Burson Soloist 3X GT & 3 GT 2023 Re-Review

[@nathan518]

Thanks for mentioning how the old units did not have the slow start/shutdown. I have a Burson Soloist 3XP and a Funk and they both pop my headphones/speakers when I start/stop them. It's nice that the new Soloist GT units don't do that. However, I'm wondering about the Timekeepers. Do those pop when they start/stop?

[@psysword]

No they don't. My monoblocks are awesome. Love em.

[@robertreynolds2212]

Just installed the SP2’s w/ some Sparkos SS2590’s, SS3602 & SIL994 op amps. Good lord it’s magical.

[@Nebo600]

Do you have the Soloist 3xgt? And where do you put the op amps?

[@testony522]

Thx sandu. this review was also very informative. make sure to show the amp's great fight before Christmas! Your review is one of the joys of my life. Thank you Sandu.

[@푸른별-t6x]

I watched your video very well. and I wonder if HIFIMAN's ARIA ORGANIC review is scheduled?

[@nick_g]

I returned my Burson because of a loud noise floor among other things. Good to now the new ones have a much lower noise floor.

[@ReverendDr.Thomas]

Which head/earphones conducted the most noise?

[@asan1050]

Soundnews, ThanksMuch!

[@Flavius7]

I second the opinion that you just cannot listen to any Hifiman headphones using the old 3 GT because BRIGHT FEST. The only amp I heard with the "ability" to sound too warm and too bright simultaneously. Glad to hear they solved those problems that plagued the older model. Still love the design language!!

[@Cestmoi50]

Explain? I don’t have that experience at all with my hifiman and the 3x gt 2022 model? And I listen to it daily. I hated amps like topping, violectric etc…

[@robertreynolds2212]

Currently own the OG GT & use it with the Susvara all the time. Don’t know what you mean? I’ve owned the HE1000se too & it wasn’t THAT bad.

[@aceofspades6667]

Goods stuff Sandu! Looks like the new power modules and adding SIL and Sparkos op amps can really help his amp scale to be top tier with bliss and enleum.

[@Soundnews]

I can finally control my Lego Technic addiction with the newest Soloists 😄

[@aceofspades6667]

@@Soundnewsheheheh… hoping the zahl and silver Fox will be in your shootout with the bliss and new soloists and enleum. I would imagine the flux labs guys have a Volot successors coming now if they have established a new base

[@pokrog]

The Sparkos dual SS2590s in the voltage gain stage made an absolutely colossal difference in how resolving the amp is. It was already great but I did not expect the gains that came from putting the Sparkos opamps in the voltage gain stage. It was a massive improvement in not only detail but overall timbre as well. Sonic Imagery 994s in the input stage tightened things up quite a bit as well. I've been thoroughly shocked by how good the 2023 GT is and I can't wait to get my hands on the SP-02 modules.

[@aceofspades6667]

@@pokrog nice! I hear great things from Sparkos SS3306, SIL 994, and Muzg... There is another from staccato and another from Alfa Rpar AS-402 that is supposed to be solid too. many options to choose from and "roll".

[@aceofspades6667]

@@MichaelBrown-go2hf yes the conductor is the AIO. I owned the conductor 3XR and it was solid but I didn't love their dac implementation. They have a newer one call the Conductor GT (Grand Tourer) that supposedly has a much better dac

[@thomasbrice8884]

Thanks for your in depth review. Did you try both amps with the Chord Dave and which one did you prefer? I currently run an Audeze LCD-3 off a Mojo 2 but wanting to upgrade to a Chord Qutest running into either the 3GT or 3X GT. I mainly want Jazz and Acoustic music to shine on this set up and thinking the 3GT might help warm up the resolving Qutest.

[@drandrewtan]

Is the Soloist 3X GT a better amp than the Conductor 3X GT? Might consider using the Conductor 3X GT (which I own) as a DAC to input into the Soloist 3X GT. Thoughts Sandu?

[@trun1979]

Well done. Even with SP2 the noise floor with IEMs is still very audible without IEMatch (with Mest MK2 for sure)

[@chjl1221]

Thank you for another in depth review. Another Gold Award. The question #1 will be addressed in an upcoming shootout as you mentioned already. Those amps seem to be on pretty much the same performance level, right? Question #2 for me is what amp(s) would bring a substantial sound improvement? Envy, Primavera meaning "only" TOTL, most expensive amps?

