, just like before, they arrived in small cases with hard and protective foam, which I really like. But they've seemed to improve the casing, don't know why though as there was nothing wrong with the last one, oh well.
They felt really good, though the metal casing on the V5is was better IMO. Firstly, op-amps become hot and in just a short period of time as well. I don't think plastic will keep up as the metal casing would, even though the plastic seems of great quality. Second, even though I honestly don't know too much of op-amps and correct me if I'm wrong please, but wouldn't interfering be an issue? If so then the metal will do a much better job than plastic would, anyone who knows about technology (no matter type) would give you the same answer as I just did.


*Price*

Now when I've tried them myself, they would be an easy buy, to be honest, 130$ isn't a lot for what you're getting. (130$ for two duals that are needed for the STX II, a third one for the buffer as well, but I think that's optional), even though if that money could've been better spent on new headphones, or honestly even speakers. But I would easily opt for this upgrade if I had a job (currently studying). Especially if you have an STX.



*Equipment*

I do not own a studio or any fancy equipment like you fancy Head-Fiers own but I do have a lovely *Asus Xonar Essence STX II *(equipped with the V5i) paired with the *Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro Black Edition (250 ohms)*.
I do use an EQ as well, not an extreme one though.
(did you notice?  )

Also, here's a picture when the V6 is installed next to the V5i. Just a little comparison.





*Sound & Comparison*

I am going to quote my last review I made on the V5is because I want to continue on that, it'll be easier for the both of us.

*"I've read that op-amps didn't make a huge difference and I agreed when I switched from the MUSES 8820 to the LME47920 and then to the MUSES 8920. I did like the 8820 (even though the 8920 were installed then...) the most out of them but the differences were minor. Even between the 8920 and 8820, the difference was negligible. Note I am going to compare the V5i's with the 8920.
But then I installed the V5is and holy mother of cow, the sound actually did change drastically! Do note that the sound won't change to a completely different headphone. More like give the one you already own more life, happiness.
If we start from the bottom. The low end (bass) just got more hard hitting now. How do I put this into words... It sounds a bit quieter compared to before (which I like IMO), but now I actually feel the bass and quite a lot actually. It also has more punchiness and upper bass. As we get to the mids, they sound airier more natural now. Like all of the singers bought a new microphone and made their voices clearer, crispier. Everything just got more lively, like flowers started to bloom.
And then the highs (treble). There wasn't as a big difference here as it was with the lower tones but all just sound clearer, crispier. Not harsher, just clearer. The sound stage has the same depth as the 8920 but the V5i has a wider sound stage, and when I'm gaming I feel like it sounds more accurate as well. The LME47920 wins here when it comes to depth though as it's amazing at that. Otherwise, it sounds so dead."
*
In a simple world, I could just tell you that they've improved the V6 from the last gens V5 & V5i. But that would satisfy no one, so here I go from the top *(comparing the V5i and my current V6 Classic)*:
*Detail & Highs*
 in short, the DT990 has a V-shaped sound (my preference), so as I said about the V5is, the V6 gives birth to even more hidden beauty that the DT990 never even showed me before. If there was a big difference between the 8920 and the V5i, then oh boy will you be in for a treat when or if you try out the V6 (Classic)! The treble became harsher, yes. But not in a negative way if you ask me. But that's partly because of all of the detail it brought with it! I listen to mainstream crappy music and in 80% of the songs I listened to, there was always something new to hear, for real. That big of a deal. The V5i sounds kinda dull compared to these. That's the biggest thing I want to keep praising with these, the GODDAMN AMOUNT of detail that THESE OP-AMPS gave my headphones! It's just simply, amazing.
*Mid-range*
Next, we have the mid-range, and frankly, there's not a lot to note here, other than that every song just sounds "more" the way the artist intended them to sound like, natural. I like it. You could say that the op-amps sound itself is kinda V-shaped. But don't take my word for it, I can only try these with my DT990's.
*Bass*
I would say there's even more punch here than before and especially improved here is the mid to high bass (70-200 Hz). It's obvious that most headphones will have a hard time producing these frequencies (because of the small drivers), but now I actually feel and hear a lot more of the mentioned frequencies. It's actually really cool.
The bass is also slightly more controlled and just sounds better as well.
*Sound stage*
I don't know what's the most terrific. The amount of detail or the huuuge sound stage. I told you that the LME47blablabla (mentioned above) only had its sound stage going for it, right? Now I would never even think of them, because the V6 just sweeps the floor with it, in all the areas. In a lot of the songs I'm listening to now, I can precisely hear them, where she is singing (by that I mean that if I close my eyes, I could easily be fooled that she's singing in front of me. While at the same time I'll hear some drums at my right and piano and my left and just oh my it all feels so satisfying. Also when the sound is shifting from the left to the right channel it sounds extremely smooth. It's difficult to explain sophisticated stuff like this.. anyways, in gaming. Yeah, that's a whole other story. Sorry guys, have yet to try any FPS but in every nerd game I've tried, it just still sounds so amazing. I got especially impressed when playing racing games (Rocket League (latest update, engine sound), Need for Speed).
It just sounds so real, really hard to believe what an op-amp can really do.








*Conclusion*

As you may have noticed already, I *clearly recommend *the V6 *Classical* op-amps. They're in another league, I don't think for a moment that any other company could produce an op-amp that can beat Burson Audio, other than Burson Audio themselves. The only negative I can think of is the size of these things, which makes it a bit hard to put back the EMF shield, but that's ok. Haven't noticed any interference yet, what so ever. Pictures below.
I hope this review was helpful, and if there's anything missing or if you have any questions, please send a PM and I will do my best to help you.

Again, thank you Burson Audio for giving me this opportunity to work with you, it's always a pleasure and I hope you keep striving after making products better than the last ones! Thanks for reading my review and have a good day.







*Pictures:*
This is a funny one, demonstrating my issue  .
*








*


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## russdog

I've been dying to see what people here say about the Vivid vs the Classic... especially WRT the Gustard H10...  I don't even wait for alerts, I just keep checking this place, again and again....

Disclaimer:  I trust that everybody's doing the best they can with what they've got... I just needed to say this to folks who will understand, that's all....


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## lafeuill (Aug 30, 2017)

I have the V6 Classic in my H10. Made me go wow! vs the stock opamps. Will post more in a few hours.


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## choisan (Sep 3, 2017)

choisan said:


> I am testing the V5I Dual on my Zishan Mini DAC and Little Bear B1+ (Single Tube). Both are China made.
> For the Zishan Mini, i was using the ceramic version of AD827.
> 
> 
> ...



I am very new to head-fi and started to use an OPA amplifier with my DAPs which the DAPs i have (Zishan's mini, AK Junior & Onkyo DPX1 i think they don't have the power to boost what my friends said the detail.


After burning in the V5i Dual for more than 2 weeks, about 3 hours per day, talking about 40- 50 hours approximately, i am testing it with below:
DAP: AK Junior, Line Out Mode
Song: Depeche Mode's Behind the wheel
Earphone: Shure SE535
IEM Cable: 4 strands 7N OCC Copper and Silver Wire- 3.5mm
Little Bear B1 Plus- Single Tube amplifier with Burson V5i Dual again National Semi's LME49720HA

This is s a song with a lot of electronic instrument switching in & out, some audience vocal background and the voice of the singer.

1. Musical Instrument quality- V5i Dual has given more output, more layers of type of instrument, and the extended effect from the instrument, say the changing from one electronic instrument to another, more analytical
2. Audience Vocal Background- Audience vocal detail is detailed and rich in content. Wider and deeper overall
3. Vocal Voice of Singer- more energetic, pumping and substaining

I will keep the V5i Dual on my Little Bear to replace my LME49720HA and happy using it.
Wish my personal opinion had no offense to anyone here.

I will test against Burr Brown's OPA2107BM later on as i don't have it on hand at this moment as many of friends said 2107 is something i have to try and no new device is produced nowaday.


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## mikaelmark

Nice review, choisan!

I don´t know for the V5i, but for the V6 it´s already assembled on a DIP-socket that one should be aware of. It will made future OpAmp rolling (replacing) easier but it made it more sensitive for bad connedtion, especially if using several sockets in a row - direct soldering are always to prefer in a Hi-Fi perspective. Also note the hight of the OpAmp will be a bit less without the extra socket.

Remember to keep the pin´s clean and not touch it with the finger to avoid future bad Connection. If the pin´s has been dirty, it should be cleaned with some alcohol, preferrable isopropanol.


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## choisan

Thanks for the advice. I tried to touch the pin with my bare hand.


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## mikaelmark

As it´s pure gold plating at the pin, this should minimize the risk of oxidation and if you had not some smudge, butter, salt, sirap or similar at your finger or was sweaty it will be no big deal. But the best is to keep them as clean as possible.

Maybe using DeOxit Gold or Cardas Contact Conditioner will be nice to maximise the connection for the pin´s!? But if using such, be careful not to spill as it will be a risk of short circuiting.


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## RobW.

I’ve been using Burson discrete opamps for the past few years – commencing with V4, then V5 and most recently V6 vivid.  So I am pleased to share my experience.

The dual Burson opamp is used in the analogue section (Legato I/V line stage) of the Buffalo Two DAC designed by Twisted Pear Audio.  The location of the opamp requires an extension to the DIP8 socket - easily put together.

And so, to the sound quality…

When I first built the Legato I rolled a number of standard opamps - but none stood out.  In fact they all sounded pretty terrible, being bright, flat or uninvolving. Then came the discrete Burson V4.  This was a huge improvement over other opamps, providing the level of naturalness, detail, dimension and involvement I was looking for.  And I happily lived with the V4 for several years, until the Supreme Sound V5 was introduced.

The V5 didn’t disappoint.  First up, the sound was cleaner, more spacious and more sophisticated.  By comparison, the V4 sounded a little coloured and slow.  In fact I was so happy with the sound of the V5, that I couldn’t envisage further improvement.  I was wrong.

Sound quality with the V6 Vivid has gone up another notch.  Better separation, and even more detail - in a big, uncluttered sound stage.  I understand why Burson call this version “Vivid”.  It’s clean and transparent – but without being sterile.  In fact it’s remarkably musical and natural.

Like most components, the V6 requires around 50 hours to show its best.  And once run-in, it continues to impress.  Highly recommended!


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## Ampeezy (Sep 4, 2017)

Ampeezy said:


> Just Received my V6 Vivids...Will post impressions soon!



I have had the V6 Vivids for almost two weeks now and I am definitely pleased with the clarity, excellent tonal balance, that holographic quality which i think is the result of the incredibly detailed yet natural sound. These in the Essence STX II, with the focal elears is a pretty nice sounding setup. The bass is very liquid and detailed but there is a slight drop off in the sub bass which is what the classics could probably remedy. The highs with the vivids are really detailed and extended without being uncomfortably pronounced. It is all about synergy, and with the somewhat warm elears the vivids strike an amazing balance of musicality and technical prowess. Every song is rendered beautifully with every element within its own space, in a not so large but clearly defined soundstage.

 It is really the very natural rendition of music that really set these opamps apart from the V5is i had before, and those were better sounding than the overly warm stock muses.


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## Evan Longmire (Sep 15, 2017)

*Asus Xonar STX with V5i vs V6 Vivid vs Woo Audio Fireflies (Gen2)*
I'm a PC gamer, a tinkerer and a modder. Plus I really value good quality audio.
I bought my Asus Xonar STX back in 2012 when I built my first water-cooled gaming pc. I’ve been rolling opamps for a few years as a hobby but until recently nothing really stood out.

A few months back I was reading and saw some impressive reviews on the Burson Audio opamps but I wasn't ready to part with the EMI shield just yet so I bought Burson V5i's for the I/V section. To tell the truth I wasn't overly impressed at first. Don't get me wrong- they sounded great; nice full sound, wide soundstage and the instrument placement/positional audio in games was nicely presented, but they weren’t life changing great which I had hoped.
BTW- the new V5i's are different to some of the other V5i's I’ve seen in this forum- they don't have that little lip at the bottom anymore so they slot in real nice without fuss.
Anyway, it wasn't until I swapped them out for my previous favourites (LME4970NA) that I could appreciate how good the V5i's actually were. I found the LME4970NA's were hollow and closed in comparison and the difference was so pronounced that I was soon looking forward to putting the V5i's back in.

A few weeks later I got that itch again and started looking at the V5’s to see if they were a justifiable upgrade to the V5i’s. I saw the V6’s available for order. But the EMI shield!?! What do I do? So, I emailed Burson to see if they could shed some light on the importance on the shield. I asked, "Will removing the EMI/RFI shield (to fit the taller discrete amps) make any noticeable difference with interference?”
I got a response, "Based on our experience the EMI shield on the STX card is purely cosmetic. We have done some lab test and we did not see any change to the noise performance in relation to the card with or without the shield."

I ordered two V6 Vivid's. But they were taking a while to post and I got impatient (and a little crazy TBH). I bought a Woo Audio Fireflies (Gen2), a pair of Sennheiser HD600s and subscription to Tidal Masters.
They arrived before the V6's. That combination was the incredible experience I was looking for. The Fireflies paired with the HD600s were so very warm, natural, clear, deep and smooth. Not a huge soundstage though which I hadn't expected. The treble is in no way fatiguing to listen to and even at high volumes. The sound is very flat and un-molested however it's not all gravy...
Movies and games do sound good with the Fireflies but it seems to be missing a defined punchiness to the cracks and gunshots and explosions that i really enjoy. It's as if they were just too natural? Too smooth? It's hard to describe because there's nothing actually missing. Maybe I’m just used to the accentuated bass and treble in a lot of other speakers, headphones and amps. I like to be almost startled by those sounds in movies and games and that's definitely missing with the Fireflies.

Eventually the Burson Audio V6 Vivid's arrived. I removed the EMI shield, strapped in the little red towers and plugged it all in. The sound... Mother of God the sound is phenomenal!
So much punch, great soundstage and positional audio in games. Everything sounds brighter and more exciting with the V6's than with the Fireflies. The gunshots and explosions sound louder in contrast and give me that "WOW" factor I was looking for. There is no doubt in my mind they're noticeable improvement over the stock opamps and even the V5i's. I really love gaming with them; Escape from Tarkov, PUBG, Doom, Overwatch, Nier: Automata and Senua's Sacrifice all need to be heard through the V6 Vivids. It's really something else.

Music is pretty great too but I honestly prefer the Fireflies experience for music and that’s mostly because the brightness of the V6's high end can be slightly fatiguing with the volume up high for long periods. But really, now I’m comparing the STX upgraded with Burson V6's to the likes of the $1600 Fireflies...  and to me that makes them crazy good.

PS. I got bored and cut a hole in the EMI shield for the V6 Vivids! Best of both worlds now.


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## russdog

So, here's what I need to know.... but I don't know if anybody can tell me for sure...

I'm not gonna get 2 Gustard H10's with V6 Vivid's in one (for classical and some jazz) and V6 Classic's in the other one (for rock and some jazz).... 

Instead, I'm gonna get *1* set of V6's for my H10 and use EQ to adjust things for other purposes.  But which one?  Get Vivid's and EQ it to approx the Classic's?  Or get Classic's and EQ it to approx the Vivid's?   Which one is more doable/less objectionable?

ps:  Also, just curious:  Let's say you have an H10 and get 2 duals of one flavor and 2 singles of the other flavor?  What happens?  (I have no idea...)


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## EternalChampion

Evan Longmire said:


> Music is pretty great too but I honestly prefer the Fireflies experience for music and that’s mostly because the brightness of the V6's high end can be slightly fatiguing with the volume up high for long periods.



From my experience with the V5 towers, the Burson op amps go through a transformation process and will enter beast-mode after some use.    Just give it a proper burn-in time (150-200 hours to wipe-off harshness, 500-600 to completely flesh out).

If now "Holy Mother", then what?


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## alphanumerix1

Evan Longmire said:


> *Asus Xonar STX with V5i vs V6 Vivid vs Woo Audio Fireflies (Gen2)*
> I'm a PC gamer, a tinkerer and a modder. Plus I really value good quality audio.
> I bought my Asus Xonar STX back in 2012 when I built my first water-cooled gaming pc. I’ve been rolling opamps for a few years as a hobby but until recently nothing really stood out.
> 
> ...



What did you use to cut the emi shield? Looks good!


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## raoultrifan (Sep 20, 2017)

*BURSON V6 CLASSIC DUAL* - beautiful inside, magnificent outside.

Received this little beast from Charles - BURSON about 3 weeks ago and I intend to test it in my only single-ended device: Objective 2 headphone amplifier. Thank you Charles! I'll get back here with updates within few weeks...just need some time to warm up and dig this baby's sound. 

Meanwhile, delighting my eyes with some inside naked electronics. 100% solid-state with high quality components, quite a beauty, isn't it? 

      

Note: Do not try to open up the case because you're voiding the warranty and you're also risking to destroy the internal components! Thank you for understanding!


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## alphanumerix1

raoultrifan said:


> *BURSON V6 CLASSIC DUAL* - beautiful inside, magnificent outside.
> 
> Received this little beast from Charles - BURSON about 3 weeks ago and I intend to test it in my only single-ended device: Objective 2 headphone amplifier. Thank you Charles! I'll get back here with updates within few weeks...just need some time to warm up and dig this baby's sound.
> 
> Meanwhile, delighting my eyes with some inside naked electronics. 100% solid-state with high quality components, quite a beauty, isn't it?



Very nice, Can't wait to hear the V6 as well!


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## mikaelmark

How to get the cover off? It seem´s to be glued to the socket, am I right?

And because it´s made of plastic, it should have no EMI/EMF shielding function.

It´s a good thing that Burson let the V6 have some ventilation hole´s at the top as the V5 had overheating problem. But why not go totally naked, as by your picture´s? What may be the downside? (except the risk of shorting if any wiry or component will touch it)


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## raoultrifan

The case it's very good in keeping away electrostatic discharge and any possible mechanical damage. Also, short-circuits may occur if V6 is moved by mistake (with your hand perhaps) inside an electronic device.
I recommend you to keep the case as it is, it will not make any harm for sure.


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## Ricard (Sep 14, 2017)

I was going to buy Sparkos, but in the end I went with *Burson V6 Vivid*, I do not regret it.

Stunning Op Amps, Three Dimensional Sound on My 5.1 Speaker

It took them a week to wake up and draw their power. During the first time I put them sound very flat, linear sound, without charisma. I thought I had thrown the money.

After the first week, I suddenly said wow! this is new, the sound had reached a new dimension. For the first time I buy Burson it is normal for me to be so impressed.

Characteristics:
+ Warm, musical and pleasant sound. Each song is a new world.
+ Music comes to life and is dimensioned.
+ Well separated and detailed instruments and channels.
+ Musical notes differ from each other.
+ Middle and low sounds come out, sounds that were previously hidden.
+ Deep bass and deep bass and tight guitar bass without causing fatigue.
+ Very realistic sound and all this without background noise or distortion.

In general it's like you're in the recording studio. It's my first Op Amps, I never heard the same music. Very lively sound

I never tried the original *V5*, so I can not compare them, people spoke wonderful. The *V6 Vivid* is supposed to be a bit better

We must continue this path of perfection.



Good job! I give you a rating of 9/10


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## Evan Longmire

alphanumerix1 said:


> What did you use to cut the emi shield? Looks good!



I took to it with a Dremel and lots of elbow grease.  
It was going so well until I got complacent and relaxed my grip on the shield...
If you look closely, you can see where the Dremel caught the edge and scuffed the pretty side of the shield. 

I still think it looks good even if it's not perfect.


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## EternalChampion

Anybody who has tried both Vivid and Classic can you please answer to this which interests me a lot:

Does one of the two op amps give you a noticeably different seat on the stage than the other?   I mean something like 1st row (like being inside the orchestra) vs 4th row (or ever farther away) type of experience.

Thanks.


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## Ricard

I have the V6 vivid. It is very good but answering your question there are sounds that go straight to your face and others that envelop you but without touching you so much.
Let's say that natural and improvised sounds go more right to your face, like live music and sounds of nature and recording studio music is contemplated more distanced.
It is my personal perception. I have not tried V4, V5, V6 Classic burson. I think the Classic is similar to the V5 but with more color and the Vivid delves a few more in all the features of V5


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## raoultrifan

mikaelmark said:


> How to get the cover off? It seem´s to be glued to the socket, am I right?
> [...]



Do not try to open up the case because you're voiding the warranty and you're also risking to destroy the internal components! Thank you for understanding!


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## Burson Audio

Hi Guys,

Thank you for supporting this discussion thread and Burson Audio. 

Like you, we know the joy and importance of opamp rolling.  It offers an opportunity to compare and appreciate different sonic performance while holding other variables in your audio system unchanged.  It is also a valuable opportunity to develop listening preference and taste.

We believe opamp rolling should be a rite of passage for any audiophiles. 

Many of you are asking how the sound compares between the V6 Vivid and V6 Classic.  Below is a video review which may explain this better than we do. : 0



*Introducing the Burson Play. (USB DAC, Headphone amp, Remote Preamp with a Mic input)




*

Our upcoming Burson Play is designed particularly for the opamp rolling community.

https://www.bursonaudio.com/products/play/

Operating in pure Class-A, the Play is the ultimate opamp rolling platform, changing up to 5 opamps to tune its sound to your taste.  

We have just launched a limited time IndiGoGo campaign for the Burson Play.  It offers great Perks. Please check it out.

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/play-usb-dac-head-amp-mic-in-for-music-gaming/x/13205913#/

We are coordinating this campaign with Audeze.  As such head-fiers can obtain some heavily discounted Play/Audeze combos. 

Happy listening,

Team Burson


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## sha007

Hi there. I have a stx II and using a HD 700 headphone. So which v6's should I get?


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## mikaelmark

Thank you for that clarification! Nice to hear from Bursoun themselves here at the forum - really good manufacturer support!

Last week, I listened some more to my portable rig with my own assembled Lovely Black Cube, using the Burson V6 Vivid. And I like the sound more and more, maybe it´s like many already stated; They need some burn in time.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the...ehmann-black-cube-linear-clone.501046/page-95


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## Onik (Oct 10, 2017)

Today is really a different day for me for the first time I am gonna try BURSON OP-AMPS, I received only the V6_VIVID_single OP AMPS.

Right now I am gonna try this 2 sexy looking OP AMPS for my sexy Card ZxR. and I will post my reviews once I am done with the sound test.


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## Webber1

Has anyone tried to mix Vivid and Classic on STX2? For example, 2 Vivid’s for I/V stage and 1 Classic for buffer? A friend has done something similar on DAC Teac UD 501 and said that it is better than just using one type of Burson…Just curious …thanks! 






https://www.dropbox.com/s/tobfgtww4uryhln/22140465_10212328766752235_1072446307_o.jpg?dl=0


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## john57

I did ask that question to Alex at Burson and you can mix the Vivid and Classic in the same box. Ideally you you want the same op-amp for both channels.  It can not hurt. Duals are used when differential inputs are being used.


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## eemarko

Hi guys, ordered my 3x dual Vivid's for STX II about a week ago.
Will post how they sound once I get them and then after they warm up.
Any idea about when should I expect them? Got nothing about it at all


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## bunkbail

eemarko said:


> Hi guys, ordered my 3x dual Vivid's for STX II about a week ago.
> Will post how they sound once I get them and then after they warm up.
> Any idea about when should I expect them? Got nothing about it at all



You should be getting your tracking number on your email as soon as they shipped. I bought 2x duals 2x singles V6 Classic and got the tracking number hours after making the order 3 days ago. They mentioned that I should be expecting to receive the items within 10-14 working days.


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## mikaelmark

eemarko said:


> Hi guys, ordered my 3x dual Vivid's for STX II about a week ago.
> Will post how they sound once I get them and then after they warm up.
> Any idea about when should I expect them? Got nothing about it at all


Yes, that´s correct! For me, it took twelve week day´s from payment until I received the tracking number - the shipping took max one week and was shipped fron Hong Kong.

A strange thing I notieced was regardless it was tracked shipping, I just received it in my mail box. No signing from me needed.

I live in Sweden.


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## alphanumerix1 (Oct 15, 2017)

Impressions coming soon.


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## Webber1 (Oct 14, 2017)

*@alphanumerix1*
Just put 2 vivids into STX2 yesterday, first I was so disappointed with the flat lifeless bassless sound and I preferred the default MUSES setup over Vivids....took them 24 hours of playing to start revealing some of their magic.....you will have to move capacitors slightly as vivids are a bit large.....


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## EternalChampion

Webber1 said:


> *@alphanumerix1*
> Just put 2 vivids into STX2 yesterday, first I was so disappointed with the flat lifeless bassless sound and I preferred the default MUSES setup over Vivids....took them 10 hours to start revealing some of their magic.....you will have to move capacitors slightly as vivids are a bit large.....



Isn't it enough to use the extra sockets the op amps come with?  With the V5 I did not have to move anything.  Just plug-and-play.


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## Webber1 (Oct 14, 2017)

I plugged V6 directly into the board without extra sockets, the housing of opamps is a little big so you have to tilt the capacitors just slightly to fit. I guess with extra sockets you can just plug and play.


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## sha007 (Oct 14, 2017)

EternalChampion said:


> Isn't it enough to use the extra sockets the op amps come with?  With the V5 I did not have to move anything.  Just plug-and-play.



Are those extra sockets comes free or have to pay for those? can you please upload a pic of those sockets? I've not seen those.


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## sha007 (Oct 14, 2017)

Evan Longmire said:


> *Asus Xonar STX with V5i vs V6 Vivid vs Woo Audio Fireflies (Gen2)*
> I'm a PC gamer, a tinkerer and a modder. Plus I really value good quality audio.
> I bought my Asus Xonar STX back in 2012 when I built my first water-cooled gaming pc. I’ve been rolling opamps for a few years as a hobby but until recently nothing really stood out.
> 
> ...




Can you please tell me whether the sound is warm or bright with the vivid while you are using the Hd 600?

Edit : I meant while listening music not gaming.


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## alphanumerix1

Webber1 said:


> *@alphanumerix1*
> Just put 2 vivids into STX2 yesterday, first I was so disappointed with the flat lifeless bassless sound and I preferred the default MUSES setup over Vivids....took them 24 hours of playing to start revealing some of their magic.....you will have to move capacitors slightly as vivids are a bit large.....



Yes the fit is a little tight but they fit without issues of course. I have 3 vivids currently plugged into my stx.

Sound impressions then full review to follow.


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## mikaelmark (Oct 15, 2017)

sha007 said:


> Are those extra sockets comes free or have to pay for those? can you please upload a pic of those sockets? I've not seen those.


The V6 are from factory assembled at one DIP-socket and are then also inserted in an extra similar socket, and this one can easily be removed by just carefully pull apart it.

There are two advantages of removing the extra socket; The height of the V6 will be about 5mm lower and also will it minimize the risk of bad connection caused by oxide with time, but at least the socket pin´s are gold plated to minimize this risk (the most reliable way is to first remove the extra socket and then solder directly to the board - but of course this will not be easy to swap out in the future).


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## EternalChampion

Other than being used to elevate the Burson op amps when necessary I found them a must in order to protect the fragile legs of IC op amps from continuous rolling.  Every time an IC chip gets pulled out (from secure fit) is one step closer before one of its legs eventually snaps.  Thus far I've destroyed probably a dozen or so.

The extra DIP 8 sockets are sold in package of 4 pieces and are very cheap

https://www.bursonaudio.com/products/supreme-sound-opamp-v6/


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## john57

While I agree that the legs of the standard IC op-amp are fragile but the Burson V6 op-amps are posts not legs like the standard IC op-amps. The posts will hold up better and I would be more concern about wearing out the DIP socket on the circuit board.


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## alphanumerix1

Posted a quick review for those who are interested 

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/bu...und-opamp-v6-vivid.22718/reviews#review-19364


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## mikaelmark

This week, I compared my two DAC´s; one with AK4399 and the the other with AK4490 with a CD and speaker listening test. The later using only a simple 12VDC Wall inserted transformer, while the AK4399 has a much better Power supply, with BYV-27 rectifier diods and big capacitors. Both are using OPA627AU (but not shure those are genuine Burr Brown, as they´re from eBay).

First, the AK4490 had a tiny bit more bass, but they were very equal in their sound character.

Then, I swopped to Burson V6 Vivid dual for the AK4490, and when I now compared with A/B-listening test, the bass was still a bit more exaggerated. But also, it was like the volume level was a bit higher for the AK4490 with V6, especially for the treble and everything was clearer, like taking off a blanket from the speaker.

Note that the V6 was new, had only played for about 20 minutes.

I´m now listen to the AK4490 with V6 to let it burn in for several hours, and I´m very pleased with what I´m hearing!

My intention is to upgrade the Power supply for this DAC.


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## raoultrifan (Nov 5, 2017)

Hello head-fiers,

It took me awhile since Charles from Burson gave me a couple of *Burson SS V6 Classic* dual opamps, thank you Charles for these "little beasts"! 

The shots I did in one of my previous posts were showing the inside beauty of these solid-state opamps, so now I'm going to share with you "my 2¢" on how does these opamps pair with my heavily modded *MATRIX M-Stage HPA-3B* balanced headphones amplifier. I did another test in the past with the SS V5 opamps, so especially for this test I did lowered the operation voltage for this balanced headamp from 36V so 30V (+/-15V); this way I can use Burson opamps inside to test'em safely.

The Matrix M-Stage HPA 3B is using operational amplifiers only in Voltage Amplification Stage (VAS), the remaining components from the audio path are solid-state, so from my point of view the main reason to upgrade the original LME49860 opamps with Burson V6 duals would be to transform the MATRIX amplifier from an "opamp/solid-state hybrid" amplifier (opamp in VAS & solid-state in output buffer) into a 100% pure solid-state device.  So, this being said, I did managed to fit inside the HPA-3B two Burson SS V6 Classic dual opamps, totally naked of the plastic shell; this way I could actually close the metallic top case of the amplifier (Disclaimer: Do not try to strip out the V6 opamps of their plastic shell, unless you really want to loose the warranty and perhaps break some electronics! Instead, you could purchase "Burson 35mm Extension Lead" cables or 90-degrees DIP8 socket adapters).

*Equipment I was using for this test (from mains to my ears):*

DIY power box with additional fuses and RCB protection
Avocent PDU with ferrites, caps and additional EMI/RFI filters and protections inside
Digital auto-transformer (AVR) to stabilize the mains voltage to a precise 220V
Legrand 1500VA wave-sinus UPS
Petra custom-made isolation toroidal transformer, to isolate mains hum and to lift the ground safely, if needed (only used it for the audio chain, not for computers)
Windows 10 DIY desktop computer with low noise USB sockets, OSX El Capitan iMac and OS Sierra MacBook Pro
ASUS Essence One MKii as balanced dual DAC
6.5mm jacks switched A/B testing device to compare sound between 2 different headphone amplifiers: Matrix and the one integrated inside the ASUS E1 combo
Fostex T50RP MK3 headphones (single ended), little bit modded, for getting the soundstage, clarity and frequency accuracy
AKG K550 (balanced, custom cable) for getting opamp's background noise when idling
AKG K701 (balanced, custom cable) to compare soundstage, but also used for comparing the clarity in voices and musicality
Beyerdynamic DT 880 600-ohms (balanced, custom cable) to get all the details from the songs, but also to check how the opamps are dealing with a bit higher voltage outputs when high impedance headphones are used
Mackie MR6mk3 6.5" Studio Monitors + Mackie MR10Smk3 Sub, quite revealing active monitors that helped me a lot in getting every little bit of sound from these Burson SS V6 opamps
PicoScope 2204A to get any possible oscillations or strange harmonics on the outputs, just in case the V6 might oscillate in my setup (not the case, of course)
Digital IR thermometer (a bit over 70C on the inside transistors of the SS V6 opamps)

*Songs used for this test (FLAC):*

The Black Eyed Peas - Imma Be
Travie McCoy feat. Bruno Mars - Billionaire
Eminem - I'm not affraid
Nelly - Just A Dream
Ludacris - How Low
Timbaland feat. Timberlake - Carry Out
Jason Derulo - Whatcha Say
Trey Songz feat. Nicki Minai - Bottoms Up
Britney Spears - 3
AC/DC - Thunderstruck
AC/DC - Shoot To Kill
AC/DC - Big Gun
AC/DC - Highway To Hell
AC/DC - T.N.T.
AC/DC - The Jack
AC/DC - Touch To Much
Deep Purple - Child In Time
Best Of Chesky Classics & Jazz and Audiophile Test Disc Volume 3 - Rebecca Pidgeon-Grandmother
Best Of Chesky Classics & Jazz and Audiophile Test Disc Volume 3 - Fred Hersch Trio-Con Alma
Best Of Chesky Classics & Jazz and Audiophile Test Disc Volume 3 - Drum Set in dry studio
Marianne Thorsen & TrondheimSolistene - Mozart: Violin Concerto no. 4 in D major, KV 218 - Allegro
Many disco music albums from 2015-2017, too many songs to get them written all here. I needed to understand how compressed songs sound on the V6, but also to hear the overly bass from some disco songs.
I left the opamps to burn-in for about 100 hours, just to be sure sound will not get changed in any way while I'm testing them. 

To compare the Burson V6 with the original LME49860 will probably not be fair because of the price range, but will be doing it anyway.  Basically I found the same differences like here, mainly related to:

Really lower background noise on the V6 (it's so easy to distinguish the difference if changing only the left or only right channel opamp with a V6 and leave the other channel with the default LME49860)
Way much better soundstage and instrument positioning, stage is bigger now, sound is open and spacious.
"A veil revealing" indeed, better clarity and details are easily getting into my ears.
Voices are very clear, a bit more upfront perhaps.
Sound is definitely less fatiguing and more peaceful, voices are not shouting at you...even when screaming shouts are smoother somehow and not irritating the ears in case of high volume is used. Perhaps I feel this because of a lower THD combined with a bit of warmness from the magic touch of Burson engineers...who knows? 
Frequencies around 3-4 KHz sound a bit...recessed and more pleasant (I like that, as I'm 4 KHz sensitive, especially when Grados are used), tough the V6 is having a completely flat output.
Sub-bass seems a bit more present, though all-round bass is having a normal "size" and impact, so I don't feel a bass emphasizes.
Moving from FLAC to DSD files is adding more fluency to the song and scene gets even bigger. A live concert sound more...live now. DSD albums and Burson V6 pair perfectly.
I did compared briefly the V6 with V5 and V5i, but the differences were not high, of course. Regarding the sound character, V6 resembles more with the V5 then with the V5i. V6 sound character is very similar with the V5 and I honestly need a setup with 2 identical devices (Matrix HPA-3B) to say more, as both opamps are sounding great. Instead, the V5i is a bit more analytic sounding and perhaps bass is overemphasized sometimes a bit.

When powered from +/-15V I could measure 70.4C on the inside PCB transistors (plastic shell off) and about 62,5C on the outside plastic shell (top case open on the Matrix headamp). These temperatures are normal for a class-A biased opamp, but if using it inside small-sized devices be aware of the extra heat generated.

Now concluding from my memory and based on the tests I've done in the past with several opamps from TI/OPA, AD etc. and adding on top of this my subjective sound print I'd like to hear it in my ears:

*PRO*:

I really liked the sound, especially when rock is involved; try imagining the screaming from an AC/DC songs with volume close to the max., sometimes this could make you wanting to lower the volume a little bit, but when SS V6 is used, the screaming is "upgraded" from tolerable to enjoying...it's like diminishing the 2-4KHz frequencies somehow and make it sound so pleasant...though on my scope the bandwidth was perfectly flat. 
On hip-hope/house/techno/dance music I felt the sub-bass being very "pertinent" and authoritative or perhaps the mid-bass is diminished somehow, but overall I liked the bass more than V5i.
Balanced and neutral sound, but not on the analytical side and definitely not "overwarming", it's simply: pleasant sounding to my ears. Totally not-fatiguing sound compared with other digital-like sounding opamps (NE5532 or even the LME49720 and similar ones); I could actually listen to my headphones for hours, with an average volume higher then usual and fell no need to stop the music at all.

*CONS:*

Size is a bit big, the same as the SS V5 opamp, so it may not fit properly inside some devices (though purchasing additional extender cables and 90-degrees adapters will help a lot here).
Price could create an impact, though a solid-state opamp could be reused and become helpful on future devices upgrades.
Bottom of line, sound is just perfect to my ears! On both, headphones and active studio monitors, the SS V6 Classic opamp sounds correctly and pleasant, with a wider soundstage, more details and clarity and it's definitely less fatiguing. It doesn't sounds digitally at all, it's more like hearing the vacuum tubes singing, so perhaps on the warmer side a little bit, but I totally love it! This is probably related to the even-order harmonics created by the inside hand-matched FET-transistors (read more about it on OPA604 datasheet, on pg. 12) and a bit of Burson's magic touch perhaps.









  



Best sound ever,
Raul.


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## bcschmerker4 (Nov 5, 2017)

@raoultrifan *Thanks for the review.*  Both the V6 Classic and Vivid should be doozies of dual amplifiers for standalone components that have the room for 'em.  I've already shortlisted the Burson® V5i for the STX' I-V sockets in my LinUX box due to space limitations - I anticipate some NOS Advanced Micro Devices Radeon video card right next the STX due to the slot layout of the current Gigabyte® GA-MA78GM-S2HP - and a Signetics® NE5532N for the line-level buffer socket.


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## selvakumar

i own both and in Burson play it sound epic with ESS SABRE 9018
https://www.bursonaudio.com/products/play/


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## mikaelmark (Nov 12, 2017)

s week, I modded my DAC Breeze Audio AK4490 with V6 Vivid, and now I´m listening to a wonderful sound!

The changes was following:

Replaced the original NE5532 with Burson V6 Vivid Dual and applied some thin copper tape for screening around and at the top of the V6 (as the V6 is too high, I had to cut a hole in the enclosure´s lid) and painted the foil tape with nail paint and black marker pen

Replaced the original wall outlet transformer with 12VDC powered from an Harman Kardon HD970 CD-player

Removed the original RCA female connectors and soldered an Van damme Twin Audio LC-OFC Interconnect Cable directly to the PCB

Bypassed the DAC´s Power switch to let the HD970 power On and Off the DAC

Lowered the pin´s for one SMD (Surface Mounted Device) capacitor


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## Onik (Mar 11, 2018)

OK let me write a short review in regards to Charles request from SS-Audio who sent me *2 Bursons Vivid V6s *for trial. Once again I am really sorry to Charless as I couldn't finish the testing and write the review one time, its because I moved to a new place few weeks ago.

