I was furnished a pair of Burson Audio V6 Classic opamps to evaluate. The deal is that in exchange for the evaluation pair of opamps I try them out and post my impressions here. So here we go...
I hope that helps someone. I'll report back if I have anything noteworthy to add.
- They work. No issues in my simple opamp-based 2-stage phono preamp (input opamp > passive RIAA EQ > DC coupled to output opamp). Voltages check out, it plays sound.
- The only objective feature I can give you right away is DC offset.
- The previously used opamps are LM4562. With those in the preamp, the DC offset at the outputs is 2.1mV in one channel, 1.3mV in the other channel.
- With the Burson V6 Classic opamps, the DC offset is very slightly higher: 2.1mV in once channel, 2.8mV in the other channel. Since the V6 Classic has a JFET pair input, I'd expect its DC offset to be higher than that. It did take a half-hour or so for the DC offset to come down from about 10mV shortly after power-on.
- The DC offset was much higher with a pair of OPA2134, but unfortunately I can't put those back in now because they're now installed in a different preamp. I did try OPA2134 in this circuit first, but saw almost half a volt DC offset, decided to try LM4562, and wound up settling on those.
- So... The V6 Classic opamps have notably lower DC offset in this circuit than OPA2134, and only slightly higher DC offset than LM4562.
- As far as my subjective impression goes, the V6 Classic opamps sound good to me in this particular circuit, for whatever that's worth. Maybe the V6 Classic sounds a bit 'warmer' or 'rounder' than with the LM4562 in circuit, but I suppose that's not surprising since many have described the perceived sound of LM4562 as more 'detailed', 'analytical', 'clinical', etc. than other opamps like OPA2134, etc. Any differences are subtle, as you would imagine. I figure THD levels from any reasonable opamp are going to be so low as to be inaudible, so one should expect any differences to be small, unless something was seriously wrong.
- Physically, the package is super-easy to install and remove from standard DIP8 sockets. It's very friendly for those who wish to 'roll' opamps. You're far less likely to bend pins inserting or removing these Burson V6 opamp packages than with a standard dual inline 8-pin opamp IC.
I hope that helps someone. I'll report back if I have anything noteworthy to add.
WARNING!
SUBJECTIVE listening impressions. Do not read the following if that offends you. Please.
I've been listening for the last few hours to LPs playing through the phono preamp with the Burson V6 Classic opamps installed.
There's a nice clarity to the midrange that sounds less 'electronic' to me than what I think I was hearing with the LM4562 opamps installed. I think I mean the frequency range between about 250Hz to 1000Hz.
These discrete opamp replacements do indeed 'sound good'. Very 'smooth'. However, I do not hear the magical transformation others have claimed. I do hear some very nice sounds, though.
Do I hear +$67.50 per opamp worth of 'nicer'? Hmmm.... Now that is 'subjective'.
SUBJECTIVE listening impressions. Do not read the following if that offends you. Please.
I've been listening for the last few hours to LPs playing through the phono preamp with the Burson V6 Classic opamps installed.
There's a nice clarity to the midrange that sounds less 'electronic' to me than what I think I was hearing with the LM4562 opamps installed. I think I mean the frequency range between about 250Hz to 1000Hz.
These discrete opamp replacements do indeed 'sound good'. Very 'smooth'. However, I do not hear the magical transformation others have claimed. I do hear some very nice sounds, though.
Do I hear +$67.50 per opamp worth of 'nicer'? Hmmm.... Now that is 'subjective'.
Doing the best I can to do some honest A/Bing by myself, sighted and with no control. Totally unscientific. You have been warned.
Going back and forth and back and forth as quickly as possible, playing the same record, I believe I hear a difference between the Burson V6 Classic opamp and the TI LM4562 (legit ones, purchased from Mouser).
The Burson V6 Classic definitely has a sound of its own. It has a fuller presentation of midrange instruments. Saxophone, clean electric guitar, trumpet, acoustic piano all sound more full. I don't know what's doing that. I just hear that it's happening.
Switching to the LM4562, the sound is more 'electronic', for lack of a better term. I hear less of that 'fullness' in the presentation, but reverb tails seem easier to hear, and the sound seems a little more dynamic, as in drums seem to go 'pop' more.
I think I like the sound I hear from installing these Burson opamps, so I'm going to put them back in and leave them there. Take from that what you will, but I do like them.
If I was the kind of person who could spend $140 on a pair of opamps, and after having heard the (admittedly subtle) difference between these and the LM4562, I'd be happy to stick them in one of my electronic audio toys.
So, that's my review. This kind of subjective listening comparison tires me out. I'm done. Thank you to Burson Audio for sending me this pair of expensive opamp modules to try out. I really appreciate it.
Going back and forth and back and forth as quickly as possible, playing the same record, I believe I hear a difference between the Burson V6 Classic opamp and the TI LM4562 (legit ones, purchased from Mouser).
The Burson V6 Classic definitely has a sound of its own. It has a fuller presentation of midrange instruments. Saxophone, clean electric guitar, trumpet, acoustic piano all sound more full. I don't know what's doing that. I just hear that it's happening.
Switching to the LM4562, the sound is more 'electronic', for lack of a better term. I hear less of that 'fullness' in the presentation, but reverb tails seem easier to hear, and the sound seems a little more dynamic, as in drums seem to go 'pop' more.
I think I like the sound I hear from installing these Burson opamps, so I'm going to put them back in and leave them there. Take from that what you will, but I do like them.
If I was the kind of person who could spend $140 on a pair of opamps, and after having heard the (admittedly subtle) difference between these and the LM4562, I'd be happy to stick them in one of my electronic audio toys.
So, that's my review. This kind of subjective listening comparison tires me out. I'm done. Thank you to Burson Audio for sending me this pair of expensive opamp modules to try out. I really appreciate it.
I have been comparing the Burson V6 Classic to various other opamps and I am not impressed by the V6.
These opamps are WAY less transparent than say an OPA2828 or something in that range at less than 1/10 th the cost. The V6s highs are rolled off, and the midrange is 'warm' to the point that you need to call it distortion. I haven't tried to measure it, but I bet the 2nd harmonic is well represented by design. To me this has nothing to do with 'natural' reproduction.
A much nicer alternative is the Oracle II for $5 on AliExpress, if you need to go hybrid/discrete for some reason. However, the top end of the TI line (e.g. OPA627 or 828) is really neutral and transparent and will be hard to beat, that is.... if you are looking for noise/THD performance, sound stage and transparency, the attributes of natural reproduction if you will.
If you want your gear to sound like a 40 year old tube amp, than the V6 is for you. But given the cost you might as well get an actual tube amp.
Personally, at 170 EUR for a pair, I feel ripped off.
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Hi, I have been using V6's in the 2nd stage of my phono amp for about 18months now. They are by far the best combination in the 2nd stage of this P/amp I have tried, which is a AD797 MC Phono amp by HypnoToad at A/K.
I think like valves it is horses for courses, but thanks for the info about the Oracle II, they are cheap so I have sent for two to compare & hopefully use in my 2nd P/Amp.
Cheers
I think like valves it is horses for courses, but thanks for the info about the Oracle II, they are cheap so I have sent for two to compare & hopefully use in my 2nd P/Amp.
Cheers