For a few months now, I’ve had the pleasure of listening to the Burson V6 Classic and Vivid opamps in my Music Hall 25.2 DAC which is connected to a Music Hall PH25.2 Headphone Amplifier. Having the option to change around opamps to modify the sound signature has really made it so much better to tweak the sound signature to the headphones I’m using at the time. Quick example, I recently purchased a pair of Audeze LCD2 Classics and found that too much warmth wasn’t the best match so swapping the V6 Vivids in place of the Classics fixed that right up. Fast forward a few months and Burson contacted me to see if I would be interested in trying the Playmate 2 through their loaner program. This is the first standalone Burson product I have auditioned. I’ve only previously used/owned their opamps. My usual DAC and Headphone amp stack are close enough that it makes it very easy to compare them to the PM2. I believe their combined MSRP is about double that of the PM2. A better comparison would be between the Music Hall 25.2 DAC to the PM2 since they are very similar in both function and price but honestly, the headphone amp in the 25.2 is really just an afterthought and is not in the same league as the PM2 so I will continue to use the ph25.2 for my comparison. To keep them on a somewhat level playing field, I have reinstalled the stock opamps in the Music Hall DAC. The Music Hall uses 2 X OPA2134 and a single OPA2604 compared to 2 x JRC5532D and 2 X JRC5534D in the Burson.

Quick shipping directly from China and the package arrived at my doorstep safe and sound. Opening the package, my expectations were exceeded when I picked up the Playmate 2 (PM2 from now on). It’s a very solid and substantial case. Also supplied is the optional stand made from the same material as the case/heatsink. In the box is an allen wrench to open the case and a USB-C cable. This is where I hit a snag and my excitement had to wait, as I was going to be using this with my WFH setup which is an older MacBook Pro which only has a USB-A plug. I’d suggest that Burson include a USB-A to USB-C adapter in the box. I was able to finally find a USB-C to USB-A cable that came with another device I owned thankfully. There is also an optional remote control, but it was not provided with my loaner.

The front faceplate feels solid and the volume/function provides a nice tactile feel when turning and pushing. The ¼” jack also feels substantial when plugging in. I have used both the ¼” and the 3.5mm jacks, but I did not test the TRRS mic input as I only use headphones and not headsets. The display is easy to read and provides the right amount of information, volume, input, output, and sampling rate information.

Finally, showtime! My MacBook Pro connected to it immediately and didn’t require any configuration. I made the mistake of plugging right in and starting to listen. Initially it sounded a bit flat and harsh. Knowing it was a Class A amp, experience told me to let it play and come back in an hour or so. Had I read the instructions first, it explains this “The sound of the Burson Playmate 2 improves steadily within minutes after powered-up. Depending on the resolution of the system and the attentiveness of the listener, you may find that the sound continues to improve over the first several weeks of operation.” Next Time RTFM!
I’m happy to report, this is the case and after the unit warmed up for a bit, so did the sound! My tube headphone amp is very similar in this regard.

For the next week, I have spent my time listening to all my favorite albums on Tidal and Spotify. I’ve tried to do most of my evaluation with Tidal Master quality tracks whenever possible. Pre-Pandemic most of my listening was vinyl except when commuting to work and I predominantly used Spotify for finding new music to purchase. I decided that to really give a worthy evaluation of the PM2 I need to feed it something better than a compressed 44k stream, so I subscribed to Tidal. As much as I appreciate how years of being a Spotify subscriber has allowed them to learn my preferences and recommend some great music I would have never found, I feel that I can definitely appreciate the difference in the HiFi 44K lossless and higher resolution Master quality streams. Some of my favorite albums just sound better on Tidal. Had I not spent the time with the PM2, I honestly don’t think I would have ever noticed or appreciated the difference.

There have been a few things that have stood out to me about the PM2. It is very quiet compared to my tube DAC/AMP stack. Listening to my familiar playlists, I find that the quiet background had improved the soundstage. Sounds seem just a little farther away or even some things I never noticed before. The whole “Black Background” cliché is at work here. Tubes are usually known for their holographic soundstage or at least to add some air to the music but at least in my case, the solid-state PM2 seems to be better at both attributes than my tube setup. Based on the information Burson provides, I would have to attribute this to their Max Current Power Supply (MCPS). If you want silence, you really need to provide a quiet and stable power supply. Burson also claims this provides much better power and dynamics and I can say that the PM2 provides more power to drive my LCD-2 Classics than I would ever need. It never seemed to be strained, even at volumes that would damage one’s hearing. Crank the juice up and you’ll be treated to dynamics that will gut-punch you. At volumes higher than I would normally listen to, I found the PM2 able to give a visceral impact out of my headphones normally reserved for speakers.