Anyway to test the *Vivid V6s* I used my own Sound Card Sound Blaster ZXR and for Speaker setup I used logitech Z906 which is an average 5.1 speakers.


*for Music I used RCA to RCA and for gaming/movies I used SPDIF and tested with JRiver(ASIO) and foobar 2000.*

Single IC OP AMPS I own: LME4970NA, 6 LME4970HA , 2 Signetics NE5534N.
Single Discrete OP AMPS I own: 2 Sparkoks SSS3601.

Dual IC OP AMPS I own: 2 NJM2114D, 2 AD827SQ, LME49720HA
Dual Discrete OP AMPS I own: buying soon

OP Amps I used to compare with *Vivid V6s* for the Buffer: LME4970HA, Signetics NE5534N and well known Single Discrete Op Amp Sparkoks SSS3601.


I also did a mod called "germanium" 12 uf CAP mod, after this mod the ZXR became a Sweet Analog sounding Card even w/o V6s or Sparkos SS3601 imo.



Now Lets talk about what I heard after installing V6s on my ZXR.

I am a guy who listen to all type of good music and I don't really care who is the band or what type of music I'm listening.

I changed the Crossover Frequency to 100Hz for better Bass Response from Z906 Sub.


Here are the few lists of the Albums I tested after installing SS V6s on Buffer and AD827SQ in I/V by default.

Around The Fur - deftones
The Hunter - Mastodon
Once more round the sun - Mastodon
Take a look at the Mirror - Korn
Jonathan Davis - Alone I Play 2007
Consoler of the Loneliness - Raconteurs.
Start A War - Static-X
_*††† *_- Crosses
All 6s and 7s - Techn9e

*Impression:*



If I want to compare with LME4970HA all I can say is the sound that's coming to my ear wasn't really different for few hours.

But after listening music for like 1hr I was really impressed with the track like "Around the Fur" the cymbals and snares sounded more Natural and Real to my ear, it sounded like it was playing live!

The songs " Ember City and Halloween" from Mastodon sounded a lot different compare to LME4970HA especially the Guitar solo at the end of the song it sounded and felt more Natural.

I also felt the Bass had improved with or without the"germanium" 12uf CAP Mod. The bass sounded more free and clean and not in my face like before.

And I really enjoyed the beats from Album "Crosses" and from "All 6s and 7s"

the Song "Did my time" from KoRn felt sooo Real and enjoyable when the singer starts to sing, you can't miss any lines that's coming from his Jaw, you can also hear the singer's breathing clearly. People who don't really understand what the singer is really singing when they scream will also understand every words while having Bursons V6s on their system. this song also gave me a real Dark feeling.


*Sparkos SS3601 vs Burson V6s:*



To my Ear I felt they both sounded too *CLEAN , NATURAL and WARM* with or without "Germanium" 12uf Cap Mod.

*Bursons Vivid V6 Single OP AMPS Pros:*

Strikingly clear and dynamic.
Notcible Treble.
incredible  Soundstage.
Articulate and expressive midrange.
*Bursons Vivid V6 Single OP AMP Cons:*

Too pricey compare to other IC OP AMPS.
Too big for my Sound Card (big is better init)
Burn in time is really long for some devices.

The only difference I found that the the Bass is really balanced with sparkos SS3601 compare to Bursons V6s.

For SS3601 I had to turn the level to 5/6 on Z906 ACM where for V6s I had to drop it to 3/4 for better Bass Response with or without changing the Crossover Frequency from 80Hz on Creative SB Studio.













As Creative Pro Studio doesn't have Metal EQ so I had to copy it from WMP LOL.

So far I didnt find any songs that sounded too bright to my ear. But I will have to check few more songs to find out more.

my review is not 100% complete, atm I am waiting for price drop for a decent Stereo Amp like onkyo A-9010/ marantz pm6006 for Bookshelf speakers like Wharfedale Diamond 9.1/ 220. Once I have them I will write another review.

Good Sound card + Decent Amp + Decent Speakers = Best Sounding system imo.

But overall with my current sound setup(Z906) I think SS3601 and Vivid V6s they both sound the same when it comes to Music.

Once again Many Many Thanks to Mr Charles from Burson Audio for giving me the opportunity to try their 2 Sexy looking V6 Single Discrete OP AMPS for my very first review on Head-fi.


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## DW75 (Nov 24, 2017)

First off, I want to say thanks to Charles from SS-Audio for sending me two of the V6 Vivid duals for a trial listen in exchange for my honest review.

Packaging:

The V6 Vivid Duals come in a plastic case. They are sitting with foam surrounding them, and are firmly seated. There is no way of them being damaged in shipping. They are well protected.

Build Quality:

These are very nice opamps. The build quality is fantastic. The fact that SS-Audio offers a lifetime warranty as well ensures that the buyer is protected in case of any defects or issues.

Equipment used:

Creative ZXR sound card with LME49710HA opamps in the buffer stage, and V6 Vivid Duals in the I/V stage. I originally was using LME49710HA opamps in both the buffer and I/V. Connected to the RCA outs on the sound card I will be using my M-Stage HPA-2 headphone amp. The headphones connected are the AKG K712 Pro. Note that I do not use any sound card effects. I do not use SBX Studio. I do not use Crystal Voice, and I do not use the sound card EQ. This is just a straight up 24bit/192000hz device for me. I have no interest in using gimmicks.

Installation:

As can be seen in the pics, these were used to replace two sets of LME49710HA Metal Can opamps on two adapters that have been used in my Creative ZXR sound card in the I/V Stage for quite a while now. I still have two single LME49710HA Metal Can opamps in the buffer stage of my sound card. I will say now, using the V6 Vivid's in the I/V stage with the LME49710HA in the buffer stage has made for a interesting listening experience. I am now thinking of what improvements I would experience with having two of the V6 Vivid Singles in the buffer stage as well.
Installation is very straight forward as expected. However, it should be noted that the two opamp heatsinks are touching each other, due to size. They are also touching the surrounding capacitors. This results in having to slightly bend the caps to the side to be able to fit the opamps in. I would suggest to anyone interested in doing this upgrade, to just be careful. It works best to just bend the caps a bit to the side to make room before actually installing the opamps. As long as the user is careful, this causes no issue.















Sound Quality:

I have about 50 hours use on the opamps now, so I am certain my opinion of them will be a sound one. At least for the 50 hour mark anyways.   The V6 Vivid Dual is a somewhat warm sounding opamp. I will start off by saying that right out of the box, the treble on the V6 Vivid Duals was definitely rolled off. There was some missing energy and sparkle in the upper frequencies. The K712 Pro is a detailed and revealing headphone, so it was easy to detect this roll off. After about 5 or so hours of the use, the treble did end up improving some. However, even at the 50 hour mark, it is still not quite where I would like it to be. Regardless of that, after 50 hours use, these are impressive sounding opamps.

Now, lets start off with the bass. The bass is tight, defined, detailed, and impactful. It extends right down to the sub bass region. There is no bloat, boom, or any muddy nature to it at all. In fact, this is the best sounding bass I have ever heard from any opamp I have tried. I thought the LME49710HA had a great sounding bass, and it does. However, this is on another level entirely. When I first tried the opamp, I was rather shocked at the deep impact and extension the V6 Dual offered. Kick drums in music are so tight and defined. It really gives music a toe tapping character, and makes you want to keep listening.

In terms of the midrange, the V6 Vivid Dual absolutely excels. Everything sounds lush with gorgeous imaging. Instruments are well presented. Vocals are up front, just in front of everything else in the mix. In fact, vocals sound just brilliant on the V6 Vivid. There is just such a smoothness to voices. There is definitely a laid back character to the 3khz region happening with this opamp. This ends up adding to the warm sound signature that this opamp has. Little details in music that are not presented with the LME49710HA make themself fully known on the V6. Soundstage is wide and realistic. Instruments are completely separated, and everything is nice and spacious sounding. There is plenty of depth, and everything is cohesive and focused. This is another area that the LME49710HA also excels in, but the V6 Vivid is once again a huge step above. Electric guitar, piano, keyboards, and any other instrument sounds just right. There is a smoothness and amazingly cohesive character to everything. There is no harshness or grain to any frequency on the V6 opamps. Just as it was with the bass, the mids, vocals, and soundstage on the V6 Vivid are also the best I have encountered.

Now, regarding the treble, this is where the V6 Vivid is actually a step behind the LME49710HA, in my opinion. I have to say that to my ears, the V6 Vivid certainly has an articulate and clean treble response, but it is missing something. I can detect a roll off at 14khz to 16khz. On the plus side, there is no distortion, grain, harshness, or any sibilant nature to it. However, it just does not have the same amount of refinement and detail in the upper registers that the LME49710HA metal can opamps have. The V6 is just missing that little bit of crispness and sparkle up top. I really can't say it is veiled though. That is too strong a word to describe. It is just a slightly warmer sounding opamp than I normally would use, so I am noticing the treble is just not as detailed or extended as I would like. I tested the LME49710HA and V6 Vivid Dual opamps over and over again, and there is no question about it. The treble is just not as good to my ears on the V6 Vivid. Granted, maybe this could change after 100 hours, or 200 hours burn in ? I can't say, as I am reviewing them after about 50 hours use.

Overall, these are still awesome opamps. They have a wonderful and musical sound to them. I definietely recommend them to people looking to step up to audiophile grade opamps.

Thanks once again to Charles at SS-Audio for the opportunity to test these out. I really appreciate it.


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## Webber1

After burning-in 2 sets of V6 Vivid on ASUS STXII, I can say from practice, that vivid’s need significant time to settle and become ‘mature’…in first 24 hours I advise to leave playlist on loop and to shut down speakers if you want to avoid stress of thinking you throw away money  Up to 200h they settle a lot by becoming more clear and take control over things …but sounding more on the bright side. At about 600 hours (a month of 24/7) they become exceptional, warm with extended rich and controlled bass, fluent mids and silky detailed hi’s...With V6 sound becomes three dimensional, you can point your finger at each instrument in the air. Instruments get more mass and definition. With JBL LSR305 monitors you get holographic stage, almost crazy and another dimension compared to default MUSES op amps, VIVID's really make this monitors sing. As JBL’s are on my desk on each side of the monitor (maybe 25 cm from wall) you can hear singer singing directly from monitor as if it is a speaker. You get impression of being there in the live performance while singer is singing in front of you and the instruments are around you. You can hear the air he takes while he sings. There is really lot of refinement in the sound, instruments like cello, violin, guitar sound as if they are playing live in front of you, with lot of energy and passion. You listen to the songs you love and discover them all over again as they are presented in such way that you did not heard previously. With Foobar (ASIO) and Tidal I get perfect sound for my ears (used EQ to get V-shaped sound that I prefer). Vivid’s are musical, refined and unfatiguing...Once again be patient and let them burn in properly   Cheers.


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## Ampeezy

I honestly don't know if it is the headphones breaking in, or the V6 Vivids, but yes after three months they sound much more natural sounding with a bit less emphasis on a bright signature. They are truly transparent Opamps. Also, It could just be my ears becoming famliar with the sound over the months.


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## Webber1

No chance they are missing highs as someone said before, or missing warmth compared to muses (also said before)...this is the case only during burn-in process...once matured they are another dimension compared to start point. Just dont mix Vivids with other op-amps in I/V and buffer ....put all Burson V6... otherwise it is a mess (tried with muses in buffer ...that ended badly). In short: Vivids rock!


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## DW75

I just wanted to give an update on my experience with the V6 Vivid Duals in my Creative ZXR card. At around the 50 hour mark, I stated these are fantastic opamps, however, the treble was missing some detail and extension. I ended up purposely letting music run on its own for another solid 50 hours over a few days. The opamps should have 100-110 hours or so on them at this point. I have to say that the treble roll off is completely gone now. I could instantly detect a huge difference when I listened to music last night. This is now the treble I was hoping for. It is crisp, extended, detailed, smooth, and articulate. At this point, including the treble, these opamps completely destroy the LME49710HA metal cans I had in the I/V stage in the card. I have to say I am rather interested to get a pair of V6 Vivid Singles now in the future to replace the LME49170HA metal cans I have in the buffer stage.


----------



## DW75

Oh my, these V6 Vivid Dual opamps are really coming into their own. Once they hit that 100 hour mark, they have just continued to improve. Soundstage on these is just the best I have ever encountered. Indeed, just like it says on their website, soundstaging is very 3D in its presentation. The treble roll off I was experiencing when I reviewed them after 50 hours use is no longer an issue at all. The upper frequencies have really opened up now. I highly recommend these to people looking to step into high end opamps.


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## eemarko

Sorry guys, promised to write this sooner, but led a really busy lifestyle for past months and "didn't have time" 

Burson did a great job with packaging and it took exactly 14 days to arrive to Europe







Didn't know what to do with zip ties though, OpAmps already fitted really tight in my card.






Yes, I cleaned my box afterwards 






Because of my PC configuration I could only fit them in the lowest slot, right above power supply. I hope this is not too bad from interference standpoint?

 I put together some day-to-day notes in first 2 weeks about my "in the moment" experience with these amps burning in.
If you want to read it,  it's below:


Spoiler




As for the 1st day, sound was already more detailed,
but couldn't tell much difference coming from stock amps which came with this card.
Those must have burned in nicely, being used for more than half a year.


In 5th day: opamps went haywire. 
For some time, speech was unlistenable, almost like ultrasound. It made my ears bleed.


6th day: My ears got healed as highs became much softer and more enjoyable than they were previously.
I was able to hear someone talk again.


8th day: Still some occasional cancerous hissing at high-mids, but luckily less disturbing than before.


9th day: I could hear little details which I couldn't have left unnoticed before. 
What previous op-amps just weren't able to deliver. Wider, more defined soundstage..


12th day: A pleasant surprise. Even smoother and wider, yet more defined soundstage.
Even more (not silent either) details, which I couldn't have missed in songs before. 
 Enrique Iglesias ft Nadiya. Tired Of Being Sorry, completely transformed and
 David Bowie - Starman, uncovered some small details never heard before.
Although I've heard this song more than 10 times,
 I could now easily hear and separate bass guitar from acoustic playing at the same time.
Highs could still come along a bit too harsh, but much less frequent than week ago.



Couple of months later now, I can tell You from my experience, this is definitely a worth buy.
If you consider it as a long-time investement, 150$ is not that much if you're lucky enough to live in a first or second -world country and have a job.

Songs are more detailed than ever, soundstage is more open and positioned, bass is more punchy and smoother, yet more contained.
Take this with a grain of salt, but some songs seem to sound much different than before, though I could not tell what was missing then.
If you play PC games, in FPS shooter games you gain massively, as I could hear and position predictable enemies easier than ever before.

Of course you also need some good equipment to really benefit from this. Although my small Logitech 2.1 speaker setup cost more than 200€,
but unlike before, it cannot compete with good pair of Sennheiser's I now prefer to wield out more.

If you're still deciding whether Bursons is a worth upgrade, Go for this and you will never look back


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## raoultrifan

Hi, great modding. However, I would remove the spacers (additional DIP8 sockets) to allow a bit of the airflow.


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## eemarko (Dec 26, 2017)

raoultrifan said:


> Hi, great modding. However, I would remove the spacers (additional DIP8 sockets) to allow a bit of the airflow.


I could, but I'm afraid about that little capacitor guy, and that his leg may brake brake if I choose to do so..
No problems so far, so I guess temperature stays at acceptable level.
I will soon buy a new PC case and, if situation looks about same, extenders for amps as well 

Edit: Sound is still improving and it sounds AMAZING !!!!!!!1


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## DW75 (Jan 11, 2018)

Alright, I have received my V6 Vivid Singles now for the Buffer Stage on my Creative ZXR now. I have had the V6 Vivid Duals in the IV Stage for several weeks now. I have to say that everything I said previously with having the LME49710HA Metal Can opamps in the buffer stage with the Duals in the IV stage needs to be updated. Having the V6 Vivids everywhere in this sound card has completely changed the sound quality of this ZXR. I am in 100 percent complete shock here. I am only 5 hours in so far with the Singles and I am completely blown away. The detail retrieval and soundstage is just unbelievable with having the Vivids everywhere in the card. Sadly, I could not fit these in the card with the heatsinks on. My ZXR is the 3rd revision of the sound card, and has even tighter space between the buffer opamps. There is a cap right between the opamps, and it is just not going to allow the heatsinks to stay on with these opamps.I tried for 20 minutes to fit them in. There is just no way. They installed in the card without the heatsinks just fine. I was able to fit the duals in with the heatsinks no problem, but the singles will just not fit. After 100 hours use, I will put up an updated review. I am completely blown away at this point though. The sound quality of this card is totally transformed.


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## Audio Addict

I am not aware of heatsinks on the V6 Vivids.  Are you referring to the plastic cover with the grooves?  Maybe I am wrong but I thought they were a cosmetic cover to seal over their design.


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## newdoughboy

I have a feeling he's talking about the Shroud on the sound card


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## DW75 (Jan 11, 2018)

No, not the sound card shroud. Yes, the plastic covers on the opamps. I only got 2 hours sleep last night. I made a bit of an error in my description. They can't fit in the buffer stage with the plastic covers on. There is no way. I had to put the opamps in without the red covers. My sound card is the third revision that was made of the ZXR. On that card, the opamps in the buffer stage are a tiny bit closer together. There is a capacitor that sits between them. It is impossible to put the opamps in while leaving the plastic covers on. No big deal though.


----------



## raoultrifan

I know what you're saying, I needed to remove myself the plastic shell to fit 2 x SS V6 Classic in my Matrix HPA-3B headamp (voltage amp. stage) so I can close the case properly. 

I've tested both Classic and Vivid in my amp and need to say that details retrieval is huge with the Vivids. However, when pairing the amp with a detailed or brighten DAC or headphones you might need to try the Classics too. I find them pairing better with my Essence One DAC and K701 headphones. Also, scene seems to be increasing a bit and sound gets a bit more laid-back; at least for Jazz and Blues I find the Classics better for my taste.


----------



## DW75

With my K712 Pro, I am getting a very impressive experience. This headphone already has a great soundstage, and nice detail retrieval. These opamps are just offering an even better experience when paired with this headphone. I am quite impressed.


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## DW75 (Jan 12, 2018)

I have to say that the sound quality change I am experiencing is drastic. I previously had LME49710HA metal can opamps in the IV stage, and buffer stage in my card. I was then sent two of the V6 Vivid Duals by Charles to put in the IV stage of the card for my honest review a couple pages back. The difference in sound quality was noticeable, as expected. However, now that I have taken out the other LME49710HA metal can opamps that I had in the buffer stage, and replaced them with the V6 Vivid Singles that I received the other day, I am amazed. Detail retrieval and treble extension are just awesome. Everything is just so bloody crisp, revealing and smooth. There is immense air and detail, yet there is not a hint of harshness or grain at all. Soundstage has huge depth and everything is nice and spacious. Instruments are forward and accurately presented. If I am getting this experience after only 10 hours, I can't wait to see what I am going to experience at 100 hours. My V6 Vivid Duals probably have 150-200 hours on them at this point. I am trying to get these V6 Vivid Singles burned in as quick as possible to do an updated review. I am extremely impressed. These completely destroy the LME49710HA metal cans I was previously using in the card.


----------



## mikaelmark

DW75 said:


> No, not the sound card shroud. Yes, the plastic covers on the opamps. I only got 2 hours sleep last night. I made a bit of an error in my description. They can't fit in the buffer stage with the plastic covers on. There is no way. I had to put the opamps in without the red covers. My sound card is the third revision that was made of the ZXR. On that card, the opamps in the buffer stage are a tiny bit closer together. There is a capacitor that sits between them. It is impossible to put the opamps in while leaving the plastic covers on. No big deal though.


I also had problems getting the V6 Vivid dual fitting with the red case at the PCB, so my solutions was to use a raps and a sharp knife to remove some of the plastic near to a capacitor.

And I do not think either the red or orange plastic cover/shell is used as a heat shrink, and I also do not believe it´s so good for shielding as most shielding are made of some metals, such as aluminum or copper. I think the main purpose of it are to make the Opamp look nice and maybe also it will avoid some dust to stick on the it, and also Burson will be shure no one will mod or use an solder iron, as that will this will lost the warranty. The downside with the plastic cover are it will make it go more hot and it will need more space - but luckily it will now have open holes at the top,  so it will not get as warm as the V5.


----------



## Oscar-HiFi

mikaelmark said:


> I also had problems getting the V6 Vivid dual fitting with the red case at the PCB, so my solutions was to use a raps and a sharp knife to remove some of the plastic near to a capacitor.
> 
> And I do not think either the red or orange plastic cover/shell is used as a heat shrink, and I also do not believe it´s so good for shielding as most shielding are made of some metals, such as aluminum or copper. I think the main purpose of it are to make the Opamp look nice and maybe also it will avoid some dust to stick on the it, and also Burson will be shure no one will mod or use an solder iron, as that will this will lost the warranty. The downside with the plastic cover are it will make it go more hot and it will need more space - but luckily it will now have open holes at the top,  so it will not get as warm as the V5.



The outer casing also shows which way round they should be installed, as there is no indication on the pins which way round they should be installed (unless you leave the DIP socket on them). To install in the Burson Play you have to remove the DIP socket otherwise they are too tall.


----------



## snellemin

I posted my small review of the Classics here.
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/burson-audio-supreme-sound-opamp-v6-vivid.22718/reviews


----------



## olymind1 (Mar 11, 2018)

First of all many thanks to Charles for reaching out and providing me a free sample of a Burson V6 Vivid Dual opamp.

I'm using an Auzentech X-Fi Prelude 7.1 soundcard which uses AKM AK4396VF DACs. The Burson opamp replaced the soundcard's default LM4562NA. My computer has a Seasonic M12II-520 EVO for power supply.







































I'm using an Edifier R1900TII 2.0 for speakers and foobar2000 for audio player using ASIO. My soundcard is set to Audio Creation Mode with Bit-Matched Playback mode enabled.

Initial impressions: goood.
Even out of box, without any burn-in, this opamp sounds better than the LM4562. It doesn't have that slight metalic sounding piercing highs, it's smooth yet very detailed, like something has calmed down inside my speaker. Sometimes it almost sounds like there are more instruments on the tracks but weren't before. For example there is an Evanescence song with a small crackling sound with the LM4562, but with the Burson it tured out to be a sound of a string. In The Rolling Stones - She’s A Rainbow the trumpets are more prominent or better seperated. At first i thought that my speakers are a little bass shy, maybe they are too, but with the Burson there is a little bit more bass now, a few additional decibel below 100Hz adds more body to it, but until it's fully burned in i'll use it flat. The mids were layed back too on the LM4562, or rather it was high focused, maybe overly so, human speech now sounds more forward.

Apocalyptica, Murray Gold, Clint Mansell, Star Wars themes, and bunch of other music likes this opamp.

Never thought these speakers can sound this good, at the same time i don't want to wonder how the Burson V6 Vivid could perform on more pricey / quality speakers.

How should i say, it's easier to listening to songs and to spot different musical instruments, layers of the music. It's definite step up from the LM4562, and it barely got out of its box, can't wait to see/hear what it's truly capable, it's definitely gonna be awesome! For now i'm really content with it!

By the way, is there any mod which can make it sound even better?



*Update 2018.03.11:* So... almost 2 months later and at least 200 hours of playback. Time to add some more stuff to this writing. There was a time period when i didn't like the sound of this opamp probably due to its burned in, like it scratched my ears / brain, slight exaggeration of course  I was listening to music, watch same movie, animes, tv series and played games.

It's no doubt that this opamp excels in detail of humans' voices. It comes in very handy in movies and tv series when there is a lot of speech. And it makes the singers' voices more detailed more textured.

So here are a few of my observations:

Roxette - How do you do --- Sounds really good, especially the male singer has who cool relaxing voice, can even hear when he breaths in air, more detail, definietly an improvement. Naturally all songs sounds better.

Sunrise Avenue --- The same exact same thing can be said about this band as observed in Roxette's songs: the singers have a very similiar soothing voices, easy to listen to it.

Faithless - We come one --- like the effects' seperation here.

Disturbed - The Sound Of Silence --- the singer's voice excells again. Piano keys and guitar strings also sound really good.

Apocalyptica --- All of these tracks sounds really good with this opamp, different kind of string instruments seperated and positioned nicely.

Simon & Garfunkel - The Sound Of Silence --- Getailed trembling voices, simply just enjoying the music

The Rolling Stones - She’s A Rainbow --- Guitar, violin, trumpet, piano, ulala-ulalala, happy smile from ear to ear  

In This Moment --- Voices are much clearer, easier to hear what she sang, though english is not my primary language. Guitars are more distinguishable and prominent. Even the shrieks are more detailed. 

I think that's it for now, later i will probably extend this post further with a few songs and bands. Though I'm not a musician so can't really express myself that very well in musical terms but it's no doubt an upgrade from the integrated opamps. Lots of small details come forward so to speak. It is true what others said, you can hear things what was hidden before even on the LM4562. The biggest improvement are the voices and mid range, it's a very clear sounding opamp with lots of detail in everwhere. It adds more bass too. 

I can really recommend it anyone who can afford it. I don't think anyone will be disappointed with this. Like others mentioned it, it requires some time to improve and bigger space then the small integrated ones.

Thanks goes again to Charles from Burson Audio!


----------



## DW75

You want to burn these opamps in for 100 hours. The sound of these will continue to develop over that time period. Once you hit about 80 hours and beyond, things really begin to improve.


----------



## raoultrifan

olymind1 said:


> [...]
> 
> By the way, is there any mod which can make it sound even better?



Hello,

You could probably try adding a cap between V+ & GND and between V- and GND too, like Burson suggests here: https://www.bursonaudio.com/burson-ss-opamp-101-part-1-mkp-cap-tweak. However, this could help only if your soundcard's power regulators are not resolving the ripple and noise very well (it could be the case for you, don't know).

You could also try the V6 Classic too; it could sound a bit more natural when paired with bright headphones. Instead, Vivids could pair better with less resolving headphones; however, YMMV.


----------



## mikaelmark

raoultrifan said:


> Hello,
> 
> You could probably try adding a cap between V+ & GND and between V- and GND too, like Burson suggests here: https://www.bursonaudio.com/burson-ss-opamp-101-part-1-mkp-cap-tweak. However, this could help only if your soundcard's power regulators are not resolving the ripple and noise very well (it could be the case for you, don't know).
> 
> You could also try the V6 Classic too; it could sound a bit more natural when paired with bright headphones. Instead, Vivids could pair better with less resolving headphones; however, YMMV.


When I was earlier using Texas Instruments THS4032 and THS4031, I used this mod as this OpAmp may oscillate otherwise. But for Burson V6, I asked Burson customer support about this mod, and he tell me the improvement should be none or very slightly. I think this mod. link refers to earlier Burson OpAmps, such as V4 - as it´s quite old.

I also asked the possibility to run the V6 in Class A, using two resistors at about 4 kOhm, and he recommended me not to do that, due to the risk of overheating.


----------



## newdoughboy

Here's my finding on using the V6Vivids and V6Classics in the Burson Play

For the Burson Play review, see here
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/burson-play.22702/reviews

Taylor Swift - Enchanted

V6V

Very analytical, the instrument separation is very good, and detail is incredible. Very 3 dimensional. It does in a way make all the parts a little distracting.


V6V Duals and V6C Singles

Right away I noticed the detailed guitar notes are pulled back to let the vocals shine. Just a better presentation. Somehow the volume is quieter than all V6Vs.


V6C Duals and V6V Singles

The better matchup with very good detail and intimate vocals. Similar detail, witch a more cohesive presentation.


V6C

Lacking a little detail, good vocals with absolutely no fatigue. Soundstage is still good.


The Cranberries - Ode to My Family

V6V

Most detail to instruments. Percussion detail is just mesmerizing. Hard to just enjoy the music

V6V Duals and V6C Singles

More bass than all V6C

V6C Duals and V6V Singles

Gives more details and energy to guitar. Opens up the soundstage. Vocal layering more noticeable. Slightly louder. Vocal more fatiguing than all V6C

V6C

Very intimate vocals, with good guitar accompaniment. Warmer presentation. Smokey lounge feel.



Massive Attack - Angel

V6V

Deep and powerful bass, Piercing details.

V6V Duals and V6C Singles

Slightly less powerful bass than all V6V.

V6C Duals and V6V Singles

Good details, warms it just enough to soften the parts that would cause listening fatigue

V6C

Just a veil that removes too much energy from the music.


From the above 3 songs, I have determined that I definitely want the V6V singles in my Burson Play. I also decided that I don’t want All V6V or V6C, I’m going to try to find the best combination.


Next, I listened to a few songs to determine which duals I will use.


After introducing Modest Mouse - Float On, and The Killers - Somebody Told Me into the rotation; I began to see whether I want the V6V in I/V Stage and V6C in LP Stage, or Vice Versa. So my conclusion is that I prefer the V6C in IV Stage and V6V in LP Stage. I love detail, but with All V6V Duals, it is just a little too harsh in comparison. So with the V6C in I/V Stage, I get all the details while rounding out the highs to enable longer listening sessions.


----------



## Onik

Where can I find V6 single and dual pins details??


----------



## raoultrifan

https://www.bursonaudio.com/products/supreme-sound-opamp-v6/ - details about SS V6 opamps.
https://www.bursonaudio.com/burson-ss-opamp-101-part-1-mkp-cap-tweak/ - details about their pinout (single vs. double).


----------



## Onik

raoultrifan said:


> https://www.bursonaudio.com/products/supreme-sound-opamp-v6/ - details about SS V6 opamps.
> https://www.bursonaudio.com/burson-ss-opamp-101-part-1-mkp-cap-tweak/ - details about their pinout (single vs. double).



This pictute still confuse me, for V6 Single pin 4 is V- and pin 7 is +V am I right??


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## DW75 (Jan 24, 2018)

Alright, first off I want to thank Charles once again for the V6 Vivid samples. This is an update to my previous review of the V6 Vivid Duals. I now have the V6 Vivid Duals in the IV stage of my Creative ZXR, and I have now received the V6 Vivid singles to use in the buffer stage of my sound card as well. Originally, I was sent only the Duals. The singles now have over 100 hours use on them at this point, so this will definitely be a realistic review after waiting for the burn in period to take place. Everything I stated in my previous review regarding the treble when using the LME49710HA metal cans in the buffer with the V6 Vivid Duals is no longer valid. This is now the sound quality upgrade I was expecting for this sound card.

Packaging:

The V6 Vivid Singles come in the same plastic case as the Duals. They are sitting with foam surrounding them, and are firmly seated. There is no way of them being damaged in shipping. They are well protected.

Build Quality:

These are very nice opamps. The build quality is fantastic. The fact that SS-Audio offers a lifetime warranty as well ensures that the buyer is protected in case of any defects or issues.

Equipment used:

Creative ZXR sound card with V6 Vivid Singles in the buffer stage, and V6 Vivid Duals in the I/V stage. I originally was using LME49710HA opamps in both the buffer and I/V. Connected to the RCA outs on the sound card I am using my M-Stage HPA-2 headphone amp. The headphones connected are the AKG K712 Pro. Note that I do not use any sound card effects. I do not use SBX Studio. I do not use Crystal Voice, and I do not use the sound card EQ. This is just a straight up 24bit/192000hz device for me. I have no interest in using any of the gimmicks that Creative offers in their drivers.

Installation:

Installation of the Duals in the I/V stage was very straight forward as expected. However, it should be noted that the two opamp plastic covers are touching each other, due to size. They are also touching the surrounding capacitors. This results in having to slightly bend the caps to the side to be able to fit the opamps in. I would suggest to anyone interested in doing this upgrade, to just be careful. It works best to just bend the caps a bit to the side to make room before actually installing the opamps. As long as the user is careful, this causes no issue. Now, regarding the buffer stage, it was literally impossible to install these opamps with the plastic covers on them. It did not matter how much effort in bending caps was done. My ZXR card is the third revision of this sound card. On this revision, there is a cap between the two opamp sockets, but there is also even less space available than version 1 or 2 of this card. No matter what a person does, you are looking at the opamp plastic casing being 2-3 millimeters too big, and both come in direct contact with the top of the capacitor that sits between them. The only way to install in the buffer stage was to remove the plastic covers. This is no problem though, and everyone works without issue.

Sound Quality:

I must have about 300 use on the V6 Vivid Duals by now. I am probably at 110-120 hours on the Singles. I think that with all the opamps having over 100 hours use at this point, that this review will be fair. The V6 Vivid opamps have a very lively sound. I am a fan of neutral and detailed sound signatures with tight bass impact, and this opamp offers the exact type of sound signature I like.

Now, lets start off with the bass. The bass is tight, defined, detailed, and impactful. It extends right down to the sub bass region. There is no bloat, boom, or any muddy nature to it at all. In fact, this is the best sounding bass I have ever heard from any opamp I have tried. I thought the LME49710HA had a great sounding bass, and it does. However, this is on another level entirely. When I first tried the V6 Vivids, I was rather shocked at the deep impact and extension they offer. Kick drums in music are so tight and defined. It really gives music a toe tapping character, and makes you want to keep listening. It is very accurate and quick, with lightning fast decay.

In terms of the midrange, the V6 Vivid absolutely excels. Everything sounds lush with gorgeous imaging. Instruments are well presented. Vocals are up front, just in front of everything else in the mix. In fact, vocals sound just brilliant on the V6 Vivid. There is just such a smoothness to voices. There is definitely a slightly laid back character to the 3khz region happening with this opamp. This ends up adding just a hint of warmth to the sound character. The V6 Vivid has a very speaker like sound. It reminds me greatly of being in a room with a high quality pair of loudspeakers. This is a very detailed sounding opamp, but it presents the music without any hint of fatigue. Little details in music that are not presented with the LME49710HA make themself fully known on the V6. Soundstage is wide and realistic. Instruments are completely separated, and everything is nice and spacious sounding. There is plenty of depth, and everything is cohesive and focused. Piano sounds very impressive and true to the recording. This is another area that the LME49710HA also excels in, but the V6 Vivid is once again a huge step above. Electric guitar, piano, keyboards, and any other instrument sounds just right. There is an amazingly cohesive character to everything. There is no harshness or grain to any frequency on these opamps at all. Just as it was with the bass, the mids, vocals, and soundstage on the V6 Vivid are also the best I have encountered. It offers such a musical sound.

Now, regarding the treble. Wow, it is stunning to say the least. I have to say that to my ears, the V6 Vivid certainly has an articulate and clean treble response. There is no distortion, grain, harshness, or any sibilant nature to it. This opamp is all about detail retrieval. It wants to recover every possible element within the recording, but do so without creating any level of sibilance. The LME49710HA also has a clean treble response, but the V6 Vivid is just more refined with more retrieval of micro details. Everything is very smooth with a great sense of air. This opamp is capable of presenting a satisfying treble response even at lower volume levels. This is not easy to accomplish. If a person hears any harshness to the upper frequencies on this opamp, it is only going to be caused by a headphone itself being super bright, or the music being played is horrendously mastered.

These are awesome opamps. They have a wonderful and musical sound to them. I definitely recommend them to people looking to step up to audiophile grade opamps.

Thanks once again to Charles at SS-Audio for the opportunity to test these out. I really appreciate it.


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## DJ XtAzY (Jan 30, 2018)

Ugh I also have the ZXR card and debating if I should swap everything with the Bursons V6 Vivid, or just get the Burson Play. I know the swapping route is a cheaper option, but still, make me wonder how it'll sound from a product built entirely by Burson. Anyone have comparisons between the ZXR  + V6V and Burson Play V6V?


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## newdoughboy

I have a feeling it'll be a major Improvement going to the Burson play. It is going to be quite a lot of extra money, but from an audio quality point of view it is a very where the upgrade for your dollar.


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## Onik (Jan 31, 2018)

Final Review is coming!


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## newdoughboy

Cool. The apple logo threw me off


----------



## Voxata

The Play! is definitely worth it though


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## newdoughboy

I can't agree enough. Haven't heard anyone downright rejecting it.


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## Onik

Thank you guys!


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## Onik (Feb 24, 2018)

*Final Review V6 Vivid*

My Dream Came True!! Thank You again Mr Charles from SS Audio for sending me the Vivid Duals.


After having the Complete Set of Vivid V6  I decided to install them on my SB ZXR!

I decided not to test the Vivids with 12uf ZXR Film Cap D.C. Mod(Germanium's Mod) so I did desolder them before installing the V6 Vivids on my Card.

*First Impression!*

Sorry to say but first few Hours the sound that was coming to my ear from my Z906 front speakers wasn't really sweet like I was expecting. It sounded like muddy and maybe sounded even worse than my default OP AMPS of ZxR. But I wasn't really shocked about it because I know very well that any Brand New OP AMPS(even IC's) never sound really good just after installing them,it needs time for the burn-in process to complete to reach their maximum performance Level.

So After waiting for like 2 months I decided to write this review.

Btw This Test was done without using any EQ or Any SBX effects.



and used foobar 2000 with Asio mode.


Now lets talk about what I did hear after burning the *4 Sexy Bitches *for *100+ hours.*

Genre of Music I used for the test: Hip Hop,Trip Hop, POP, EDM, Rock, Instrumental, Metal and Jazz.

*Glassjaw: Material Control 2017 (FLAC): *First Song New White Extremity told me what exactly the V6 Complete Package can do, with boring Z906 Speakers I wasn't really expecting such *Crystal Clean and Energetic Sound!*

*Bonnie Pink: Heaven's Kitchen: Its gonna Rain:* sounded like a complete new track to me, compare to default OP AMPS of ZXR the sound with Vivids are more *Natural, *instruments separations on this track was excellent.

