Burson Buffer

[Deleted]

Throw away those inferior buffers. Here is the real thing.
BTW, Miguel and other USA members, Music Direct now has them for $449.
SandyK

[dc]

does it make that much of a difference?

[Deleted]

dc
I prefer to have an inbuilt decent buffer where possible, but I will let other members who have used Burson Buffers answer this one.
I posted this mainly in response to Miguel's comment about adding a valve buffer to improve a new solid state design.
SandyK

BTW,well designed equipment shouldn't need external buffers, whether valve or solid state. Unfortunately, such designs usually don't come cheap.

[minivan]

i was very interested in their low jitter clock at one stage:
www.bursonaudio.com/Burson_Clock.htm
a bit more search found me this product from chia
at a much low cost:
www.audio-gd.com/enweb/pro/diy/JZ-1.htm
further search yield me this thread
www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=989078

is this true?

[Deleted]

minivan
I will say what I said to Allan (pagan)
I believe that the original Burson buffers were designed and made in Australia.
I could be wrong, though. The Chinese are very good at cloning successful products, and sometimes improving on the originals.
In any case, there are only so many basic buiding blocks. There will always be products that have basic similarities due to this, and are not necessarily directly cloned.
SandyK

[leo]

The Chinese ones posted above are different to the Burson verson

[leo]

sandyk said:

The Chinese are very good at cloning successful products, and sometimes improving on the originals.
In any case, there are only so many basic buiding blocks. There will always be products that have basic similarities due to this, and are not necessarily directly cloned.
SandyK

Correct!

[XTRProf]

sandyk said:

Throw away those inferior buffers. Here is the real thing.
BTW, Miguel and other USA members, Music Direct now has them for $449.
SandyK

Sorry, can't see properly due to the small display I'm using now. If it's not tube, I don't think Miquel and others will want it. Anyway, what's so special about this buffer when compare with the MF? Your technical comments will be very much welcomed.

[Deleted]

what's so special about this buffer when compare with the MF?

IT'S NOT TUBE !!!
Just for starters, much lower output impedance, and MUCH wider bandwith.

[XTRProf]

sandyk said:

what's so special about this buffer when compare with the MF?

IT'S NOT TUBE !!!

Ah....., now I'm enlightened with karma.

[pagan]

My question is...

Why an external buffer?

If the signal has already gone throught the cdplayer buffer components, the damage could already be done.

A buffer should be replacing the existing buffer unit that in the device.
Otherwise all your doing is adding another signal conditioning stage.

When using type A cdplayer with type A preamp you'll get a certain sound.
Swopping type A preamp with type B preamp the sound can change, for better or worse, it's the individuals personal taste.

Why spend $XXX on the something inbetween.
Spend the money on a better cdplayer.

just my personal thoughts.

[dc]

i thought quite the same

by adding an in between buffer, the inferior output stage is still there

but by replacing it with HDAMs or whatever else burson sells make more sense

i mean you want to remove the crap stuff

[pagan]

" HDAM "

Isn't that something that Marantz sell's??

[Deleted]

dc
I prefer to have an inbuilt decent buffer where possible, .....
BTW,well designed equipment shouldn't need external buffers, whether valve or solid state. Unfortunately, such designs usually don't come cheap.

Allan
I said this earlier in the day. Isn't this basically what you are saying?
Alex

[pagan]

sandyk said:

dc
I prefer to have an inbuilt decent buffer where possible, .....
BTW,well designed equipment shouldn't need external buffers, whether valve or solid state. Unfortunately, such designs usually don't come cheap.

Allan
I said this earlier in the day. Isn't this basically what you are saying?
Alex

What i'm saying is the device is a marketing blurd.

It's all marketed with the right verbal B****hit.......

[fanboi]

Perhaps you would like to borrow mine for a listen before you crap on it

[Deleted]

by adding an in between buffer, the inferior output stage is still there

That inferior output stage may only be inferior in it's output drive capability. I have already stated my preference, but I have also used outboard buffer stages to good effect with both audio and video units. I am still using a SVHS video buffer with input selector switch,and with improved results.The first time was with a Marantz CD65 player, where I eventually relocated the buffer to internal, and bypassed the original output I.C.
Alex

[leo]

Its not the same as the Marantz HDAM buffers either, theres far more uses for this device ;D

For those with voltage out dacs or the common passive current to voltage conversion these things make a fine output stage for those that can't be arsed to build one from scratch.

Also used with a Attenuator it makes a decent active linestage.
The discrete regulated supply is rather good, I've let a few people borrow mine to try out and everybody who tried it commented on improved sound when plugged into the output of their cdp.

