Just a follow up here- I did proceed. I am listening to Susvara regularly on 3xP (original op amps) without difficulty.
Chain is Roon (on a dedicated MacBook Air 2017 era- eventually to be replaced probably by a Sonore sonic transporter) - Sonore Optical Rendu- Topping D90SE- 3X9 - Susvara.
Stage and imaging are good (much more realistic imaging /stage and dynamic too to my ears than w/ A90D) - optimal volume about 40 on high gain (though tolerable up to mid 50s and very addictive at that volume for bass impact and texture). I do use @Resolve’s (early) EQ recs in Roon so bass shelf of +2 db below 85 hz and +2 db at 2k q=1.41. This suits my preferences well.
I have staging issues that could be due to the DAC. Instruments and voices are either close to me or relatively far - so not a small stage but instruments aren’t realistically arranged on it relative to each other.
My plan is to substitute the D90SE with a Holo Spring3 KTE w/ preamp later this year, and try out the Burson both in high gain as well as in poweramp mode. If this satisfies my desire for stage and imaging I will stick with 3XP. I think it is plenty dynamic and there are no issues with timbre or tonality across the FR.
I wanted to report this as someone earlier had tried Susvara with the 3xP, which fried them. I wanted to register here that the pairing is good and I’ve had no problems with it.
Feel free to try it but, fwiw, I’d suggest to skip the preamp on the spring if you don’t really need it and save some cash. It’s not worth that much just to use the soloist in poweramp mode. It’s only marginally better imo, specifically with the spring pre.
Thanks- it makes sense that the preamp would not add much to the Spring3 as it is supposed to be virtually neutral and uncoloured as is the Serene preamp (from which it is trickle down tech) but more to the point - if I understand your comment correctly- your impression was that there is not much of a sonic improvement comparing
A) spring 3 → preamp → 3xP in poweramp mode vs
B) spring 3 in Dac mode (no preamp) → 3XP in standard mode hi-gain
When Susvaras are the end-of-chain drivers. Correct?
I definitely appreciate the potential to reduce the price of the Spring 3 (MSRP) by $600- but also w/o the pre-amp there is the possibility of using a DIFFERENT pre-amp in the chain in the future, should one desire to do so IE could one potentially use the 3XP as a pre-amp between the Spring 3 and a down-stream speaker amp? Seems so…
To clarify, I don’t have a susvara and I’ve never used the 3xp in hi-gain (well actually only a few times).
The improvement is there but I don’t think it’s worth spending the extra cash on the pre for the spring just to be able to use the poweramp mode on the soloist.
I personally wouldn’t, but that is a possibility you can try to see if you like.
Bottom line is, I suggest skipping the pre on the spring unless you have a specific use case for it. Using the soloist in poweramp mode, I don’t think, is a worthwhile reason to include the pre on the spring.
Hi,
Have a Bursen Soloist SL MkI also.
I only need a single-end input with headphone amplifier, as taking Tape-Out from my Sim Audio amplifier (which doesn’t have a headphone output) and so I have use the same sources as for speakers (Naim NDS/555DR network player in a Roon system, and Orbe/SME V/Lrya Skala record player into a Bakoon EQR-11R phono stage).
I am now using the Soloist SL with Dan Clark Aeon2 Noire headphones.
I have an older pair of B&W P5 Wireless, but wired for use with the Bursen.
The B&W’s were used with the Soloist Low-Gain setting, as 22ohm and 113 dB/1v, but for the Aeon2 Noire, 13ohm & 92 dB/1v, I am using the High-gain setting - is that correct operation?
Well as most of us know by now adjusting the gain does increase the “loudness” but you essentially don’t draw or get more power from your amp. The Aeon 2’s need a bit of juice I know, but in general I try to avoid using gain on an amp before adjusting other equipment settings. The B&W’s you have right, but experiment with the Aeon 2’s. Trust your ears and adjust the gain as a last resort for increase loudness.