*Prince Of Persia WW: Soundtrack*

Luckily Youtube was there to find all my important childhood Soundtracks. The Instrumental track of this game was all in my memory so I decided to compare the tracks side by side with My SB X7( default Op Amps) so I can hear and understand the changes in sound, I found with V6 Vivids it sounded Warm and not really muddy, and also there were some instruments which didn't notice with SB X7( default Op Amps) but it was noticeable after using EQ on X7,, but on ZXR with V6 Vivids without using EQ I was able to hear them without trying to hear them, I was really impressed with this soundtracks. 


I also bought AKG K612 for testing the sound.


The Reason I bought the AKG K612 because I couldn't really understand the real sound Signature that V6 Vivids Complete Package Produce while using Logitech Z906.

I bought the K612Pro from Amazon just for 95£ and and it is probably one of the well known Neutral  Sounding Signature Audiophile Headphones imo so I bought it.

*ZXR(V6 Vivids) VS SB X7(default OP AMPS)and  Impression With K612:*

Before writing this review I felt like I am going to diss all the SB X7 Users but I can't do that because I own one too LOL.

At First I decided plug-in K612 to my SB X7 and then I started to listen to my Favourite Artist.

the song "Ever" by "Team Sleep"  with K612 was real surprising track I never knew that SB X7(default OP AMPS) can sound so good without any OP-AMP upgrades, on that time I felt like that upgrading OP AMPs is pointless all you need is a pair of Audiophile Headphones.


But my Opinion changed as soon I switched To ZXR (V6 Vivids)

OMG the sound is more like Im in the studio and instruments are playing live Vocal sounded like "Chino Moreno" the "Singer" is right in front of me, and the beats for this track was playing genuinely. I also did a Test with the Live version of this track: 

If only My English was really good I could really describe more words about this song but all I can say it sounded *Truly Amazing, Beautiful and Lively* with V6 Vivids!

also classic track from Ms Madonna:

All my Childhood songs sounded like *new!* the *Bass* and *Treble* was *purely Balanced.*

Its easy to say that SB X7(default op amps) sounds SH#$ compare to ZXR( Vivids) but it will be unfair to say bad things about it, compare to ZXR(vivids) with this DAC the *Instruments and Beats sounded artificial *but it didn't sound really unpleasant compare to my Soundcard, but X7(stock Op Amps) really Lack the *Lively sound signature* of ZXR(V6 Vivids).

I wouldn't able to tell the difference if it wasn't for Discrete V6 OP-AMPS. People who say that their DAC produce the best sound without any upgrades (which is wrong!) will forever think that they have the best sounding system unless they upgrade their OP-AMPS on their system.

To describe the sound I decided to take some notes while changing the output devices on Foobar 2000 from ASIO SBZxR to SB X7 _*simulatinously* _while listening to Same Songs so I know the changes.


And Yes its not a Lie the V6 Vivids really shines on my Soundcard ZXR!


after the Test without any cap mod I soldered again my 12uf Caps at the back of the card and also bypassed the V6 Vivids by using Wima 0.1uf MKP10 capacitors.

After adding the bypass capacitor it Looks a bit Ugly but do the job 


I Placed the 7 Fim CAPS inside my empty WD enclosure, and used some Electrical Wires.


Now I think I have the best Audiophile like sounding system inside my Beast.

*Final Thought about Vivid V6 complete Package:*

_*Pros:* _

*Sweet and Analog Sound*
*Soundstage*
*Crystal Clean*
*Natural*
*Warm*
*Lively and Energetic Sound*
*Looks cooler than boring IC OP AMPS.*

_*Cons:*_

*Does not fit easily on every systems.*
*Burn-in time(depends on usage)*
*Pricey(for some People)*
*Need to have decent Speakers/Headphones to reveal the sound.*
*Can't think of anything else.*
 
_*My Piece of Advice to People who got extra money to spend should try this OP-Amps and let them burn-in for at least 1 months and compare V6 Vivids with your current system and decide by yourself what type of sound you prefer, they might not magically sound good even after 1 months(depends on how often you listen to music on your system), but they will surprise you once the V6 Vivids burning process is 100% complete. *_

_This was my Final Review for SS V6 Vivid Complete Package.

Thank you again Mr Charles for giving another Opportunity to write this Review!__
_


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## mikaelmark (Feb 10, 2018)

Onik said:


> *Final Review V6 Vivid
> *
> My Dream Came True!! Thank You again Mr Charles from SS Audio for sending me the Vivid Duals.
> 
> ...


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## newdoughboy

Nice write up. I was fortunate enough to observe the same thing 8 years ago. That's what really kicked off my audio addiction. Needless to say, I went from spending $2-500 per component to 500-2000 per component now...

Dangerous passion this is.


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## Onik (Dec 10, 2018)

The purpose of the MKP bypass caps was to reduce the high frequency noise or feedback, so the V6 performs smoothly on ZXR.
Yes it does have have some positive effects, now I no longer have the harsh feeling to the sound listening to e.g heavy metal type music.


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## Onik

newdoughboy said:


> Nice write up. I was fortunate enough to observe the same thing 8 years ago. That's what really kicked off my audio addiction. Needless to say, I went from spending $2-500 per component to 500-2000 per component now...
> 
> Dangerous passion this is.



You are not the only one there are still many Audiophiles who are not into DIY stuff like me, and would like to spend more than their monthly income


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## newdoughboy

I played with DIY with Bravo Audio Ocean, upgraded the tube, caps, and mosfet. Issue came when I tried the last mod of soldering the mosfets. The brass ring inside the circuit board came out, and I basically lost $150ish worth of investment. Good learning experience...

Now I get professionals to do the delicate stuff. This way, I won't be out several hundreds of dollars because of my mistake. Lots of audio devices uses IC opamps, but they are soldered on, so I get Partsconnexion to remove the opamps and add in dips so I can put Burson discrete opamps in.

You can usually find people modding, and it's a great way knowing your sound is unique and much better than stock.


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## mikaelmark

Telling the following from my own knowledge and experience, as I since 10 year have soldering certificate for industrial/military use: First, if you´re meticulous, you should be aware if the original pcb are soldered with RoHS -solder (Restriction of Hazardous Substances - in shortly; unleaded solder). Most consumer equipment made after 2010 - 2012 are RoHS certified, and this a bit more tricky to solder - especially to unsolder. You should not mix RoHS solder with leaded solder, even that nothing serious bad thing will happens. Just have in mind RoHS solder will need more and longer heat from the solder iron.

When you want to unsolder a component for replacement, you should have a good solder iron (if you do not own an unsolder blower - but not many people do), a big unsolder vacuum pump, unsolder wick and a tweezer. Those tools are not very expensive, and well worth the investments if you´re a serious modder!
When you then want to solder, just hold the solder iron to both the component pin and the metall ring surrounding the VIA-hole around the pin - then apply the solder to the metal ring and the component pin and never only to the soldering iron, as that will generate a cold soldering and will more than likely loose it´s connection after a few year. You should apply just so much solder so the ring will be filled with solder - if you use too much so you will not see the component pin, you can remove it with the vacuum pump or wolder wick and then start over with that soldering. Just hold the solder iron enough time to letting the solder melting and it will fload out nice. If holder solder iron too long, the solder will start to bubble and that´s not good as oxygen will get inside the solder and icreasing the risk for future corrosion/oxidation inside the solder. Also remember to not pushing the solder iron with too much force and not rub it against the metal ring (this is also true when using unsolder wick) - all those three things will also increase the risk for pcb damage.

If you however had minchance/bad luck, so the metal ring inside the pcb will release but still hanging in the conductor, you may still gonna put it down gently in it´s place and resolder the component to it - if you´re meticulous, you can then paint it with some pcb paint, so no air (oxygen) will reach the bare metal. If your really unlucky, so the pcb conductor will release from the metal ring around teh VIA-hole, but you may not have to give up yet - there´s still a change you can save it by solder some thin copper wire either to the conductor by rubbing of the paint where it´s undamaged, or you can solder the wire directly to another solder joint (you can use a DVM, Digital Volt Meter set to Ohm to measure resistance to be sure to choose a correct solder joint).

If you´re not so experienced, you can apply some flux, both to unsolder and solder - as this will make the solder flow easier and fill the surface. As I told earlier in this post, you should not apply the solder directly to the solder iron - this will vaporize the flux inside the solder (exemption is just a small amount firstly, so you will get more heat connection).

Also remember; Many unexperienced people think more solder to the solder joing will be better, but this is not true - a good solder joint should be concave when looking from the side, not as a round ball. There´s also three classification degrees for solder, where the highest requirement is for military and medical use, and the lowest requirement is for consumer equipment. 







Here´s a link with more information:

https://www.rctech.net/forum/radio-electronics/336870-how-solder-correctly-not-so-brief-lesson.html


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## Onik

mikaelmark said:


> Telling the following from my own knowledge and experience, as I since 10 year have soldering certificate for industrial/military use: First, if you´re meticulous, you should be aware if the original pcb are soldered with RoHS -solder (Restriction of Hazardous Substances - in shortly; unleaded solder). Most consumer equipment made after 2010 - 2012 are RoHS certified, and this a bit more tricky to solder - especially to unsolder. You should not mix RoHS solder with leaded solder, even that nothing serious bad thing will happens. Just have in mind RoHS solder will need more and longer heat from the solder iron.
> 
> When you want to unsolder a component for replacement, you should have a good solder iron (if you do not own an unsolder blower - but not many people do), a big unsolder vacuum pump, unsolder wick and a tweezer. Those tools are not very expensive, and well worth the investments if you´re a serious modder!
> When you then want to solder, just hold the solder iron to both the component pin and the metall ring surrounding the VIA-hole around the pin - then apply the solder to the metal ring and the component pin and never only to the soldering iron, as that will generate a cold soldering and will more than likely loose it´s connection after a few year. You should apply just so much solder so the ring will be filled with solder - if you use too much so you will not see the component pin, you can remove it with the vacuum pump or wolder wick and then start over with that soldering. Just hold the solder iron enough time to letting the solder melting and it will fload out nice. If holder solder iron too long, the solder will start to bubble and that´s not good as oxygen will get inside the solder and icreasing the risk for future corrosion/oxidation inside the solder. Also remember to not pushing the solder iron with too much force and not rub it against the metal ring (this is also true when using unsolder wick) - all those three things will also increase the risk for pcb damage.
> ...



Many Thanks for your Advice, I am not an Electrician but I do soldering only if its necessary, to tell you the truth I am not good at soldering and I don't enjoy it either but unfortunately for Electronics DIY stuff I had to have some soldering skills. atm I have this Soldering station: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-...388477&hash=item1c8717e5d0:g:NwQAAOSww-BaauyZ  its not the best but do the job quickly. I decided to practice and learn more about soldering, then I will desolder all the stock Caps on my ZXR and replace them with some high quality caps like this guy did: https://www.bursonaudio.com/sound-blaster-zxr/


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## newdoughboy

That is extremely useful information for any DIYer. I learned the basics when working in a production environment soldering power chords to brand new water pumps. Soldering pcbs are a much harder affair. You need the right tip. The right tools as you've described which I did not have at the time. And of course the skilled. Most people don't practice What you have described. They practice on actual components they're working on.


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## bcschmerker4

@mikaelmark *Thanks for a general clarification.*  I've done a fair amount of soldering on projects, and ye need much caution on an RoHS board - the solder is an alloy of silver, tin, and antimony, which has a considerably higher melt temperature than the tin-lead solders of old.


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## Onik (Feb 14, 2018)

Not only on my Soundcard ZXR , V6 Vivids also shines on my SB X7. Maybe I am the first guy ever who tried this op amps on this DAC.


compare to my ZXR( with Cap mod) SB X7 with V6 Vivids sounds now Natural, and Organic, and also have the Richness to the sound and the Lively feelings while listening to certain songs but SB X7 still don't have the exact same level of sound that my ZXR(with cap mod) offer.

But the airy vibe is still there.

Imo V6 Vivids are some unique op amps, because it doesn't really surprise at the beginning but after a while it really turn into a device that produces sweet and enjoyable sound.

I really wish V6 Vivids weren't so big, then I could easily fit them in my SB X7 but in life wishes don't always come true ; (

Yes Bursons op amps are really something new to me and I must say that all Audiophiles should try them.


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## Filodream (Feb 19, 2018)

Onik said:


> Not only on my Soundcard ZXR , V6 Vivids also shines on my SB X7. .....
> 
> *I really wish V6 Vivids weren't so big, then I could easily fit them in my SB X7 but in life wishes don't always come true ; (*
> 
> Yes Bursons op amps are really something new to me and I must say that all Audiophiles should try them.



Hi dear Onik,
I bought the opamps V6 Vivid for my creative x7 limited edition just yesterday and they will be delivered to me within the week.
What changes did you have to make to mount them? I was hoping to be able to fit them without problems ...


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## Onik

Filodream said:


> Hi dear Onik,
> I bought the opamps V6 Vivid for my creative x7 limited edition just yesterday and they will be delivered to me within the week.
> What changes did you have to make to mount them? I was hoping to be able to fit them without problems ...




I did not make any changes I just removed them from my ZXR and Plugged them in SB X7, you can ignore the MKP CAPS you don't really need them for SB X7.

The big problem with Vivids are they are way too big to fit inside, if you really want to use them forever with X7 then I suggest you to buy/make some OP AMPS adapter extenders like this:

Then you might need to store the Vivids to a box and then put the SB X7 on top, I'm now planning to do this.


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## bcschmerker4

Onik said:


> I did not make any changes I just removed them from my ZXR and Plugged them in SB X7, you can ignore the MKP CAPS you don't really need them for SB X7.
> 
> The big problem with Vivids are they are way too big to fit inside, if you really want to use them forever with X7 then I suggest you to buy/make some OP AMPS adapter extenders like this:
> 
> Then you might need to store the Vivids to a box and then put the SB X7 on top, I'm now planning to do this.


*I knew about the overvolume.*  Thus my contingency plan for dual V5i's, which are based on a custom monolithic transistor array.  If Burson can top itself with a V6i, so much the better, but the V5i's the best existing I-V op amp (as of February 2018) that I can shoehorn under the RFI shield on my ASUS® XONAR® STX™.  The V6's will shine on discrete stereo components, which have plenty of air above the main circuit boards - not so easy to fit into a desktop computer with all those other option cards.


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## olymind1

Onik said:


> The purpose of the MKP bypass caps was to reduce the high frequency noise or feedback, so the V6 performs smoothly on ZXR.
> Yes it does have have some positive effects, now I now longer have the harsh feeling to the sound listening to e.g heavy metal type music.




What kind of caps did you use exactly?


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## Onik

olymind1 said:


> What kind of caps did you use exactly?


I used MKP10 0.1uF bought from this guy: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5-X-MKP1...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649


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## olymind1 (Feb 21, 2018)

Onik said:


> I used MKP10 0.1uF bought from this guy: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5-X-MKP10-0-1uF-100nF-250V-Polypropylene-Capacitors-pitch-15mm/182225971024?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649



Thanks!

Does it matter how many volts it was designed for? I saw WIMA MKP10 from 100V to 250V and 630V too. 

Is there any higher quality MKP caps than WIMA or is it good enough? WIMAs seems rather cheap. Just asking.

Someone from the V5 topic used Elna Silmic II 10uf 35V for decoupling. Is it a good alternative too?

Do i understand correctly: the higher the condensator's capacity the smoother the HF is gonna be? That's why Burson recommends between 10nf and 100nf and not just one specific value?


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## raoultrifan

100V should be just fine. However, I wrote some good stuff about decoupling here and here. I'll probably aggregate both posts here too, for a better visibility and understanding.

[...] a very good explanation could be found here: http://www.seattlerobotics.org/encoder/jun97/basics.html. I'm also quoting some text from the above article, for a better understanding:



 
_"The frequency of the ripple can have a role in choosing the capacitor value. Rule of thumb is the higher the frequency, the smaller the bypass capacitor you need. If you have very high frequency components in your circuit, you might consider a pair of capacitors in parallel. One with a large value, one with a small value. If you have very complex ripple, you may need to add several bypass capacitors. Each cap is targeting a slightly different frequency. You may even need to add a larger electrolytic cap in case the amplitude of the lower frequencies is too great. For example, the circuit on the right is using three different capacitor values in parallel. Each will respond better to different frequencies. The 4.7uF cap (C4) is used to catch larger voltage dips which are at relatively low frequencies. The cap C2 should be able to handle the midrange frequencies, and C3 will handle the higher frequencies. The frequency response of the capacitors is determined by their internal resistance and inductance."_

The bypass/decoupling caps are not in the audio signal path and should have no influence on the final output sound, well...at least if op-amps are not oscillating and PCB and it's ground plane are well designed and also the power supply is free of noise & ripple (only a scope will tell us that, not our own ears!). The decoupling caps are used so the op-amps to receive a less-noisier and ripple-free power and not to improve the audio performance in any ways, well...unless the power supply is really crappy and the capacitors used for decoupling could do improvements indeed (though, usually the design needs to get changed if PSU's ripple is too high). So all it matters for the decoupling would be the lowest ESR possible and the best ripple rejection capacitors and a tantalum cap in parallel with a ceramic would make a very good example for decoupling a high-speed op-amp. Tantalums have lower ESR than regular electrolytics and much better ripple rejection combined with a higher in-rush current.

A really good reading about decoupling here: http://www.analog.com/media/en/training-seminars/tutorials/MT-101.pdf.

Some good stuff to read about tantalums here:

https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-differences-between-electrolytic-tantalum-and-ceramic-capacitors
https://www.illinoiscapacitor.com/pdf/Papers/comparison_surface_mount_aluminum.pdf (last page)
https://www.techwalla.com/articles/the-difference-between-electrolytic-tantalum-capacitors

https://www.engineersedge.com/instrumentation/tantalum_capacitors.htm

Usually, if an op-amp is not getting stabilised with a regular 10uF electrolytic or with a 1uF tantalum (with a 0.01-0.1 non-polarised cap in parallel), then the design or the op-amp itself needs to get changed. Adding 100uF or more for decoupling could help when length of the PCB power rails from PSU till op-amps are huge and routed across many active electronic devices (DC-DC buck converters, ARM chips etc.), but adding very big caps for decoupling op-amps it's just not a best practice and if design and implementation are good enough then these big decoupling caps should not get the sound changed in any way. However, a simple oscilloscope should prove this with ease, so feel free to give it a try.

P.S.: I've seen this with my scope and it has been proved for several times in audiophile and audio-electronics websites that the power supply noise is getting injected into the final output sound and this is a proven truth, so I'm aware that a noise-free PSU is the key of a very clean output sound, but increasing op-amp decoupling caps will not resolve PSU noise, nor design flaws of your DAC or amplifier! For example, this is what I did when I had noise, hum and high visible ripple shown on my scope on one of the DACs I own: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/asu...-dac-cebit-2011.542563/page-229#post-13130247. So yes, shielding the transformer, resolving PCB and ground plane issues, upgrading to better LDOs (with lower-noise and higher ripple rejection), increasing filtering capacity of the power rails (+5V and +/12V) of the PSU and adding a dedicated +5V PSU only for the DAC chips did resolved most of the issues with my equipment. Also, using big-enough and very good quality electrolytic caps (Nichicon, Elna etc.) in the power supply it is indeed a very good way to decrease noise and ripple on the power rails as long as the PCB traces and rectifying diodes can sustain the higher load when powering up the device, otherwise more modifications need to be done.


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## olymind1

I read through what you wrote and most linked. So basicly there is no simple magic solution to increase sound quality, but replacing upgrading adding and modifying a lot parts on the soundcard and maybe inside the PSU too.

For now i only would like to add a/some decoupling condensator(s) to calm down / smooth the HF range a little bit. The opamp itself is past 200 hours burn in period, it is not so harsh as the LM4562 was, but still it's a little bit bright for my taste and sometimes a little tiresome to listen to, or it is not fully burned in, or my the sound card was designed that way, really can say.

BTW why do they call 630 V condensators Audio or High Quality? Also some said that they like to used Vishay MKP caps because they are higher in quality than WIMAs. I need only 1 anyway and they're not too pricey.

But i think from a point i wouldn't even hear the difference.

So a 10nf ceramic cap for HF would be a good start? Or a WIMA MKP 10nf 100V would suffice too like Burson mention at their site?

Sorry for being difficult but sadly i'm not an expert at electonics and there are tons options to choose from.


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## raoultrifan (Feb 22, 2018)

I would try the 10nF MKP, but ideally would be if you could borrow a scope from someone and test if those high-freqs are indeed there. You could measure between both V+/V- and GND, but you could also check the audio signal at headphones-out. Also, I'm not quite familiar with your soundcard and what caps are around the opamps, so perhaps a 10uF electrolytic in parallel with the 10nF cap could help more (OSCon would be best)

Indeed, power supply if not correctly done, then might screw things really worse. From all the mods I've done to my Essence One the ones related to PSU were the most that really-really helped and I'm objective here, because I did A/B tests with an identical DAC.

I've also upgraded the PSU into another DAC/headamp and I was able to decrease output noise to almost inexistent (and I'm speaking about very sensitive headphones).


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## olymind1 (Feb 22, 2018)

raoultrifan said:


> I would try the 10nF MKP, but ideally would be if you could borrow a scope from someone and test if those high-freqs are indeed there. You could measure between both V+/V- and GND, but you could also check the audio signal at headphones-out. Also, I'm not quite familiar with your soundcard and what caps are around the opamps, so perhaps a 10uF electrolytic in parallel with the 10nF cap could help more (OSCon would be best)
> 
> Indeed, power supply if not correctly done, then might screw things really worse. From all the mods I've done to my Essence One the ones related to PSU were the most that really-really helped and I'm objective here, because I did A/B tests with an identical DAC.
> 
> I've also upgraded the PSU into another DAC/headamp and I was able to decrease output noise to almost inexistent (and I'm speaking about very sensitive headphones).



These are the caps around the opamp:






I will buy a 10nf MKP then, and a 100nf MKP too, just to be safe, they are fairly cheap ones.

Sadly no one i know have an oscilloscope.


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## raoultrifan

Seems that there are 2 x polymer caps +  2 x non-polarized caps as well (perhaps ceramic or MKP), so opamp seems to be correctly bypassed. However, feel free to add more if you like, hope it'll help somehow.


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## olymind1

raoultrifan said:


> Seems that there are 2 x polymer caps +  2 x non-polarized caps as well (perhaps ceramic or MKP), so opamp seems to be correctly bypassed. However, feel free to add more if you like, hope it'll help somehow.



Thank you for your insight and help! 

I'll try with a 10nf first.


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## Onik (Mar 1, 2018)

I just received a scope Tektronix TDS 210 as a gift, Whats the best way to test V6 with this scope while it being used on Sound Card/DAC??


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## raoultrifan

Great, Onik! 

I would try the following measurements:]

Measure both rails between V+/GND and V-/GND. You really need to know the AC ripple + noise how look like.
Measure the input signal of the opamp with A probe and opamp output signal with B probe (if difficult, just take pics with both measurements and compare them later). You might want to check AC ripple + noise and frequency.
Measure DC-output on opamp output.
Do the output signal and also steps no. 3. and no. 4. for the headphones-out and RCA/XLR outputs too.
BTW, take care of https://www.tek.com/service/safety/tds210-tds220.


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## Onik (Mar 14, 2018)

raoultrifan said:


> Great, Onik!
> 
> I would try the following measurements:]
> 
> ...



Many thanks for the info, I did a quick test but I did not get sine waves from V+(pin_8) and from V-(pin_4),but some noisy signal, I will post some screenshots later with/without Coupling Caps and I will then ask you what its really means


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## raoultrifan

You might want to measure between V+ and GND, then between V- and GND (if differential rails).

On the input you could apply perfect sinewaves, but you might also try square signals as well, just to check the raise/fall of every opamp.


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## Onik (Mar 13, 2018)

Btw do you need a funation generator to perform this test? or is there any options in my scope for that?

Also let me know if I'm doing it right?


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## raoultrifan

I assume you're trying to measure AC ripple & noise on the 2 voltage rails, right? Why don't you measure one rail at the time? This way it's easier to connect probes from only 1 channel.

P.S.: Be sure not to touch anything around...you don't want to make a short-circuit in there. I'm used to see different probes, a bit smaller...


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## Onik (Mar 14, 2018)

raoultrifan said:


> I assume you're trying to measure AC ripple & noise on the 2 voltage rails, right? Why don't you measure one rail at the time? This way it's easier to connect probes from only 1 channel.
> 
> P.S.: Be sure not to touch anything around...you don't want to make a short-circuit in there. I'm used to see different probes, a bit smaller...



Yes you are right I was trying to check if there are still any AC ripples even after using the MKP Bypass Caps, but when I connect my probe to inverting/non-inververring input I get this:

Probe to inverting input (V-):


Prove to non-inverting input (V+):


I didn't test the output yet cus really busy with my work so didn't have time, but I will soon post it once im done making some op amps sockets for V6 and for SB X7 and that time I will do all the test.


----------



## raoultrifan

Hi,

You can do better pics with your phone, see how I did here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/asus-essence-one-headphone-amp-dac-cebit-2011.542563/page-216#post-12087137. One hand on the probe, the other one on the phone/camera.


----------



## Onik (Mar 14, 2018)

raoultrifan said:


> Hi,
> 
> You can do better pics with your phone, see how I did here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/asus-essence-one-headphone-amp-dac-cebit-2011.542563/page-216#post-12087137. One hand on the probe, the other one on the phone/camera.



I wish I could but my S5 Cameras glass broke, but I will try to do some good quality picture/videos with someone else phone on my next post.

btw why do I get only straight line when I touch with my probe the invert/non-inverting input? I think I did get some sine waves at FFT but it was really noisy so I assume it wasn't really a sine wave?

Sorry to ask this questions as I am really new to op amps test


----------



## raoultrifan

I'm still not sure why do you want to measure opamp's +/- inputs? I thought you'd like to measure V+/V- voltage rails. The signal on opamp's inputs is very low in amplitude and you might want to increase scope's resolution/sensitivity.

I usually measure RCA/Jack output signal if I want to see how signal looks like...I care not about the sine-wave directly on the opamps because it's difficult to check it, huge probability to short-circuit something there and usually the audio signal on the RCA/Jack plugs is about the same around the opamps too.


----------



## raoultrifan

I know we're going off-topic here, but it's still somehow related to opamp swap, because using a scope correctly might help us investigating what opamps are good or not for our audio equipment. So, here's a good read: https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/how-to-use-an-oscilloscope. Also  and  could be useful too.


----------



## Onik (Mar 15, 2018)

raoultrifan said:


> I'm still not sure why do you want to measure opamp's +/- inputs? I thought you'd like to measure V+/V- voltage rails. The signal on opamp's inputs is very low in amplitude and you might want to increase scope's resolution/sensitivity.
> 
> I usually measure RCA/Jack output signal if I want to see how signal looks like...I care not about the sine-wave directly on the opamps because it's difficult to check it, huge probability to short-circuit something there and usually the audio signal on the RCA/Jack plugs is about the same around the opamps too.




Yes I was trying to check the Voltage rails but I thought I would also see a signal waves there but it's difficult to see on my scope.

But I tested with my Multimeter and found the voltage on non-invert input(V+) is 11v and on invert input (V-) is -11v.

and I found that its al ways the same voltage when my PC is Turned on.

And I also checked the RCA output on the scope while I play Music and it's just gives me Signal Spectra just like foobar Oscilloscope visualization, but I don't see anything while no music is played.

Yes I need to learn about Good amps and Bad op amps and how to identify them. I decided to test first some ic op amps behaviour with the scope then I will compare it with Discrete Op amps.

Once I'm done making 4 op amps sockets I will do some experiments with my V6 opa but now I can't while it's on my Soundcard.


----------



## Onik (Mar 15, 2018)

Btw why my RCA output impedance for Right channel and Left Channel not exactly same? I get reading on my MM for *Right Channel: 35ohm* and for *Left Channel: 32ohm*?

and I tested with different op amps and its al ways the same, is my Sound Card working correctly or there is something wrong with the impedance matching for both channels?


----------



## raoultrifan

Ideally would be for you to measure the AC ripple & noise on both voltage rails of +/-11V. Setup your scope to measure AC and start watching was going onto display. Increase the resolution per your needs; I estimate a ripple of no more than few dozens of mV, but let's see.

For measuring the RCA output signal you can also use scope's AC setting, probably 10mV if available, just to read the noise when no input applied, then increase to 5V or 10V for 2V RMS signals. You should be able to find sine-waves to audiocheck website or similar.

Care not about RCA's output resistance.

Watch the Sparkfun and Youtube tutorials again, really good info in there that might help you out understanding what you need to look for when testing the sound-card with a scope.


----------



## Onik (Mar 18, 2018)

edit: delete last post as it was posted to wrong thread sorry, but it was answered by germanium.


----------



## snellemin

I scrabbled up a different Parasound setup and stuck the V6 Classics that I got from Charles @ Burson.  I was previously running my favorite V4's in these.  Today I swapped in the V6 classics in both the preamp and amp.  I get more airiness out of my closed back headphones.  Subbass is still there, but it is different from the V4.  To my ears the V4 beats the V6 by a little bit.  But other than that, the V6 classics are pretty damn great sounding.


----------



## Onik

snellemin said:


> I scrabbled up a different Parasound setup and stuck the V6 Classics that I got from Charles @ Burson.  I was previously running my favorite V4's in these.  Today I swapped in the V6 classics in both the preamp and amp.  I get more airiness out of my closed back headphones.  Subbass is still there, but it is different from the V4.  To my ears the V4 beats the V6 by a little bit.  But other than that, the V6 classics are pretty damn great sounding.



so you mean V4 beats V6 Classic?


----------



## snellemin

Onik said:


> so you mean V4 beats V6 Classic?



Only in the Subbass department running inside the V3 Zamp, yes.  But that info is only useful for Bassheads like myself.


----------



## dfarina

Sorry if this is a dumb question,but do I need my headphones plugged in to burn a new set of op amps in(v6 classic)?Consensus is that they need a good 100 hours to start hitting their potential,just not sure if I want my headphones along for the ride under a pillow??


----------



## alphanumerix1

dfarina said:


> Sorry if this is a dumb question,but do I need my headphones plugged in to burn a new set of op amps in(v6 classic)?Consensus is that they need a good 100 hours to start hitting their potential,just not sure if I want my headphones along for the ride under a pillow??



Yes.


----------



## mikaelmark

Don´t forget it´s even more important to burn in headphones (and speaker´s)!

This week, I set my Lovely Black Cube amp with Van Damme Twin Interconnect, paired with my new AKG K812 with 3 feet UP-OCC cable, AKG K530 with UP-OCC and Triple Fi 10 with silver cable for burn in with a CD playing pink noise, white noise, frequency waves and some special mix of burn in tracks (pink noise with sweeping frequency waves) for about 18 hours.

Burn in will also be good for cables, and full frequency sound will be nice as it will let the gear play all the spectrum.

You can just search at for example YouTube and let it play continous. Be be awared, as the headphones should not play too many hours/several days without resting - a few minutes each hours or at least a short break no more than 5 hours is a good idea.


----------



## Onik

Can I use the vivids/classic in Guitar Pedals?


----------



## sha007

HI, I find Sennheiser HD 700's treble very sparkly / harsh which I needed to be smooth. So which v6 should be best for my case?


----------



## DW75

In that case, you want the V6 Classic.


----------



## newdoughboy

Classics.


----------



## gamax

anyone bought the burson V6? I would like to know what cons and pros has with respect to the V5?


----------



## raoultrifan

gamax, you might want to review all the pages of this thread, as there are not so many after all.

Here's some thoughts of mine:
- https://www.head-fi.org/threads/bur...ssion-and-reviews.854912/page-7#post-13711554
- https://www.head-fi.org/threads/bur...ssion-and-reviews.854912/page-9#post-13830420

However, inside Objective2 headamp I do prefer SS V5 dual against SS V6 dual because the "thump" noise from power ON/OFF is lower with V5. The DC-voltage output is aobut the same with both op-amps: around 3mV.

Inside Matrix HPA-3B I prefer the SS V6 because these are able to operate better with voltages >=15V. So it's not always about "how it sounds?", it's also about how the op-amp itself is able to accommodate with the equipment itself.


----------



## omegaorgun

EternalChampion said:


> Burson Audio is destined to succeed in the long run.
> 
> A while ago I said this:
> 
> ...



What muse opmap?


----------



## EternalChampion

omegaorgun said:


> What muse opmap?



It's been some time since, but I remember well.  The Muses8820 had more warmth than the V5 and a bit more meat to the bones, but comparing them after the Burson op-amp got fully burnt in, Muses lost the battle quite easily.  Still, the V5 won't produce the same type of warmth: They have this liquid-soft, brighter warmth to them while Muses produced a dryer, darker tone.

Be aware that I'm referring to the 8820 that was shipped with the swap kit and not the preinstalled 8820 of the buffer socket.   The preinstalled chip on STX II sounded substantially different.  It was very in-the-face, thick and had very small soundstage.  I can't remember exactly, but one of the two had the code "E02" printed on it.  If not mistaken, that should be the swap kit chip.


----------



## omegaorgun

EternalChampion said:


> It's been some time since, but I remember well.  The Muses8820 had more warmth than the V5 and a bit more meat to the bones, but comparing them after the Burson op-amp got fully burnt in, Muses lost the battle quite easily.  Still, the V5 won't produce the same type of warmth: They have this liquid-soft, brighter warmth to them while Muses produced a dryer, darker tone.
> 
> Be aware that I'm referring to the 8820 that was shipped with the swap kit and not the preinstalled 8820 of the buffer socket.   The preinstalled chip on STX II sounded substantially different.  It was very in-the-face, thick and had very small soundstage.  I can't remember exactly, but one of the two had the code "E02" printed on it.  If not mistaken, that should be the swap kit chip.



I actually picked up a v6 vivid and hope it smoothens out the current opamp in my Matrix M-Stage HPA 2C. I find the top end just a little too harsh here and there but generally not a bad unit, lot's of power.


----------



## EternalChampion

omegaorgun said:


> I actually picked up a v6 vivid and hope it smoothens out the current opamp in my Matrix M-Stage HPA 2C. I find the top end just a little too harsh here and there but generally not a bad unit, lot's of power.



The general consensus is that Burson op-amps take a lot of time to settle.   It took me weeks of continuous break in because they were changing a lot during the process but the final result was really impressive and it worth it.  In fact I burned 2 sets of 3 and the transformation process was identical.

Maybe you should have picked the Classics instead of Vivid if you find the highs a bit peaky.  The first are supposed to be more rounded and juicy.  I haven't heard either of them though.


----------



## omegaorgun (Jul 29, 2018)

EternalChampion said:


> The general consensus is that Burson op-amps take a lot of time to settle.   It took me weeks of continuous break in because they were changing a lot during the process but the final result was really impressive and it worth it.  In fact I burned 2 sets of 3 and the transformation process was identical.
> 
> Maybe you should have picked the Classics instead of Vivid if you find the highs a bit peaky.  The first are supposed to be more rounded and juicy.  I haven't heard either of them though.



Yea but I got a good deal on the vivid that I couldn't pass up, like less than what a v5i would go for.
Funnily enough I put a NE5532 in it as I had a few to spare and it sounded better than the opa2134, the highs were a little less harsh to my ears.

May trade my vivid for a classic if it's too bright.


----------



## omegaorgun

Just about managed to squeeze in the v6 in the M-stage HPA 2C after removing the cover, initial impression was the sound stage seemed much better, highs weren't harsh. Leaving it burn in for the day at home.


----------



## JamieMcC

Decided to try the V6 Classic Dual in my DIY Whammy headphone amp build, They took a little while to settle in. I have a couple of hundred hours on them now all is good. Amps sounding very nice with my Senn hd800.

Probably get the V6 Vivid to try as well at some point.


----------



## omegaorgun (Aug 9, 2018)

JamieMcC said:


> Decided to try the V6 Classic Dual in my DIY Whammy headphone amp build, They took a little while to settle in. I have a couple of hundred hours on them now all is good. Amps sounding very nice with my Senn hd800.
> 
> Probably get the V6 Vivid to try as well at some point.



I have a vivid, I think i'd prefer the classic. Actually if anyone wants it $50 posted.


----------



## mikaelmark

omegaorgun said:


> I have a vivid, I think i'd prefer the classic. Actually if anyone wants it $50 posted.


Has the V6 Vivid been soldered and then unsoldered from the board (PCB)?

What country do you live in, and do you want anything for the shipping? I live in Sweden.


----------



## alphanumerix1

Sparkos Labs - SS3602 vs burson v6?


----------



## mikaelmark

alphanumerix1 said:


> Sparkos Labs - SS3602 vs burson v6?


As some reviewer stated earlier; Sparkos are good, but not up to the grade as Burson but more expensive.

The only advantage I think it has, is that it´s Class A.


----------



## raoultrifan

I assume if the quiescent current of the V5/V6 is 7mA/channel (single op-amp) per https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bxn23njCr8VCR19ELS1YOTMxV00/view then it's still biased to Class-A a little bit (it's working in ClassAb actually).
However, SS3601 is biased 15mA per https://testing.coreysblackwell.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/SS3601_SS3602.pdf.


----------



## omegaorgun

mikaelmark said:


> Has the V6 Vivid been soldered and then unsoldered from the board (PCB)?
> 
> What country do you live in, and do you want anything for the shipping? I live in Sweden.


No has not been soldered, US.


----------



## DjBobby (Aug 21, 2018)

Deleted. Solved.


----------



## omegaorgun

Anyone have a classic they would like to trade?


----------



## mikaelmark

For my V6 Vivid´s, I now have 50+ hours at my headphone amp and 500 - 1000 hors for my AK4490 connected to my home cinema with B&W 683 S2 and modded Proson Tower 701 Twin - and the sound is gorgeous! No need for my B&W 12" sub.


----------



## lantian

Perhaps you guys can help me. i wanted to upgrade the op amps in my lakepeople g5hp. Since I could not find the burson v5i anywhere in Germany, I ordered opa134 for the time being, till I get the v5i's in there. But now I have a problem with the thermals, it  seems that the transistors are overheating in about 3-5min. Any ideas on how to mitigate this? Here is the schematic:


----------



## raoultrifan

Is audio out working or there’s no audio at all? Can you measure BD transistors temps?


----------



## lantian

raoultrifan said:


> Is audio out working or there’s no audio at all? Can you measure BD transistors temps?


