Yes, the Voyager is a great preamp, been using it for about 6 weeks with Audeze LCD-X and Klipsch Cornwall IV paired with some 300b Monobblocks and alternating with Burson TimeKeeper GT. I also just received my Burson Silent Power Module SP2 and v7 Vivid Op amps today for my Burson Timekeeper Monoblocks (replacing the SP1 module and V6 vivid op amps). WOW, the detail and lushness but also micro detail. Previously I favoured the 300b monoblocks over the Timekeepers now I need to go back and A/B test again. Exciting times
Incredible work, Lachlan. You’ve weighed and considered so many of the upgrade variables available from Burson. This is an excellent comparative video. I would say it is the definitive video for anyone curious about both the Voyager and the 3XGt. ❤
I'm powering 2 speaker amps and 2 headphone amps with the Voyager deluxe as a preamp. Fabulous preamp. Now as a headphone amp I'm still breaking it in so I'll hold my opinion for now. But it runs hot. Holy moly can't hear the fan but the heat is disturbingly hot. Requires ambient room temperature otherwise I can feel the heat boiling me. My timekeeper gt monoblocks are also loving this preamp. Yes the sound is weighty. I concur. But I'm hearing it for 2 days so I think I'll have a better opinion next week. Great review love it. Thanks.
Thank you for this, it’s much appreciated. I’ve been put off Burson as last year they released 2 flagship amp variants, they’ll probably release a Voyager GTX tomorrow or something.
I do tend to agree and it's why I tried to emphasise that the GT isn't chopped liver, but I definitely understand the concern. I don't know the story behind the GT and Voyager development processes.
For those who want to know about the fan noise, I've just got the Voyager Deluxe edition and there's noticeable fan noise. It's the first thing I noticed right away when I turned it on. I can hear it even at 12ft away. This is jarring considering that I'm used to using daps and head amps with no fan noise. Even my MacBook Pro m1 is silent 95% the time. Using my my pixel with the Smart Tools Sound Meter, I measured 43db at the volume knob and 40 db where I normally sit 3 feet way with no music playing . I read a review on another website showing a picture that they measured the unit at 33db, so I'm not sure if there's something wrong with my unit or there's a way to turn down the fan. Using the Focal Clear OG at 3 ft away, turning the volume up to 20/99 (which is a decent listening level for me) using xlr output, low gain mode is when I don't notice the noise anymore. Using closed backs like the DCA E3, then it's not really an issue. I may get used to this noise but right now it does bother me a bit.
I have the fully upgraded unit also. Open back he1000se headphones. I sit relatively close to this amp and don’t hear a thing. For anyone worried about fan noise it’s going to be a flip of a coin. It’s non existent for me
I would get that checked, maybe drop a line to Burson, is should be silent unless you are in a room where the background noise is below 30dB. I cannot hear mine even hovering right over the top of the Voyager. My previous Burson Preamp, the Soloist 3X GT I could definitely hear the fan from 3 -5 feet away
Yep. Adding to the other comments here to confirm that the fan should definitely not be audible. My GT is definitely audible, but the Voyager isn't so I'd get in touch with Burson as suggested above.
I actually wrote Burson Today and asked them if the next gen Conductor could feature a AKM chip or at least see a AKM variant. I think a lot of people would like it. Imagine a AKM based Conductor with the classic op-amps. It would have a lot of body to the sound if implemented properly.
I'd love that too and have suggested the AK4499EX to them a couple of times. We'll see... (and no, that's not a hint - I have no clue what they're developing next)
14:02 again, as a newbie, i appreciate that you elaborate what you mean when you use audio lingo like "transparency." I thought it had something to do with clarity, which i assume means how clearly you can hear all the sound elements in audio. But the word "transparency" always confused me when reviewers used it, because people prefer richness and thickness in the audio, as opposed to something that sounds thin to the point of being see-through (transparent). But then strangely i got the impression from reviewers that use this term "transparency", that they consider it a positive. And now youve explained that it means for the equipment to disappear and become transparent, so you're just hearing the pure audio recording. As a newbie, I'm far from being able to detect "transparency" in audio - i can definitely tell when i hear a noise floor from the equipment, but i'm not at a level where i can tell if the music itself is being portrayed accurately or artificially enhanced, but at least i appreciate what the term means now 😊
You explain very well as to why this Voyager requires a fan, but I'm cynical of fans in general. Even if they make no noise when the machine is new, they tend to get progressively louder as they get older (at least my experience with computer fans that are dead quiet when new and then grow considerably louder over time)
You should try out the new Flux Mentor dual-mono amp or a stack of them for balanced 33w @ 32ohm . These amps are amazing. I only have the 1 and it is blowing my mind compared to my old Fiio K9, Jotenheim2, and Mjolnir3. I sold the 2 schiits and gifted the k9 to my son bc this is an endgame class A amp.
