BURSON Audio Playmate 2 Review

An introduction to the world of BURSON Audio. The Playmate 2 DAC/Amp
Sections:
00:00 Intro
00:35 Price, Specs and Hardware
05:07 Features & Usage
08:12 Sound Impressions
16:06 Comparisons
19:21 Conclusions
Playmate 2 is available at:
www.bursonaudio.com/shop/play...
Shot On:
- Canon EOS R6 Mark2
- Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8 L USM
- ATOMOS Ninja V (Canon CLOG3 ProRes HQ 4K50P)
My Tidal Playlist:
tidal.com/browse/playlist/ba3...

[@marcelpfeiffer6587]

Thanks Andy for this great review! I think the topping 90 would be an interesting compeditor.

[@nailedit05]

Thanks for the review Andy 🙂

[@donglemadness]

My pleasure 🙏

[@jhuneclarino]

Probably the output stage is discreet and Class A for RCA and Headphone output plus good feedback design the reason why it has an dynamic and engaging sound compare to chifi which is using combination of op amp and resistors capacitors good review and I wish I could experience it

[@Alex-dj7nc]

Thanks for your art

[@donglemadness]

My pleasure

[@nusu5331]

thank you for the great video! i wonder if i could really hear the difference of the dac section compared to any other dac. i hear sabre dacs, as i find them piercing, but this is the only dac i ever was able to detect in a blind test

[@birdsoup777]

I have the burson Play. Volume dial does the same thing. I wonder if intentional to prevent damage Turing it up to fast, Thanks for covering this. Just upgraded to playmate 2 today.

[@donglemadness]

I think it is also as a safeguard, I use my Playmate 2 on daily basis and switched on practically 24x7, just hard thingking of not using it even for a single day, so versatile for anything I do on my PC

[@BoluKeju]

Great video as usual Andy. Did you any planning to review new dongle Fiio KA13? I think that's great dongle. Thanks

[@donglemadness]

Thanks. I hope so too

[@sebolla9791]

Another great video Andy, between K9 and VE Stack, do you prefer VE Stack?

[@donglemadness]

Thanks. Hard choice between K9 and VE stack because we are looking at two amazing DAC/Amps here, so it boils down to preferences of which I will pick VE stack for the more analog sound it offers

[@mrcassioo]

Great video, thanks Andy! I'm curious about the RCA output. Is that to only be used with active speakers? I often use Zone2 from my big receiver (via RCA) when I don't use headphones. Those are passive speakers connected to it. Would it be a bad idea to use the RCA output on the Playmate 2 for this? I really want better sound from my desktop when using the speakers. :)

[@donglemadness]

My pleasure. Of course the RCA are also usable for other AUX purposes, so you can use it, for as long you don't expect the Playmate 2 to directly drive the passive speakers

[@mrcassioo]

@@donglemadnessThank you for the quick reply, appreciate it!

[@TC-bz8sm]

👍can it enhance the soundstage scale like some R2R or tube amps

[@donglemadness]

Yes it can

[@zuri_ortiz]

Hi Andy, I've got two pairs of iems, both of them are warm. I want to try something brighter, something that could offer good resolution and tech aspects but my budget is limited (around $50) Could you recommend me something?

[@donglemadness]

For under $50, I would recommend you start with Tanchjim ZERO, it is exceedingly well tuned towards neutral with some boosting on Midbass and it offers amazing transparency and resolution. I use my ZEROs regularly. You can also consider something like HZSOUND Heart Mirror Zero

[@tomaszbrodzic8381]

Thank you for video! I'm just considering to buy playmate 2 for my audeze lcd-x, they have one thing I doesn't like, I mean mid range, some female vocals sound dry and thin. I'm not sure burson playmate 2 could solve this problem. The rest of the ranges sound adequate.

[@donglemadness]

My pleasure, sometimes it can be fixed by pairing the headphones with richer sounding Amps and Playmate 2 is definitely one rich sounding Class A amp. It is my staple desktop amp reference now and I use Playmate2 on daily basis practically switched on 24x7 attached to my PC, for Music, Gaming and even editing/recording/monitoring

[@tomaszbrodzic8381]

​@@donglemadness I've just bought one. Your review was very accurate. Playmate 2 fixed all the issues against limitations my audeze lcd-x. I'm very satisfied, the sound is now exactely I like - precised, reach, plain, warm and liquid but not muddy. It's delux version with V6 Vivid, there is no need at all to change for V6 Classic. Thanks!

[@donglemadness]

@@tomaszbrodzic8381 Enjoy!

[@siddhesh2888]

Hello Andy. By any chance can you review KZ'S first budget friendly DAC-AMP dongle - AM01? It been marketed as a direct competitor to JCALLY JM6 Pro DAC.

[@donglemadness]

I will check it out soon. Thanks

[@joelo5164]

Hi Andy can you recommend a dac to power Senheisser HD599 SE, I have ibasso dc03 pro and ifi go link..pls recommend one between these

[@donglemadness]

Both DC03Pro and GO Link will have the power you seek, but I would be heavily inclined to use DC03Pro for better resolution and imaging, and energy too. However GO Link has wider soundstage and warmer sound signature

[@joelo5164]

@@donglemadness Thank you Eddy

[@daemonkisure2952]

best iems for u? i want the best for gaming and music, i main the zetian wu planner iem but idk much about dynamic or other plannars, can u recommend me 1 iem that doesnt cost more than 400? and a dac/amp because i,m using sound blaster g6 and prob is bad XD xd

[@donglemadness]

I think you will like AFUL Performer 5, if you want to try Hybrid technology IEM. And for the DAC, you can get Fosi Audio K5 Pro which is great for both music and gaming, or Venture Electronics Prime DAC. All of those will keep the budget under $400

[@raynerstuelgalid]

Andy, need a bit for studio lighting for your vids.

[@donglemadness]

Thanks. I try to improve on the lighting

[@nusu5331]

did you already have the chance to listen to a violectric dac amp combo? some say violectric is the next logical upgrade to burson

[@donglemadness]

I would want to of course. Thanks

[@paolozafra5499]

Does it sound similar to the Fiio K9 you reviewed?

[@donglemadness]

I covered that comparison with K9 at 16:21

[@paolozafra5499]

@@donglemadness Sorry, was not able to reach that part when I wrote the comment. Great review as always Andy!

[@MR-ci5st]

Hello. Need your help cause i am lost in choice. Got a 600 dollars ( euros ) budget to buy a portable dac/dongle and iems. My librairy ( london grammar charlotte cardin ) is on a smartphone. Many thanks to you.

[@donglemadness]

600 Euros is a lot of money. I would buy something like Cayin RU7 and then for IEMs it will be Hidizs MP145 and Final Audio A5000, all well under 600 Euros combined. Good luck!

[@herosandwich7940]

Great device, awful awful name

[@nusu5331]

why?