The audio is working great for the first couple of minutes, though it is bit quieter it seemed. after about 3-5 minutes it starts to  stretch the sounds out, everything sounds wrong and kind of slows down, like it would be braking. Unfortunately can not measure the temps but those transistors are hotter than hot, can not touch them after  5 min. While with the original tl071 they are barely warm at all. 
Thank you for your time.


----------



## raoultrifan

Maybe your OPA134 are oscillating, you need a scope to test the amp with square signals. You should probably stick to the original TL071 unless you’ll find perfect compatible opamps.


----------



## lantian

raoultrifan said:


> Maybe your OPA134 are oscillating, you need a scope to test the amp with square signals. You should probably stick to the original TL071 unless you’ll find perfect compatible opamps.


Thank you, will try and obtain one for measuring.


----------



## raoultrifan

Meanwhile, you could try adding some decoupling caps between V+ and GND, and between V- and GND. One 10...100nF in parallel with 10...100uF for each rail. Nit sure will hel, but worth a try.


----------



## mikaelmark

lantian said:


> The audio is working great for the first couple of minutes, though it is bit quieter it seemed. after about 3-5 minutes it starts to  stretch the sounds out, everything sounds wrong and kind of slows down, like it would be braking. Unfortunately can not measure the temps but those transistors are hotter than hot, can not touch them after  5 min. While with the original tl071 they are barely warm at all.
> Thank you for your time.


Transistors will normally be hot, especially in BIAS Class A (can be up to almost 100 degrees Celsius).. But OpAmp´s sould not be too hot.


----------



## mikaelmark

In many schematics, it will be fine to swap OpAmp to almost anything (that will PIN-compatible and work within it´s specific voltage area).

In my headphone amp - Lovely Cube, almost anything seem´s to work fine.

In my CD player Harman Kardon HD970, LM4562 did´nt seem to work at all. Replaced with THS4031, and it works gorgeous now!


----------



## sha007

DW75 said:


> In that case, you want the V6 Classic.



So you are suggesting v6 classic for HD 700? I thought the vivid is the right one for smoothing the  highs of Sennheiser hd700. Can you please elaborate why classic is more suitable for hd700?

Thank you.


----------



## DW75

The Vivid opamps are brighter in the upper frequencies than the classics. It is not a "bright" opamp, but is very detailed. This additional detail in the upper registers will probably cause you some fatigue with the HD700. A friend of mine owns the HD700. I have heard it a few times. The mid treble on that headphone is quite bright. I created an EQ set to use with that headphone. It improves it greatly. He finds that it sounds much more balanced, while still keeping the overall sound signature. Give this EQ a try on your HD700 and see what you think. This removes the recessed upper mids, and decreases the mid treble spike quite nicely. It makes the headphone sound much more balanced. Be aware as well that the reduction in the mid treble spike also ends up improving bass impact and extension a tad. 

Pre-amplifying: -2 

1.5 kHz: + 1
2kHz: + 2
3.15 kHz: + 2
4 kHz: + 1
6 kHz: - 1
6.5 kHz: - 1.5
7khz: - 1


----------



## sha007

DW75 said:


> The Vivid opamps are brighter in the upper frequencies than the classics. It is not a "bright" opamp, but is very detailed. This additional detail in the upper registers will probably cause you some fatigue with the HD700. A friend of mine owns the HD700. I have heard it a few times. The mid treble on that headphone is quite bright. I created an EQ set to use with that headphone. It improves it greatly. He finds that it sounds much more balanced, while still keeping the overall sound signature. Give this EQ a try on your HD700 and see what you think. This removes the recessed upper mids, and decreases the mid treble spike quite nicely. It makes the headphone sound much more balanced. Be aware as well that the reduction in the mid treble spike also ends up improving bass impact and extension a tad.
> 
> Pre-amplifying: -2
> 
> ...



Thank you so much for your suggestion! I'll definitely try the EQ. But the software came with the soundcard only allows to EQ 1khz, 2khz, 4khz, 8khz and 16khz. Can you suggest a good EQ software?


----------



## DW75

To EQ, you can use Equalizer APO with the PEACE add on. 

https://sourceforge.net/projects/equalizerapo/

https://sourceforge.net/projects/peace-equalizer-apo-extension/

First, run and install the Equalizer APO. When you install, right click on it first, and run as "Administrator". After installing, run the "Configurator" file, and select the sound source you want to EQ, and reboot. After rebooting, you copy the Peter's Peace GUI file into the config folder for APO Equalizer in and run it from there. Right click on the PEACE file, and run as "Administrator". Go in and set up your EQ settings. If you select "Equalizer One Third Octave" on the lower left side of the PEACE window, this will give you a 31 band EQ, so you then won't have to manually add more bands. After you have selected your EQ adjustments you want, you click on the "Save" button to save your selection to the folder. You now just minimize Peter's Peace GUI. You now have an easy to use GUI for APO. You can add bands, remove bands, and change the band values quite easily.


----------



## sha007 (Oct 11, 2018)

DW75 said:


> To EQ, you can use Equalizer APO with the PEACE add on.
> 
> https://sourceforge.net/projects/equalizerapo/
> 
> ...



Thank you for time and effort to explaining the process in detail. I tried the EQ and its helping to tame the harshness for sure. Just I need to make it a little more smooth. I think I can manage from here. Thanks again 

Edit : A small token of appreciation for your help


----------



## DW75

Unfortunately, I don't own the HD700. That was the EQ I gave my friend when I tested his out for a couple hours. He was complaining that the treble was causing pain. I noticed it right away when I heard it too, in the 6-7kHz region. Be aware that the HD700 has has an additional, but lesser spike at 9-10kHz. You could do this EQ instead, and that will make the headphone sound smoother. 

Pre-Amplfying: - 2

1.5 kHz: + 1
2kHz: + 2
3.15 kHz: + 2
4 kHz: + 1
6 kHz: - 1
6.5 kHz: - 1.5
7kHz: - 1
9kHz: - 0.5
9.5kHz: - 1
10kHz: - 0.5


----------



## DW75

You can change the band numbers in PEACE by just putting a different number in, so this EQ set won't be a problem to use.


----------



## DjBobby

I have posted my comparative review of V6 single Vivids and Classics. You can read it here: "V6 Sports Opamps Race"


----------



## Eiffel

I think the best comparative can be made using them in the I/V stage of a DAC.
This is where the sound is formed and this will reveal most of their sound.

V6 Vivids - have extremely deep and strong bass and very good treble - lots of details. They sound a bit unreal, soft and transparent.
However there is something missing in the 300-600 Hz area from what I can tell. Voices ( especially female ones ) and classic instruments lack a bit of body and lower extension.
Very big soundstage.

V6 Classic - fantastic mids. Bass is not so good even if it improves after burn-in. Treble also has less details compared with the Vivids.
Seems to have a slight more presence in the 150-900Hz area. Upper bass also seems slightly muddy and instrument separation is not so good.
Quite small soundstage.

I've listened to them for more than 6 months now - I have them on a Burson Play, but I also put them for test on my old STX.
My preference so far ( they have more than 400h of burn-in so the sound is quite stable now ):

1. 2x V6 Classic in I/V and 1x V6 Vivid in LPF. This seems to be the most balanced combination
Slightly more bass and detalis than an all Classics - has a bit of "fun" in it and also a bit better soundstage. Still may need slight more bass and treble.
I recommend this combination for ESS DAC-s and with U or V shape headphones. Beyerdynamic can be a fit.

2. 2x V6 Vivids in I/V and 1x V6 Classic in LPF. Similar sound with an all Vivids, but a bit more presence in the mids area. not enough in my opinion.
This sounds a lot better on the STX, perhaps because this has a BB DAC - who provide a more laid-back sound.
Also mid-centric headphones can be the best choice for this.

3. 3x V6 Vivids. Sounds good - with he issues mentioned before. Also good for mid-range headphones.
4. 3x V6 Classics. I found this the most "boring" combination. Still good for V shaped headphones.

Changing the gain stage Op-Amps in the Play, Fun or Bang have none to very low impact on the sound. Here i believe the Vivids are the best as it seems to be a slight better soundstage with them.


----------



## raoultrifan

Eiffel said:


> I think the best comparative can be made using them in the I/V stage of a DAC.
> This is where the sound is formed and this will reveal most of their sound.
> 
> [...]
> ...



I totally agree with the above statements, in I/V is where the output sound gets its final shape to the listener, so finding the best-matching opamps for the I/V would probably be the first and best choice. I got similar experience with my ASUS Essence One MKii DAC in the past when rolling opamps in I/V stage, so it's not just something related to PLAY. Also, if an opamp works fine in some DAC then it doesn't means the same opamp will be the best match for all DAC's I/V stages, because different PCB layouts or different schematics and components will have enough influence to change parameters and the way it sounds (usually we should be just fine with what DAC manufacturer recommends for the I/V stage).

BTW, my ears find the V6 Classic as being more natural sounding.


----------



## Dartin Bout

Gol Darn! These orange towers have significantly changed my media consumption. I was 60\40 video (long live the Arroweverse!) but I'm now 75/25 music . Granted I've a huge, 6TB, of digital music and can play music at 80 db. I am still breathless when I hear the improvement 2 dual V6 Classics do to my LR and center\sub. I want to try a Vivid in the center\sub next. 

We are living in the age of miracles, when it comes to tech and music reproduction.


----------



## Mij-Van

I have posted my review of red and orange Burson V6 candies: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/bu...und-opamp-v6-vivid.22718/reviews#review-21188


----------



## Jonathan Crouch

I have a Burson Play myself. I have both 5 Vivid V6 (3 dual 2 singles) and 5 Classics (3 dual 2 single.) I’ve done some tinkering with them although I personally prefer 5 the Vivids for their sound stage and transparency of details as they come across extremely clear. The Classics come across a lot warmer while having less sound stage and slightly less transparency in overall detail. I use a pair of HD700s on my Play unit and it’s an absolutely amazing combo I will be doing more tinkering with Vivid/Classic combos as I have more time on my hands and I’ll report back with the build I find best.


----------



## olymind1 (Dec 26, 2019)

I decide it's time to start writing a review about Burson Audio's Supreme Sound Opamp V6 Vivids because otherwise it would never be finished.

First of all many thanks to Charles from Burson Audio for sending me the opamps.

I'm using them in my Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium HD, the V6 Vivid Duals replaced the default JRC 2114Ds and V6 Vivid Singles replaced the default TI LME49710NAs. For now i'm using a pair a of JBL 305p MKII, the sound card and the monitors are connected with a pair of Oyaide's Neo d+ Class B RCA->XLR cables. Power supply is a Seasonic M12II-520 EVO Bronze.

Using in Audio Creation Mode with Bit-Matched Playback enabled and foobar2000 with ASIO.


The opamps:







Some perspective:










The soundcard before:






And after:






I only started using all of them in this card a week ago, so as i read and experienced with Auzentech X-Fi Prelude, they still require lots of usage before excellence, but i can say with absolute certainty:

These are very detailed, clean and transparent, sweet sounding opamps for now maybe a tiny bit on the bright side. They make big, airy, wide and tall sound.

Guitar strings are sparkling with joy. I really like male voices on these how they have some weigth behind them. Also I didn't find them bass shy at all, can deliever quite a punch, earlier got the chance to try a Prodipe Pro 8 V3 monitors, even though i didn't like the sound signture of them (the JBLs are too bright for my taste though), but the Vivid could deliver some nice textured low frequency sound, not just some loose / bloated bass but even the small 5" JBLs have some room filling low-ish extension as well, though not enough to feel it with my whole body.

I like how these opamps can fill the room with sound (with good-ish speakers of course). For example in games where in smaller indoor rooms everything sounds, well.. small and confined, and exterior place are really open and airy, sound differently when shooting a bullett in a canyon and get a cool reverb . Also with these sound transparent and well placed / positioned, it's easier to get a sense of from where the sounds are coming from. But these are applies to music too of course.

It's really a cool feeling to be able to differentiate different kind of instruments, vocals, effects placed and moving all around with clearity in for example Spiritualized - Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space or in Pink Floyd - Welcome To The Machine songs.

So i really like these opamps, space luckly is not an issue for me, but maybe is for others or in smaller devices. I find them a bit pricey for my wallet, but those for who can afford them these are good upgrades from default opamps. Burning them in requires time but aside from that i can't find anything wrong with them.

2018.12.20: Just out of curiosity i installed again my X-Fi Prelude with the 1000+ hours used V6 VIVID, much punchier bass and pronounced mids with better body, overall more balanced and warmer sound signature compared to the newish Vivids, which sound thinner and brighter in comparison, can't wait for them to mature!

2019.12. In the end i put back the original opamps, not because they are better, but because somehow it is easier to listen to them, much less highs and a more balanced / fatter sound with more body somehow. Tried with other speakers too, a cheaper Creative 5.1 and an Edifier R1900 TII speaker, not the speakers fault, nor neccessary the opamps' , just in the X-Fi Titanium HD the 2 (per channel) VIVIDs in a row don't produce the sound i really like. In the X-Fi Prelude 7.1 where a dual V6 VIVID replaced 1 LM4562 there wasn't such a big sound signature change, just improvements, so not the VIVID opamps at fault, just the 4 VIVIDs are not the right match for the X-Fi Titanium HD card i think.


----------



## Spektykles

Hi, can I ask how both Burson V6 Vivid and Classic sounds like when compared to OPA627AU and Muses02? Currently I would like to know its initial impressions before Im going to get a hand on it due to the high price and the Bursons itself is hard to get/unavailable in the place I live. Thanks


----------



## raoultrifan

Hi there, there are several thoughts on this thread about these solid-state opamps, but seems generally accepted that SS V6 Classic is more neutral and non-fatiguing, and SS V6 Vivid has more life in it...sparky, with a bit larger scene.

I personally tend to like the Classic more because I had lot of bright cans at home, but if I think most headfiers like Vivid more, so...it's your call.  Anyway, read a bit more pages from this thread before making up your mind for good.


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## Eiffel (Jan 11, 2019)

I don't have OPA627 but I have Muses 02.
I will never use Muses 02 in the I/V stage of a DAC - exagerated bass and almost inexistent treble ( may depend of implementation - probably on some DAC's might sound better.).
However these are some of the best when using in the LPF/Buffer,
If I had to compare with V6, the closest to Muses 02 would be the Classic - when using in LPF/Buffer. Closest, but big difference. The 01 are more closer to Classic, very neutral, but a bit cooler sound than Classic.


----------



## DjBobby

Eiffel said:


> I don't have OPA627 but I have Muses 02.
> I will never use Muses 02 in the I/V stage of a DAC - exagerated bass and almost inexistent treble ( may depend of implementation - probably on some DAC's might sound better.).
> However these are some of the best when using in the LPF/Buffer,
> If I had to compare with V6, the closest to Muses 02 would be the Classic - when using in LPF/Buffer. Closest, but big difference. The 01 are more closer to Classic, very neutral, but a bit cooler sound than Classic.


Interesting. While I find Classics warm, I don't find them overly bassy. Which op-amp do you think would go deepest in the sub-bass region?


----------



## raoultrifan

V5i, at least when used in voltage gain.


----------



## DjBobby

raoultrifan said:


> V5i, at least when used in voltage gain.


Thanks. So going deeper than Classics and Vivids?


----------



## Eiffel

V5i, then V6 Vivids. if used in I/V. This stage gives the sound signature.
V6 Classics are warm,, true, but they lack a bit in the bass area. They are better in upper bass and mids.

LPF/Buffer has more influence in backround and soundstage. Muses 02 gives a dark background from what I've tested. Being also warm, Classics gives also a similar background, but not so dark, As I said, in I/V there is no comparation. 02 is just pure bass. Almost nothing else.


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## raoultrifan

DjBobby said:


> Thanks. So going deeper than Classics and Vivids?



That's how I feel them when used in voltage-gain stage, with a bit more bass and I'm not the only one here thinking this way (I've read few pages back the same feeling about V5i). However, I like the SS V6 Classic more because of neutrality and musicality.


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## MIR05LAV

BTW, I am looking for a trade - my set of v6 CLASSIC opamps (for burson play - 3 x double & 2 x single) for burson V6 VIVIDS. Have changed my headphones for more mid-centered and would like to see what would be the difference 
Preferably from EU.
Cheers


----------



## Mij-Van

What is the difference between V5 and V5i soundwise? Is it worth looking back to V5 or rather stick with the newer V6?


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## raoultrifan

Now it's a 48h discount for V5 on manufacturer's website, so totally recommended.
V6 is newer, operates to a bit higher voltage and if soundstage and microdetails are a must for you, then V6 Vivid might be a better choice.
I personally don't find an audible difference between V5 and V6 Classic, but YMMV.
V5i it's not solid-state, it's an integrated chip with additional resistors and decoupling caps nearby; I would vote V5 against V5i.


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## Eiffel

Also V5i may require some capacitor mod - it's described on their site how to do it.

I use v5i on my Asus STX in I/V - with Muses 02 in buffer. At first I've used OPA2132PA in buffer and with stock new V5i the sound was great. Even compared with Burson Conducror Air - based on the same V5i, the STX sounded better. However after about 150-200 h the Conductor Air has recovered and in the end it sounded better than the STX - who started to sound less better. I just didn't want to make the capacitor mod and alter the board. Conductor Air has it from design. So I've changed the 2132 on my STX with Muses 02 - sound is better. Still a bit worst than the Air.


----------



## bcschmerker4

@Eiffel *Thanks for the report.*  I'd planned on the V5i as the winner for the I-V, as it's the largest dual amp that'll fit under the ASUS® XONAR® STX'™ stock RFI shield.  I'm anticipating a video upgrade for my ubuntu box along with an Advanced Micro Devices® Phenom II®, ideally an X4 915e, in for the Athlon64® 3500+, so the V5, V6 Classic, and V6 Vivid had to ruled out due to physical interference.  Hopefully Burson® can develop a V6i based on lessons learned from the preceding V-series dual amps.


----------



## Eiffel

I did more tests replacing OP-AMPs in the LPF/Buffer stage of a Topping D10 - this one has soldered OPA2134 in I/V but the buffer is socketed so you may try to change a bit the sound.

My results so far:

- OPA2134 ( Stock ) - Clean and clear sound, quite neutral but slight cold sound.
- Muses 02 - A lot more bottom end than stock, slight more refined.
- Muses 01 - Neutral and more refined sound than stock, more air.
- Burson V6 Vivid - Somehow similar with Muses 02 - more bottom end - but not as much than 02, however better highs with better soundstage and more refined sound.
- Burson V6 Classic - Quite similar with Muses 01, but more refined and musical.


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## Spektykles

Proud owner of Burson V6 Vivid 
Took awhile to get it here, quite nice inside my portable amp Fiio A5. Probably need some cut on the shell to fit the Burson


----------



## Dricks

Hi, 
i have an Asus Essence STX 2, and i have put 3 V6 Vivid inside.
I'm using a Meze 99 Classics on the line out with RCA -> Jack adaptator.

I recently bought a z390 Aorus Master motherboard, which includes an ESS Sabre 9118 with ALC1220, so that i could compare what ESS can deliver.

Result is... the Essence STX2+V6 are obvious winners
I mean, there isn't even any challenge

The sound is so much detailed and crisp, with an outstanding audio separation. Damn, i didn't thought the difference would be so easy to hear, while this motherboard is already supposed to have a beefy sound output 
I tested for half an hour, switching one output to another, and came to the conclusion that an integrated audio circuit on a motherboard can't compete with a dedicated sound card with high quality opamps, even if it's dac is powered by an ESS Sabre.
One would argue that i should have tested the Aorus Xtreme instead, wich comes with a ESS 9018K2M DAC, LME 49720 and OPA1622 OP-AMP, but this one was damn too pricy. (Honestly, i could have been seduced if the opamps were not soldered )


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## raoultrifan

After reading http://nihtila.com/2017/01/12/pcm1794a-leftright-channel-differences/ I tried a couple of tests to check for THD+N with MUSES01 vs. NE5532P used in I/V stage:



 
*MUSES01 in I/V, THD+N: 0.0067%

*


 
*NE5532P in I/V, THD+N: 0.0024%

*​Having the second harmonic so close to -80 dB made me "downgrade" the I/V stage from my beloved E1 combo from MUSES01 to NE5532P. Now the second harmonics gets below -100 dB, hence the lower THD figure.

NE5532P was manufactured by Texas Instruments and are the originals from the E1 DAC. Same values I got when I used JRC2114D opamps.
MUSES01 are originals, bought from Profusion UK, JRC/NJM dealer.

The above values are not modified when swapping opamps in LPF, nor in output buffer or headphones gain stage (tested with MUSES02, LME49720, NE5532P, JRC2114D). However, worth mentioning that when using MUSES01 in LPF or VAS the 2nd harmonic is increasing with 2-3dB over the 100 dB horizontal line.

Given the above, I don't recommend spending money on MUSES01 in I/V stage of the Essence One MKii, although in other audio equipment could have better measurements (I will probably try later).

Note: I must confess that in previous A/B tests with an identical E1, comparing stock opamps with MUSES opamps, the MUSES version was more sound appealing, with better soundstage...more euphonic and pleasant sound. However, better THD+N means a sound more close to what the recording company intended, so my MUSES01 got out of my E1 last night.


----------



## Eiffel (Feb 24, 2019)

Muses 01 and 02 have harmonic issues and are also very sensitive to power supply harmonics.
On my STX The combination Muses01 in I/V and Muses02 in LPF sound very pleasant, but I've also notice some harmonic issues from power supply. Even if I changed to a better power supply i was able to get only different harmonics than first time.
Muses 01 is sensitive to high frequencies - i was able to hear harmonics at 1kHz and up to 10kHz, and Muses 02 to lower ones - 50Hz- 400Hz.
It was funny as when I run a frequency generator software on my PC, set at 20kHz I was able to hear a lot of frequencies sounds in my speakers instead of nothing.

On the Topping D10 - powered with a power brick however when used in LPF I was unable to hear anything.


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## kiran1103

Folks, Finally got hold of a Burson V6 Vivid after a long wait. I wanted 3 for Xonar Essense STXII. At first I was skeptical would it really make a difference. Once I installed it it was just WOW. I went straight from stock to Burson V6. Am yet to complete the burn in period but still see a significant improvement.. I started hearing details which was non-existent. Am unable to upload any pics due to my first post. Tried looking but dont see an option. Maybe mods can help. Thanks


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## Jonathan Crouch

kiran1103 said:


> Folks, Finally got hold of a Burson V6 Vivid after a long wait. I wanted 3 for Xonar Essense STXII. At first I was skeptical would it really make a difference. Once I installed it it was just WOW. I went straight from stock to Burson V6. Am yet to complete the burn in period but still see a significant improvement.. I started hearing details which was non-existent. Am unable to upload any pics due to my first post. Tried looking but dont see an option. Maybe mods can help. Thanks



Now you’ve seen the Burson Amps. Should have bought a Burson Play or it’s succesor there’s no comparison. It’s comparing a Burr Brown to an ESS SABRE and they now have a model with the SABRE 9032’s (even more superior to the Plays 9018 Gen 2.) take it from me I’ve owned an STX, 2 STX II’s and a Burson Play. The Play kills the others


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## bcschmerker4 (Mar 2, 2019)

*Burson Audio builds good stuff.*  The full-size V6's are outstanding in gear that will take 'em.  Hopefully they can pack 98+% of the Vivid's precision into a V6i, as I still can't fit full-size V's into an ASUS® XONAR® STX™ that has the dual-amp side against a video card (such as the EAH6850DC that I anticipate transferring onto the Hot Rod gPC's GA-MA78GM).  The Play trumps all comers?  Then again, Burson Audio started the Play from a clean sheet and could place every active component in its own sweet spot.  ASUSTeK Computer had to shoehorn the XONAR's components into the constraints of a standard-height PCI-Express card.


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## raoultrifan

Hi all,

Worth telling that these discrete "opamps" are still doing a great job in my audio equipments, not even one had any issues, so seem to be quite long-life devices if used correctly. A short reminder on where I am using these discrete opamps and their inside look:
- https://www.head-fi.org/threads/bur...ssion-and-reviews.854912/page-7#post-13711554
- https://www.head-fi.org/threads/bur...ssion-and-reviews.854912/page-9#post-13830420
- https://www.head-fi.org/threads/bur...d-v5-opa-s-review.784790/page-7#post-12384936
- https://www.head-fi.org/threads/asu...-dac-cebit-2011.542563/page-222#post_12728236

Also, worth mentioning that in my ASUS Essence One MKii device SS V6 has a similar performance like the NE5532 when used in I/V or LPF or Buffer stages, despite the MUSES01 that decreased the performance when placed in I/V. That means that SS opamps are less susceptible to PCB design and EMI/RFI noises than MUSES01 opamps.

*Note*: The latest SS V6 opamps are sealed in a way that the outer shell can not be removed. However, removing the outer shell to any of the Burson opamps will void the warranty, so please take care!


----------



## Dricks (Mar 3, 2019)

Hi,
i saw that EVGA made a new HiFi Grade sound card, featuring:

DAC - AKM AK4493
ADC (Line-In) - AKM AK5572  

ADC (Mic-In) - Cirrus Logic CS5346
OP-AMP (Headphone) - ADI OP275 + PowerAmps LME49600x2

OP-AMP (Line Out) - ADI AD8056 + Low pass filter LME49724x2

Capacitors - WIMA, Audio Note
Detailed specs:
https://eu.evga.com/articles/01281/evga-nu-audio/

Product page:
https://eu.evga.com/products/product.aspx?pn=712-P1-AN01-KR

They state that both OPAMPS are swappable (OP275 and AD8056) but AD8056 isn't listed on Burson V6 compatibility page.
Is it possible to swap it for a V6 ?


----------



## raoultrifan

Quite good specs indeed, sort of an ASUS STX, but with newer components inside. I was looking to the above opamps datasheet and I don't think you'll need any further upgrades, although I see no reasons why V6 not to be compatible with. The only issue would be their big size, they'll definitely not fit without removing the outer metallic case (this acts like a shield against EMI/RFI).

BTW, I don't quite like the price of this internal soundcard. Burson PLAY it's cheaper and it can get installed inside your computer's case and is also more powerful with it's 10V RMS of output voltage instead of 8V RMS like the EVGA card.
I guess it's all about what everyone want after all, but this EVGA soundcard, if found cheaper than 200 USD, then it will definitely worth the money.


----------



## kiran1103

Jonathan Crouch said:


> Now you’ve seen the Burson Amps. Should have bought a Burson Play or it’s succesor there’s no comparison. It’s comparing a Burr Brown to an ESS SABRE and they now have a model with the SABRE 9032’s (even more superior to the Plays 9018 Gen 2.) take it from me I’ve owned an STX, 2 STX II’s and a Burson Play. The Play kills the others



Pretty sure that would be the case. I lost one on ebay that was going for 200. Will keep monitoring.


----------



## YuriyT

Webber1 said:


> Has anyone tried to mix Vivid and Classic on STX2? For example, 2 Vivid’s for I/V stage and 1 Classic for buffer? A friend has done something similar on DAC Teac UD 501 and said that it is better than just using one type of Burson…Just curious …thanks!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Hey. Can you give more details about UD-501? What are the installation locations 1 Classic for buffer?


----------



## Webber1

YuriyT said:


> Hey. Can you give more details about UD-501? What are the installation locations 1 Classic for buffer?



Dont know details ask him here

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/teac-ud-501-upgrade-burson-v5-in-place-of-n5532a-review.804090/


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## Spektykles

Welp, my Burson V6 Vivid Dual is dead. Today plugged into my portable amp and no go. Tried other opamps, its fine. Time to vist the buyer i bought from. I noticed some days before the amp would failed to start until i manually power on and off several times then its good. I though my amp having problems with power supply but not today.


----------



## JamieMcC (Mar 8, 2019)

If anyone looking for a discreet op amp on a tight budget I have been trying out one of the relatively  inexpensive Chinese dual discreet Op Amp clones of the Marantz HDAM module in my Pass Whammy headphone amp, source is a Oppo 205 and listening with sen hd800 I also have used Vivid and Classic in the same position.

Sonically I would say they fit roughly halfway between the Classic and Vivid ie more resolution than the Classic but with a little less of the texture and intimacy the classic delivers. A touch less resolution than the Vivid but fuller and smother and an easier more enjoyable listen with the HD800 for me.

I found the Vivid to clinical with the hd800 and would soon tire of listening for my personal taste it was not a good match but I could happily live with either the Marantz clone or V6 Classic.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Full-Discrete-DUAL-Channels-Op-Amp-Module-replace-NE5532-MUS02-OPA2604-LME49720/252473351516?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649


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## raoultrifan

Spektykles said:


> Welp, my Burson V6 Vivid Dual is dead. Today plugged into my portable amp and no go. Tried other opamps, its fine. Time to vist the buyer i bought from. I noticed some days before the amp would failed to start until i manually power on and off several times then its good. I though my amp having problems with power supply but not today.



Just get 3xMUSES920 and 2xAD797 for your PLAY. I had tested my PLAY extensively with several opamps and I found the MUSES and AD as having one of the best price/perf. ration, especially if you're looking for neutrality in sound and least background noise for IEMs too. Some more personal thoughts could be read here: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/burson-playmate.23567/reviews#review-21676.

P.S.: I would keep the SS V6 for a different project.


----------



## DjBobby

If for the Play and the Playmate the best combination recommended is having Classics in I/V and Vivids in LP/Gain, would it mean that when using the Swing with the Fun, it should be Classics in the Swing and Vivids in the Fun or vice versa?


----------



## raoultrifan

@DjBobby I would say yes. Myself I got very good results with V6 Classic in I/V, not with Vivids.

For FUN there might be some more microdetails with Vivids, but this really depends on the cans used.


----------



## DjBobby

raoultrifan said:


> @DjBobby I would say yes. Myself I got very good results with V6 Classic in I/V, not with Vivids.
> 
> For FUN there might be some more microdetails with Vivids, but this really depends on the cans used.


Thanks.
It is interesting that the Burson suggests exactly the opposite combination. Here is the Play, but I guess they have used the same config as well in the Playmate Everest: 
https://www.massdrop.com/buy/burson-play-dac-amp

In this case it would imply the opposite: the Vivids for the Swing and Classics for the Fun.


----------



## raoultrifan

Well, but this is why we all love to roll opamps, right? 

At least for Playmate Everest, in IV there are the SS V6 Classic, and in LPF/Gain there are SS V6 Vivid.


----------



## mikaelmark

When I e-mailed Burson a few years ago if they suggest to run them in BIAS Class A, they telled me they did not recommend it, due to possible overheating (probably because earlier problems with V5). And when I asked them about using a 0,1uF cap between + and -, they told me there were no big need for it in those last generations OpAmp´s.

This has now made me thinking about the need for using DC filter coupling caps (polypropylen/MKP) in signal path "between" the DAC and Amp. Maybe Burson has also implemented this in the V6, so using separately caps will not be needed? Any thoughts or experience about this?


----------



## raoultrifan

Why the need to add a cap in signal path if not already done by the manufacturer of the DAC or Amp? Or maybe I'm misunderstanding your point.


----------



## JamieMcC

mikaelmark said:


> This has now made me thinking about the need for using DC filter coupling caps (polypropylen/MKP) in signal path "between" the DAC and Amp. Maybe Burson has also implemented this in the V6, so using separately caps will not be needed? Any thoughts or experience about this?



fwiw I have been running my Whammy fitted with V6 Classic without source dc filtering caps for about six months now I use a Oppo 205 as source and hd800 cans and find it much preferable that was. I tried a number of different caps in the dc filtering position (1uf) including standard MKP, Sprague Vitamin Q, Teflon film foils and Duelund Cast Copper.

I think its important to measure and confirm DC offsets are low enough with each source used.



raoultrifan said:


> Why the need to add a cap in signal path if not already done by the manufacturer of the DAC or Amp? Or maybe I'm misunderstanding your point.



I think the OP is referring to removing a component which is normally fitted by manufacturers as a safety precaution.


----------



## raoultrifan

The DC-blocking caps have nothing to do with the opamp itself, this is a safety feature, like Jamie said above. If you don't want to do your own DIY "DC-servo", I can't recommend you to remove those caps. However, doubling their capacitance will help in some cases, just don't spend more that 10 bucks on each (expensive MKP caps will not help in this scenario).


----------



## mikaelmark

raoultrifan said:


> The DC-blocking caps have nothing to do with the opamp itself, this is a safety feature, like Jamie said above. If you don't want to do your own DIY "DC-servo", I can't recommend you to remove those caps. However, doubling their capacitance will help in some cases, just don't spend more that 10 bucks on each (expensive MKP caps will not help in this scenario).


In my own built from scratch, Lovely Black Cube headphone amp with quite high grade component´s, I replaced the DC coupling cap´s 1,5uF Mundorf EVO to 1,0uF Jantzen Superior-Z with 0,022uF Russian FT-1 Teflon. And I believe it now sound better. From the beginning, it should have some cheap Vishay polyester.

If the sound will change when upgrading to better cap´s in a speaker crossover, why should´nt it when the cap act as a coupling cap?


----------



## raoultrifan (Mar 18, 2019)

You need DC blocking caps here, not Low/High Pass filters. As long as you’re using decent quality MKP caps you don’t benefit of any sound improvements from here. Just to be sure, use a higher capacitance MKP and this is the only upgrade that might worth trying. You can also use a scope and square waves to see if you choose a good cap or not.

However, when speaking about DC-block caps, then “best cap is no cap”, so you could DIY a DC-servo from a TL72 opamp (or similar) to replace the DC-blocking caps, although not sure it’s recommended (use a scope and build the DC servo circuit only if phase delay is big enough).


----------



## JamieMcC

Certainly noticed a difference in sound presentation using different types of caps DC blocking caps myself in the Whammy but most definitely a case of the best cap is no cap.


----------



## raoultrifan

Usually, after calculating the correct value for the DC-blocking cap there should be no differences to the output sound, but YMMV. Wima MKP should suffice in most cases.

Like I said, doubling the value may improve low-end response, especially below 40Hz (subwoofers will like that).


----------



## raoultrifan

mikaelmark said:


> [...]I replaced the DC coupling cap´s 1,5uF Mundorf EVO to 1,0uF Jantzen Superior-Z [...]



I probably missed that.  You actually downgraded by doing this, because you increased the cut-off frequency of the input-RC high-pass filter and now your amplifier will have a decrease in amplitude on the bass (especially on the 20 Hz).
In the Head-Fi thread, as well as in Dyiaudio thread for his beautiful amplifier, there are several posts about increasing the capacitance of the DC-blocking cap, not decreasing it. Below some measurements, from a different amplifier, with 2.2uF, 4.7uF and a wire used for the DC-blocking cap:


  
*2.2uF DC-blocking cap                                                        4.7uF DC-blocking cap*


* 
Direct coupling (no DC-blocking cap, just a wire instead)*​


----------



## mikaelmark

raoultrifan said:


> I probably missed that.  You actually downgraded by doing this, because you increased the cut-off frequency of the input-RC high-pass filter and now your amplifier will have a decrease in amplitude on the bass (especially on the 20 Hz).
> In the Head-Fi thread, as well as in Dyiaudio thread for his beautiful amplifier, there are several posts about increasing the capacitance of the DC-blocking cap, not decreasing it. Below some measurements, from a different amplifier, with 2.2uF, 4.7uF and a wire used for the DC-blocking cap:
> 
> 
> ...


Ok, thank´s for your explanation!

I´ve been told that for my headphone amp, another head-fi member told: "1uF is still fine, It means that 3Hz input signals will be decreased by 30%"

So, I guess that the DC coupling cab will influence above 20Hz at a very small amount as a decrease of 30% at 3Hz is the same as about 2dB lower.

With no cap, the DC-value to the OpAmp was about 10 - 20 mV.


----------



## mikaelmark

The above is calculated by this calculation:

C=1/2_3.14_f *Xc

"Xc is the impedance of the capacitor C is the minimum value of the coupling capacitor f is the minimum frequency of the waveform that will be applied to the input of the coupling capacitor."

But - how to determine the impedance??


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## raoultrifan (Mar 21, 2019)

Too many details. 
I guess it is referring to capacitor's ESR, not sure.
Usually, the DC-blocking cap and the resistor that grounds the input or output signal create a RC filter. You can use this tool to calculate HPF cut-off freq: http://sim.okawa-denshi.jp/en/CRlowkeisan.htm.
Example: for a 10 KOhms resistor and 1 uF the cut-off freq. would be 15.9 Hz. It  might sound OKish, but looking at the graph below we can clearly realize that it's a no go, because of the visible roll-off starting around 50Hz (at 20 Hz there are already about 3dB loss):


----------



## bcschmerker4

mikaelmark said:


> The above is calculated by this calculation:
> 
> C=1/2_3.14_f *Xc
> 
> ...


*Impedance can be quite complicated to calculate.*  Capacitors have resistance in the lead wires and the plates themselves, and the plates may have stray inductance depending on the capacitors' internal construction (the most common offenders being oil-papers and electrolytics); the better manufacturers include equivalent series resistance and inductance in the datasheets for their products.  Capacitors' reactance (in ohms), of course, is inversely proportional to frequency.  All inductors have series resistance due to the nature of their construction, and their reactance (also in ohms) is directly proportional to frequency.  The multiplier for frequency is 2_πν_ (where _ν_ = frequency in Hz); for most intel® and AMD® MPUs and CPUs, 6.28318532 works for 2_π_.  For a given frequency _ν_ in Hz and a given C in farads,

Zc = Rs + 1 / ( 2_πν_C ) - 2_πν_Ls

where Rs = series resistance in ohms, and Ls = series inductance in henries; capacitive and inductive reactances counteract.


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## raoultrifan

No head-fier will use these formulas, there's a link in my previous post that can be used to calculate the cut-off frequency.
Whoever wants to upgrade the DC-blocking caps, just use regular MKP caps (WIMA, Vishay etc.) and a value equal or higher with the original one. Of course, DC-servo would be better, when possible, but it's not a must.