This is a review I was waiting for, so thank you for this. I was hoping to hear more about how this amp compares to the Prelude with both being Class A and output 10W maximum. This amp is a lot more expensive, costing almost 3 times the price of the Prelude 😅
I didn't spend too long on that direct comparison because there's not a lot to say. The prelude is on par with the 3X GT, but smoother and richer. The Voyager is a clear step beyond either. Tonally they are definitely similar, but the Prelude can't compete with the Voyager's performance.
10:06 as a newbie, i appreciate that you go out of your way to define what the term means. I had heard the word "bloomy" a couple times before, but i didnt what they meant. Usually i associate the word "bloom" as a positive, like a flower blooming, but i get how this can be a negative when describing bass, which you want tight and defined (from what i gather). The vast majority of reviewers don't do this. In another video of your new reference iem, you said "tactility" was the ability to sense how much energy/force was being applied to piano key strikes or guitar strums 😊 again, im a newbie, and the amount of audio lingo that's used in this hobby can be overwhelming. I remember one video by Gizaudio Timmy, where he kept saying he loved an iem, because of "microdetails." I think he emphasized that word a dozen times and just ended the video without elaboration. And then there's Resolve, who's the hardest to follow for me 😆
Completely comprehensive review…. I really can’t think of anyone today that does RU-vid reviews in a more thorough fashion. Well done on this one I know it was a ton of work!
@@PassionforSoundif you had the opportunity to buy a soloist 3xgt 2023 with sp2 module and fully upgraded v7 (4x v7 classics 2x v7 vivid) for 1500 USD used or a fully upgraded Voyager for $3k slightly used. Is the soloist gt close enough that the value discrepancy it makes sense to just to cheaper? If the voyager was 100s across the board would the gt be a 85 a 90 or like a 95?
@aceofspades6667 that's a tough one! I'd take the Voyager because it's clearly better and quieter too and you're unlikely to get the "what if" itch. As for ratings, it's probably 90s to the Soloist for 100s to the Voyager.
I have the upgraded Voyager with the V7 classics on the way. If I wanted to incorporate a slight bit of classic sound, would you replace the input buffer, voltage gain or volume buffer op amps? Thanks man!
@PassionforSound I bought the Goldenwave Prelude for my Susvaras based on your and other reviewers' findings. (It just arrived today.) So, let me say that I have always loved my Susvaras, HE-6 SE v2, and HEDDPHONEs since I graduated from the likes of SMSL Sp200 and Topping A90 (terrible sound qualities even though they get Susvara loud enough). I was using my Burson Soloist 3x GT on Medium gain, and loving life. Out of the box and Prelude on low gain, I am wondering what I've been listening to all this time. Not bass-lite before, but now there is HE-6 like PUNCH and authority in the Susvara's bass. So now, between the Voyager and Prelude, which did you like better specifically with Susvara (HE-6 SE v2 as well, if tou tried it.) My other headphones run fine on other amps, so I'm not worried about those. Susvara is a "different story" for amp-matching though.
That's great to hear that you're loving the Prelude. It's brilliant! The Voyager is a step better again so if you're liking the Susvaras now, going to the Voyager will have you smiling even wider, but don't feel that you HAVE to take that step as the Prelude is already amazingly good.
Nice review as always. I myself have not listened to the the soloist 3xgt with supercharger that much, since the moment I owned the tt2+mscaler, the mscaler is detailed and smooth. How does the voyager compared to that? (I always thought the soloist had more power/authority, which you notice with certain tracks, but never wins on smoothness and space from the tt2+MM). All of them are great, and the voyager no expetion. Just curious how the tt2+mscaler compare to it. Knowing you own them, curious to your opinion
Another great detailed review, Lachlan. Does the Voyager offer a sonic improvement over your Hugo TT2 alone however? I have read that pairing the TT2 with a separate head amp can result in an overall worse performance.
The TT2 output is marvelously transparent and was my primary headphone source for a long time, but I like the character of the sound from the Voyager a little more. The TT2 is so neutral that it can be a little dry from the HP out sometimes and the Voyager maintains excellent resolution and detail while bringing a dash of smoothness. This is of course is with a quality set of interconnects so you don't lose fidelity through the cables.
