Burson Audio HA-160D Headphones Amp & DAC unboxing video

[Dj_AmTraX]

I just boxed up the amp and it's ready for the next person in line. Will gather my notes and thoughts and report back with more pictures. Stay tuned.

[Dj_AmTraX]

The HA-160D is a fantastic one box machine. It has everything one can ask for in a

Build & features:
DAC/Headphones Amp and a Preamp. The unit is very, very, very well made. I have never used a headphones amp that heavy and solid. Having two headphones outputs in different impedance is perfect. I have a few headphones in my collection and the Burson handled every one without a hiccup. The volume knob has a nice feel and the stepped attenuator gave a balance sound at all volume levels. I am have not been a fan of the stepped attenuator and that has not changed with the Burson. I did experienced a pop through the headphones with each click and that is what I don't like about it. Another dislike about stepped attenuator is not being able to find that sweet loudness spot.
The USB input worked on Mac OS X Lion, but I did experience some issues in the beginning. Burson Audio support cleared the set up process within hours of my email. I was very surprised how fast their support was. I did not mention I was on the Loaner Program so I didn't get any special treatment. The HA-160D worked each and every time after proper set up.

The Sound:
I find amp to be good with most headphones I threw at it. Some were better than the other. The sound signature is smooth and a bit forward. Bass is strong and effortless. The highs are smooth without any hint of harshness. I think the mids is the star of the show. It has a hint of warmth, but not tube warmth or lush. It's very smooth sounding. I used headphones from $80 - $1500 on the HA-160D and I found that it truly brings out the most of a budget headphones. To my ears, higher end headphones did not shine as much. I found the sound between my T1 & my HD800 was too similar and did not give me the refinement and excitement that I was used to with my Lehmann Audio BCL. The T1 & HD800 are fast headphones. I think the Burson is not snappy enough. Since the amp has power to spare, I paired it with my Sony MDR-XB1000 (70mm drivers) Ultimate Bass headphones. The Burson did not shine with this headphones. Bass and mids came together and the sound was a bit muffled. It did not have the dynamics and soundstage I am used to with my BCL. I suspect the forward sound signature killed some soundstage. The Burson sounded GREAT paired with my MB Quart QP400. It brought out 100% of that headphones and all my lower end ones. I think pairing is very important with the Burson.

Conclusion:
If you are seeking a GREAT sounding well built amp with a DAC and preamp, the Burson is hard to beat. It makes budget headphones sound 10x more expensive. Pairing is important so I recommend you to bring your headphones when auditioning. Something you should do with any headphones amp.

[Dj_AmTraX]

I thank Burson Audio for the opportunity to review the HA-160D. My review is my thoughts on the unit. Yours may be very different so I urge you to listen for yourself to see if it meets your expectations. If you can, take it for a spin for a few days. It takes a few days to allow your ears to settle in on the sound.

[jdandy]

Mike.......You wrote a good review, and the photos are excellent as usual. Thank you.

[Dj_AmTraX]

Thanks guys! I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to do the review. Thank you Burson Audio.