- Powerful headphone amplifier/preamplifiers with and without ESS DAC
- Dedicated low-noise IEM gain stage and up to 8W output
- From $1,500 / £1,700 / €1,600 / AU$2,600
Australian head-fi company Burson Audio has launched a new range of Class A desktop audio devices. The Stellar series has two models: the Conductor Stellar, which is a high-resolution DAC, Class A headphone amplifier and a desktop preamplifier, and the Soloist Stellar, which is a headphone amplifier and preamplifier.
Sitting between the entry-level Party Playmate 3 and Grand Tourer products, the Stellar devices promise to bring the “essence” of Burson’s flagship Voyager series in a more compact and accessible form.
While both products are happy to drive any kind of headphone, one of the main selling points for IEM owners is the Stellar duo comes with a dedicated ultra-low noise IEM amp stage built around two TPA6120A2 amp chips. Burson says the result is a clean, hiss-free experience on very sensitive in-ears.
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Burson Soloist Stellar and Conductor Stellar: key features and prices
Both units deliver 8W of Class A power via four Onsi MJE15032 transistors per channel, optimized for high class-A bias and powered by Burson’s Max Current power supply. The enclosures are inspired by spacecraft and have precision-machined fins and ventilation openings for optimal heat dissipation.
Conductor Stellar is based on the ESS9039PRO DAC, whose filters and path settings are chosen to match the analog output stage, and it is designed to connect to almost anything. It has Bluetooth 5.0 with LDAC, aptX HD and AAC, supporting wireless high-resolution audio up to 24-bit/96kHz. It is Roon Ready and its USB-C input supports native DSD512 and 32-bit/768kHz PCM.
Soloist Stellar dispenses with the DAC and focuses solely on amplification. It has independent channel balance controls for headphones and speakers that correct for room asymmetry and natural hearing differences.
Both units have XLR and RCA inputs plus a microphone bypass for gaming headphones, and the outputs are an XLR pre-out, an RCA pre-out and an RCA mono subwoofer output. The headphone outputs are XLR, 6.35mm and 3.5mm. Headphone output is up to 8W into 16 ohms and 500mW into 300 ohms.
Ready for pricing? The recommended retail prices for the Stellar series are (deep breath):
- Conductor Stellar (Standard Edition): $1,800 / £2,000 / €1,900 / AU$2,800
- Soloist Stellar (Standard Edition): $1,500 / £1,700 / €1,600 / AU$2,600
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