[freo]

Hi
 Does anyone have any experience with Burson products, my CD player needs upgrading and their products sound interesting. Any information would be appreciated
Regards Roger

[TomS]

There has been some discussion in the Bolder Cables circle.  I am using one on my Bolder Squeezebox 2 to bump the gain by +6db and find it works quite well for that purpose.  I haven't had it long enough to assess it's other sonic attributes but will report in the Bolder circle when I've had a little more time with it. 

Tom

[navi]

Hey Roger
I got the super regulators for my old CD player (denn S10) but they didn't put out enough voltage to run the thing (CDP was 15V). So they allowed me to exchange them for the audio clocks but by the time i got them I sold the CD player.

Lesson for the day: if you are getting the super regulators- Make sure they will work with your equipment.

What CD player are you thinking of tweaking?


Ivan.

[rabbitz]

Did a Burson Discrete Opamp upgrade on a Sony CDP-X55ES and didn't work very well due to the supply voltage in the CDP was 11V which was too low for the module to work at it's best. These need at least 15V to perform IMO and have 1 working in a pre and it sounds very good. I'm sure higher voltages would even be better.

I ended up using AD825 opamps for the final IC and changed output caps (and paralleled by-pass caps) to Black Gate NX.... really great upgrade and the rest of the player has not been touched. Bettered my NOS DAC.

I've tried OPA2134, JRM5532-D (original), AD826 and were all bettered easily by the AD825. This CD player has 2 sets of opamps in the output stage and benefits were only realised with changing the final opamps with the originals in the first position.

[jules]

freo,

I've added a Burson Buffer between my CDP and my amp. The amp is an 55 W Aksa N+ and the CDP is an ancient NAD 5420. [Yes, a caps upgrade/replacement plan is called for but it still does ok]

At the moment I'm using some really horrible interconnect but the improvement is still quite significant. I shy away from the idea that a component can add anything but the buffer allows more of the original to shine through and the result is cleaner and crisper but at the same time, there's no sacrifice of warmth in that the more mellow sounds are also fuller and richer. Dynamics are also improved and the soundstage [or is it imaging  ] improves the stereo thing greatly. A little bonus is that the Buffer adds 6db [or even 9 if you specify it]. This could be handy in some systems. 

This is the second mod I've done in the last couple of months, the last one being an input cap upgrade to my 55N+ [2.2uf RTX Relcaps in parallel with .022, RTX Relcaps]. Both of these mods gave significant gains thought the caps cost less of course.

The Buffer could also be useful between a phonstage and an amp or between an amp and a sub. [This latter option is something that interests me as I will be running slightly longer than ideal feeds to a sub I have planned].

Burson are apparently going to produce a phonostage later this year. Dunno what form this will take but it could be interesting if it follows their current design principles.

jules

[bluesky]

Hi

I have found the Burson opamps a very good upgrade and the regulators are good too.

I am unable to comment on their other products though.

Bluesky

[rabbitz]

freo,

I've added a Burson Buffer between my CDP and my amp. The amp is an 55 W Aksa N+ and the CDP is an ancient NAD 5420. [Yes, a caps upgrade/replacement plan is called for but it still does ok]

The Burson Buffer is a beauty and very transparent and neutral. I run it between a CDP-X55ES and a passive pre (10K pot), for a LF55. It's the only pre combination I tried that allowed the LF55 to show all it's inner detail.

The buffer also benefits the Cambridge 840C (still running in) even though that player has an output impedance <50R.

It's being pulled out of the Burson case so it can reside with the passive pre in the same case. That way, all my CD sources can benefit from it's great performance as it will come after the input switch but before the pot.

BTW, I did try it between the pot (passive pre) and power amp but was not as good when placed after the source.

Burson Buffer is a bargain.

[Bigfish]

I added a stock Burson Buffer to my system approximately 1 month ago.  I have it installed between a Bolder Analog Modded S3 and a Odyssey Candela Preamp.  The results have been dramatic with the result being a wider soundstage, a crisper and more detail to the sound.  Without a doubt the most noticable upgrade I have made to my system and I highly recommend it.

Ken

[JohnR]

I was wondering why this was in the Aussie Pie... turns out they are in Melbourne! How about that 

[navi]

I installed the HDAM modules- made a difference to the sound (which was an improvement) compared to the stock standard op amps- I ended up damaging my DAC at the end by messing with it too much...... It was good while it lasted.


Ivan

[AKSA]

I recently listened to a BB between a modded SqueezeBox and my Soraya CB105 power amplifier.  Speakers were AKSonics.

Results are very good, with outstanding resolution and marvellous drive to the speakers.  It has a very low noise floor, and improved the sound more than I would expect.

Recommended.....

Cheers,

Hugh

[jules]

That's interesting Hugh. How much higher can the Soraya go  ?

There's several AKSA owners using them in different configurations with success but this is the first report on using the BB with a Soraya.

This gadget can throw a spanner in the works for the source select function of any pre-amp if the buffer is somewhere between several sources [each of which could benefit from the BB] and a pre-amp with source select function. I'm thinking of putting the discrete opamps in my GK-1 box [between source select switch and coupling caps] and leaving the power supply outside. If hum happens then it's back to the original layout.

jules

[AKSA]

Yeah, Jules,

It's a worry, everything you do has impact, it's confusing.......

But even with the Soraya, my best amp, there is no doubt the BB sounded better.  This was with a modded Squeezebox, mind, which has a highish output impedance and is known to have issues driving even the 40K Zin of a good amp.

It could be that with an unmodded SB the difference would be less marked, since there is a buffer (with about 6dB gain, like the BB) inside which would negate some of these gains.

Cheers,

Hugh