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## Slim1970 (Feb 15, 2020)

*SYSTEM SETUP*

My setup for this review is the Burson Fun (Headphone Amp/Pre-Amp), Burson V6 Classics, SparkoS SS3601, Burson Conductor Air (DAC), Shiit Loki EQ, iPad Pro, Tidal, Focal Utopia’s
I choose to use the Focal Utopia’s with Danacable Lazuli Reference cable for their revealing, transparent nature. I wanted to hear the changes in tone, texture, and details that each op-amp brings to the table


*SparkoS SS3601 vs Stock*

First let me start by saying the stock op-amps are really good. The NE5543 is a great choice for a stock component. The Burson Fun in stock form is better than any amp in its price category. The bass is deep, the midrange has nice presence and the treble is nicely balanced with the rest of the frequency spectrum. But I felt the stock amp lacked note clarity, detail and some refinement.

Enter the SparkoS SS3601’s. I’ve been listening with the SparkoS SS3601’s in the Burson Fun for the past week. I could hear the improvement over the stock op-amps right away. The detail level I was seeking was there is spades. The bass was just as prominent as the stock op-amps but it was tighter with better depth and articulate. The midrange is smooth and sits perfectly in the bass and treble. Voices sound natural and fluid. You can hear the difference in treble presentation immediately. The treble is borderline bright especially with the Utopia’s. There was more clarity, detail and separation in each note.

This is exactly the sound I was looking for. The SparkoS SS3601’s has more speed and attack. The Fun sounded like whole new amp. With the SparkoS SS3601’s in the Fun, this setup should work perfectly with darker sounding headphones like the HD650’s.  

*SparkoS SS3601 vs V6 Classics*

When I first inserted the V6 Classics after listening the SparkoS op-amps the first thing I noted was how the sound warmed up. The bass of the V6 Classics in comparison to SparkoS has a lot of bloom and it seems to be more mid-bass focused. It’s not nearly as tight or defined but it has a nice presence to it. The midrange on the V6 Classics is the star of the show. It’s sweet and lush. I see how it can put people in the mindset of listening to tubes. The midrange is slightly forward with the bass and treble filling in very nicely.

The V6 Classics are very musical but they give you some clarity and detail as well. The SparkoS still beat them in terms of overall clarity but advantage of the V6 Classics is it just lets you sit back and enjoy the music. The V6 Classics is more forgiving on bad recordings. Listening to Chrisette Michele’s Golden, her voice sounds so natural. When she hits the high notes in that song there is not a hint of sibilance even from the Utopia’s. Listening to the same song with the SparkoS I had to reach for the volume knob. Yes, the SparkoS image better but as I noted before the upper treble can sound harsh on some recordings. Her high notes were clearer but strident. The Sparkos sounded more balanced despite the upper treble being more energetic. If the I had to pick the best qualities of both and make the ideal op-amp I would choose the bass and treble of the Sparkos and the midrange of the V6 Classics.

Moving over to some jazz and classical is where the two op-amps differentiate themselves. The strength and qualities of the SparkoS really come into play here. The busy passages in classical music requires good instrument separation, which are some of the strong points of the SS3601’s. The V6 classics sounded a little congested and the transients were not as sharp as they were on the SS3601’s. I think if I still had my HD800S’s the V6 Classics would be the perfect pairing. The big, huge soundstage and the way the HD800S’s renders music with such spaciousness, lucidity and detail with the V6 Classics in the mix I could only imagine how the Fun would make them sound.

In conclusion, the Burson V6 Classics are a great alternative to the SparkoS SS3601’s. These two op-amps could not sound so different. The Burson V6 Classics are warm, forgiving, with a great tube-like midrange that strikes at the heart of music. The music lover in me really appreciate these op-amps and the sound they achieve.


----------



## Shane D

Slim1970 said:


> *SYSTEM SETUP*
> 
> My setup for this review is the Burson Fun (Headphone Amp/Pre-Amp), Burson V6 Classics, SparkoS SS3601, Burson Conductor Air (DAC), Shiit Loki EQ, iPad Pro, Tidal, Focal Utopia’s
> I choose to use the Focal Utopia’s with Danacable Lazuli Reference cable for their revealing, transparent nature. I wanted to hear the changes in tone, texture, and details that each op-amp brings to the table
> ...



Very detailed review.  Nice work!

Shane D


----------



## Alcophone

Just noticed this thread. I have recently reviewed the Burson V6 Classic, Burson V6 Vivid, Sonic Imagery Labs 992/994Enh-Ticha and SparkoS Labs SS3601/3602 in the following products:

Burson Fun: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/opamp-rolling-with-the-burson-fun.23632/
Burson Bang: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/opamp-rolling-with-the-burson-bang.23644/
Gustard H20: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/opamp-rolling-with-the-gustard-h20.23639/

Enjoy!


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## Dobrescu George

I made a review of Burson Play, and now I also made one of the vivid op-amps! 

I think they're pretty neat! 

https://www.audiophile-heaven.com/2019/03/better-desktop-power-burson-play-v6-vivid-review.html


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## adeadcrab

Thinking about getting these for a discontinued audio gd product that was designed specifically to roll opamps. Thinking of getting at least the vivid, and perhaps the classics too. 
I've been using this device as headphone amp / preamp for almost a decade (!) so would be interesting to see for myself how much of a difference these discrete opamps could provide.


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## raoultrifan

Hope the link works for you too: https://www.bursonaudio.com/product...ail&utm_term=0_dcbad555fe-5d3bc1d2ad-31108043


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## adeadcrab

The V6 will be going into this: http://www.audio-gd.com/Pro/Headphoneamp/FUN/FUNAN4.jpg
Maybe you can see the Burr-Brown OPA2134 in the lower right corner.. this amp only needs one opamp so I can roll either vivid or classic at a time and see if I can tell a difference


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## Slim1970

*V6 Vivid Update*

*V6 Vivids vs V6 Classics *

I received the V6 Vivids earlier in the week. They have been in the Burson Fun ever since.  I’ve just been listening to them trying to get a feel for their distinct characteristics. I could tell right away that the V6 Vivids are definitely from the same family of sound as the V6 Classics. The V6 Vivids have a similar tone as the V6 Classics but they are more detailed. Gone is the magical midrange that dominates the sound of the V6 Classics. The V6 Vivids trade that sound in for a more open, balanced presentation. The bass doesn’t have that bloom like it does on the V6 Classics. The bass on the V6 Vivids is cleaner and better defined. It’s still extended but seems to have better depth and is focus more on subbass instead of midbass like the V6 Classics.

The midrange of the V6 Vivids sounds more neutral than the V6 Classics. There is no midrange bleeding in the bass to midrange transition. You won’t get the vocal sweetness or midrange lushness that the V6 Classic midrange gives you. Instead what you get with the V6 Vivids  is a clear midrange with better instrument separation than the V6 Classics. I feel the V6 Vivids will do a much better job with pop, rock, metal, jazz and classical music genres. The V6 Vivids will open up those busy passages and fill your headphones full of music.

The treble on the V6 Vivids is more extended. Not that the V6 Classic treble is rolled off because it’s not. It just doesn’t have the clarity of the V6 Vivids. I’m a sucker for treble done right and the V6 Vivids treble presentation is fabulous out of the Utopia’s.

I have nothing but good things to say about the V6 Vivids. They are my choice for my musical tastes. With that said, the V6 Classics still have a place in my collection. The V6 Classics are a nice change of pace because they are the more musical op-amp even if they are somewhat colored.

*V6 Vivids vs SparkoS SS3601 *

This is the comparison I’ve been waiting for. I couldn’t wait to see what, if any, advantage the SparkoS SS3601 will have over the V6 Vivids. It turns out they are more similar than not. Both are open sounding, vibrant op-amps. The SparkoS have a little more bass. The low-end presence is needed because its treble is also brighter and more detailed. The elevated bass helps balance the sound of this op-amp.

The V6 Vivids sound slightly warmer and have more midrange presence to my ears. I’m actually really enjoying the V6 Vivids a lot more than I thought I would. They are more balanced than the SparkoS. The SS3601’s almost sound v-shaped in comparison. This is something I never would have thought if I wasn’t listening to them side by side.

The SparkoS are more revealing and more resolving. This can be a problem if you have headphones that lean towards the brighter side of neutral. But on my Auteur’s and Z1R’s they make these headphones come alive. The V6 Vivids do make poor recordings more listenable. That’s something the SparkoS SS3601’s doesn’t do.

If the I didn’t own the SparkoS already I could easily live the V6 Vivids. But the SparkoS SS3601 still hold an edge over the V6 Vivids to me. The SparkoS SS3601’s in the Burson Fun just makes the transients in this amp sound faster, they give the musical notes an edge and makes them sound sharper, crisper. The bass is tighter and there’s also more of it on the SS3601’s. The V6 Vivids wins the treble battle. I love how V6 VIvids give you all the musical details without a hint of sounding too sibilant.  The SparkoS are right on the borderline of that. The V6 Vivids also lets you enjoy more of the music instead of being critical of it. That’s something I find myself doing with the SparkoS.

It seems Burson designed the Classics and Vivids for two different audiences. If that was their intent, I think they have succeeded. The Classics and Vivids are two different sounding op-amps. But where Burson is winning with the Fun and this entire line up is they are allowing the end customer the option to roll op-amps. You can get a different sound without voiding the warranty. Great job Burson!


----------



## yavormoskov

You mention the SparkoS SS3601 could be a bad pairing for bright headphones. What about Beyerdynamic DT 1990. I was thinking to buy them for my Fun amp with the Sparkos inside. Do you think the sound could be too clinical?


----------



## Eiffel

I don't know about Sparkos, but I think the Fun is too much for the DT1990.
Basically those headphones can be drive easily by any player or phone on the market. No need for an amp.

I bought them for my Play who use V6 Classics in I/V and V6 Vivids in LPF and Gain. The sound fits them very well - may be the lower mids are a bit accentuated, but I have to keep the volume between 3 and 5 as more is too much for my ears ( I like to listen at low volumes )
Also on Conductor Air - with V5i I use a maximum of 9 for volume. But with this one I got some sibilance on some songs.
Now I listen to them mostly on a Sabaj Da2 - with volume at the middle, or some FiiO players ( X5II or M3 first version )


----------



## Slim1970

yavormoskov said:


> You mention the SparkoS SS3601 could be a bad pairing for bright headphones. What about Beyerdynamic DT 1990. I was thinking to buy them for my Fun amp with the Sparkos inside. Do you think the sound could be too clinical?


I just sold my DT1990's in favor of the T1.2 LE's (black version). I mainly used my DT1990's with the balanced pads. Oddly, enough I didn't find the DT1990 bright sounding at all with the balanced pads. With the SparkoS in the Fun I thought the two played well together. Everything was detailed, sharp and enjoyable. With the analytical pads and the SparkoS op-amps in the Fun, the DT1990's was pushed over the edge. As the treble was too much of a good thing. The DT1990's treble can be sharper than the Utopia's treble at times on certain songs with the analytical pads. But that's what they are designed to do, give you that insight into the music. The DT1990 are professional headphones in the end. The T1.2's are more for home use and are much better at delivering music. Plus they scale better with better gear.

My thoughts are this, if you are planning on getting the DT1990's and use the balanced pads I would get the V6 Vivids. They bring the detail level up close to the SparkoS with a smoother treble. If you want the ultimate detail then get the SparkoS and use with the balanced pads. If you are planning on using the analytical pads I would go with the V6 classics. They are just so darn musical to me no matter what headphone I use. You do give up some bass tightness compared to V6 Vivids and Sparkos SS3601's though. System synergy is important and the best thing about the Fun is you can tune it to your liking. Regardless of headphones you use.


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## Wiljen

Tried the V6c and V6v vs the SS360x  - notes are up on my blog.


----------



## Slim1970

Wiljen said:


> Tried the V6c and V6v vs the SS360x  - notes are up on my blog.


Great review. We have a lot of similar buzz words in describing what we are hearing from the SparkoS series of op-amps. The V6 series, especially the V6 Vivids, are worthy contenders. It’s going to come down to system matching because they all have something I like about them.


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## The Chief

My opinion: Op amps don´t belong into audio signal path at all.  But if there´s n o other way, Burson vivids are not bad. But if you want to compare with Sparkos, ( some guys already have done ), take the Sparkos SS2590. I did. That´s something ! But you have to make the very special socket  fit into your device...
happy listening , and please remember: always make up your own opinion by listening. Sound cannot be read....


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## Shane D

Vivid opamps are up on MassDrop today.


Shane D


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## Onik

The Chief said:


> My opinion: Op amps don´t belong into audio signal path at all.  But if there´s n o other way, Burson vivids are not bad. But if you want to compare with Sparkos, ( some guys already have done ), take the Sparkos SS2590. I did. That´s something ! But you have to make the very special socket  fit into your device...
> happy listening , and please remember: always make up your own opinion by listening. Sound cannot be read....



how does the Sparkos SS2590 sounds compare to SS3602/V6 Vivids?


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## The Chief

The 2590 is definitely the better one. It even can keep, what the 3360 did not promise. It´s opener than vivid, but not rough, more space, more air, mor micro information in the descending reverb tail, something in that direction. I only can suggest to make a listening comparison, I can´t promise that you like the result....


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## Wiljen

the 2590 is a single op amp only and is nearly 4 times the size of the 360x series.  This can create fit issues in small spaces and if your device has dual op-amps it is an even tighter fit as you'll need a pair of the 2590s and adapters to convert two singles into a dual for use in those.   The upside is even higher open loop gain and better noise reduction tech that wouldn't fit in the 1/2 inch 360x.    I've played around with them and found fit to be a real challenge in small devices as some of the benefits are negated by having to run long leads over other components in order to be able to fit the 2590s into the existing geography.


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## Onik

Im thinking to get 2590 pairs for my Sound Card ZXR for the Buffers, and will post the review if I ever buy them for cheap price on ebay.


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## Eiffel

20% Off for V5i and V6 for 2 days.


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## Shane D

Hello. I know we have members from around the world here, but I wanted to try speak to a much narrower group of readers. I am located in Halifax, Nova Scotia in Canada. I came across a thread where a Head-Fi'er had wondered about organizing a get together in Halifax. I wanted to post in this thread and talk to anybody that lives in or around Halifax or even if you were planning to visit the area in June. Just food for thought. If anyone is interested, you could post a reply in https://www.head-fi.org/threads/halifax-ns-meetup-2019.905499/

It would be cool if we could find five or six people with a few cool toys each. It could be a very interesting afternoon or evening.


Shane D


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## adeadcrab (May 13, 2019)

Quick little review -







Some quick impressions of the opamps first,

1) Stock opamp is the OPA2134 - widely regarded as on the darker side, these have the narrowest sound stage/imaging of the three. Instruments bleed into one another and sounds muddy overall.

2) V6 Classic open the soundstage substantially, and imaging is much more precise. Everything has its own space in the mix. Instruments like guitar and vocals that are panned near the center of the mix are pushed closer to the center, making a more intimate experience than the Vivid. Treble is rolled off compared to the Vivid; cymbals lose their sheen and snare loses its edge. Mids like guitar and vocals are boosted up, becoming the centerpiece of the song. Bass is loosened; eases up and doesn't demand attention. Overall the sound is more relaxed, less realistic than the Vivid but still leagues better than the OPA2134.

3) V6 Vivid widen the soundstage more than the Classic. Imaging is still as precise also. Depth of soundstage increases; intimacy is lost at the gain of a wider and all-encompassing soundstage. Treble is back compared to the Classic, cymbals sound pretty realistic (maybe as good as being behind the kit itself ). Mids are no longer the feature, the Vivid is a mirror of the source material and the rest of one's audio chain. Bass is tight and accurate, and a little more present than the Classic.

I used a Topping D50 DAC feeding an Audio-Gd Fun Preamp which uses one opamp in the output stage. I found changing the opamp has a big effect on the sound going throughout the chain.
















Impressions with a couple headphones,

1) Koss ESP/95X - The Vivid shows the effortless natural reproduction capabilities of this headphone, which can be too much if you are working at your PC as the sound is so detailed. The Classic makes the sound more of that classic (  ) tubey, mid-centric relaxed sound which is what I've been using most of the time so far.

2) Grado GS1000 - If you've heard these you might know they have an excessive V-shaped signature, with over-exaggerated mid-bass and treble. The Vivid brings more of this to the table which I found too much. The Classic, however, breathed new life into the GS1000 as it tames the bass and treble, while boosting the mids just enough that the V-shape is no longer unbearable to listen to . It also brought the massive soundstage into line and let me enjoy a pair of headphones that had been collecting dust for the better part of 5-6 years .


I should also mention both opamps have 100+ hours on them. I left the opamps to burn in day and night, listening occasionally during the day.
The Classic sounded thin and lifeless right out of the box, as others have said. I listened to them for the first few hours, and after hour 4 I noticed their signature sound starting to come around. After 24 hours I couldn't notice a difference, and they've probably had ~200 hours at the time of this post.
The Vivid sounded -- really -- bad out of the box, really not good. The bass was mushy, treble was muddy and totally whack, but I knew what was coming so I kept them burning in night and day. Again, after 24 hours they were getting there in terms of soundstage and treble extension, and at 100 hours they are pretty damn good. I don't know if I could tell much of a difference between hour 24 and hour 100+.

I've seen the SparkoS recommended, I have zero desire to check them out at the moment, as I enjoy comparing the 2 V6 opamps and they are leagues ahead of the stock IC opamp that I had been using for years. And according to some, they can only get better .


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## DjBobby

V6 Vivids and Classics are still 20% off. Burson seems to have prolonged the offer, still a chance to grab some: https://www.bursonaudio.com/products/supreme-sound-opamp-v6/


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## Shane D (May 16, 2019)

adeadcrab said:


> Quick little review -
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I would certainly agree with you on the Burson/Grado magic. Right now I have two amps and several pairs of headphones and no combination sounds as great as the Burson Fun-Classic matched with Grado GH2's.

I also have Vivid's on order from MassDrop. They should be in by the end of the month.

Shane D


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## adeadcrab

Classic is also very nice with a neutral headphone, really brings up that electric guitar and makes it gorgeous and sweet sounding.

HD650 is a bit too warm as it is though.


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## Wiljen

Classic also sounds really nice as the input op-amp on the Bang paired to my KEF 350s


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## Michaelp

Would like to give my two cents on the V6 Vivid in the Burson FUn. So I have had the Vivid's for about three weeks now and I must say I like them a lot. To be honest it took me a bit to get use to the sound I was hearing for them. But after a few hours of listening guess my ears adjusted to the signature sound of them but yes very nice.I thought stock Fun sounded very good to me but after installing these puppy's wow. The detail retrieval on these are remarkable and not to mention the imaging and soundstage is just great love them. I will say these Vivid's brought the fun to a new level. Haven't heard the Classic's but would be fun to add a different flavor to this little amp. Guess I should say I'm running the fun via my Audio-gd NFB-28.38 haven't listened to the NFB in sometime now. Almost forgot speaking of the detail on these op-amp's what struck me was the detail in the low end just great. If I had never heard the Vivid's in the Fun would of be happy with the stock version. But since I have don't think I will be going back to stock anytime soon that's for sure. Have to say what a nice little compact amp with just great versatility.  Thanks for hearing me out.


----------



## Slim1970

Michaelp said:


> Would like to give my two cents on the V6 Vivid in the Burson FUn. So I have had the Vivid's for about three weeks now and I must say I like them a lot. To be honest it took me a bit to get use to the sound I was hearing for them. But after a few hours of listening guess my ears adjusted to the signature sound of them but yes very nice.I thought stock Fun sounded very good to me but after installing these puppy's wow. The detail retrieval on these are remarkable and not to mention the imaging and soundstage is just great love them. I will say these Vivid's brought the fun to a new level. Haven't heard the Classic's but would be fun to add a different flavor to this little amp. Guess I should say I'm running the fun via my Audio-gd NFB-28.38 haven't listened to the NFB in sometime now. Almost forgot speaking of the detail on these op-amp's what struck me was the detail in the low end just great. If I had never heard the Vivid's in the Fun would of be happy with the stock version. But since I have don't think I will be going back to stock anytime soon that's for sure. Have to say what a nice little compact amp with just great versatility.  Thanks for hearing me out.


Very nicely said!


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## Shane D

Just got an email from Drop (MassDrop). My Vivid opamps are delayed. No date given.

Shane D


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## Shane D

My opamps will arriving this week. Any tips on changing them? Straight up? Rock them from front/back/side?

Thanks for any guidance.

Shane D


----------



## DjBobby

Shane D said:


> My opamps will arriving this week. Any tips on changing them? Straight up? Rock them from front/back/side?
> 
> Thanks for any guidance.
> 
> Shane D


Maybe it could be interesting for you to see the tool I was using while replacing the op-amps: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/new...hangeable-opamps.894619/page-24#post-14974326

Bought the op-amp extractor here: https://www.ebay.ch/itm/1PCS-PLCC-I...cuit-Board-Component-Puller-Tool/221944834880


----------



## Shane D

DjBobby said:


> Maybe it could be interesting for you to see the tool I was using while replacing the op-amps: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/new...hangeable-opamps.894619/page-24#post-14974326
> 
> Bought the op-amp extractor here: https://www.ebay.ch/itm/1PCS-PLCC-I...cuit-Board-Component-Puller-Tool/221944834880



Thank you!

Shane D


----------



## Wiljen

Do not rock them - straight down is best method. rocking them will bend pins.

here are my tips.
1.) Take photos first so you know the orientation of the chips that came out.
2.) Locate pin 1 and make sure you have them identified on the socket and the chip before you take it out.  Do the same on your new ones so you know the proper orientation during install.
3.) To remove IC Op-amps, get a very small screwdriver and pick up one end by about 1mm, then do the same on the opposite end.  Repeat this in 1mm increments until you can pull the chip straight up to remove it.
4.) if you want to put the case back on, remove the socket protectors before install.   
5.) sound test it before you put the case back on.  A loose contact can keep them from working correctly.


----------



## Shane D

Wiljen said:


> Do not rock them - straight down is best method. rocking them will bend pins.
> 
> here are my tips.
> 1.) Take photos first so you know the orientation of the chips that came out.
> ...



Thanks for the info. I will leave the box open for a day or maybe even the whole weekend. I want to pick a "winner" and then put the other ones into a drawer. Then in six to twelve months I will swap again and have a whole new amp every year.

Shane D


----------



## mikaelmark

First; be sure to unscharge you for ESD, by touching an earthed point, for example an unpainted point of a radiator. And of course it´s easiest by removing the cover at the enclosure, if possible.

When uninstalling the old OpAmp, for example; NE5534 or OPA2134, use a small standard - screwdriver to pull it upwards, a little bit from each side at a time. Or, you can use your nail, if having long enough nail´s.

When installing the new Burson discrete OpAmp; first notice Pin 1 or the marking in the DIP-socket at the PCB, and this must be faced the same direction as the trail in the plastic cover. Then remove the mounted DIP-socket the discrete, and hold the red or orange plastic cover with two finger´s, and gently push it downwards into the DIP-socket (assure all 8 pin´s are correctly positioning respective hole´s!).

Also, the best connection will be achieved, if unsolder the already mounted DIP-switch, and then solder the OpAmp directly to the PCB, but be aware that one must know what they´re doing!).

Good luck!


----------



## Shane D

I got two orders today: 1) Two Vivid singles and 2) Schiit Loki.



 

Going to be a fun weekend!

Shane D


----------



## Slim1970

Shane D said:


> I got two orders today: 1) Two Vivid singles and 2) Schiit Loki.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Nice, they are going to make a BIG difference in your listening experience


----------



## Shane D

Slim1970 said:


> Nice, they are going to make a BIG difference in your listening experience



I just spent the last hour hour building my test list (18 songs) and transferring it to my DAP. So hard to pick! Once I open the box, I will leave it open all weekend and go back and forth. Of course I will cover it when not in use. And before I do the initial open, I will check back through the thread for tips.

Shane D


----------



## Shane D

My playlist for testing:
 

Shane D


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## raoultrifan

Shane, you could also get the Stereophile discs and the Chesky as well; these are meant for such test.


----------



## Shane D

raoultrifan said:


> Shane, you could also get the Stereophile discs and the Chesky as well; these are meant for such test.



I have thought about that over the years, but I just think that I am better off with music that I know very well.

Shane D


----------



## Shane D

Okay, I have started the listening. But...I damaged an opamp. I knew, knew, knew to grab the opamp from the bottom. Very first grab and I grab it from the top: Yes, the plastic came apart. I wasn't all that worried as I thought I could probably glue it back together. Now it just will not work. I can press fit it back together, but it won't work. I even just tried it without the plastic case. No sound at all.

That is too bad as I was not overly impressed with the Vivid's sound. I wanted to change back and see if it was my imagination or not. I thought maybe it was a case of  recency bias, but I couldn't compare...

I sent an email to Burson asking if it might be covered by warranty. If not, I asked if I can just buy one or if I need a "matched set". Hopefully, I will hear back tomorrow.

I watched a YouTube review last week and a guy was reviewing the two of them. He is a video editor and he stated that he thought the Vivid was much more accurate and that he would use it for editing. However, he thought the Classic sounded much more "musical" and that he preferred it for listening to music. In my quick test, I would agree. Of course that is not really giving the Vivids a long term test (Which they will get now) and I cannot play the Classic's to compare. Oh well, first world problems.

Shane D


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## Slim1970 (Feb 15, 2020)

Shane D said:


> Okay, I have started the listening. But...I damaged an opamp. I knew, knew, knew to grab the opamp from the bottom. Very first grab and I grab it from the top: Yes, the plastic came apart. I wasn't all that worried as I thought I could probably glue it back together. Now it just will not work. I can press fit it back together, but it won't work. I even just tried it without the plastic case. No sound at all.
> 
> That is too bad as I was not overly impressed with the Vivid's sound. I wanted to change back and see if it was my imagination or not. I thought maybe it was a case of  recency bias, but I couldn't compare...
> 
> ...


The V6 Classics are warm, inviting and musical. I put the V6 Vivids back in my Fun after a month of listening to SparkoS op-amps and the V6 Vivids are right in the middle from a sound standpoint. There are not as detailed as the SparkoS but detailed enough were I feel I’m not missing any information. They has enough of the V6 Classics musically that I’m enjoying them a lot more the second time around. I have a dual V6 Classic in my Burson Bang and now this is my preferred listening setup.


----------



## Shane D

I got my Classic opamp working again! After wasting 20 minutes of Alex from Burson's time.

Awesome!!!

Let the comparison continue.

Shane D


----------



## raoultrifan

Shane D said:


> Okay, I have started the listening. But...I damaged an opamp. I knew, knew, knew to grab the opamp from the bottom. Very first grab and I grab it from the top: Yes, the plastic came apart. I wasn't all that worried as I thought I could probably glue it back together. Now it just will not work. I can press fit it back together, but it won't work. I even just tried it without the plastic case. No sound at all.
> 
> [...]



You probably put it backwards, regarding the PIN1; have a look to some details here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/bur...ssion-and-reviews.854912/page-7#post-13711554. I created this post for those that want to know what's inside and also to better identify PIN1 in case the outer shell dismantles. 

However, the new 2019 stock is glued perfectly and will not cause the outer shell to open up anymore (well, I actually like it more "naked"... )


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## Shane D

raoultrifan said:


> You probably put it backwards, regarding the PIN1; have a look to some details here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/bur...ssion-and-reviews.854912/page-7#post-13711554. I created this post for those that want to know what's inside and also to better identify PIN1 in case the outer shell dismantles.
> 
> However, the new 2019 stock is glued perfectly and will not cause the outer shell to open up anymore (well, I actually like it more "naked"... )



The "naked" thing is kind of cool.

I must have put it in incorrectly, but I was certain that I had tried everything. I will glue it back up today.

Shane D


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## Michaelp (Jun 4, 2019)

Little follow up on the V6 Vivid's in the Fun still sounding great. Not sure about this burn in but could be getting better or might just be me thinking it is? As far as installing the op-amps I had no problems at all just have to be careful the pins are pretty delicate. And have to make sure you install them in the right way with notch on board lined up with notch on op-amp. Me being dumb couldn't get lid back on at first and Tim (Slim1970) told me I had to remove the extension from the bottom of the op-amp for it to fit under lid. Any way here are some pics I took would like to share with you all.


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## Shane D

Michaelp said:


> Little follow up on the V6 Vivid's in the Fun still sounding great. Not sure about this burn in but could be getting better or might just be me thinking it is? As far as installing the op-amps I had no problems at all just have to be careful the pins are pretty delicate. And have to make sure you install them in the right way with notch on board lined up with notch on op-amp. Me being dumb couldn't get lid back on at first and Tim (Slim1970) told me I had to remove the extension from the bottom of the op-amp for it to fit under lid. Any way here are some pics I took would like to share with you all.



I am just sitting here going back and forth with mine.

Shane D


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## Michaelp

How do you like them so far Shane?


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## Shane D

Michaelp said:


> How do you like them so far Shane?



I am just testing them with my Grado's because that is a winning combination for me.

I don't want to make a snap decision, but I do prefer the Classics so far. To me the vocals (my favourite instrument) sound fuller, clearer, more forward with the Classic's. They seem to have more "sparkle".

I read one review about the Vivid's being more exact, more precise, maybe even more accurate. I don't doubt that. To be clear, I am NOT an audiophile. I don't like Audeze headphones, I hated the HD6XX's and I was bored to death by an iFi MICRO Icann SE amp.

I lOVE this amp, my Grado's, my Meze 99 Classics and even my Beyer's (VERY clear but not as fun as the Meze 99's). 
The Loxjie P20 is growing on me with the new tubes.

Totally off topic:
I had a chance the other day to buy the Unicorn of amps: THX AAA 789. It would have been EXACTLY double the cost of my Fun-Classic amp. I had it ordered and then I backed out. There is no way on earth that amp could be twice as good as the Fun, in my opinion. For that kind of money I could get a very nice set of used headphones.

Having said all that I have to do more testing.


Shane D


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## mikaelmark (Jun 8, 2019)

raoultrifan said:


> You probably put it backwards, regarding the PIN1; have a look to some details here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/bur...ssion-and-reviews.854912/page-7#post-13711554. I created this post for those that want to know what's inside and also to better identify PIN1 in case the outer shell dismantles.
> 
> However, the new 2019 stock is glued perfectly and will not cause the outer shell to open up anymore (well, I actually like it more "naked"... )


One plastic cover of mine was also getting off, so I use it now without the cover/shell.

Does it have any more purpose than just protect the internal PCB? I can´t imagine it will shield from EMI or EMF, as it´s made of plastic. If it gonna shield those, it must be made of some metal; for example copper or aluminium, preferrable it should also be connected to the equipments enclosure ground, and best is if it´s connected to the wall outlets earth. Some equipment also have 100 Ohm resistor and sometimes a small plastic cap between the signal ground and the enclosures ground, to filter out any EMI/EMF noise to reach the signal.

Burson sell a copper tape as an optional spare for V5, but as they had problem with overheating, they do not recommend it now, altough the V6 have some air ventilation on top of the shell. I tried similar, promoted to keep snails away (see attached picture below).

Sparkos SS360x does not have any shell from factory.


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## raoultrifan

I'm pretty sure the outer shell it's just for components protection.


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## mikaelmark

raoultrifan said:


> I'm pretty sure the outer shell it's just for components protection.


Yes, I believe that too!

I have just finished my LBC, based on Lehmann Black Cube Linear SE, but almost all components has been upgraded, such as Burson V6 Vivid discrete, Sparko 7915/1117-15 discrete voltage regulators, an external 250 Watt toroidal, Holco H4/PRP9372 1 Watt resistors, Audyn True Copper (huge sized) with Russian FT-1 Teflon/Mundorf 10,000uF M-Lytic/polystyrenes/Elna Silmic 2/Panasonic FR caps, BYV-27 rectifier diodes, PCB with extra thick copper, OFC wires, matched transistors BD139/140-16 and Dale 24 step volume attenuator. Has built it in a computer power supply, totally shield. I guess the total cost was about 400 - 500$.

The only headphone amplifiers I know with discretes and stepped volume volume attenuators are audio-GD Master 9/11 (without OpAmps) and Moon 430HA, which i.o. are balanced in Class A with a factory retail price at about 2.000$ and 4.500$. However, I still think that mine can compare fairly well with these.

At this moment I´m burning in the equipment with pink/white noise and sine waves. Then I´m gonna evaluate their device and circuits for A/B testing and reviewing mine against Burson Fun, V6 Classic and Sparko SS3601/2, 7915/1117-15, with a pair of Sennheiser HD 800 and Arcam CD 192 CD players with upsampling and dual analog outputs .

Has also built a "portable" battery-powered headphone amplifier with virtually the same kind of components, which can do a bit over 20 hours/charge with a 2 Ah battery pack. It´s quite heavy and clumsy, so nothing to carry in the pocket but in a backpack together with a FiiO X5 high resolution FLAC-player, paired with an interconnect Van Damme Twin and geniune HiFi headphones.

What I can say about the sound right now is that there is a totally black background together with a tremendous sound image and detail as well as power in abundance, even with high impedance phones also with the lowest gain setting!


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## raoultrifan

Not the best place to upload few pics, but might be interested in how your PSU and LBC look like, although a 30VA transformer should suffice, because your headamp will never need more power; not even the SPARKOS regulators will not regulate over 1.5A peak loads (that makes it 2x15Vx1.5A=45W max.). 250VA transformers are used in 2 x 100W power amplifiers.


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## mikaelmark

raoultrifan said:


> Not the best place to upload few pics, but might be interested in how your PSU and LBC look like, although a 30VA transformer should suffice, because your headamp will never need more power; not even the SPARKOS regulators will not regulate over 1.5A peak loads (that makes it 2x15Vx1.5A=45W max.). 250VA transformers are used in 2 x 100W power amplifiers.


I believe you´re right, it might be an "overkill" with such a powerful toroidal. The reason I chosed it, was because a friend at my work (now retired) bought it for his electrical hobby railway, but as he connected the wires uncorrectly, it started to smoke and the outer plastic shell began to melt - so he scrapped it. But as it was nicely working, I decide to implement it to my LBC amp.

I putted it in a separate smaller PC Power supply-enclosure, sized about 12 x 12 x 7 cm (5 x 5 x 3 inch) with it´s 230 VAC filter and a glass fuse and a 25 cm (10 inch) connecting wire to the amp. This way, the big size is not a big deal and there will also be less interference to the amp itself.

Below is a picture some month ago, before installing the discrete voltage regulators. The Yellow, blue, green and red muck are just hot glue and the many wirings are for connecting the aluminium shielding to the enclosure. The Panasonic FR are not perfectly straight, due to their size. I also had to solder the middle row for the six Wima 0,15uF on top of  the other. And the two 470uF Elna Silmic 2 are soldered at the bottom of the PCB at the secondary side as they are really huge. For the four resistors in the power supply region (between the M-Lytic) and for the LED, I chosed standard metal film, all others are Holco/PRP9372.

One thing that´s worries me, are the Audyn True Copper for the DC-coupling, as they stated: "Made for passive crossover network for loudspeakers only. Any other useage is not allowed due to the construction!" But, I also read one comment it´s maybe because the CE-certifieing will cost alot, so the manufacuterer Intertechnic did´nt get that. But for their later generation in the same family, the Audyn TCC MAX, are recommended for use in audio equipments signal chain. It also about 10% expensier.

https://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/t.mpl?f=tweaks&m=199122


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## raoultrifan

Interesting mods indeed, thanks for sharing, but the 1.5uF DC-blocking caps are a bit too small and I anticipate a bit of freq. roll-off below 40Hz I really think something between 2.2-4.7uF will better suit this headamp, but given the extreme pricing on these caps I would definitely replace them with a DC-servo (few bucks for opamp and surrounding components) or, if the output DC is very low (less than 1mV) just use a wire. Of course, a headphones protection circuit might be added (10-20 bucks for both channels). Basically, when speaking about audio path: best cap is no cap.


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## numon

hi
can my zishan z2 can give needed voltage to burson v6 classic for full performance?
 i will buy burson classic but  i have little doupt that z2 will enough power for burson v6 classic.but need confirm from zishan z2 / v6 classic user. 
 thanks


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## mikaelmark (Jun 16, 2019)

UOTE="raoultrifan, post: 15003930, member: 386058"]Interesting mods indeed, thanks for sharing, but the 1.5uF DC-blocking caps are a bit too small and I anticipate a bit of freq. roll-off below 40Hz I really think something between 2.2-4.7uF will better suit this headamp, but given the extreme pricing on these caps I would definitely replace them with a DC-servo (few bucks for opamp and surrounding components) or, if the output DC is very low (less than 1mV) just use a wire. Of course, a headphones protection circuit might be added (10-20 bucks for both channels). Basically, when speaking about audio path: best cap is no cap. [/QUOTE]
Ok, thank´s for your suggestion! How can I find schematic for DC-servo and what advantages will it have to blocking caps and are there any negative aspects also?

About the cap value for DC-blocking, the standard BCL and LBC only has 1,5uF while cheap china clones has 1,8uF. And for one LBC-amp, I only used 1uF that I will admit may be a bit on the low side, but however the bass are quite nice.

A few days ago, I also did a comparison for JRC NE5534, Burson V6 Vivid and also did a quick comparison to the Classic and a SparkoS SS3602 installed in my Burson Fun headphone amp, every A/B-test were done with the DIY stereo switch for instantly swapping between the simultaneously powered amps and compairing with my own DIY assembled LBC amp with a V6 Vivid and Sparko discrete voltage regulators SS7815 and SS1117-15, that will replace the original LM317 and LM337. Those discrete voltage regs will give the amp a steady and clean power voltage with very low noise and a black background.

Before the test, every OpAmp were burned in with pink/white noise and sinus waves for several hours. The test were again made with my Sennheiser HD 800 connected with the DIY A/B-switch to both amps simultaneously powered and listening to some CD´s, for example Ani DiFranco and Laura Pausini from 2006 - playing in my Arcam CD192 CD-player. Here are my conclusion:


As I already stated, the standard *NE5534* are dull sounding some treble roll off and not as clear and open as all the other OpAmps. It´s not bad, but more in the same range as the OPA2134.

