My Burson Soloist SL isn't very loud

Adam D

Wammer
Wammer
Nov 19, 2011
188
44
43
West Lothian
AKA
Adam
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
I bought a Burson Soloist SL over 5 years ago now.

I don't use it very much, but I must admit that it has never really sounded that loud.

I have to almost turn it up to the max on the volume pot before it makes me HD650 headphones approaching something like loud.

However, I have never had anything to benchmark it against, so I thought that maybe it was just a bit underpowered.

I sold it on eBay at the weekend and sent it down to the buyer.

The buyer seems to know his headphones and amps and he thinks that it doesn't go loud enough and there is something wrong with it.  I have had to accept it as a return.

I am not an electrician, so I don't understand why this is happening.

Why would an amplifier work, but underperform in terms of loudness?  Is it worth getting someone to look at it?  Can anyone recommend someone?

Thanks

 

Lawrence001

Mega Wammer
Wammer
Jul 21, 2015
5,956
3,536
168
London
AKA
Lawrence
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Reviews seem to imply it should have plenty of power, it's quoted as 2.5w into 16 ohms but I can't find the 300 ohm figure. It should still play loud though at high volume.

I take it you've tried both gain settings?  Some Burson amps have removable op amps but I'm not sure this one does.  Did you buy it new?

 
  • Like
Reactions: Adam D

StingRay

Legend Wammer
Wammer
Apr 27, 2016
13,040
8,522
163
Suffolk coast, UK
AKA
Ray
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
HD650 have a bit of a rep for being difficult to drive. What Headphones is the buyer using? 
 

Is it possible to try some different headphones?

 
  • Like
Reactions: Adam D

Adam D

Wammer
Wammer
Nov 19, 2011
188
44
43
West Lothian
AKA
Adam
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Reviews seem to imply it should have plenty of power, it's quoted as 2.5w into 16 ohms but I can't find the 300 ohm figure. It should still play loud though at high volume.

I take it you've tried both gain settings?  Some Burson amps have removable op amps but I'm not sure this one does.  Did you buy it new?
Hi, I have tried both gain settings and to be honest there wasn't that much difference between the two.

I bought it new from eBay, but I cannot remember the seller.  I was quite ill around the time I bought it and that period of time is a bit of a blur.

HD650 have a bit of a rep for being difficult to drive. What Headphones is the buyer using? 
 

Is it possible to try some different headphones?
The amplifier is now back with me.  The buyer paid for it to be sent back.

I have a couple of different headphones that I can try with it and see how it gets on with them.

Thanks for the suggestions :)

 

Adam D

Wammer
Wammer
Nov 19, 2011
188
44
43
West Lothian
AKA
Adam
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
So, I have connected the amp back up to my hifi and listened to some music through a pair of Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro and my old Sennheiser HD650 headphones and it is working okay.  When I turned the amp up to 1 o'clock it was plenty loud enough.

I have messaged the buyer to find out which headphones he thought that it was struggling to drive.

 

Forum statistics

Threads
113,444
Messages
2,451,263
Members
70,783
Latest member
reg66

Latest Articles