Burson Audio Conductor 3 Performance. Preamplifier, headphone amplifier DAC

Burson Audio is challenging the conventional and pushing the boundaries of audio excellence through innovation. A decade ago, we argued against using IC opamps on the audio signal path. Today, our discrete audio opamps are industry benchmarks.

In 2017, we had a breakthrough in power supply research. It led to the development of our proprietary Max Current Power Supply (MCPS). Superior to both transformer-based and conventional switching power supply designs, the MCPS is featured in all Burson products, winning awards and leaving competitors in the dust.

We don’t advertise, buy reviews, nor attend trade-shows, and we certainly don’t markup prices to cover such costs. Instead, we build products that speak for themselves and build relationships directly with fellow audiophiles. We also work with selective, like-minded audio stores around the world which contributes to their local audio community.

Some DAC/Amps claim to give you the front row experience in exchange for less soundstage. Others promise a 3D soundstage in trade for fewer details. The Conductor 3 Performance simply gives you everything in the recording, without sugar-coating, the good and sometimes the ugly. You can locate a tapping foot on the stage while enjoying that lingering vibration of air after a keystroke.

The Conductor uses the SABRE32/ESS9038Q2M DAC and XMOS USB receiver chips, the most advanced and expensive in the industry. Its Customised USB driver by Thesycon Germany ensures low latency bit-perfect audio playback. The result is incredible processing power, accurately playing back DSD512 and 38bit/786khz audio.

It also features a Qualcomm/CSR8675. Bluetooth 5.0 receiver. Playing back at 24bit/96khz with aptX HD audio codec. , it pushes sound quality and ease of use to the highest level.

The Conductor Performance features the same Max Current Power Supply (MCPS) that has made the Conductor Reference legendary.

A technology developed, owned and used exclusively by Burson Audio, the MCPS raises voltage frequency from 50Hz to 170kHz, pushing noise beyond human hearing. It completely overcomings the disadvantages of both linear power supplies and conventional switching power supplies, resulting in incredible dynamic and micro-details.

We like to turn Class-A amplifiers from monsters with heat-fins into elegant, desktop-friendly machines, and we do it through the Cool Case. Made from high-density aluminium and electroplated to space-grey, the Cool Case is a unified heat-sink keeping the Class-A Conductor cool and optimised. Critics such as Headfonics called it “the new standard” in the audio industry.

Having a footprint that is 30% less than the Conductor Reference and a volume similar to a lunch box, it is beautiful but unobstructive. Take it to work, and no one will raise an eyebrow.

The Conductor Performance comes with Burson V6 Vivid discrete opamps. But don’t let us or anyone dictate your listening experience. The Conductor encourages opamp rolling with gold plated DIP8 sockets along its signal path. With hundreds of audio opamps out there, you have the freedom to tailor your listening experience to your preference.

The Sound.

While our Conductor Reference is like Huge Jackman in Kate and Leopold, the completed package, the Conductor Performance is the shredded Wolverine. It’s still him but stripped down! Power and total control of that power will be the overwhelming first impression. It energises every note and space in between, bringing accuracy and micro-details. The C3 performance is for the perfectionist who works hard and plays harder.

Technical characteristics:

Input impedance: 40 KOhms

Response frequency: ± 1 dB 0 - 58Khz

Signal to noise ratio:> 95 dB

THD: <0.0015%

Channel Separation:> 99dB

Output power: 4.0W at 16 Ohms

Output impedance (headphone amp): 0.5 ohms

Output impedance (line out): 1 ohm

Output impedance (DAC output): 25 ohms

Output impedance: power dissipation:> 35W,, internal regulated power supply

DAC Specifications:

Channel Separation: 142 dB @ 1 kHz, 135 dB at 20 KHz

THD + N: 0.0005% at 1 kHz, 0 dBFS

COAX and Toslink / SPDIF: 32 bits / 44.1k, 48k, 88.2k, 96K, 176.4K, 192KHz

USB Specifications:

OS Requirement: Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Mac OS X

USB: 32-bit / 44.1k, 48k, 88.2k, 96K, 176.4K, 192KHz,

Supports up to 24 bits @ 192Khz with 10ppm low jitter clock

Asynchronous Transfer Mode

Entry:

1 x USB connection

1 x Coaxial RCA (up to 24bit @ 192Khz)

1 x Toslink / SPDIF (up to 24bit @ 192Khz)

2 x RCA line level input

1 x Bluetooth 5.0

1 x Microphone

Departures:

2 x 6.35 headphone jacks

1 x RCA line out

1 x direct output DAC

General:

Weight: 3 kg (approximate)

Color: silver anodized aluminum

Dimensions: 200 x 250 x 60 mm

Package content:

1 x 3PHeadAMP / Pre Amp / DAC Driver

1 x remote control

1 x power cord

1 x RCA Pair Input Cable

1 x USB cable