The difference between Burson *V6 Vivid* and *Classic* were the smallest between all tested and not as big as many people stated, that the Vivid should be more open with a bigger sound stage and the Classic should be warmer and closer. But their sound are in a totally other league, definitely a wider sound stage and more details.

The* SS3602 *had more treble than the all the other.

And when I compaired both amps with V6 Vivid for both, the DIY amp had a more open sound with a wider sound stage. But have in mind that I have paid a bit more for the *DIY amp* in component cost than the *Burson Fun*, that will cost $399 with V6´s. I think one of the biggest improvement for the DIY are the Dale 24 step volume attenuator, while the Fun has an Alp RK27 "Blue Velvet", found in mostly every well known amp in the market. One more thing I noticed, was the raw power for the Fun, as the volume knob were at bearly 9´clock, while the DIY were at almost 12´clock, when calibrated equally with noise. This amp is definitely a winner for it´s retail price, and combined with the V6 it´s remarkable good!

Beside for the Fun amp, I´ve used the V6 Vivid in a AK4490 DAC, also with amazingly good result, altough without the shell:





My DIY amp were connected to the CD-player with a Van Damme Twin Interconnect, while I choosed the original bundle Pailiccs for the Fun. I also tried the Fun with a thick high grade silver plated OFC Interconnect, without any noticeable improvements. Therefore, I will praise the bundle Pailiccs quite high, altough I soldered the cables screen to the connectors for best connection. Have in mind that most other equipments bundle cables are of a very low quality that should be avoided to use for HiFi!

My verdict are that the Burson Fun have a very affordable price, compared to most other amps (for example; the Grado RA1 have a price, while having a very simple schematic, base on the Pimeta that can be done as a coffe break DIY-project), and will give a sound that will satisfy most people, and beat most of it´s competitors - especially if you choose a discrete OpAmp, regardless model. I´m aware there are at least one more discrete in the market; the *NewClassD *(confusingly working in Class A) - that are priced a bit higher than the Sparko, while the Burson models are the cheapest. While I hav´nt heard the NewClassD, I do not think it´s much better and I guess it will play in the same league with thos I´ve tested.

Finally, I really want to thank Charles at Burson and Andrew at SparkoS, as they equipped me with those discretes and made this test possible!


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## raoultrifan

1.5uF seems to be the original value and based on http://sim.okawa-denshi.jp/en/CRtool.php, in conjunction with the 50KOhm potentiometer seems that bass starts to roll-off below 10Hz, which is perfect. The 1uF seems OK too.

Here's how TI deals with the DC blocking: http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/lme49600.pdf. Half of the opamp is used to block DC.

Also, https://audiofilifiorentini.files.w...e-sonore-al-dac-asus-one-che-risorgerc3a0.pdf -page 6, DC-servo with TL072.

However, you can use a DMM to measure output DC while you short-circuit the input cap (no headphones connected). If lower than 10mV then you can use a switch or a simple wire to A/B test if the DC-blocking cap is changing the sound or not. Usually, the most accurate sound is the one with no caps in signal path, but in my tests even a cheap MKP Wima cap is able to not change the sound in my circuits.


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## mikaelmark

raoultrifan said:


> 1.5uF seems to be the original value and based on http://sim.okawa-denshi.jp/en/CRtool.php, in conjunction with the 50KOhm potentiometer seems that bass starts to roll-off below 10Hz, which is perfect. The 1uF seems OK too.
> 
> Here's how TI deals with the DC blocking: http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/lme49600.pdf. Half of the opamp is used to block DC.
> 
> ...


Thank´s for your explain, raoultrifan!

I have tried earlier without any DC-blocking cap and as I can remember, the DC-value was abotu 20mV when connected to FiiO X5 as source. So it feels safer with those caps.

Another thing about OpAmps; Someone suggested shorting pin 5 and 8 (Trim and NC) for single OpAmps, such as OPA134 and OPA627, for DC Offset.

Can this mod be applied for any single OpAmp, also discretes? And what are the advantages?


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## JamieMcC

Tried my Pass whammy headphone with a whole bunch of different caps from Sprague Vitamin Q to Teflons and Duelund Cast Copper some of the differences between them were very easily noticeable. Also have used both the V6 vivid and V6 Classic in my Whammy using hd800 headphones again differences in presentations were easily noticeable. 

As I have very low offsets (0.04mV) I am able to use my Whammy without dc blocking capacitors in the signal path and have been running this way for the last 10 months after a lot of experimentation I felt this gave the best results with my system


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## raoultrifan

mikaelmark said:


> [...]
> 
> Another thing about OpAmps; Someone suggested shorting pin 5 and 8 (Trim and NC) for single OpAmps, such as OPA134 and OPA627, for DC Offset.
> 
> Can this mod be applied for any single OpAmp, also discretes? And what are the advantages?



I would trust TI datasheet: http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/opa627.pdf. If it states that pin 8 is Not Connected, then connecting shorting pins 5 and 8 should do nothing.

If you really want to get the output DC after OPA627 as low as possible then use variable resistor between 1-5-7 pins. This should be done with no DAC connected and input plugs shorted!

As for the discreet "opamps", I would leave them as intended by manufacturers: no additional mods required.


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## DjBobby

While trying to experiment with the V6 singles in the Swing, the plastic cover just dissembled completely. I am not anymore sure how to put it back, in order to match the half moon markings on the cover. Anybody has an idea? Any help appreciated.


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## adeadcrab

There should be a half moon on the base, near the pins.


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## DjBobby

adeadcrab said:


> There should be a half moon on the base, near the pins.



Don't see any half moon on the bottom, there is one only on the DIP8 socket.


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## raoultrifan

*PIN 1 is below the MY transistor, while PIN 5 is below NY transistor (R9 resistor).*​Here you have the same amplifier, but with regular opamps, to compare the PIN 1: https://cdn.head-fi.org/a/7559508.jpg.





*You can see the half moon on the right, so PIN 1 is on the right of the background pins, while PIN 8 is on the right of the close-up (the closest PIN to yourself in the above picture is definitely PIN 8)*​


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## DjBobby

raoultrifan said:


> *PIN 1 is below the MY transistor, while PIN 5 is below NY transistor (R9 resistor).*​Here you have the same amplifier, but with regular opamps, to compare the PIN 1: https://cdn.head-fi.org/a/7559508.jpg.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks a lot for the heads up. I am not sure I can identify the half moon, as there is a some kind of glue around the opamp.





Should it be like this?





or like this?


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## raoultrifan

There is no half moon anymore, you removed the DIP8 socket already to gain space. 

Under MY and R2 should be PIN 1, so I vote for your first picture: https://cdn.head-fi.org/a/10312619.jpg. If this works, then please scratch the plastic between PIN1 and PIN8, so you know in the future where the "half moon" used to be.

BTW, AFAIK V6 is protected against reverse socket insertion.


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## DjBobby

raoultrifan said:


> There is no half moon anymore, you removed the DIP8 socket already to gain space.
> 
> Under MY and R2 should be PIN 1, so I vote for your first picture: https://cdn.head-fi.org/a/10312619.jpg. If this works, then please scratch the plastic between PIN1 and PIN8, so you know in the future where the "half moon" used to be.
> 
> BTW, AFAIK V6 is protected against reverse socket insertion.


Thank you! I always remove the DIP8 socket to fit the Burson's Play, Playmate, Bang, Fun case. 
Only a question: does reverse voltage protection means that the opamp will be working in any direction, or does it mean that it will not be damaged when fitted in reverse but will not output the sound?


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## raoultrifan

DjBobby said:


> [...]does reverse voltage protection means that the opamp will be working in any direction, or does it mean that it will not be damaged when fitted in reverse but will not output the sound?



It will work only is it's correctly positioned in the circuit; if vice-versa, the best scenario would be it will not get fried, although, surrounding circuitry could get harmed, so please take care and do not connect any headphones until you know everything's OK in there.


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## DjBobby

And now got it officially confirmed by Alex. In case you get the plastic cap of the V6 singles detached, this is the right direction to put it back.


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## raoultrifan

Told'ya!


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## Jimmy24 (Sep 6, 2019)

Thinking of getting a V6 Classic for my Whammy with my HD 650's. Anyone have any listening experience with the V6 Classic and the HD 650's?


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## raoultrifan

Looking to the schematic I see that the opamps will be used in voltage-gain stage, so V6 will really shine here.

However, take a look to https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/pass-labs/317803-whammy-pass-diy-headphone-amp-guide.html and short R9 & R13 to lower the voltage to +-15V, otherwise V6 might be damaged, especially if +/-22V will be used.


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## Jimmy24 (Sep 16, 2019)

How do you remove the case on the V6? It doesn't fit with the caps (Whammy) besides the op amp. Also should I remove the 8 pin connector on the V6 if I already have one soldered to the board?


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## Dartin Bout

What is the white notchy thing at the bottom that looks like something could be changed with a small screw driver?


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## Jimmy24 (Sep 16, 2019)

Edit: Sorry I thought you meant the case outside.


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## Dartin Bout

What does this do?


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## raoultrifan

You don't need to touch that potentiometer, unless you want to loose the warranty or to get your headphones to get defective due to the higher DC output.
I'm pretty sure it's the biasing pot.


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## raoultrifan

Jimmy24 said:


> How do you remove the case on the V6? It doesn't fit with the caps (Whammy) besides the op amp. Also should I remove the 8 pin connector on the V6 if I already have one soldered to the board?



Usually you need to remove the DIP8 socket from bottom, hope this works for you.
Removing the outer shell will void your warranty, but it might be doable with bit of care; worth mentioning that you could damage the inside components.


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## Jimmy24

Thanks. I spoke with someone at Burson. They told me that if I already have a DIP8 I can remove the one on the V6.
I was hoping I could listen to it yesterday but I'm glad I didn't try to force it open. I'll have to wait for some new silmic caps to replace the old ones since the leads on that are too short to be bent out of the way. I just hope the holes don't get clogged up when I remove them which has always been the case with the Whammy PCB board.


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## gaz2613 (Sep 20, 2019)

Jimmy24 said:


> How do you remove the case on the V6? It doesn't fit with the caps (Whammy) besides the op amp. Also should I remove the 8 pin connector on the V6 if I already have one soldered to the board?






You need one of these extenders my friend.


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## gaz2613 (Sep 23, 2019)

* 

Burson OP Amp Thoughts and Impressions:
*
Okay guys, as some of you may know, I recently spent a considerable amount of time and money testing various dual OP Amps in the Whammy HPA.

This lead to Charles at Burson contacting me about my projects which has led us here. So before I begin, I would like to state that all the OP Amps I will be testing I paid full price for but the V6 Classics were kindly provided by Charles and all that was asked of me in return is that I provide an open and honest opinion of my experience.

With this in mind I hope to be able to provide an impartial comparison of the OP Amps I will be talking about in this review.



Okay lets get started! 

So the test amps are the Whammy by Wayne Colburn and the NuHybrid by Pete Millett. Each amp will be fed from a Topping D50 DAC using audio sources either CD quality or higher using FLAC file format. The headphones I will be using on this occasion are the HiFiMan HE400i.

The audio tracks I will be using are:

*Club/Trance Tracks:*
Sergio Galoyan feat. Lena Katina - Paradise
Clark Owen feat. Lena Katina - Melody
Lena Katina - Never Forget
Yanou Presents Do - On and On (DJ's@Work Remix)
Deep Fog feat. Justine Divina - The Night Sky (Tranceye Remix)

*Orchestral/Electronic:*
Evaneascence - Synthesis Album


*First Comparison: Whammy - V6 Vivid Dual vs V6 Classic Dual:*



After testing various OP Amp IC chips I purchased the V6 Vivid Dual after reading some reviews from various parts of the internet. I primarily chose this OP Amp due to its discrete design to see how it would fair up.

The Whammy as you know is an ideal reference amp with its incredibly clean power supply so is the perfect platform for testing both of these OP Amps.

Initial impressions after listening to the above test tracks are that the Vivid is just that! Its very vivid and clean sounding, very balanced in the mids and treble with an incredibly wide soundstage. The vocals are upfront, sharp and you can hear every click and pop of Amy Lees mouth moving as she sings.

That said, I have had the Vivid in for a few weeks now and after switching to the Classic, I noticed a subtle but immediate difference. The sound was still very detailed like the Vivid and has the same wide soundstage but this time the vocals seemed like they were a bit softer and set back somewhat giving an emphasis on the instruments in the foreground. It has a kind of warm feeling and both are really enjoyable but the mids and treble seemed a little flatter on the Classic compared to the Vivid in this amp.

My overall favourite in the Whammy is the Vivid simply due to it being more balanced with a higher level of clarity without pushing the vocals back.


*Second Comparison: NuHybrid - V5i Singles / V6 Classic Singles:

 *

Okay so I dont have any V6 Vivid Singles to test but may get the chance to try some in the future so I will talk about the differences between the V5i and the V6 Classic.

Firstly after listening to the above tracks on the V5i I noticed an immediate improvement over the stock OPA551 OP Amps that I purchased as part of the original BOM list for this amp. The OPA551's sound really good already with that clean BB sound signature. As most of you may know the V5i is semi-discrete yet the detail in the sound is unbelievable. Nice wide sound stage, good mids and treble and a decent amount of bass. I thought there was not much room for improvement as it sounded incredibly good already.

Then I popped the V6 Classics in. Straight away, I noticed that warm sound with such fine detail and the softer vocals yet for some reason they sound better in this amp than they do in the Whammy. Maybe its due to the fact that the NuTube still being a tube although a modern one still produces that warm tubey sound so the V6 Classic complements this amp nicely. Also compared to the V5i the V6 Classic seemed slightly more detailed and fuller sound to me probably due to the fact that the V6 is fully discrete.

With that said, the OP Amp I prefer so far in the NuHybrid is definitely the V6 Classic so I have left them in for future listening to see how they sound over time as they burn in fully.

*Closing Thoughts:*

I would like to once again thank Charles at Burson Audio (@SS-Audio) for the chance to try the V6 Classics and I hope many of you found this comparison helpful.

I would like to end this review with a nice pic of Lena Katina who not only looks stunning, but her solo music since tATu has come a long way!


----------



## Baten

Wrote some comparisons to other opamps in my Burson V6 Classic (Duals) review

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/review/22695/


----------



## cleg

My video about V6 Vivid


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## mikaelmark

Yes, you should remove the second DIP8-socket at the new V6 because it will then be about 5mm lower and also the fewer connections and shorter signal distance the better!

When I removed the case at my V6. I had not planned to do it, it fell of by accident by pulling it too hard out of the PCB-socket. I suppose it´s glued to it´s own socket and maybe it´s possible to use some small force at the sides of the cover by using a plier.


----------



## raoultrifan

gaz2613 said:


> [...]
> *Second Comparison: NuHybrid - V5i Singles / V6 Classic Singles:
> 
> *
> ...




In NuHybrid the OPA551 opamps are used as output buffers connected directly to the 6.3mm headphones jack, while the tubes are used as gain stage. Usually, Burson SS opamps should be successfully used in input stage, gain stage, I/V, LPF or DAC output stages, not to headphone amplifiers output stages. For >300 Ohms headphones Burson SS opamps will most likely drive them well, but when using normal or low impedance headphones these opamps will struggle to keep up the current (mA) due to the low intensity output they were designed to operate. OPA551 has over 200mA/channel, while SS opamps have less than a fraction of this, so you might overheat these opamps, not mentioning the increased THD when increasing the volume.
*
Burson SS opamps were not designed to directly drive headphones, especially low-impedance ones!* For this task you can use powerful unity gain opamps like: BUF634, LME49600, OPA551/552 or something similar.

http://www.pmillett.com/file_downloads/Nuhybrid_sch.pdf - take a look to Pete's schematic, I'm sure you'll figure out that these opamps were not intended to get swapped with regular opamps, but BUF634 or LME49600 might work as well (a scope might be needed).


----------



## gaz2613

raoultrifan said:


> In NuHybrid the OPA551 opamps are used as output buffers connected directly to the 6.3mm headphones jack, while the tubes are used as gain stage. Usually, Burson SS opamps should be successfully used in input stage, gain stage, I/V, LPF or DAC output stages, not to headphone amplifiers output stages. For >300 Ohms headphones Burson SS opamps will most likely drive them well, but when using normal or low impedance headphones these opamps will struggle to keep up the current (mA) due to the low intensity output they were designed to operate. OPA551 has over 200mA/channel, while SS opamps have less than a fraction of this, so you might overheat these opamps, not mentioning the increased THD when increasing the volume.
> *
> Burson SS opamps were not designed to directly drive headphones, especially low-impedance ones!* For this task you can use powerful unity gain opamps like: BUF634, LME49600, OPA551/552 or something similar.
> 
> http://www.pmillett.com/file_downloads/Nuhybrid_sch.pdf - take a look to Pete's schematic, I'm sure you'll figure out that these opamps were not intended to get swapped with regular opamps, but BUF634 or LME49600 might work as well (a scope might be needed).



I will check out those OP Amps for the NuHybrid, thank you. As for the V6, I checked whether they would get hot or not as I noticed the Bursons got quite toasty in the Whammy but in the NuHybrid they get a little warm but that's it. I was really surprised.


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## raoultrifan

gaz2613 said:


> [...]As for the V6, I checked whether they would get hot or not as I noticed the Bursons got quite toasty in the Whammy but in the NuHybrid they get a little warm but that's it. I was really surprised.



Perhaps because the voltage inside your Whammy is +/-18V or +/-21.5V. Might worth measuring the voltage rails or let us know if you do have the 390 Ohms resistors or the LEDs installed.


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## gaz2613

raoultrifan said:


> Perhaps because the voltage inside your Whammy is +/-18V or +/-21.5V. Might worth measuring the voltage rails or let us know if you do have the 390 Ohms resistors or the LEDs installed.



I have the LED voltage reference installed. I used Green ones at 1.9v which gave me a rail voltage of +/- 16.95v when I was building it.


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## raoultrifan

V6 has max. supported voltage ±16.5V, so probably this is why it's overheating. If you short-circuit both LED's (connect both LDO regulators directly to GND) you will get +/-15V. This should help a bit in lowering opamp's temps. However, do measure both voltage rails at least twice before connecting the V6 opamp.


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## Hal Rockwell

This is a short write up about my experience with Burson Supreme Sound V6.

It took me forever to get to this one. I'd like to thank Charles at Burson, for providing me with review samples, and for being extremely patient with me to be done with my personal affairs, and get to writing this review.

It all begun a couple of months ago, when I decided to mod the chassis of my old FiiO E12DIY, and newly acquired Douk Audio Little Bear B4. The goal was to turn both those amps into an opamp test bench, but still keep them looking presentable, and not like they've been taken apart, and left that way. The biggest problem with small, portable, headphone amps, is the lack of free space inside, to install a discrete opamp. Since I didn't need the amps to be portable anymore, their form factor didn't bother me that much, cause I could be satisfied with them being just transportable, so I could use them to listen to music around the house.

            

It so much easier for me, to write a review about a piece of equipment that sucks. The venom just flows from my fingers onto the keyboard, and fills the screen with pure antagonism. That's another reason why it took me so much time to get to writing this review. I came to the conclusion that in this case - less is more, so I'll keep it short - Burson V6 Discrete Opamps is an obvious upgrade to any IC opamp I tried. V6 easily top the MUSES opamp family, which is considered the highest IC level you can get. V6 improve clarity and detail retrieval, sound stage and instrument separation, and add more body and character to the sound.

Both, the Vivid, and the Classic, are worth having! - Which one is better, depends on the amp in use, and the preferred sound character. To me, the Vivid sounds better in the hybrid tube B4, cause the Classic sounded too worm for my taste. B4 is known to be susceptible to EMI. I guess it also depends on the opamp used, cause with V6, the EMI was almost inaudible, even though the phone, was lying right next to it. In E12DIY, both V6s played very nice, and showed a noticeable improvement on every level.

I had a chance to compare the V6s to SparkoS SS3602, and I found the SparkoS sounding too mid-centric, and lacking, both in lows, and highs.

I think that V6s are a worthy investment, and can make any amp equipped with IC opamps, shine.


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## Michaelp (Oct 29, 2019)

I really like reading all the reviews on the Burson op amps. So I would like to give my thoughts on a pair of V6 Classics I received. I have them in my Burson Fun amp.
I also have a pair of V6 Vivids that I gave my impressions on a few months back.
As I said before just love this amp with the versatility it has with swapping op amps. I have had a blast play around with the two op amps. I really like the V6 vivids over the stock op amp that's not bad at all. I thought the Vivds were very detailed the bass was very clear, detailed,balanced with good separation. 

 So now on to the V6 Classics must say I like these also. The Classics or just different then the Vivids that's what makes this fun. I'm using Senn HD600 and HiFiman HE400I.
The Classics dare I say some what tube like I do own a Bottlehead Crack. The midrange on the Classics are very good just love it. The low end is to me just not as tight as the Vivids and highs were good not in your face. Soundstage not as wide as the Vivids but thought the classics had good imaging.

 With the Classics I felt like I could listen to these all day long. Very laid back, smooth and very musical op amp. To me they were great with the HD600s good match. For my taste I would lean towards the Classics because I like the laid back sound of them. With that being said I would say both these op amps are great just depends on your taste and what amp you have them in. Thanks for hearing me out.


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## Baten (Oct 31, 2019)

Love my pair of burson classic dual

Cheers


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## Dartin Bout

I love my V6 Classic Duals as well. Riding on my isolated Auzentech they are capable of inducing "musicgasms" without warning. That said, I "caught" the MassDrop offered the Dual V6 Vivids for $50 each. Can you safely fall in love with fraternal twins without issue?


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## Jimmy24

For those of you who have burned it in for 100 hours, did you notice any discernible differences from early hours of listening?


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## Webber1

Jimmy24 said:


> For those of you who have burned it in for 100 hours, did you notice any discernible differences from early hours of listening?



There are significant differences after burn in. Depends on the voltage of the device (Burson works in the range 3.5V-16.5V) it can take shorter or longer. On my Asus STX II it took whole month (600 hours) due to 5v voltage, and on Hegel HD12 it took about 200 hours as it works on higher voltage. On Asus STX II it was very long process, first 48 hours it was barely listenable, and then better and better each week, with warmth and good bass coming at the end of burn in.


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## Eiffel

Quite big differences.
On my Play I've noticed ( small ) differences even after 500h. The Vivids tends to have better midrange and Classics better bottom and highs. But biggest changes we're made in the first 150h.
I have several V6, to change tonality of the Play if I want, so I was able to test one channel with a new one and another with an already burned one.


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## Baten (Nov 17, 2019)

Hi guys. Picked up my V6 Vivid duals at the post office this week and started comparing all op-amps I had available with the Burson Swing 






*Non- Burson op-amps:*

NE5532 (stock): had to mention these first. I honestly think the Swing sounds stellar in its stock configuration. Bass is tight, sound is very controlled and balanced. Noise levels are good until the highest of volumes. So really, not too bad.

LME49720: I had the 'HA' metal can version of these to try out. They are very low noise with very impressive specs, but to me sounded actually slightly _less _musical. I'm sure these can be quite good sounding, but not really my jam in this particular amp. I'd say pass on these.

AD797: the venerable BB 797 opamp is definitely in my favorite opamp list. They are basically the 5534 but better. Not super cheap for an opamp and perhaps really not 'worth' spending a lot of money on but if you like the stock sound and want that tiny improvement, I would recommend trying these.

OPA1656: this is one of burr browns latest opamp. It's meant for audio amplification and is super clean in measurements. To me it sounds a lot like the AD797, but perhaps a touch cleaner and harder hitting. If you can get this for a good price they're quite nice. But honestly, ranking these mentioned so far:

LME49720<NE5532<AD797<=OPA1656. And by this I mean differences are rather subtle and tiny, think 1% with each jump. Not particularly exciting.

*Burson op-amps:*

Burson V6 Vivid Duals: been listening to these for the past few days. They sound very clean, more like the before mentioned while the classic sound more warm/"tubey". The Vivid are quite aptly named, they make everything sound very alive/transparent/vivid. You can already see me coming with the "but...", but I think they can be fatiguing over time. They really need to match in your set-up. Want more vivid and impactful sound? These are what you need. Want more warm and laid-back sound? Read on to:

Burson V6 Classic Duals: queue Zeos's _these... _ if you want that maximum feel of musicality, these are the opamps to get in my opinion. They are very punchy sounding and just a breath of fresh air next to the typical opamp sound. The Burson V6 Classics made the biggest difference in sound to me. They just match incredibly well with the Burson dac/amps. Burson opamps might not be cheap, but definitely worth saving up for if you want to max out your (Burson) amp: the Classics just produce an effortless sound than I can listen to for hours/days.

*A note about op-amp noise!*

With every single swap, I plugged in sensitive IEMs to see if they would pick up any opamp self-noise. To my surprise in the burson swing, all of these produced ZERO hiss:
NE5534(stock), LME49720, AD797, OPA1656, Burson V6 Vivids. Only one outlier produced noise which was audible with the _most _sensitive of earphones... yep,
The Burson V6 Classic Duals, my favorite pick in regards to musicality and SQ. LOL. Do note, plugging in my Sennheiser HD650 again made it 100% inaudible.

I hope you guys enjoyed the comparisons and if you have any questions, shoot!

Cheers


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## JamieMcC

Burson Audio contacted me (unsolicited) before xmas and asked if I would like a V6 Vivid and V6 Classic discreet opamps to try in my diy built Whammy headphone amplifier.

Having purchased both the both V6 Classic and V6 Vivid personally in the past it was great to have another listen and revisit my initial thoughts especially as some things have changed in my system.

I had moved on my original V6 Vivid some six months or more ago as I found the Vivid just to fatiguing to listen to for longer sessions and my personal preference was for the more musical presentation (as I heard it) of the Classic. Luckily I still have my original V6 Classic so was able to compare a new out of the box V6 Classic with one that had several hundred hours of use. The fresh out of the box V6 Classic presentation was instantly recognisable and very similar to my well run in one but there was certainly a little less openness and the intimacy to the vocal presentation. The density of tone and texturing that I really like about the V6 Classic was there but it didn't quiet have the finesse and polish to its presentation that I was used to with my well run in one but still very enjoyable and easy to listen to for long sessions.

Now switching to the V6 Vivid something I was in all honesty not really looking forward to and put off for some time but wowzers what a surprise and difference compared to my prior experience of comparing the Vivid to the Classic.

I distinctly 100% preferred the Classic previously finding the Vivid a bit to much of a good thing and to fatiguing for me to listen to for anything but a short periods. For me the Classic just had more of the refined and musical presentation I enjoyed.

The surprising thing is I'm now going to do a complete about face a full on U-turn and say I find the V6 Vivid a really enjoyable listening experience my dac Oppo 205 and HD800 headphones remain the same the only difference is I had moved to a dedicated Roon Rock set up for my source last year. 

The difference between my past and present experience with the V6 Vivid must be down to Roon and I honestly found it was a chalk and cheese listening experience for me. I now find the V6 Vivid equally as musical and long session are not tiring in the slightest which means I can enjoy that extra level of resolve and speed the Vivid brings to the table a very unexpected and ultimately very enjoyable result.

Its very commendable of Burson to reach out to ordinary diy headfiers and give the chance to try out their products I very much appreciated the opportunity to try their V6 Vivid and Classic Op amps once again.


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## Slim1970 (Feb 15, 2020)

duplicate post


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## 526731 (Feb 15, 2020)

My problem with the Bursons is twofold:

- One, the pricing; For over 300% a bump, they do not deliver. Please don't misunderstand me here, of course there are (vast going upwards) diminishing returns in this hobby of which i'm well aware of, am not being irrational here. I just find their pricing overly high, "boutique" notwithstanding (the glories of euphemisms, we slap a tag and all of a sudden the pricing's fine). Sure, smaller(ish) company and Australia, but i'm allowed to think as a consumer in this, that's all i am.
Of course this need not necessarily stop one, may well be considered an investment if the DAC, amp, etc. isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Bit more costly, but the actual sum's still petty one thinks, so onwards with it. Yes. And it was an investment i made myself actually. Except..

- Two, the sound; I too find the Vivids fatiguing (which some may not suffer from, subjective) and a bit too much on the bright side of things; a semblance of moderation here could have done wonders. The Classics of course had to fall somewhere on other side of the spectrum, as a noticeable difference was i assume required, how else would they differentiate and as such excuse two lineups. Except after listening to them, one finds they're not exactly what their name (classic) implies, but more like -no offense meant here- what a very certain category of "listeners" might, today, _think of_ as "classic"; big difference, even if one they're unaware of as they favour certain headphones, share certain tropes, etc. etc. Which, business being business, may speak well for sales of the Classic, but not for the op amp itself; says i anyhow.

On a device that does what they're all supposed to do, convert, reproduce or amplify, *not* interpret, neither op amp has a place.
I'd say i fail to see the fuss over them, but taking a broader look, say at the base audience (as i perceive it anyhow) that they're targetting.. they make sense i guess.

I'd only recommend either of them for a, 'counterweight' as it were. Selectively and if only.

P.S. Almost entirely our of topic, but since we're talking about certain products? One might want to take a look at whether three and four amplification stages are a good thing to have.. _or not_; and whether certain devices sold are actually worthy of being sold, or are designed merely so as to maximise op amp sales. Food for thought, by all means feel free to discard.


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## 37mil

I was lucky enough to get my hands on a pair of dual vivid V6 op-amps just before Christmas last year which I installed into my Teac UD-501. It’s been a few years since I’ve done anything to it as I’ve been happy with the sound from the Sparko op-amps I’ve been using but it’s still a very good platform to upgrade and try different things.



I originally tried the V5’s from Burson – the original, original ones, which were to this day, the best op amps I’d ever put into the Teac. The best sound ever. Unfortunately, those ones overheated and failed and the replacements from Burson sounded nothing like those originals. It was like a shattered dream and I stuck to the Sparko’s ever since. Then came the V6’s.



Fitting them was easy, same as the V5’s before them, I’ve attached some quick pics for reference. Installed, I fired them up straight away for a listen – I had high hopes. Unfortunately, that magical V5 sound wasn’t there. It sounded loose at the low end and harsh at the highs, detached in the middle. Classic pre-burn in sound, I thought, so still with a chance of it getting to where I hoped it would be.



One thing that did stand out immediately was the quietness in the background and the sharp impulse response from each note. Whether one causes the other, I don’t know, but the result is a very clear presentation into the music, as if the musician was now playing more precisely and with a tiny bit more emphasis – striking keys harder, or plucking with more force as if it were. Voices were equally isolated and crystal in this manner. Soundstage and instrument placement were pretty much consistent with the sparky which contrasted the original V5 which had a very deep, far back soundstage, but individual isolation of notes was something the V6 bested over those other two.



I let the Teac run unattended for 100 hours and came back for a listen but nothing much changed. A bit more solid in the sound with tighter bass was about all that was different. I let it run for longer and again, not much different except even more bass, so I let it run for another couple of days. By this time, the highs were mellowed and everything gelled together into place as a good system should, so I thought this was the final sound. I left it at that and did my normal listening sessions, at least once a day, if not every day for between 1 and 2 hours. The Teac op amp rails run at 12V so I never expected burn in to last so long, probably over 200 hours in total.



After another week of this listening, I started to notice that the bass had crept up to heart moving levels. Literally shaking the room and hurting my ears, the bass had gone deeper and louder as if it had an EQ boost. Was this another end to another Burson try-out? I didn’t want it to be as the quiet background and lightning quick response was definitely something worth keeping. Would I need to resort to some unorthodox audiophile EQ-ing to tame the bass? I’m running some silver IC’s to my power amp which I like due to the solid bass and crystal clear mids and I was reluctant to get rid of them, especially when they were doing so well in the system with the sparkys.



Suddenly it came to me to close up the ports on the back of my focal speakers. Closed up, the bass went down. All of it. No more bass whatsoever. I had just stumbled into more problems. Not yet admitting defeat, I decided to half close the ports. Luckily Focal engineers must have designed a slot port just for this purpose, as the port size can be changed by inserting larger or smaller sponges in it. With a lot of trial and error and extended periods of testing, I finally settled on a half open half closed port which gave just the right amount of bass. I had always thought that the Focal W cone drivers gave precise, taut bass which I loved but because I only have a 2-way Electra standmount, I suspect that the performance wasn’t as good as it might have been from a 3 way. The V6’s were probably pushing their performance envelope to the maximum. Unfortunately, this tuning has left a slight hole in the upper bass but I’m ok with that.



I’ve had the V6’s set up like this for a couple weeks now and it’s a pretty amazing sound. The clarity into the midrange is ‘vivid’ just like it says on the box and I’m stumbling onto old tracks I’ve not listened to for a while to be greeted with a brand new presentation into the music. It’s not like the old V5’s I loved so much which had a distant, slow, presentation that made most things sound like a melancholy blues song, but it’s ability to allow one to hear every detail in the recording, both leading and trailing, makes me believe this op amp is trying it’s best to not interfere with the sound. And that’s a win in my book.



In conclusion, this op amp is a good product but don’t be surprised if it causes weaknesses in other parts of your audio chain to become apparent.


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## Baten

Wiljen said:


> 4.) if you want to put the case back on, remove the socket protectors before install.


Guys how do I remove these socket protectors?


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## DjBobby

Baten said:


> Guys how do I remove these socket protectors?


I was using Swiss Army knife, gently pulling equally a bit from all sides.


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## Baten

DjBobby said:


> I was using Swiss Army knife, gently pulling equally a bit from all sides.


I see. I tried pulling from all sides but it didn't budge


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## mikaelmark

I hav´nt had any big issues removing the DIP-socket protection - only when I used some heavy force to it, the reddish enclosure came off on a few of them. Normally, I´m using only my fingers te take the protection off.


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## mikaelmark (May 3, 2020)

Listen right now to Tidal with MQA Master, using my modded China DAC with AK4490 without upsampling and Burson Vivid; the sound is SOOO transparent, clear, airy and bassy!

The AK4490 are famous for it´s "Velvet sound", with it´s loudness like sound. However, it sound really nice to me!

I also has a DAC with WM8741 with upsampling and also this has a Vivid, and this sound is more 3D and voices are more pronounced/in the face.

And my AK4399 DAC with New Class D OpAmp (really expensive and huge sized OpAmp!), are very clean, detailed and engaging sounding but not really anything special to mention. Just a good sound!

When I compare all above with my Arcam CD192 with WM8740 and also a Cambridge DAC Magic and also a Harman Kardon HD970, all modded with THS4031 OpAmp´s and with upsampling, their sound are flat, boring and very bassy - no fun or engaging at all!

So, my verdict: Many people claims the differences between DAC chips are very small and the differences between OpAmps are much bigger. This may be true, but however, I can distinguish rather big differenses also between DAC´s. And Bursons V6 -serie are very good and affordable (compared to the rivals below). And I favor the Vivid with it´s detailed and crispy and clear sound compared to the Classic, with it´s warm and dull sound. If we talk about amp´s, such as headphone amp´s, my favourite are SparkoS SS360x with pure Class A and a very detailed and nice sound with extended treble! If you´re wallet are thin, and you really want to enjoy the world of discrete´s, the Orange discrete OpAmp from UK may be an alternative!


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## mikaelmark

Today I swapped out the AK4490 DAC to the AK4399 DAC, that I recently modded with some "Snubbers", and right now listening to the free french FLAC-streaming Frequence3, really enjoyable with pure CD-quality!

Usually, a DAC or Amplifier - schematic are designed with a Power stage with at least four Rectifier diodes, preferrable BYV27. But as those may introduce some noise to the sound, a cure is to add a small non polarity plastic or ceramic capacitor in parallel to each diode, sometimes combined with a resistor in series.

But as this way will generate ringing to the signal and also pass some AC (more with bigger cap values), there´s another way to go; "Snubbers".

This is a small capacitor with a resistor in series, connected between each of the transformers secondary windings. This way, there will be less ringing and less noise with an optimal DC-signal. It has been measured with an oscilloscope, that a value at about 0,33uF combined with a resistor at about 330Ohm in series, will be correct values for most DACs and Amps.

In my case, the DAC has three windings with seven secondary wires going to the board (PCB); 15-15, 15-15 and 9-0-9. So I soldered three Snubbers, one for each windings (for 9VAC, I used only one Snubber, but it´s possibly to use two instead).


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## numon

hi
 i really wonder that
 any advantage of this tall design to other small opamp chips design?can be reachable v6 vivid sound performance by small desgns opmap also?


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## Dartin Bout

I don't know. Burson hasn't made the V6 Vi low profile. The V5 is though. I am sure there are different flavors and sizes of op amps available. I've been swapping opamps for years in a 7.1 Auzentech card and having fun trying such relatively cheap gateways to better sound. I just now  happened to be looking to trying some different op-amps on my Deven DVD-3910.


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## adeadcrab

Just swapped from the Vivid to the Classic in the preamp after getting a new DAC - this is it! The Elex needed that little bit of warmth - a poor man's tube preamp??


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## Voxata

I really like the classic myself, an enjoyable opamp!


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## Dartin Bout

I've been going nuts with the Vivids\Classic. I got a Asus Stix II and mounted 9 dual V6. 6 Vivids and 3 Classic's. I just bought a Topping DX7 Pro and I'm ordering 2 more dual Vivids'.This quarantine is going to empty my bank account but my ears are overflowing with joy.


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## bcschmerker4

@Dartin Bout *The Vivids in the I-V's and the Classics in the line-level buffers, I presume?*  Sounds as though ye've the STX II 7.1 package with an H6 daughtercard.  I've a pair of V5i's under consideration for _my_ STX's I-V.


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## Dartin Bout

I'm just starting to mix and match. I'm upgrading from an Auzentech Meridian with 3 dual Vivid's but the PCI slotted card won't transfer to the new computer I'm building.


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## Jonathan Crouch

I'm selling mine I put them in the selling thread 3 V6 Vivid duals and 2 V6 Vivid Singles for $135 just because I sold my DAC they went to if anyone is interested.


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## dosley01

I just received some V6 Classics from Carlos at Burson/Supreme Sound.  I reached out after seeing a thread on DiyAudio about offering samples and wanting to step my Music Hall 25.2 DAC up a notch or two.  Big Thank You!  