Its quite a handy device imo, its not an essential item but shouldn't be easily dismissed either

[fanboi]

Thanks Leo, you have virtually summarised my experience with this unit.
I bought it to boost the output of my Monica2 DAC - which it did quite well.
Have had similar experience with trying it out in various situations with similar results.
Worth noting is that when I got mine they were only available from Burson direct and were 60% of the price now being asked by resellers.
They were originally available as a kit and cheaper again, I do think I would have a hard time thinking of buying at the current retail.
Pagan, the offer of a loan is genuine - pm me if interested - we can probably arrange something through Sandy.

[leo]

I'm also thinking of converting my buffer into a headphone amp, should be quite interesting, it comes as standard with 6db gain but can be altered I think

I've got quite a few Burson bits including the regulators, clock (which is very good IMO) and the PI100 amp

[pagan]

Leo
The name "HDAM" not the actual circuit.
I thought the name "HDAM" was a Marantz registered trademark,
It's even used under the same idea, as a buffer.

"Also used with a Attenuator it makes a decent active linestage."
Isn't that what the preamp is supposed to do?
A preamp is supposed to match impedance differences between equipment

"For those with voltage out dacs or the common passive current to voltage conversion these things make a fine output stage for those that can't be arsed to build one from scratch"
Spend the money on a better cdplayer or put a decent dac on the cdplayer you have.

"Its quite a handy device imo, its not an essential item but shouldn't be easily dismissed either"
It's an add on device, to try to fix damage thats already been done.
Why not go to a digital processor/preamp? at least you could adjust the bass, treble etc to suite you own room accoustics/speakers/taste

SandyK
"IT'S NOT TUBE !!!
Just for starters, much lower output impedance, and MUCH wider bandwith."
Or least with a tube, you get the tube sound.
secound thought, Fet's can simulate the secound harmonics too.

[Deleted]

Allan
Why don't you take Tony G up on his kind offer, and try it on the output of your Marantz etc. ?
Alex

Tony
Don't forget the Oppo is ready for whenever you want to borrow it.
Alex

[pagan]

sandyk said:

Allan
Why don't you take Tony G up on his kind offer, and try it on the output of your Marantz etc. ?
Alex

Tony
Don't forget the Oppo is ready for whenever you want to borrow it.
Alex

The marantz already uses a buffer where a buffer is supposed to be used, Just after the passive filter.
Unfortunately, it has a solen cap on it's output, but it was what I had lying around.
I should try the BG "N" type there,,,,,,, but hmm whenever..

So why pay $450 US for a device when the damage is already done?

And with my preamp, I don't have a bad impedance mismatch, if there was, i would do something with the input impedance of the preamp or the output impedance of my buffer, not just add gain.

[leo]

pagan said:

Leo
The name "HDAM" not the actual circuit.
I thought the name "HDAM" was a Marantz registered trademark,
It's even used under the same idea, as a buffer.

"Also used with a Attenuator it makes a decent active linestage."
Isn't that what the preamp is supposed to do?
A preamp is supposed to match impedance differences between equipment

"For those with voltage out dacs or the common passive current to voltage conversion these things make a fine output stage for those that can't be arsed to build one from scratch"
Spend the money on a better cdplayer or put a decent dac on the cdplayer you have.

"Its quite a handy device imo, its not an essential item but shouldn't be easily dismissed either"
It's an add on device, to try to fix damage thats already been done.
Why not go to a digital processor/preamp? at least you could adjust the bass, treble etc to suite you own room accoustics/speakers/taste

SandyK
"IT'S NOT TUBE !!!
Just for starters, much lower output impedance, and MUCH wider bandwith."
Or least with a tube, you get the tube sound.
secound thought, Fet's can simulate the secound harmonics too.

For people who don't have an active pre amp is what I meant, using a passive attenuator only is no good imo, I've tried this with several dacs,cdp's and amps and the sound was shit imo, an active linestage always sounded better
For people who already own an active line stage/pre amp then the burson would be a waste of time but for those using passive pre's like simple pots, attenuators or even traffo based passive line stages the Burson units can help, I've tried it and if I thought it was shit I wouldn't be defending it

I've modified,serviced, repaired dozens of Marantz cdp's from the cd50 to the cd7 so I know the Marantz HDAM circuit quite well, I've no idea why Burson call their thing HDAM, it is similar though

[Deleted]

So why pay $450 US for a device when the damage is already done?

You and I, or Leo wouldn't because we are more into DIY than most members, and able , in most cases to correct the problem in the source equipment. But for people with source equipment using valves, a buffer like that would help retain the sound that they like. Perhaps even retaining more of some of the desireable qualities of valves , without the usual drawbacks such as load sensitivity. It would also more than likely offer an extended frequency response, compared to without.
Alex