Nice review! ❤😊 Will it go well with Susvara? Or you have something else to recommend that would go a lot better with Susvara HP? Would be great if you'd rank HPAs that you think is a good pair for Susvara 😁 I heard from other reviewers that Hifiman Prelude is a great match for Sus.
The Prelude is amazing for Susvaras, but this will be even better thanks to its smooth, but detailed presentation. I don't normally specify pairing of amps and headphones (or any device pairings) because it's VERY personal so I prefer to describe the general tonality and character of each device in a way that I hope helps people choose based on their preferences.
@@PassionforSound I just got my v7 vidids and classics. I found the sound I like with my soloist 3x gt is with 2classics in the volume stage and the vivids in the gain stage. Tried them the other way around and found it to rich in the upper bass. Very pleased over all.
Did you compare the single ended version of the GT to the Voyager mate? Also mate, with IEMs, even at the lowest gain setting, there is still a VERY noticeable noise floor. The same IEMs on the Holo Bliss are dead silent.
You mean the 3GT vs the Voyager? No, I haven't done that comparison because the 3GT and 3X GT are almost identical (with a very slight shift in image focus and tonality). I haven't noticed the hiss on my IEMs, but I don't use many with this level amp. Which IEMs are you hearing hiss with?
@@PassionforSound I remember them being tonally very different instead. No one as actually coated apples with apples yet. Also, the noise floor was high with the x GT 23 with sp2 modules as much as the voyager: I use U12t, Mest MK 3 and others. All show the same hiss, totally absent on the Holo Bliss.
Hi, interesting review! What dac would you advise to pair the voyager and the soloist 3gt with? I was considering to get schiit bifrost 2/64 with them, but I don't know whether pairing an 800 dac with over 3000 amp is a good decision.
The Bifrost 2 is a great start and sounds brilliant, but this level of amp will reward you for using higher level DACs like the Yggdrasil, Chord Qutest or TT2, Holo May or Cen.Grand DSDAC 1.0
26:46 what's interesting is burson notes on their site that the Vivid has better dynamics, soundstage, and details than the Classic on their sonic quality comparison graph
Yes. I think soundstage is a tricky term. I don't disagree with them on the other ones, but soundstage can be used to mean the overall size of the stage, the focus of the sonic image, and/or the amount of separation between instruments. I think the Classics might win on overall stage size, but maybe not the other elements of staging.
@@PassionforSound ah, thanks, i always thought that "soundstage" just referred to the general size, as in width/depth/verticality, but that's good to know that it also factors separation and imaging.
29:33 as a newbie, who's more familiar with iems and dongles, i'm curious why this doesn't have a 4.4 jack, which seems to be the modern day standard. And so I'd expect a 4.4 jack for a new device of this caliber. The 6.3 could be converted into a 3.5 with an adapter, so it seems kind of redundant to feature an unbalanced 3.5 and 6.3, instead of balanced 4.4 and unbalanced 6.3. But again, im a newbie, so perhaps there's a reason why this makes sense 🤔
The 3.5mm socket is for use with headsets (there's a passthrough for the mic on the back to connect to the computer soundcard). As for 4.4mm, it's a good connector, but 4-pin XLR is superior in terms of reliability and will likely remain the best choice for desktop systems.
@@PassionforSound ah, i see, I'm a newbie, who's more familiar with iems and dongles, and so I was looking at it more from the perspective of how these ports apply to iems (3.5 and 4.4). I didn't take into consideration that the standard for headphones is XLR. by "passthrough for the mic on the back," is that catering to people who would be buying this amplifier to use their headset with a microphone for online videogames?
Great review. On the Burson website there is reference to a separate power supply. Does anybody know anything about this? It’s called Burson fusion power?
No, it sounds great from any input. However, I wouldn't recommend pairing an amp of this level and price with a DAC below something like a Gustard A26/R26, Chord Qutest or Schiit Yggy as a minimum because you're bottlenecking the system.
Why do you still act like you can hear the difference between these types of things, including cables, when you failed a cable blind test? You have still failed to pass a blind test.
B4 i go on, nice T u've got there.. Hmm is it noisey for an iem?.. U said zahl, enleum hmm does ifi phantom too?..wait, wut bout all this vs mass kobo, which wons? a ha..Yup 465 IF u ever heard...ops gtg, i'll continue later.. N sum later comment.. Peace!
i had a burson conductor under warranty and Burson never take my warranty seriously, i ended with a flagship without the USB card working and a 30% discount cupon, lmao. burson shit company.