My Music Hall 25.2 DAC and ph25.2 Headphone Amp have been my daily companions while I work from home during the pandemic so they have been getting 6-8 hours of use daily and I feel I've become very accustomed to how they sound.  Everything is stock aside from replacing the stock Electro-Harmonix tube on the 25.2 DAC with a Gold Lion.

Tube swapping was a great cheap and easy inexpensive upgrade for this DAC.  The Electro-Harmoni stock tube is what I consider to be on the neutral and dry side.  The Gold Lion adds a touch more warmth and romance and an additional sense of spaciousness. 

So far I have about +- 20 hours of listening to the V6 Classics which replaced 2 X OPA2134 and 1X OPA2604.  

One of the criticisms of this DAC is that it can sound a little rolled off and isn't the most revealing.  For me, it's one of the reasons I like it.  Prior to the Pandemic, I was mostly a vinyl/analog listener and really only used digital to search out new music on streaming services or on my daily commute to work.  Since buying this DAC, I've pulled my CD collection out of mothballs and picked up a decent transport.  

While this isn't a review of the DAC, the description of its character it is important because the biggest change I noticed right off the bat is the V6 Classic opamps brought so much more detail retrieval and openness to the sound that I was very surprised what I had been missing all along.  I've been mostly listening with AudioQuest NightHawks and NightOwls and I find them to be a great example of the differences between the stock opamps and the Bursons.  The V6 Classic is similar to the NightHawks in the sense that it's more open sounding with a bigger soundstage and a bit more even bass response, where the stock opamps are more like the NightOwls being more intimate and more bass-heavy.

Overall, I would easily recommend this upgrade for users of the 25.2 or 25.3 DAC.  While it may seem like a steep investment for a $599 piece of equipment, it really takes what is already an overachieving product up to a new level.  You can spend allot more and get allot less as they say!

Since swapping is so easy with this equipment, I'm going to give the V6 Classics some more listening time and then reinstall the stock opamps and report back.


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## JamieMcC

Nice review I often found that when you reinstall a old component after living with a upgrade for a few months the differences going backwards are more easily recognisable.


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## olymind1 (Dec 8, 2020)

First of all: big thanks goes again to Charles from Burson Audio for providing me a pair of V6 Classic Dual samples!











They're still a week old so they aren't properly burned in, so it is just an initial quick comparison. The soundcard they are in is a Sound Blaster ZxR, i used it with half a year with Burson V6 Vivid Duals in the I/V and V6 Vivid Singles in the buffer. About 2 months ago i put the JRC 2114Ds back into the I/V stage and listening to it since. The constants are the soundcard and the V6 Vivid Singles in the buffer stage, so when i'm comparing them the changes will only come from swapping the I/V's opamps. I'm using the card with the latest driver under Windows 10, all sound enhancing features are turned off and in stereo out, musicplayer is foobar2000 with WASAPI (Event) out.


















First impression is (/was that even after 1 day of usage) the sound is a bit gentler with Classics than with the JRC 2114D and V6 Vivids, even with jrc 2114d sound was piercing somewhat piercing. Somehow there is less sibilance, easier to listen to it, gentler presentation on the higher freqencies, the Vivids are more like i am here listen to me, listen to me now  Classics are fuller / slightly fatter on the mids, more upper bass / lower mid punch, don't know if because the burnin period, but a Vivids have more lower bass attack, also cleaner mids, though the Vivids have a slightly more upper range emphasis, which can be a good or bad thing, depends on the speakers/monitors too. Even with the Classics maybe with the Vivids in buffers "magnifies" some HF vocals a little too much, or these Edifier R1900TII speakers can handle the Vivids propery, but i'll wait and will see how will it change after lots of usage. I think male vocals sounds better on Classics. After 1 week of usage it is clear that the JRC 2112D hides lots of small things which doesn't seams much because if when we don't know about them, then we don't miss them, but revealing those (sometimes smaller) details can bring smile on my face 😊 Like revealing some vocals in the background, or how some vocal travels and leaving fading trails, or some instrument for example a distored guitar suddenly became more noticeable and clearer so i can't help but look that way. 😁

Will update later.

12.08 Update:
Put the V6 Vivid Duals back into I/V sockets replacing the Classic Duals. The Vivids are definietly more bright and more cleaner, it punches lower, even on a 5 inch speaker you can tell the difference. Classics are a bit mellow-ish, easier on the ears, tamer highs, slightly more focus on the upper bass and low mid. Male vocals get more body/presence on them, while on the Vivids female vocals gets more clearity.


----------



## tomas43

First of all big thanks to Bhav from Burson Audio for pair of V6 Vivid Dual samples. I have had at home also pair V5i-D for comparing. I like sound of Bursons. Please forgive my english, it’s not my native language 


*PC -> DAC Topping D10 -> Xindak A06 -> SHAN Loundspeakers (Speakers modified)




















*


DAC has originally opamp LM4562 and Xindak has opamp AD712. I replaced both for V6 Vivid.

For my review I have chosed the music different genres of Jazz & Rock: Zaz, CC Coletti, Amanda Brecker, Diana Krall, Jheena Lodwick, Eva Cassidy, Dire Straits, REM, Pink Floyd, AC/DC and Metallica.

Big improvement over AD712. The first thing I noticed was the big sound stage. The bass is very deep, speed and contured. It looks cultivated. The mids and highs are very pleasant, detailed and and intelligible especially vocals. All instruments are clearly located. The highs are plenty and they are refined, do not tire. There is a lot of space between instruments. I imagine each instrument in sound stage. For example the album from CC Coletti in Binaural+ is amazing and very impressive.


*PC -> DAC Topping D10 -> Pro-Ject Head Box SE -> Audio-Technika ATH-M40x*













Pro-Ject has two opamps JRC4580, each for alone output. It's very simple to compare sound quality different opamps. I have installed the sockets and changed film and electrolytic capacitors for superior.

The sound is warm and detailed. The bass is deep and very good controled. The mids and highs are just right. I can listen to music for long hours without fatigue. All instruments are clearly located in space. The sound is clear without color. The music plays exactly the artist intended.

I compare also V6 Vivid with next opamps like OPA2134, OPA1692, OPA627x2, MUSES8920 (biased into Class A) and V5i-D. V6 Vivid wins in all comparisons. The nearest opamp is V5i-D but V6 Vivid is certainly better in each device. I can definitely recommnend V6 Vivid like replacement if you have space in device. I did not notice any problems (overheating, oscillation etc.). I would like to test also V6 classic for jazz and instrumental music.


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## Onik

burning smells from V6 VIVIDS while using it on my hybrid tube amp Little Dot I+ I took it out immediately when I smelled burn but after reinstalling I tested and it was still working, now Im wondering what caused the burning smell and why V6 OP amp still working??


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## tomas43

I haven't registered some burning. I remeber that V5 had problems with overheating. V6 has holes on the top of case.


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## raoultrifan

Check power rails voltage, if higher than +/-16V I don't recommend V6 opamp. However, I've seen several guys using V5 in the past with good results.
Are you 110% the opamp was correctly fit into the DIP8 socket? Maybe it was a bit loose and one pin didn't made the perfect contact in there...just saying.


----------



## Onik

raoultrifan said:


> Check power rails voltage, if higher than +/-16V I don't recommend V6 opamp. However, I've seen several guys using V5 in the past with good results.
> Are you 110% the opamp was correctly fit into the DIP8 socket? Maybe it was a bit loose and one pin didn't made the perfect contact in there...just saying.



Yes I'm 110% sure the op amp was correctly fitted, I have read lot of reviews on head-fi about LITTLE DOT I+ with V6 Vivids/Classic and no one had any powering problems.

In my case maybe you were right one or two legs were loose when I smelled the burn, I've been using it for a months now never had problems and this was the first time I experienced plastic burning. but good thing is it's gone now and the v6 still working 👍🏼


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## adeadcrab

The V6 added vent holes which made all the difference in passive cooling.


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## DjBobby

Interesting that on Burson's own website, the Playmate and the Swing are offered now either with the stock op-amps or upgraded with the Vivids only. The Classics have disappeared from the upgrade option, although they are still available separately.


----------



## Baten

DjBobby said:


> Interesting that on Burson's own website, the Playmate and the Swing are offered now either with the stock op-amps or upgraded with the Vivids only. The Classics have disappeared from the upgrade option, although they are still available separately.


Probably because Vivids are the most neutral between the two


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## dosley01 (Sep 16, 2020)

Part Two of my Burson Review: Link to Part One

Thanks to Burson, a set of V6 Vivids have arrived to compare the V6 Classics I've been listening to now for a couple of months.



First off, they do sound remarkably different than the V6 Classics, it's not subtle. 

Right off the bat, the bass is more impactful and they treble is more extended.  So many comparisons come to mind, HD6xx vs HE4xx, Sonus Faber vs Klipsch, and on and on.

Bass: I'm not going to saw there is more bass but it seems to hit a little harder, but not quite as low/deep as the Classics with more mid-bass presence and kick.

Midrange:  It actually seems pretty darn neutral compared to the Classics. It's not shouty or pronounced but just not as inviting and rich.  Really no complaints, it's Goldilocks.

Treble: I was expecting these to sound bright in my setup but they really don't, they sounded extended comparted to the Classics but not aggressive or harsh at all.  Similar to the Midrange, probably closer to the neutral line.  I think the Classics might sound a bit rolled off in comparison.

Soundstage:  Even using closed headphones, I felt the Vivids offer a wider and deeper soundstage presentation.  I felt the Classics offer a more intimate performance.  For anyone who's owned the HD58x and the He4xx, this is about the same difference I find with the comparison.

In the end, I have my own personal favorite but I have to say they both offer a substantial improvement over the stock opamps in my DAC. 

For certain genres especially Rock and specifically the Grateful Dead, I preferred the Vivids.  But as my overall preference, I really enjoy the presentation of the Classics. 

Looking at my listening notes, they really align with what Burson has in the comparison chart on their website.

Stay tuned for part three, when I mix and match the Classics and Vivids for what could be the best configuration.


----------



## olymind1

dosley01 said:


> Bass: I'm not going to saw there is more bass but it seems to hit a little harder, but not quite as low/deep as the Classics with more mid-bass presence and kick.



I find the Vivids have more lower/sub bass, while the Classics are a little bit, hmm.. boomier maybe not the right word, slightly loose and focused on the mid/upper bass range, probably that's (partially) why Vivids have cleaner and the Classics more fatter mids.


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## dosley01

dosley01 said:


> Part Two of my Burson Review: Link to Part One
> 
> Thanks to Burson, a set of V6 Vivids have arrived to compare the V6 Classics I've been listening to now for a couple of months.
> 
> ...




Last update, I put the stock opamps back in today.  The difference is pretty remarkable.  It's not that the stock opamps sound bad, they actually sound really nice, nice and smooth, nice and rolled off, nice and round.   Veil is so overused in audio but the difference is like putting stuffing cotton in your ears.  That being said, I could see some people preferring the stock sound signature if they had really V shaped headphones.  It's really pleasant, but really gives up body and resolution compared to discrete opamps.

In the end, I think I will settle on the Classics for my favorite but it's a pretty tough call.


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## adeadcrab

Well, my trusty old audio-gd preamp from 2010 has finally gave out - I love the sound a preamp gives my headphones so I had to get another!
This time it's the Gustard P26, which has one opamp per channel. I already had one each of the Vivid and Classic opamps, now I need to pick up the same again to upgrade my new preamp! Time to relive the burn-in process again...


----------



## raoultrifan

For head-fiers needing opamps or a Playmate combo, here's the AD I got this morning in my mailbox:




*Burson Click Frenzy - Playmate and Opamps sale - 3 days only*



For the next 72 hours only we are taking 25% off the price of our Burson Playmates and 20% off our entire range of world-renowned audio opamps.
The Burson Playmate is our best selling product.

ESS9038 DAC, Xmos USB receiver, capable of processing DSD512, 32/796khz.
Over 2Watts pc in Class-A,
The option to go remote control and roll opamps.
With 25% off, who doesn't want one? Use Coupon Code: *CFPLAYMATE*
The Burson opamps are core to our R&D. With their incredible sound, ease of use, reverse voltage protection and a life-time warranty, they are the go-to choice for any DIYers. With 20% off, now is the time to upgrade your audio system. Use Coupon Code: *CFOPAMP*

Burson Online Store: https://www.bursonaudio.com/shop/
Terms and Conditions:
* Coupon Code: CFPLAYMATE & CFOPAMP (Effective between 11th - 14th November)
* Discount applies to purchases from Burson Audio web-store only.
* Order during click frenzy will ship 3 to 5 working days after the end of the campaign.
* Standard 30 days satisfaction refund guarantee applies.


----------



## tomas43

I would like to very thank to Bhav from Burson Audio for pair of V6 Classic Dual (V6CD) samples. I have had at home also V6 Vivid Dual (V6VD) and V5i-D for comparing.

My testing audio devices this time are:

1) PC -> DAC Topping D50s -> Pro-Ject Head Box SE -> Audio-Technika ATH-M40x









2) PC -> DAC Topping D50s -> 6J9 Integrated Amplifier -> Audio-Technika ATH-M40x













3) DUAL DT 450 -> Dynavox TC-2000 -> Xindak A06 -> SHAN Loundspeakers (Speakers modified)









DAC D50s has originally opamp LME49720NA that I replaced by V5i-D. Xindak has originall AD712 replaced by V6CD or V6VD.

I chose the music different genres of Jazz & Rock: Vanessa Fernandez, Zaz, Amanda Brecker, Diana Krall, Jheena Lodwick, Simone Kopmajer, Dire Straits, Queen, REM, Pink Floyd, AC/DC and Metallica and many others.

1) DAC D50s is much better than my old DAC D10. D50s has fast and clear sound without digital feeling. I has compared V6CD with V6VD in Pro-Ject Head Box. The differences are very small but are there. V6CD has intimate sound suitable for jazz listening. Vocals are amazing and atmosfere in soundstage is electrifying. The basses, mids and highs are very exact.

2) I have changed Pro-Ject for 6J9 Amplifier. I have had to modified my 6J9 Amplifier for V6CD. V6CD are big for this small amplifier. 6J9 uses 2 pair of opamps and 2 pair of tubes. After burning of tubes and opamps was sound excelent. V6CD+tubes are perfect combination for jazz listening especially for vocal listening. The sound is very warm, bass is very deep and impact, highs don't tire my head. The midrange are fantastic. I found best combination for headphone listening.

3) I have heard hum and foreign noise after I have changed V6CD for NE5532 in Dynavox. If I used V5i-D everythig was OK but with V6CD not. I have changed it repeatedlly but with the same result. Probably V6CD is not suitable for this phono preamplifier. I can't try V6VD because I haven't 2 pairs.  

The Burson opamps are much better than most other opamps. That was confirmed to me again. V6CD and V6VD are just little different. V6CD for jazz, vocals and classic music. V6VD for rock, pop and electronic music. I can definitely recommend V6CD.


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## DjBobby

While Burson Audio was previously offering all their products in several op-amps versions, especially with the V6 Classics or the V6 Vivids, now they seem to have chosen the Vivids as their default op-amps. Personally I was generally more in favor of the V6 Classics, or at least the "Everest" combo of the Classic + Vivids. 
Just wondering what made the Vivids being now the "house" Burson op-amps.


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## raoultrifan

I'm also a Classic person myself too. Maybe the Vivid are now their favourite opamp due to the increase in details.


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## Baten

DjBobby said:


> While Burson Audio was previously offering all their products in several op-amps versions, especially with the V6 Classics or the V6 Vivids, now they seem to have chosen the Vivids as their default op-amps. Personally I was generally more in favor of the V6 Classics, or at least the "Everest" combo of the Classic + Vivids.
> Just wondering what made the Vivids being now the "house" Burson op-amps.


Classic is more coloured than Vivid, I'm guessing it's their way of playing safe


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## raoultrifan

Odd, I find Classic to sound more neutral. Perhaps it matters in what device we are testing these opamps.


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## adeadcrab

Vivid is reference quality, classic is tilted warm. Running 2 classics in my preamp hooked to a tube amp, and it is smoooooooooooooth. no harshness at all!


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## Baten

adeadcrab said:


> Vivid is reference quality, classic is tilted warm.


Was my opinion, too.


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## Audio Addict

Has anyone run into the issue the V6s pins are larger than others such trying to switch the others do not fit tightly?  I pulled the Vibids and Classics out of my Playmate but neither the Sparkos Labs SS3602 not the adapter boards for a SOIC dual channel fit tightly and therefore could not be used.


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## Sam Spade

Hi all, I have some questions:

My burson conductor has 4 burson dual V6 op amps. When i spoke to alex at burson about trying the V6 classic he advised i only needed 2 for the LP stage.  So Burson advised me to only change the LP stage and leave the V6 vivids in the IV stage. Lachlan at passion for sound said the same thing in one of his youtube reviews I think it was the soloist, or it may have been the Sparko opamps.  

But Andrew from Sparko  STRONGLY recommended changing all 4 to a customer. I emailed him about that and he said you need to work out what the opamp is doing and if say it is running the balanced XLR outputs and you don't use them, then no need to change, but if you do use XLR change it. 

I had this idea from somewhere the the IV stage was the input side in the Bursons. And the LP stage was the outputs. So questions:

1) does anyone know why they recommended just changing the LP stage
2) what is an LP stage
3) what is an IV stage?

Cheers
Sam


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## Sam Spade

So I asked Burson about trying the V6 classic in my C3X ref and they advised i only needed 2 duals for the LP stage.  So they advised me to only change the LP stage and leave the V6 vivids in the IV stage. Lachlan at passion for sound said the same thing in one of his youtube reviews I think it was the soloist, or it may have been the Sparko opamps review.  But Andrew from Sparko strongly recommended changing all 4 to a customer. I emailed him about that and he said you need to work out what the opamp is doing and if say it is running the balanced XLR outputs and you don't use them, then no need to change, but if you do use XLR change it. 

So I asked Burson:

1) why do you recommended just changing the LP stage *V6 Classic Dual*

2) what is an LP stage *This is the filtering stage after the I/V stage. It filters out a lot of high-frequency noise generated during the DAC conversion process. Hence the name Low Pass stage.*

3) what is an IV stage? *This is the very first stage where the voltage output from the DAC gets converted into the useable current form. At this stage, signal contain both audio signal and noise from the DAC process.* 

So I didn't get the best answer for the first question, just a recommendation. The next two were interesting. It makes me think that for DACs the benefits of changing might be different than straight amps. So if a headamp/preamp had two pairs of op amps for the headamp and two for the preamp, you would change all 4 if you used bth. But if it's just a head amp you need, just change those opamps.


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## DW75

I have been burning in my V6 Vivid samples for the last few weeks. They must have well over 100 hours of use on them by now. As promised, I will put up a review in the next couple days. The sound quality is excellent.


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## DW75 (Apr 1, 2021)

Alright, first off, a big thanks to Bhav at Burson Audio for sending me 4 of the V6 Vivid dual opamps in exchange for my honest review. These opamps are the best I have heard to date. Secondly, I apologize for the delay on the review. I had issues with my Nu Audio Pro 7.1 sound card. The second one I had also ended up failing, so I was unable to do the review until now.

Packaging:

The V6 Vivid Duals came in a plastic case. They are protected with foam surrounding them, and are firmly seated. There is no way of them being damaged in shipping. They are very well protected.

Build Quality:

These are very nice opamps, and the build quality is fantastic. I like the fact that Burson Audio offers a lifetime warranty as well on these. This ensures that the buyer is forever protected in case of any unlikely defects. Just taking a look at them, the buyer knows they are getting a quality product.

Equipment used:

EVGA Nu Audio Pro 7.1 sound card. This is a two sound card set, with a 2 channel main board, and a daughter board for all of the surround channels. I originally was using LME49720HA (metal cans) opamps for all of the opamps. The sound card is connected to my home audio system. The receiver is an Integra DTR-80.3, which is a very heavy, and very high end receiver. My speakers are all Paradigm Imagine series. Note that I do not use any sound card effects. This is just a straight up 32bit/384000hz device for me. I have no interest in using anything except for straight multichannel analog to the receiver.

Installation:

The main sound card, and also the daugther board use a cover. These need to both be removed to be able to install these opamps. The 4 x V6 Vivid dual opamps replaced 4 x LME49720HA (metal can) opamps. Installation went without any issues and was very straight forward as expected. One thing to note though is that in the default state that they touch a couple of the surrounding capacitors. This results in having to bend the caps to the side slightly to be able to fit the opamps in. This is not a big deal. I would just suggest to anyone interested in doing this upgrade, that you just need to be careful when installing.

Sound Quality:

I have about 300 hours use on the opamps now, so I know that they are fully burned in at this point. The V6 Vivid opamps have a very lively and dynamic sound. I am very much into audio gear which has a neutral and detailed sound. I like neutrality, but with a quick, well extended, and tight bass response. This opamp offers the exact type of sound signature that I enjoy. The V6 Vivid Dual is quite neutral sounding. However, there is a slight hint of warmth present in the mids. There is one thing worth mentioning though with these opamps. During the first hours of use, straight out of the box, the treble on the V6 Vivid Duals are a bit rolled off. These opamps definitely mature a great deal after multiple hours of usage, and the sound quality improves greatly. There was some missing energy and sparkle in the upper most frequencies upon first installing. Once the opamps have had maybe 5 or 6 hours of use on them, the treble begins to open up. The upper frequency detail continues to improve all the way until about the 200-250 hours of usage range.  Once fully burned in, these opamps are probably the best sounding available on the market.

Now, lets start off with the bass. The bass is tight, defined, detailed, dynamic, extended and impactful. The extension is just excellent, and it goes right down to the sub bass region with ease. There is no bloat, boom, or any muddyness present to it at all. There is no bleeding into the mids happening. These opamps are very agile in the lower registers. In fact, this is the best sounding bass I have ever heard from any opamp I have tried. The LME49720HA metal can opamps are also good in the bass department. However, the V6 Vivid dual is just on another level entirely. When I first tried the opamp, I was rather surprised at the deep impact and extension the V6 Dual offered. Kick drums in music are so tight and defined. These opamps really bring out the best from well mastered music. It really gives music a toe tapping character, and makes you want to keep testing out more albums.

In terms of the midrange, the V6 Vivid Dual absolutely excels. Everything sounds lush with gorgeous imaging. Instruments are well presented. Vocals are up front. Voices are just in front of everything else in the mix. Vocals are one of the other highlights of the V6 Vivid. There is just such a smoothness to voices. It should be noted though that there is definitely a slightly laid back character to the 3kHz region happening with this opamp. If I had to guess, this region has probably been reduced by about -1db. This is surprising, since these opamps have such a lively and engaging sound. The slight reduction at 3kHz is contributing to the slightly warm sound signature that this opamp has. I certainly would not call this opamp warm though. It is quite neutral in signature. It is just not fatiguing at all in any of the frequencies. In terms of micro detail retrieval, there are details present in the music on the V6 Vivids that are missed on the LME49720HA metal cans. The LME49720HA is already a revealing opamp, but the V6 Vivid just presents more information in the recordings. Soundstage has excellent layering, depth, and width. Instruments are completely separated, and everything is nice and spacious. Everything sounds cohesive, focused, natural and correct. Electric guitar, piano, keyboards, and any other instruments are very accurately reproduced. There is a smoothness and amazingly realistic character to everything. There is no harshness or grain to any frequency on the V6 opamps. Just as it was with the bass, the mids, vocals, and soundstage on the V6 Vivid are also the best I have encountered. Piano sounds very impressive and true to the recording. Instruments is another area that the LME49720HA metal cans also excel in, but the V6 Vivid is once again a huge step above.

Now, regarding the treble. Wow, it is stunning to say the least. I have to say that to my ears, the V6 Vivid certainly has an articulate and clean treble response. There is no distortion, grain, harshness, or any sibilant nature to it. This opamp is all about detail retrieval. It wants to recover every possible element within the recording, but do so without creating any level of sibilance. The LME49720HA also has a clean treble response, but the V6 Vivid is just more refined and more capable of revealing the micro details. Everything has a great sense of space and clean decay. Symbols just sound correct. This is something that I always look for when I am listening to equipment. This opamp is capable of presenting a satisfying treble response even at lower volume levels. This is not easy to accomplish. If a person hears any harshness to the upper frequencies on this opamp, it will be caused by very bright sounding equipment used in the system, or the music being played is horrendously mastered.

These are awesome opamps. They have a wonderful and musical sound to them. I definitely recommend them to people looking to step up to audiophile grade opamps.

Thanks once again to Bhav at Burson Audio for the opportunity to test these out. I really appreciate it.


----------



## SilverNomad (Apr 2, 2021)

I'm just curious, if there is any way to remove those plastic covers from op-amps, so I can put them on AE-9PE, like on attachment? I refuse to use those excessively long extension leads. I tried to use pliers on that bottom cap, but it seems to be not just pushed inside tightly, but completely weld or glued. I can't remove even one cover, but there are four of them.


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## dosley01

If you are good with voiding any warranty, they can be removed, I had one accidentally come apart and glued it back together.


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## SilverNomad

dosley01 said:


> If you are good with voiding any warranty, they can be removed, I had one accidentally come apart and glued it back together.


Well... I don't really care about warranty. Especially, when they've been bought from foreign shop, and it should be a little bit difficult to return them... But, it looks like, that they have updated a design of the case (and the package as well). Duals have transparent plastic caps in the bottom, singles - same plastic caps without transparency. As we see on a third attachment with old design - there's no plastic cap in the bottom, but just a whole build, pushed inside the case, using some kind of an adhesive filling. Probably, that's why it was so easy to disassemble them back then.


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## dosley01

Mine are the design without the clear caps on the right.  They separated where you can see the line in the picture.  They could be opened with an X-Acto knife or razor blade.  You just need to cut deep enough to break the glue.


----------



## crabdog

The V6 Classic is tasty goodness. I just added my review here on H-F: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/bu...pamp-v6-vivid-and-classic.23186/review/25642/


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## DW75

First off, thanks once again to Burson Audio and Bhav for providing me with the Classic V6 opamps in exchange for providing my honest review. At this point in time, the opamps must have 200 hours of use on them, so this will definitely be a fair assessment of the sound quality that they offer. I will start out by saying that I prefer the sound of the V6 Vivid opamp, but the V6 Classic is certainly amazing sounding as well.

Bass: These opamps have excellent bass extension. The sound is lush, warm, and rich from the sub bass to mid bass regions. In comparison to the V6 Vivid opamps, the Classic certainly has more mid bass emphasis. The difference is not insanely drastic, but is certainly noticeable. The Classic is also a tad looser in its presentation of the bass. I am certainly not stating that this opamp has a loose bass response. It is just that when comparing with the V6 Vivid, that the Vivid is just quicker and tighter in the lower bass region. On the Classic, kick drums reach right down into the lowest registers. These opamps have a lush characteristic that reminds me of listening to a vinyl recording. The mid bass though is a tad too elevated for my taste, and it does bleed into the mids. This does not happen on the V6 Vivid opamps. I am certainly not taking anything away from the Classic. It is an excellent in its own right. The V6 Classic relies more on offering an even deeper bass response, along with a richer mid bass body. Bass guitars and kick drums are rendered with very high resolution and texture. Everything is a tad warmish sounding, yet still very detailed. 

Midrange: Burson has decided to offer a more colored sound tuning with this opamp. Interesting enough, even though the mid bass hump on this opamp does bleed a tad into the mids, all of the midrange detail is fully present. This is extremely rare to find. Usually, a mid bass hump will cause a loss of details within the mids. This is not the case with the V6 Classic. Vocals sound stunning on this opamp. In this regard, the V6 Classic beats the V6 Vivid. Vocals on the Vivid are slightly layed back. On the Classic, vocals are perfectly presented. Voices, male and female, sound very natural, resolving, realistic, and engaging. I think that the Classic has the best vocals thus far that I have heard from any opamp. This opamp certainly offers the "singer is in the room" experience". If you close your eyes while listening, it certainly does feel like the singer is within the listening room with you. Guitars, piano, bass guitar, as well as other instruments are presented with a somewhat warmish, yet precise presenation. Instruments are layered, cohesive, and realistic. Soundstage on this opamp is impressive. It has excellent width, height, and depth. However, it is just not at the same level of the V6 Vivid. The V6 Classic is more narrow than the V6 Vivid. Despite this, the Classic still has excellent instrument positioning. Locating where everything is within the recording is a breeze. Micro and macro details are revealed everywhere, and imaging is very impressive. 

Treble: The upper freqencies with the V6 Classic are very smooth. There is no harshness present in any regard. There is no way that anyone could possibly find this opanp to be sibilant. The Classic offers the ability to listen for endless hours without ever needing a break. Extension is excellent, but the Classic is not quite as analytical and dynamic in nature as it is on the V6 Vivid. Resolution, cleanliness, detail retrieval, and articulation are all excellent on the V6 Classic. Interesting though, is that the upper frequencies on this opamp are presented with just a hint of warmth as well. This once again adds to the analog feel that these opamps offer in their sound signature. The mid treble region from 6-10kHz on the Classic is clean and revealing. The upper treble though is where I think the V6 Vivid is just more dynamic and detailed, allowing for additional micro details to come through. The Classic offers such a smooth upper frequency response that it honestly does allow for the listener to turn the music up louder and louder without experiencing any fatigue. For my taste, it is just a tad to rolled off in the 14-16kHz region.

I have had an excellent experience with these opamps. They are very resolving, musical, with excellent midrange detail, and with bit of a lush/vinyl presentation. I would say though that the V6 Vivid is still my favorite opamp from Burson Audio. I just love it's dynamic and energic presentation, along with the stunning soundstage width and depth that the opamp offers. 

Thanks again to Burson Audio and Bhav for the opportunity to the sample the opamps.


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## hottyson (Sep 6, 2021)

*BURSON AUDIO - Burson V6 Vivid Op-amp*​
“A beginning is a very delicate time. Know then, that it is the year 2021. The known Head-fi Universe is ruled by the Padishah Emperor Jude, Head-fi’s father. In this time, the most precious subforum in Head-fi is the headphone amplifier subforum. The op-amp extends life. The op-amp expands consciousness. The op-amp is vital to audio perfection. The Burson Audio Guild and its navigators, who the op-amp has mutated over four-thousand years, use the orange or red op-amp, which gives them the ability to finesse audio. That is, reproduce music in any part of the Universe without soldering. Oh yes, I forget to tell you. The op-amp exists on only one planet in the entire Universe. A desolate, dry planet with vast deserts. Hidden away within the audio gear of these deserts are a people known as headphone enthusiasts, who have long held a prophecy, that a man would come, an audiophile, who would lead them to improved audio. The planet is Burson. Also known as Burson Audio.” - Frank Herbert, Dune

Burson Audio has gained notoriety for producing high-end audio gear, including my favorite pieces of the headphone audio chain, headphone amplifiers. Here we find implementation of the Burson V6 Vivid op-amp which has been optimized through an evolution of 6 multiple generations, hence the V6 designation. Burson uses the V6 Vivid in their own Burson amplifiers but they can also be easily used in other amplifiers that have removable op-amps. John Burson offered to send me one of his latest iterations of these op-amps for my Little Dot headphone amplifiers in exchange for honest feedback. Which makes this point perfect for the segway to me, with my ”About Hottyson” paragraph.

*About Hottyson*​Hottyson has been an audio gear hoarder, er… headphone enthusiast I mean, for over two decades. He has a growing suspicion of reviewers that include the disclaimer, “Opinions expressed are solely my own and not been compensated ...bla ...bla ...bla” He does NOT have a monetized YouTube channel and hasn’t a care in the world about numbers of views or subscribers. Instead, Hottyson’s enjoyment stems from his interaction with audio gear and opportunities sharing it with others. His collection of headphones stems from $7 earbuds to $1,200 headphones. His true passion lies in collecting headphone amplifiers and constructing audio cables. Hottyson finds it odd writing paragraphs in the third person about himself.   He wonders if this ”About Hottyson” paragraph is long enough and if he should end it with this sentence. He almost did.






*Chapter 1 Grado flourish on tubes*​The Head-fi $400 secret recipe from ten years ago:


Little Dot I+ headphone amplifier ($140)
LT1364 opamp ($15)
Sylvania Gold Brand GB-408A (gold pins) tubes (±$50/pair)
Grado SR225 headphones ($200)

Little Dot I+ has been a $140 wonder bringing tubes to the masses at entry level prices. It’s design is over a decade old but has gone through slight revisions that mostly replaced pin jumpers for switches. In its early days, with only a few inexpensive upgrades, the Little Dot I+ was THE budget amplifier for Grado headphones that shined particularly well with rock music, characteristically described in the forums as close-in-your-face headbanging. Eventually, at some point MassDrop offered the Little Dot I+ for $103, and the Grado SR225 revised to newer generations making $150 commonplace on the closeout/used market, making it possible to put together this secret recipe at a $100 savings for a pretty decent complete budget setup coming in at only $300.




I fired up the secret recipe, which is my Little Dot I+ / Sylvania Gold Brand GB-408A / LT1364 and plugged in my trusty old Grado SR225. Transported back a full decade, here was that all too familiar sound that brought sweet rock music to my ears. Once again, I was right up front row, center stage rocking out right in front of the musicians. Directly next to the secret recipe was an exact duplicate setup of the secret recipe with the same magical tubes but with one minor change. The LT1364 op-amp had been swapped out in favor of my newly acquired Burson V6 Vivid op-amp. So, here we had in front of me two setups ready to battle it out. In one corner, the reigning rock champion, our tried and true secret recipe.  Versus our new challenger, a twin with only the Burson op-amp upgrade.



Not knowing what to expect, I placed the headphones on my ears and the battle commenced. Right off the bat, the Burson upgrade displayed more refined highs compared to the untamed highs of the LT1364. The harshness of the highs common with the LT1364 was also reduced by the Burson upgrade. As a soundstage lover, I proceeded to compare it next. The Burson upgrade presented a smoother, more wide open soundstage. The Burson also presented more realistic cohesion of instruments and also with voices. Going back to the LT1364, conversely, the instruments seemed disjointed. Comparing further, I found that the overall sound of the Burson was more pleasing. The Burson was full sounding, displaying more substance. More of a weighty and satisfying presentation.

Round one had ended. Burson had won by knockout. What did I learn from this battle? First of all, it brought my $140 amplifier performing closer to one of my $400 amplifiers. To verify this, I brought out one of my $400 solid state amplifiers. This headphone amplifier was a Schiit Jotunheim 2. Listening back and forth I tried to pick the better of the two with my Grado SR225. The Burson upgraded amp won again beating this $400 amplifier. What did it do better? The Grado SR225 can be harsh sounding. And I mean harsh like an Army boot camp drill sergeant yelling directly into your ear harshness. This is where tube magic comes to the rescue and magically turns our drill sergeant into a sparkly unicorn. Combining the Burson op-amp with tubes accomplished this magic. We took an old system and basically used the Burson op-amp to bring it into the realm of modern amplification. Value/performance-wise, we doubled the value of the amplifier. How could I test this? I thought, why not bring out one of my favorite headphone amplifiers, the Singxer SA-1 $500 and then compare it to the Burson upgrade setup, in terms of reproduction of detail. When comparing them side by side, the Burson upgrade setup had the benefit of the magical wet tube sound that I enjoy, but yes. Yes, the detail was there in spades with both setups and the Burson upgrade setup could almost keep up in terms of detail. So, I had reached my conclusion. The Burson upgrade setup might best a $400 amplifier with Grado SR225 but perhaps not a $500 amplifier.



 



That is great and wonderful hottyson, but now you are talking to yourself. What about a modern Grado? Okay, fine. Even though the Little Dot I+ came out more than a decade before the Grado Hemp, I shall provide some listening observations. Overall, the Grado Hemp is the most bang for buck modern production Grado headphone. The Grado Hemp will scale with high end amplifiers and thereby more easily benefit from improved amplification. So, I listened again with the Schiit Jotunheim 2 and the Singxer SA-1 versus Burson upgraded Little Dot I+. The Jotunheim 2 with Grado Hemp was an unbridled wild steed revealing hyper texture through instruments. The Singxer SA-1 with Grado Hemp was more polite and precise. The Little Dot I+ with Grado Hemp had harsh mids. The Burson upgraded Little Dot I+ tamed the harsh mids and produced a fuller sound. This means that I learned that the old setup did not mesh well with the new Grado Hemp like it did with the old Grado SR225. However, the new Burson op-amp was able to play well with the Grado Hemp.



Continuing with song after song, and just having lots of fun going from system to system with Grado Hemp, I was able to narrow down what the overall benefits of the Burson op-amp upgrade were in terms of tonality. Switching back and forth through these amplifiers with the Grado Hemp I heard refined highs instead of crushed highs. Mid range presented smooth vocals and intelligent cohesion in the center of the soundstage. Bass became full, warm, and enveloping. It was a more defined bass with an increase in sub bass presence. Can I provide a tier list? Yes, but this is only the tier list with the Grado Hemp as headphones react very differently when paired with different amplifiers. With Grado Hemp, this was my preference of amplification;


Burson upgraded Little Dot I+
Schiit Jotunheim 2
LT1364 upgraded Little Dot I+
Singxer SA-1



As you can see, I did not enjoy the Singxer SA-1 with Grado Hemp. While the Singxer SA-1 is one of my favorite solid state amplifiers, and #1 at most technical reproduction of music, I did not enjoy it’s pairing with the Grado Hemp. After the hours of Grado listening, my ears needed a break from the listening fatigue that Grado can build up after time. So I reached for my best headphones of my collection and some VERY warm tubes, the Western Electric 408A. That is where we shall visit in Chapter 2.

Will combining Burson V6 Vivid op-amp with warm tubes bring about the apocalypses or audio nirvana?
Will the Burson V6 Vivid op-amp upgrade play nice with my best headphone?
Does the Burson V6 Vivid op-amp upgrade make a Little Dot I+ sing with a high end planar?

Tune in next post! Same bat time. Same bat channel.


Coming soon!
*Chapter 2 Hybrid Burson tube amp with my best headphone*

Coming soon!
*Chapter 3 Hybrid Burson tube amp begs for a higher-end planar*


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## hottyson (Sep 6, 2021)

Coming soon!
*Chapter 2 Hybrid Burson tube amp with my best headphone*

Coming soon!
*Chapter 3 Hybrid Burson tube amp begs for a higher-end planar*


----------



## hottyson (Sep 6, 2021)

Coming soon!