The second and probably most important attribute of the PM2 is what it doesn’t do. It is not particularly warm, bright, aggressive, sibilant, aggressive, or laid back, it’s just pretty neutral and very easy to listen to. It’s not missing detail or rolled off, nor is it adding anything. It seems to just present what is there, nothing more, nothing less. While I have no real experience or background with the stock opamps, I think Burson made a good choice as they are very nice sounding. Now if you want to change the presentation, Burson has made it super easy to swap opamps. I briefly swapped out both V6 Classic and Vivid opamps and immediately noticed the benefits of each, more detail, more color, etc. I could write an entirely separate review extolling the virtues of each but what I’ll say briefly is both versions of the V6 had slightly better detail and separation than the stock opamps. The Classic a bit richer and warmer and the Vivid extended and more impactful. The majority of my evaluation was with the stock opamps. I find them a great match with my LCD-2 Classics.

The biggest compliment I can give the Playmate 2 is after a week of listening to it with my LCD-2 Classics, I prefer the combo over my full-size two-channel stereo system.

I just received some V6 Classics from Carlos at Burson/Supreme Sound. I reached out after seeing a thread on DiyAudio about offering samples and wanting to step my Music Hall 25.2 DAC up a notch or two. Big Thank You!

My Music Hall 25.2 DAC and ph25.2 Headphone Amp have been my daily companions while I work from home during the pandemic so they have been getting 6-8 hours of use daily and I feel I've become very accustomed to how they sound. Everything is stock aside from replacing the stock Electro-Harmonix tube on the 25.2 DAC with a Gold Lion.

Tube swapping was a great cheap and easy inexpensive upgrade for this DAC. The Electro-Harmoni stock tube is what I consider to be on the neutral and dry side. The Gold Lion adds a touch more warmth and romance and an additional sense of spaciousness.

So far I have about +- 20 hours of listening to the V6 Classics which replaced 2 X OPA2134 and 1X OPA2604.

One of the criticisms of this DAC is that it can sound a little rolled off and isn't the most revealing. For me, it's one of the reasons I like it. Prior to the Pandemic, I was mostly a vinyl/analog listener and really only used digital to search out new music on streaming services or on my daily commute to work. Since buying this DAC, I've pulled my CD collection out of mothballs and picked up a decent transport.

While this isn't a review of the DAC, the description of its character it is important because the biggest change I noticed right off the bat is the V6 Classic opamps brought so much more detail retrieval and openness to the sound that I was very surprised what I had been missing all along. I've been mostly listening with AudioQuest NightHawks and NightOwls and I find them to be a great example of the differences between the stock opamps and the Bursons. The V6 Classic is similar to the NightHawks in the sense that it's more open sounding with a bigger soundstage and a bit more even bass response, where the stock opamps are more like the NightOwls being more intimate and more bass-heavy.

Overall, I would easily recommend this upgrade for users of the 25.2 or 25.3 DAC. While it may seem like a steep investment for a $599 piece of equipment, it really takes what is already an overachieving product up to a new level. You can spend allot more and get allot less as they say!

Since swapping is so easy with this equipment, I'm going to give the V6 Classics some more listening time and then reinstall the stock opamps and report back.






Part Two of my Burson Review:

Thanks to Burson, a set of V6 Vivids have arrived to compare the V6 Classics I've been listening to now for a couple of months.



First off, they do sound remarkably different than the V6 Classics, it's not subtle.

Right off the bat, the bass is more impactful and they treble is more extended. So many comparisons come to mind, HD6xx vs HE4xx, Sonus Faber vs Klipsch, and on and on.

Bass: I'm not going to saw there is more bass but it seems to hit a little harder, but not quite as low/deep as the Classics with more mid-bass presence and kick.

Midrange: It actually seems pretty darn neutral compared to the Classics. It's not shouty or pronounced but just not as inviting and rich. Really no complaints, it's Goldilocks.

Treble: I was expecting these to sound bright in my setup but they really don't, they sounded extended comparted to the Classics but not aggressive or harsh at all. Similar to the Midrange, probably closer to the neutral line. I think the Classics might sound a bit rolled off in comparison.

Soundstage: Even using closed headphones, I felt the Vivids offer a wider and deeper soundstage presentation. I felt the Classics offer a more intimate performance. For anyone who's owned the HD58x and the He4xx, this is about the same difference I find with the comparison.

In the end, I have my own personal favorite but I have to say they both offer a substantial improvement over the stock opamps in my DAC.

For certain genres especially Rock and specifically the Grateful Dead, I preferred the Vivids. But as my overall preference, I really enjoy the presentation of the Classics.

Looking at my listening notes, they really align with what Burson has in the comparison chart on their website.

Stay tuned for part three, when I mix and match the Classics and Vivids for what could be the best configuration.