[@AVICK_22]

Which one between those 2 do you recommend for Susvara? Or should I go for Conductor directly. Does Timekeeper worth it also? Thanks, great video.

[@abehaile2659]

19:16 Thanks for addressing the Super Charger 5A relationship to the SP-02 question: "... pretty much the same..."

[@edwinsmit3123]

Between the Holo Audio Bliss KTE and Burson Soloist 3/3X GT, which one would be the best endgame headphone amp?

[@UrSSuL]

Comparing it to the Benchmark HPA4, which would go on top?

[@Soundnews]

Depends on the rest of the chain and on the load. HPA4 is overall more linear sounding and more feature packed, but not as powerful and dynamic sounding. The Soloist 3X GT however is considerably more powerful & dynamic sounding and could drive all headphones out there. HPA4 struggles with low-sensitivity cans and there are plenty of examples.

[@UrSSuL]

@@Soundnews thanks for the reply. Did you test it with Meze headphones, an A/ B swap? If so, did it hinder the quality of the sound in them? Thanks

[@FonzVorselaars]

Hi Sandu. Imagine you have a Meze Empyrean 2 combined with a Aune S9C dac-amp combo and a Eversolo A6 as a digital transport. You get an offer to buy a Burson Soloist 3X GT (2022 model) with supercharger and stand, all for 1200 euro's. The Eversolo will now be used as a streamer-dac. Do you think that the Burson Eversolo dac combo will be a better option for the Empyrean 2 instead of the Aune S9C dac-amp all in one? Looking forward to your answer. Cheers F

[@tdfmike3915]

Did you pull the trigger? Any updates?

[@FonzVorselaars]

@@tdfmike3915 I now have a Burson Soloist 3XGT combined with a Musician Pegasus R2R dac and the Eversolo A6 as a digital transport and I really like it :)

[@stanislavmilovanovic1732]

Audio guru at his best as always !

[@D_Swoozy21]

Soundnews, I have the Gustard A26 with Topping A70 pro driving He1000se. Should I stick with the A70 pro which you had high praise for or upgrade to 3x GT? Thank you

[@dkssudgktpdy492]

I used the he1000se on 3x gt and it was great.

[@leclonedestargate]

Will you do a review of Final audio D8000 pro ?

[@markhershberger9477]

Excellent review as usual Sandu, thank you. To choose only one solid state between either of the Burson’s and the Bliss, what would you go for? I know, hypothetical, but your response would be of interest. Thank you for considering my inquiry. 🌝

[@Soundnews]

Hi Mark, If I didn't own the Susvara and if headphones like DCA Stealth, Expanse and Abyss AB1266 wouldn't exist, then I would get the Bliss. Otherwise, I like the Soloist 3 GT a bit more and then 3X 2023 even more with my current DAC. I can't stand lack of dynamics with low-sensitivity headphones, hence Bursons getting my final vote.

[@pokrog]

@@Soundnews I know it involves throwing more garbage in the chain, but if you have an XLR4 adapter and an Ifi IEMatch 4.4, it solves every single issue I've had with high sensitivity IEMs and headphones using the Ultra (-24db) setting on the IEMatch and the resulting loss in noise floor and added power that you can throw at them makes them quite a bit more dynamic and detailed. The 4.4mm version of the IEMatch is specifically for higher power amplifiers and has drastically different specs than the IEMatch 2.5mm balanced and 3.5mm single ended versions and it really pairs up well with the Soloist 3X GT 2023 with the gains far outweighing any losses you might have from running an adapter to the IEMatch. Definitely give it a shot at some point, its pretty crazy how well it works.

[@dynamic-audio]

​@@Soundnewshello friend. Then right now which would be the best option to susvara for you between a simple topping la90d (with banana to xlr adapter), bliss kte, soloist 3xgt? Now I am using my susvara with a soloist 3xp but i heard it in a la90d and for me sounds more controlled in bass and faster... then how do you compare the options that I have mentioned you? Please hehehe 😢

[@REX4340]

Technical sounding!! Are u an android?

[@Soundnews]

Hi mate, Technical sounding is a general expression among audiophile press, it's nothing new. Technical sounding combines a few things: resolution/detail retrieval, transient response and linearity in the FR.

[@noob9103]

am i the only one having problem understanding what he says?