----------



## hottyson

*Chapter 2 Hybrid Burson tube amp with my best headphone*

Welcome back!

In Chapter 1, we established that the Burson V6 Vivid op-amp was able to bring my Little Dot I+ into the era of modern amplification in a big way by turning my $103 amplifier into $400 sound just by adding in a Burson V6 Vivid op-amp. It made sense that I had started this write up with Grado headphones because in the past the Little Dot I+ was notorious for successful pairing with Grados. However, with the unexpected success of the Burson V6 Vivid op-amp upgrade, it would be a logical progression to take my Little Dot I+ to the next level with some other headphones. With it’s new new life and breath via a Burson V6 Vivid op-amp, I am going to pair it with a modern planar headphone. What will happen? Let's find out!

I have a spending limit on my headphones and amplifiers. Nothing can be priced over $1,200. I have acquired about fifty headphones under this price. What I have found from my collection is that the best sounding headphone to me is a Monoprice M1570 planar headphone. Yes, it sounds even better than any of my more expensive popular planar headphones from Audeze, Focal, Hifiman and the like.

So I plug my Monoprice M1570 into the Little Dot I+ that still had the LT1364 op-amp. The first thing I noticed was that a tube change was needed. The tubes that were chosen for Grado did not mesh with the M1570 headphones. So I rolled some tubes and op-amps. I settled with Western Electric 408A tubes with an OPA2107 op-amp. What I got in return was instant warmth, mellow, dark, dull, non fatiguing sound. I could describe the sound as being reminiscent of similar characteristics to my Focal Elegia or Sennheiser Massdrop 6XX which have a laid back non fatiguing sound that many appreciate for loud or long term listening. This was sounding pretty amazing and now we were ready to get down to business.

I grabbed another Little Dot I+ amplifier to set up the side-by-side comparison. In this Little Dot I+ I placed another pair of identical Western Electric 408A tubes, but of course put in the Burson V6 Vivid op-amp. With the Burson V6 Vivid op-amp and WE408A the warmth mellow dark from the tube was there, but the dull had transformed to clarity. The clarity arrived in terms of mid vocal presentation. A very laid back non fatiguing sound. I was experiencing a very full, round tubey vocal sensation that solid state amps can never create along with the clarity that a $400 or higher amp would bring. This was a great combination.





I continued listening for a while comparing the Burson V6 Vivid op-amp vs the amp with the OPA2107. As I began to move away from rock tracks to modern electric and synthetic instrumentation like Dua Lipa and The Weeknd, I was hearing the Burson V6 Vivid op-amp setup exceeding with very accurate solid-state three dimensional reproduction in terms of sound stage and imaging. Even though I was hearing very enjoyable tubey goodness from both setups, what I was witnessing was a great combination of tube and Burson V6 Vivid op-amp that placed this combination up to par with the OPA2107. Did this combination beat the $28 OPA2107? No, it was a draw. This is a complication of explaining favorable tube sound on a forum. I might like one setup more than another, then the person right next to me might prefer the opposite. But, let it be said that both setups were wet and tubey and I enjoyed both of them. Ultimately, I am going to call this one a draw.





So, I knew I needed to bring in the big guns in order to compete with the Burson V6 Vivid op-amp setup. The Singxer SA-1 is an amazing amp that pairs extremely well with the M1570. This pairing exceeds the Schiit Jotunheim in both sound stage and imaging with a very airy and open presentation. So now I wanted to test if this was a more level playing field. Burson V6 Vivid op-amp and WE408A versus the much higher priced $540 Singxer SA-1.
Having already spent countless hours with the Monoprice M1570 headphone and Singxer SA-1 amplifier, I have developed a strong familiarity with the resulting sound. The Singxer SA-1 brought three dimensional accuracy and powerful dynamic control. I was hoping to witness some magical feat of victory from this inexpensive Burson setup to beat my Singxer champion. But perhaps this was asking too much of a $103 amplifier upgraded with an $85 Burson V6 Vivid op-amp.





I plugged the Monoprice M1570 into the amplifiers. What I was hearing from the Burson V6 Vivid op-amp and WE408A setup was a sacrifice of some three dimensional accuracy and powerful dynamic control compared to the Singxer. BUT, and that is a lot of BUT, once again I was greeted with the best of both worlds. I can speculate that what was happening was that the Burson V6 Vivid op-amp was creating the foundation of decent clarity and accuracy for the tubes to build their magic tubey goodness upon. The Western Electric 408A tubes accentuated the three dimensional portrayal that one would normally get from a solid state amp. The additional micro-reverberation from the tubes made the three dimensional experience over the top to a degree that I have never before experienced on Little Dot I+ amplifiers. For me as a personal preference, this is a good thing. The depth and width of the soundstage reverberated the horizon and the heightened stage rose up into the sky like bottle rockets. In terms of tube sound, this little cheap amplifier was punching way above its weight in terms of fun. Plugging back into the Singxer SA-1 brought me back to my room aware of the headphones and the exact placements of instruments and vocals. However, I was here for fun. The urge to go back to the tubes was too great for my willpower to fight.






What did I learn from all of this? The Burson V6 Vivid op-amp had brought a level of enjoyment and fun that surpassed my $540 Singxer SA-1. If you love wet tubey sound with over the top micro-reverberation, then the Burson V6 Vivid op-amp is a winner when paired with your favorite tubes.

Also, prior to this, the OPA2107 was one of my favorite op-amps for the Little Dot I+. I think the Burson has ruined me. I don’t know if I can ever go back to the OPA2107 when the Burson can extract so much performance out of my tubes!

Are we done? Where do we go from here? Well, I am satisfied with my findings of the Burson V6 Vivid op-amp. It is a winner with my favorite headphone, the Monoprice M1570. However, I am certain that some would want me to share my findings with a more popular expensive planar headphone. For the third and final installation of this tri-audio-thon, I shall bring in the $1,200 Audeze LCD-X headphone!

SO…, tune in again for more Burson V6 Vivid op-amp excitement!

Coming soon!
*Chapter 3 Hybrid Burson tube amp begs for a higher-end planar*


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## Deleeh

Hello,
Interesting contribution.
With which Dac did you actually gain your listening impressions?

I found the Matrix audio ipro mini 2S (Ess chip) as a preamp connected to the Little Dot 1+ clearly too sharp and listener fatiguing.
With the Lcd2 as well as Aeon R/T.
The whole thing changed considerably with an Akm or Cirus Logic chip Dac.

I also have a Vivid V6 here but not tested after the modification.
I found the V5i better.
I didn't like either of the op amps as much with the standard design as I did with the original op amp.

Since my Ld1+ failed 2 months ago because of a defective capacitor and tube socket of the left channel.
I repaired it myself and modified it a bit.
I replaced the sockets with two new ones with gold pins.
Replaced the defective capacitor in pairs with Audio Note and replaced the Elna's with Nichicon Fg and two new Mex foil capacitors.

After the small modifications, I initially used the original op amp and soon noticed that something was missing.
I then tried the Burson V5i and was able to make gains in all areas right away.
However, I have not yet tested the V6.
But the V5i is even better with the additional modifications.
I found the sound less fat and coloured than before.
And with the Lcd2C and Aeon R/T, the sound has really improved.

Overall, I agree with you that the LD1+ is still stunning for the money if you have the right tubes on it.
It is also expandable and clearly has no problems handling planar headphones.

However, I found that by replacing the capacitors and op amp, you gain even more than if you only replace the op amp.

My impression at the time was that without the capacitors the V6 sounded extremely fat with the Brimar and Mullard tubes.
The V5i was better but coloured too much for me.
And I also tested the Au627, which was a little better than the V5i but still coloured me.

Apart from that, I think it's a bit of a shame that Little Dot have skimped on their concept in terms of components.
And unfortunately they didn't update it after 10 years to make it better, although it deserved it.


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## hottyson

Deleeh said:


> Hello,
> Interesting contribution.
> With which Dac did you actually gain your listening impressions?
> 
> ...


I completely understand where some upgrades would improve the Little Dot I+. While it is able to produce sonic magic with the Burson op-amps, it is lacking in power compared to full tube amps and modern high end solid state amps. Any upgrades to add some muscle to this amplifier are welcomed upgrades.

The DAC that I used for this write up was the $100 Schiit Modi 3+. A higher end DAC would have improved the sound, but I do not feel that it would change any of my statements made of the Burson V6 Vivid op-amp.

Little Dot I+ is a simple and cheap amplifier. I too had to repair one of mine. It was not getting A/C power due to the cheap fuse switch male power socket that they chose to use. I also have another Little Dot I+ that is at full volume all of the time, so I think that the potentiometer might need replacing. My first generation Little Dot I+ have the crappiest little switches in them that sometimes don't fully engage unless you give them a swift push when using them, which had me scratching my head on why it wasn't working when I first got them. However, I expect quirks and build quality issues from such an inexpensive amplifier. It has no doubt been a true bargain for the sound that it can produce.

*Do not read this paragraph if you don't like spoilers.
SPOILER ALERT:* I have not posted the third installment of my write up yet. However, you already predicted in your post what tubes I switch to. With my Audeze LCD-X I end up with Mullards paired with the Burson op-amp.

Deleeh, Thank you very much for providing some of your insight and sharing your experience.


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## hottyson (Sep 6, 2021)

*Chapter 3 Hybrid Burson tube amp begs for a higher-end planar*

Why not try high end planar headphones on this amp. After all, it is a hybrid amp, which means tubey goodness of tubes and the flexibility of solid state amp circuitry able to drive pretty much all dynamic and planar headphones. This last installment will be short and sweet as we drive the Audeze LCD-X (2020) with our Burson V6 Vivid op-amp upgraded Little Dot I+.



I continue my listening by firing up some Post Malone and The Weeknd to get these Audeze moving some bass like they were built to do. Some might call the Audeze LCD-X bass heavy.  I would rather state that they are capable of turning out the lowest frequencies. However, the truth of the matter is that they are easy to drive well, so even a $103 Little Dot I+ should be capable of producing the lowest lows. So this begs me to try this amplifier with the Audeze LCD-X. As expected, bass lovers rejoice!  The bass is there in spades. After rolling my tubes a few times, I end up pairing the Burson V6 Vivid op-amp with a pair of Mullard 6AK5W.


 


This time I want to battle with a modern amplifier that is used by many. I also want the amplifier to be a hybrid amplifier. This leaves me with just one choice; the $500 Schiit Lyr 3. They are both hybrid tube amps, meaning they have solid state and tubes. However, as stated earlier, the Little Dot I+ uses op-amps. So, with the Burson V6 Vivid op-amp in place, which one sounds better? Now, you might expect me to say that this Little Dot I+ cannot compete with the $500 Schiit Lyr 3. However, with the Burson V6 Vivid op-amp upgrade it kept pace right alongside the Schiit Lyr 3. Despite the price differences, I cannot say that either one was better than the other but each did certain things better.

First of all, the sound stage because  I am a lover of good sound stage. The Schiit Lyr 3 projected a large rounded smoothed out sound stage in Schiit like fashion. This is somewhat part of the Schiit house sound, and is also predominant in the Jotunheim 1 and Jotunheim 2. So the Lyr 3 combines Schiit house sound with added benefits of tubey goodness. Win win for Schiit Lyr 3 in this respect.



What does the Burson V6 Vivid op-amp bring to the Little Dot I+ better than the Lyr 3? With the Burson V6 Vivid, I was hearing an underlying refined articulate detail usually only brought out in amps like my $900 RSA HR-2 or my $540 Singxer SA-1. Clear like crystal. Guitar strings rang. Grit in vocals were textured with air and rasp in such fine detail. I was hearing ultra detail, and with tubes to boot! This was an addicting winning combination. And yet, the soundstage grew to a wide airy presentation that I did enjoy. The Burson V6 Vivid / Little Dot I+ combination made Audeze LCD-X seem like they were much higher end headphones than what I had paid for.

If you have made it to our ending, thank you for reading about my adventure with the Burson V6 Vivid op-amp! I had a blast doing this. Thank you John Burson for providing me with a Burson V6 Vivid op-amp.


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## FritzS

Sorry, I have discovered this thread only now!
My experience with Burson V6 Vivid single
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/burson-v6-vivid-single-in-wna-mkii-headphone-amp.25468/
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/burson-v6-vivid-single-in-wna-mkii-headphone-amp.25468/gallery

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/new-wna-mkll-head-amp-kit.99596/page-51

In a German HiFi forum too:
https://www.open-end-music.com/foru...son-v6-vivid-single-im-wna-mkii-headphone-amp


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## Eiffel

Someone who used V6 Vivid and Classic for a very long time can confirm ?

I have some of these in my old Burson Play. I've posted some comparisons long time ago here. But I noticed recently that there is almost no audible difference in those I've used since the beginning - whatever I use, Vivid or Classic, the sound is the same. Maybe (?) a bit more punch for Vivid. In a blind test I cannot hear the difference - after more than 2000 hours of use - perhaps even 3000 hours ( I've stopped counting long time ago. )...
I bought a new pair of Vivids and the new ones sound as I remembered before.


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## hottyson

Eiffel said:


> Someone who used V6 Vivid and Classic for a very long time can confirm ?
> 
> I have some of these in my old Burson Play. I've posted some comparisons long time ago here. But I noticed recently that there is almost no audible difference in those I've used since the beginning - whatever I use, Vivid or Classic, the sound is the same. Maybe (?) a bit more punch for Vivid. In a blind test I cannot hear the difference - after more than 2000 hours of use - perhaps even 3000 hours ( I've stopped counting long time ago. )...
> I bought a new pair of Vivids and the new ones sound as I remembered before.


I am trying out a pair of Burson Classic opamps right now. Last time the bottleneck was my $160 LItle Dot amplifier. This time I am going all out and pairing them with my most expensive solid state headphone amp the Ray Samuels Audio Emmeline HR-2. Stay tuned for my impressions in the not too distant future ...


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## Audio Addict

hottyson said:


> I am trying out a pair of Burson Classic opamps right now. Last time the bottleneck was my $160 LItle Dot amplifier. This time I am going all out and pairing them with my most expensive solid state headphone amp the Ray Samuels Audio Emmeline HR-2. Stay tuned for my impressions in the not too distant future ...


I are you sure you can close the case with the Bursons?  Typically Ray's amplifier case is not tall enough for the Bursons chips.  Ray's latest recommendation is the OPA1611 mounted on a Brown Dog adapter.


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## hottyson

Audio Addict said:


> I are you sure you can close the case with the Bursons?  Typically Ray's amplifier case is not tall enough for the Bursons chips.  Ray's latest recommendation is the OPA1611 mounted on a Brown Dog adapter.


Very observant of you. You are wise and you are correct. 

The Burson opamp is too tall and I have the top of the case off for now. I am thinking that I might need some extension leads from Burson in order to close the top of the amplifier case. 
https://www.bursonaudio.com/product/35mm-extension-lead-x-2/


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## Audio Addict

hottyson said:


> Very observant of you. You are wise and you are correct.
> 
> The Burson opamp is too tall and I have the top of the case off for now. I am thinking that I might need some extension leads from Burson in order to close the top of the amplifier case.
> https://www.bursonaudio.com/product/35mm-extension-lead-x-2/


I have tried those on my Apache and one of the wires broke.  I tried the Burson V5i, which fits perfectly but it wasn't the best.  I currently use the Sparkos Labs SS2590 but they just fit as their width was almost too much.  Height was fine.


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## Onik

anyone compared Muses01 with Burson V5i?


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## Baten

Onik said:


> anyone compared Muses01 with Burson V5i?


vs V5i? have the say MUSES has the edge over it


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## hottyson (Dec 19, 2021)

Audio Addict said:


> Ray's latest recommendation is the OPA1611 mounted on a Brown Dog adapter.


Any suggestions of where to purchase the OPA1611 on Brown Dogs for cheap? I can solder the opamp to the Brown Dogs too if it will save money. Thanks.


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## Audio Addict (Dec 19, 2021)

hottyson said:


> Any suggestions of where to purchase the OPA1611 on Brown Dogs for cheap? I can solder the opamp to the Brown Dogs too if it will save money. Thanks.


Try here:

https://www.cimarrontechnology.com/product/browndog-970601-so8-to-dip8-adapter

Under the component drop down there is a whole list of options with the OPA1611.

If you go to the main menu, you can select the opamp only.

https://www.cimarrontechnology.com/product/texas-instruments-opa1611aid-single-channel-op-amp

Good luck.


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## hottyson

Audio Addict said:


> Try here:
> 
> https://www.cimarrontechnology.com/product/browndog-970601-so8-to-dip8-adapter
> 
> ...


That is fantastic! Thank you so much for the links!!!!


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## Onik

Baten said:


> vs V5i? have the say MUSES has the edge over it


You mean Muses 01 or 02?


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## Baten

Onik said:


> You mean Muses 01 or 02?


What stage will it be used it?
Check https://www.diyaudio.com/community/...perience-with-muse-opamps.223200/post-4631945 for a reference


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## Onik (Dec 23, 2021)

Baten said:


> What stage will it be used it?
> Check https://www.diyaudio.com/community/...perience-with-muse-opamps.223200/post-4631945 for a reference


I am looking for good op amps for my Loxjie P20 hybrid amp, and it uses Tubes for Voltage gain and Op amps to Drive Headphone.

Muses 01 feels like the right op amp upgrade for me, I'm also feeling confident about this op amp because its Absolute Max PSU Voltage rated +-18V which is higher than v5i/v6(+-16V).


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## Eiffel

They are very different. Closest match to Muses 01 are V6 Classics, but not too much close, and depends on the circuitry.


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## Onik

Eiffel said:


> They are very different. Closest match to Muses 01 are V6 Classics, but not too much close, and depends on the circuitry.


I heard muses01/02 is even better than v5i.


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## Eiffel

Depends on where you use them.
Also Muses seems to need a more filtered power supply than Burson Op-Amps.
I used them on an Asus STX - Muses 01 in I/V and 02 in Buffer. Not bad sounding at all but a bit too noisy due to PC power supply. I tried 02 in I/V and 01 in Buffer and the sound was horrible - almost only bass. In the end I put v5i instead and sound was the best from all I've tried, for a while. After some burn in it wasn't as good as when new - but I didn't do the capacitor mod that these requires on a STX. Still sounds good.
I've tried Muses also in Play and Topping D10 - buffer only.
All I can say 01 are  more balanced OP-AMPs than 02 who are more dynamic, but also more bass oriented.
You can say that 01 is more close to V6 Classics and 02 to V6 Vivids, but not the same, especially 02.


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## hottyson (Jan 9, 2022)

In my last adventure with a Burson Audio operational amplifier (op amp for short), we test drove the Burson V6 Vivid op amp in a $160 Little Dot I plus headphone amplifier. You can relive all of our fun by following this link: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/bur...sion-and-reviews.854912/page-31#post-16542424

Today, we begin a new adventure with Burson Audio V6 Classic op amps. Burson Audio V6 Classic op amps invite the promise of a fresh take on the modern op amp front. The Burson Audio V6 Classic is Burson Audio’s alternative to the Burson Audio V6 Vivid op amp for those of you seeking a change of flavor, or perhaps for those of you seeking to update an older or poor performing op amp.








To start with, we are going to liven up this experiment by utilizing a Ray Samuels HR-2 solid state headphone amplifier. The HR-2 is an $875 ultra-detailed amplifier which has been in production for approximately two decades and is still manufactured and sold today. However the stock op amp, an AD797, is twenty years old. The AD797 op amp was one of the finest available op amps at the time that this amplifier was introduced back in 2003. But much can change over twenty years. While able to reproduce extreme detail and clarity with the stock AD797 op amp, presentation can sound a bit lacking compared to many modern headphone amplifiers that contain newer op amps. Many headphone enthusiasts are able to remedy this by simply swapping out their old op amps with modern offerings.





Reflecting back upon the year 2003, I recall a prominent intense focus of many on a quest for improved detail and clarity from their audio gear. Today, audio enthusiasts along with modern headphone gear, have evolved to expect vast spectrums of heightened characteristics from what has grown into today's vast array of enormous selection of radically evolved audio products. When listening to newer headphone amplifiers side by side to the Ray Samuels HR-2 containing the original stock AD797 op amp, one can readily hear the greater extreme detail that the more expensive HR-2 is able to reproduce. However, the HR-2 presents this detailed sound with comparatively less dynamics, and dimension, leaving much to be desired. In it’s old stock form, this headphone amplifier lacks excitement, yielding a very lackluster unentertaining presentation.








In spirit akin to Dr. Frankenstein, will a pair of cutting edge Burson Audio V6 Classic op amps bring the dead back to life? Can the Burson Audio V6 Classic op amp transform this dated amplifier to relevant modern standards? To find out, we need only swap in the new Burson Audio V6 Classic op amps to observe improvements. By simply removing the top cover of the amplifier (held by four screws), I easily pulled out the old pair of AD797 op amps from the 8-pin sockets and then replaced them in the correct orientation with a brand new pair of Burson Audio V6 Classic op amps. Repeating this installation process multiple times, I was able to note various listening comparisons going back and forth between the old op amps and the new Burson Audio V6 Classic op amps.





Did it work? To begin with, music definitely took on new characteristics. The Burson Audio V6 Classic op amps brought on psychedelics, intimacy, and coziness to name a few of the newly realized improvements. The sound stage became seamless and enveloping. The imaging grew from zero to ultra intense imaging. Rich dynamics improved drastically. Overall, the Burson Audio V6 Classic op amps had made this old amplifier sound like a much modern expensive amplifier. At one point, crazy good imaging fooled my brain into thinking someone was in my hallway. I took off my headphones revealing that what I had heard was from the Adelle track I had been playing. This had most definitely been an improvement.





I continued to complete more comparisons with my modern amplifiers to the newly installed Burson Audio V6 Classic op amps. This upgrade sometimes did yield a narrower sound stage compared to many modern amplifiers, but the imaging abilities of the Burson Audio V6 Classic performed marvelously. Within an imagined matrix of the perceived sonic environment of each recording, an image would fill coordinates in perceived space unconstrained. Where many of my modern amplifiers restricted this to a horizontal plane of perception of left to right, the Burson Audio V6 Classic upgrade formed entirely audible holograms seemingly existing in distinct perceived space containing virtual performers and instruments. With the Burson Audio V6 Classic, violins and orchestra could also project up above the stage to accompany a singer instead of remaining an afterthought placed behind them as backup. The chorus could fill airiness with echoes instead of dull stationary reverberations remaining next to the singer on the stage. Like a fog, sound rolled onto the foot of the stage. Sound also rose up above filling caverns of reflected micro reverberations opening up perceived virtual spaces. A much larger accompaniment projected deeper emotion from the music. It had become much easier to connect with the music or get momentarily transported away with envelopment. Sometimes, I was inadvertently, effortlessly carried away with Burson Audio V6 Classic.

Additionally, the Burson Audio V6 Classic recreated realistic reproduction of prerecorded environments. With a couple of amplifiers, my brain is cognizant that I am listening to a recording and cannot be fooled by their overly forward presentation. The Burson Audio V6 Classic’s enveloping presentation will persuade me to lose myself within the realism. It’s envelope of realism is off the charts. Individual piano strings resonate around me. Instrumentation seemed to be fuller. Even low frequencies typically from bass and tuba appear to fill the environment.

Finally, I would like to make one more distinction about listening at lower volumes with Burson Audio V6 Classic. I often find that I enjoy listening at lower than average volumes. With some amplifiers, I find that I have to raise the volume level to compensate for the loss of clarity. I am pleased that with Burson Audio V6 Classic, my amplifier was able to return to lower volumes while maintaining buttery smooth performance, retaining dynamic punch, pop and clarity. In the long run, listening at these lower volumes could prove safer for the health of my hearing.

Where could the Burson Audio V6 Classic improve? Some very high end amplifiers exhibit more refined highs compared to what I was hearing from Burson Audio V6 Classics. As a personal preference, I have developed an appreciation for clear refined high frequency reproduction. I have friends that prefer recessed treble for a darker or smoother relaxed presentation such as the well known characteristic some find appealing in the Sennheiser HD650 headphone. This might be good for someone looking for a non fatiguing listening session or perhaps someone that likes to listen at higher volumes without the toll of shrieking treble. Some seek this characteristic in order to listen over longer listening periods or perhaps to remove shouty-ness from their system. Conversely, some would describe this as losing its sparkle. I am of the latter group. A minority that happen to dislike the HD650 headphone on all solid state amplifiers because I do not enjoy overly dark or mellow presentations. It is a personal taste that one determines individually. In this case, with the Burson Audio V6 Classic, I do hear this recessed treble characteristic. So, I prefer the Burson Audio V6 Vivid over the Burson Audio V6 Classic. The Burson Audio V6 Vivid being more brilliant and sparkly. Which my brain translates to liveliness.





As you can see, the Burson Audio V6 Classic succeeded in reviving my classic headphone amplifier. I am, however, going to have to give the nod to the Burson Audio V6 Vivid over the Burson Audio V6 Classic as my preferred op amp. You however may prefer the Classic, as we all have different ears and each have our own unique personal preferences.


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## Audio Addict (Jan 9, 2022)

hottyson said:


> In my last adventure with a Burson Audio operational amplifier (op amp for short), we test drove the Burson V6 Vivid op amp in a $160 Little Dot I plus headphone amplifier. You can relive all of our fun by following this link: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/bur...sion-and-reviews.854912/page-31#post-16542424
> 
> Today, we begin a new adventure with Burson Audio V6 Classic op amps. Burson Audio V6 Classic op amps invite the promise of a fresh take on the modern op amp front. The Burson Audio V6 Classic is Burson Audio’s alternative to the Burson Audio V6 Vivid op amp for those of you seeking a change of flavor, or perhaps for those of you seeking to update an older or poor performing op amp.
> 
> ...


Interesting!  I was talking with RSA this weekend and sent him a link to your write up.  A couple of things he mentioned was your HR-2 is one of the first 10 ever built.  Second on any comparison he suggested listening with no music playing for hiss as the volume increases.  The better the chip, the lower if any hiss at maximum volume.  He has used the same chips in his phono stages and with phono amplification there is even larger need for quiet chips.  He suggested the best test would use IEMs instead of the HD-600 as they are much more sensitive.

It looks like you have a pair of opamps sitting next to the HR-6, are those the 1611s.  If they are, I look forward to your comparison.


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## hottyson (Jan 9, 2022)

Audio Addict said:


> Interesting!  I was talking with RSA this weekend and sent him a link to your write up.  A couple of things he mentioned was your HR-2 is one of the first 10 ever built.  Second on any comparison he suggested listening with no music playing for hiss as the volume increases.  The better the chip, the lower if any hiss at maximum volume.  He has used the same chips in his phono stages and with phono amplification there is even larger need for quiet chips.  He suggested the best test would use IEMs instead of the HD-600 as they are much more sensitive.
> 
> It looks like you have a pair of opamps sitting next to the HR-6, are those the 1611s.  If they are, I look forward to your comparison.


I actually happen to be rolling in some AD825 when I took these photos. Ray suggested OPA1611 so I am eager to hear what they can do. I have some OPA1611 but I have not yet gotten around to soldering them to the dip-8 adapters. I actually installed the AD825 in the mean time, and they actually sound very good. Since I have been using the AD825 in my XP-7 as well for over a year so I am used to their sound signature but the HR-2 really puts them on steroids.
.
Yeah, Ray is a genius at creating wonderous amplifiers and power supplies. He is a true artists. Owning a Ray Samuels amp it is like owning a piece of fine art for the ears. His creations have brought so much joy to my life . My two tube amplifiers made by Ray Samuels, are my finest pieces of my amplifier collection.


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## Audio Addict (Jan 10, 2022)

hottyson said:


> I actually happen to be rolling in some AD825 when I took these photos. Ray suggested OPA1611 so I am eager to hear what they can do. I have some OPA1611 but I have not yet gotten around to soldering them to the dip-8 adapters. I actually installed the AD825 in the mean time, and they actually sound very good. Since I have been using the AD825 in my XP-7 as well for over a year so I am used to their sound signature but the HR-2 really puts them on steroids.
> .
> Yeah, Ray is a genius at creating wonderous amplifiers and power supplies. He is a true artists. Owning a Ray Samuels amp it is like owning a piece of fine art for the ears. His creations have brought so much joy to my life . My two tube amplifiers made by Ray Samuels, are my finest pieces of my amplifier collection.


Which 2 tube amps do you have?  I have the Stealth, Raptor and A-10.

Also the XP-7 with power supply is selling pretty well still in Japan.


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## hottyson (Jan 10, 2022)

Audio Addict said:


> Which 2 tube amps do you have?  I have the Stealth, Raptor and A-10.
> 
> Also the XP-7 with power supply is selling pretty well still in Japan.


Wow! Those are some high-end, endgame amplifiers you have there. I will never be able to afford those in this lifetime. I bet they sound and look amazing. I have two Raptor tube amps in my main listening rig. I finally acquired a pair of ZMF Aeolus headphones for some heightened dynamic driver/tube fun and my two RSA Raptors are brining a level of performance that is new to me. This hobby has grown and taken off rapidly for me in the past two years. It is a great time in headphone audio and I think we are witnessing the peak summit of some really great gear and prices. I am going to soak it up before it disappears as I fear the worst is coming over the next decade due to the health and economy storms that are coming. These might take a toll on the availability of good sounding and good value audio gear.

Japan seems to be very selective on using the best audio gear. So, I believe it. I still use my XP-7 a lot which I purchased when it first came out. I finally bought an XP-7 power supply from Ray about a year ago as I had been only using 9volt batteries for nearly 18 years. It is comforting to know that I have good sound available should the power ever go out by just installing two 9volt batteries. From my gear, the XP-7 pairs well with Beyerdynamic DT880 and Monoprice M1570.


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## Freia

Thanks to this thread I caved in and got a V6 Classic for my Little Dot, I immediately noticed the improved sound stage and the separations of instruments are much sharper, more distinct. I was able to pinpoint which direction the sound is coming from in my head, perhaps this is what they mean about 3D presentation. 

Only 20 hours in, however the noise floor is more audible than before, and it kinds of irk me. Is this normal?


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## Baten

Freia said:


> Thanks to this thread I caved in and got a V6 Classic for my Little Dot, I immediately noticed the improved sound stage and the separations of instruments are much sharper, more distinct. I was able to pinpoint which direction the sound is coming from in my head, perhaps this is what they mean about 3D presentation.
> 
> Only 20 hours in, however the noise floor is more audible than before, and it kinds of irk me. Is this normal?


It's weird but it's not the first time I read people saying the sound is better when brand new. 20 hours is really soon though.. maybe the circuit is not super compatible then


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## Freia (Jan 24, 2022)

Sorry, I wasn't being clear, I did not mean that the noise floor appeared after a few hours. I suspect that's how it sounds right out the box.

The noise floor stays the same regardless of how high the volume is. It's very small, as I had only discovered the low static hum when turning on the amp in the dead of night. Otherwise when its daytime with ambient noise it is very hard to hear it. 

Edit: after comparison with other opamps, they all DO produce various degrees of hissing, so the opamps aren't at fault here. Reviews from this thread may suggest the only way to mitigate this is use better amps. I guess that's the difference of a more expensive product, lol.


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## VessK0

Hello,

I have WAF Najda DSP which I'm using it as a crossover/DAC/Preamp in front of my power amp.
I've replaced the stock LM833N opamps to the Burson V6 Vivid and I'm pleased with the result.
I'm gonna add MKP10 cap to the Vin+/- to them.
However, I was going to replace all 4 electrolytes around the opamp (they are in the signal path) with Jantzen Superior Z-Cap.  Will this be any good for the Burson's? Going from 22uf electro to 2.2uf PP for example.


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## VessK0

Replaced the caps with Jantzen. I'm with mixed feelings.
There was a problem with the tweeter (maybe too low a value of 0,82uf) - I had to increase the delay from 24 samples to 280 in order to match the same time alignment.

I'm planning to add caps to the Vin pins of the op-amps, what will you recommend?
I was thinking of Wima MKP 0,1uf  + Wima FKP 0,01uf in parallel. Will it be enough?
Subjectively right now I'm that the sound is less powerful. Otherwise, it is more layered, detailed, smoother and tighter. But I'm not liking the feeling of relaxed sound...


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## SoundDouble

Hello Members. Burson Audio reached out to and is giving me the opportunity to try out a couple of their opamps. So of course I will be sharing some photos here. Along with my impressions of the units. Hopefully it will be useful to some people.

Looking forward to tinkering with my amps.


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## adeadcrab

SoundDouble said:


> Hello Members. Burson Audio reached out to and is giving me the opportunity to try out a couple of their opamps. So of course I will be sharing some photos here. Along with my impressions of the units. Hopefully it will be useful to some people.
> 
> Looking forward to tinkering with my amps.


V6 opamps continue to surprise me. Adding my Gustard P26 into my chain today and the increase of raw resolution and detail retrieval is amazing. And the classics are doing something to the midrange of the Koss ESP95X that is making the result reference level quality, instead of slightly woolly and veiled without the opamps in the chain.


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## VessK0

I hard recommend you to put bypass capacitors to the op-amps Vin.
I've put 100nf caps and after a day of use, I can conclude that there is a consistent perceivable step-up in dynamics and overall snappiness of the sound. A touch more air and overall the music is slightly more engaging.

I'm not sure if additional 10nf faster caps (like FPK1) In parallel to MKP10 will be of benefit.
Last week I've experimented with this setup in an old amplifier where I was rolling some opamps and it was a noticeable improvement to the punch.
However, the Burson improvement was more subdued in comparison to some of the chips where it was dramatic. And in some chips was more or less the same.


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## SoundDouble

Hello, Just posted my review of the V6 Vivid. Feel free to browse, but i still need to add some comments in the comparison section.

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/burson-audio-supreme-sound-opamp-v6-vivid.22718/review/28307/

Thanks all and enjoy.


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## Whitigir (Sep 24, 2022)

V6 Classic is a great Op-Amp.  It has higher offset than IC chips, but it has a very full, dynamic timbres, warmer in tone, vivid trebles that is smoother on upper end, doesn’t extend too far as into being sibilants on bad recordings and so on, but definitely will expose those recordings.  Soundstage is very holographic, wide in comparison to IC chips.  Floor noises is also very low.  Placements and positioning are amazingly vivid.  Together with the fact that it has a wide range of voltage operations, it can fit in many places, depends on the skills.  *I do believe that I have made the world first DAP to be able to sport these amazing guys as line buffers, and together with class A discrete output on the Portable Amp itself*.  The playback time is a killer, but it is very worth it.

Burn in will be with 2 stages:  the first stage is when it is freshly installed, it needs about 5 hours to starting to sound good.  Then it needs another 150 hours or so to bring more finesses.

it is also recommended with Bypass, and de-coupling capacitors for better dynamic, textures, and responses.  Sub-bass is very defined, very deep, dynamic when these are taken care of properly.


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## JamieMcC

I switched over to the V6 classics in my Whammy (direct coupled)  I tried the V6 Vivid but they never jived for me so went back to the classic. Funny thing though around six months later I tried the Vivids again and absolutely loved them lol.


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## Whitigir

JamieMcC said:


> I switched over to the V6 classics in my Whammy (direct coupled)  I tried the V6 Vivid but they never jived for me so went back to the classic. Funny thing though around six months later I tried the Vivids again and absolutely loved them lol.


No doubts ! These Burson discrete are a real deal, and amazing for the price/performances


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## Ichos

Hello friends, I had the pleasure of reviewing the V6 Vivid single op-amp.

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/bu...pamp-v6-vivid-and-classic.23186/review/29663/

There is no going back for me!


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## Voxata

I've owned and reviewed V5s and V5i. Burson has always made quality amps and opamps IMO. Always been curious about the V6 Classic, however my current configuration is sounding just fine as of the moment. Only using OPA2132 and have a Muses01 set incoming.


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## Josh.33

*How do I identify Pin #1 on the V6 vivid?*   I have a Burson Conductor 3 Reference and I swapped the 2 singles for Sparkos and I really miss the vivids. I'd like to reinstall them however I am confused. On the Duals the logos both face the same way towards the right when looking at the dac from the front. HOWEVER, the singles were both facing opposite directions. So the labels were both facing outwards. I cant find any way to identify the pins for reinstallations and I am confused. Does Pin number 1 not matter on these?


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## 37mil

Josh.33 said:


> *How do I identify Pin #1 on the V6 vivid?*   I have a Burson Conductor 3 Reference and I swapped the 2 singles for Sparkos and I really miss the vivids. I'd like to reinstall them however I am confused. On the Duals the logos both face the same way towards the right when looking at the dac from the front. HOWEVER, the singles were both facing opposite directions. So the labels were both facing outwards. I cant find any way to identify the pins for reinstallations and I am confused. Does Pin number 1 not matter on these?


Wrong insertion will kill it. There should be a notch where pin 1 is.


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## JamieMcC (Jan 6, 2023)

Pretty sure the Burson V6 have a safety feature built in to protect from being inserted incorrectly. I've definitely put both  classic and vivid in my amp the wrong way round on several occasions without any issue. Just pulled them out turned them around and all good.

A quick Google

"The V6 are the only op-amps in the world with reverse voltage protection. While other op-amps are instantly damaged if reversely installed, the V6 are designed to survive such accidents unscathed."

email Burson and check if it in any doubt.


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## Voxata

Definitely matters. One side has a notch.


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## Josh.33

I must have looked at these 7 times and I never noticed that ever so slight indent down the side! Thank you guys, seriously! Ironically the logo is printed on reverse sides on mine! It has no bearing on Pin 1 lol You guys really helped me out!  I have SparkoS Labs SS3601 in right now but I find them to be thinner sounding and bland. There is more treble or less rolled off but thats it. Makes my Focal Clear sound lifeless but my SVS Ultra bookshelf's have more sparkle :/ Just can't win over here lol


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## Baten

Josh.33 said:


> I have SparkoS Labs SS3601 in right now but I find them to be thinner sounding and bland.


I think a lot of these very pricy niche op-amps are in fact just overrated. Tried and trusted OPA/MUSES tend to be much better value.


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