Burson Audio V7 Vivid PRO OP-AMP – Music Played In Supreme Layers
Burson Audio V7 Vivid are a $169 USD pair of OP-AMPs, with both Dual and Single variants, designed by Burson Audio for DAC/AMPs with modular OP-AMP design, using the DIP8 Sockets. To get a full upgrade for Burson PlayMate 2, you require 2 pairs of OP-AMPs, a pair of Dual OP-AMPs and a pair of Dual OP-AMPs, and Burson sells the whole upgrade package for $215 USD. Other Burson products require a different number of OP-AMPs and different configurations, but you can find prices on the official Burson website for each package.
Introduction
Besides designing some of the most popular DAC/AMPs in the world, Burson also has their own OP-AMPs developed in-house, and they are some of the most popular options on the market at the moment I am writing this review. Burson V7 Vivid is literally the culmination of their development and design process, with a separate Burson V7 Classic PRO available. As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases, and using the purchase links in my reviews helps me maintain this website and Youtube Channel. Huge thanks to iBasso for providing us with the sample for this review.
PROs – Extreme resolution, clarity and detail, exceptional build quality and ease of installing, Price / Performance ratio, colorful midrange, holographic soundstage, natural tonality in the midrange, Flawless audio presentation that works perfectly well for all music styles.
Cons – Although install is simple, it requires opening up the device, removing the old OP-AMPs and installing the new ones, which can be scary to do.
Product Link
You can grab one here – https://amzn.to/46Qjr5s
Build Quality/Aesthetics
Physically, OP-AMPs are generally chips that you place on the DAC/AMP, and they generally come in pairs. Burson audio PlayMate 2 comes with 2 pairs of OP-AMPs, and it has two single and two dual OP-AMPs. When looking at an OP-AMP, you will see a chip in general, but V7 Vivid PRO looks like a tower of metal, with multiple layers of PCBs on the inside. At the bottom, we have the 8 Pin DIP socket, and at the top we have the visible layers. The metal housing is designed for the best cooling, as OP-AMPs can get warm during usage.
Those Op-AMPs are generally compatible with all the devices that feature an 8-Pin DIP socket, and they should be widely compatible with most systems although it is good to keep in mind that Single and Dual are different and need to be matched with the proper socket. I actually already wrote a fairly comprehensive review exploring the Burson Audio V6 Vivid Op-AMPs, so it is interesting to explore the V7 Vivid, allowing us to draw comparisons, as well as comparisons with the default OP-AMPs that PlayMate2 comes with.
The design has eight layers in its PCB design, separating the signal path, grounding and shielding into distinct layers. This is the most costly approach to audio, but also produces the most ideal sonic performance. As the OP-AMPs are designed to operate at high temperatures, the large aluminum heatsink makes them both heavy, sturdy, but also allows them to cool off. I see much better build quality compared to V6 vivid, which had the body made of plastic.
The main design idea behind the V7 Vivid pro was to create an OP-AMP with the highest dynamism, clarity and accuracy possible, ideal for both audio engineers, and enthusiastic listeners. Despite the new versions being much sturdier, this is a good moment to mention that Burson Audio offers a lifetime warranty for all their OP-AMPs, from V1 all the way to V7. The idea with the new V7 Vivid PRO Op-AMPs started twenty years ago, when Burson Audio embarked on the road to create a discrete operational amplifier, or OP-AMP, that could seamselly fit into the 8-Pin DIP socket replacing the integrated circuit or IC op-amps.
Subjectively, the OP-AMPs are super easy to install if your DAC/AMP has socketed modular OP-AMPs, and takes less than a minute to do. You just pop out the old op-amp and pop in the new one. You should match single and dual versions only with single and dual versions. There is no functional difference when replacing the OP-AMPs, no added delay, no extra noise, nor any kind of damage done to the usability, except maybe for the increased temperature, as V7 Vivid works at high temperatures. More interesting though, the new OP-AMPs actually seem to reduce hissing and noise with PlayMate2 and very sensitive IEMs.
One thing that this allowed me to test and put my mind to ease is whether I do have EMI or Electromagnetic Interference in my room. The thing is, not only do I have huge amounts of it, but the thick and heavy casing of PlayMate 2 actually removes all of it, as when the top part of the case is removed, I do get electromagnetic interference with the unit. So the case and build quality of a device will determine the EMI and RFI for sure. The Class A AMP chips inside of PlayMate 2 produce far more heat than the V7 vivid Op-AMPs, so I call them barely warm for most of the review, as even with the heat produced from both, Play Mate 2 is still fairly cool running, far below the likes of Aune S17 PRO. which is also a Class A Headphone Amplifier.
Sound Quality
Pairings – We test the new Vivid V7 PRO in a Burson PlayMate2 which we just reviewed a few weeks ago, and use headphones and IEMs similar to the ones we’ve used before. The list includes Sweear He-Live5, ZiiGaat Cincotres, Soundz Blade V2, Crosszone CZ-8a Enhanced, Crosszone CZ-10, Erzetich Thalia, 7Hz Aurora, Letshuoer S15, Campfire Cascara and Campfire Bonneville. To answer a question I often receive about replacing the OP-AMPs, this process will change the sound when using the unit as a DAC too, so you can expect all of the sonic characteristics and changes to apply to using PlayMate2 as a DAC for HIFIMAN Mini Shangri-La, or Keces S300+ driving Pylon Audio Diamond 30 MKii. Another important thing to keep in mind is that if the DAC has a noise floor to begin with, it typically does not come from the OP-AMPs, so when upgrading the Op-AMPs to Burson Audio V7 Vivid, the Noise Floor will not increase or decrease, it will be very similar, the sonic performance and sonic character will change.
At the exact same volume, so at 25 on PlayMate2, V7 vivid is quite a bit louder than the default OP-AMps, which are a combination of JRC 5534D Dual + JRC 5532 Single Op-AMPs. This means that the total headroom of PlayMate 2 is increased too, not in power delivered, as that relies on the Class A AMP part, but total volume with zero distortion that the device can deliver as a whole. The THD of the Vivid Op-AMPs is also quite lower, so you will hear more music, less distortion and better clarity, this being one of the leading causes for the differences noticed in this review. The JRC 5534D and JRC 5532 can be quite pricey too when you order them, but keep in mind that you can replace them with anything else on PlayMate2, the V7 Vivid being the flagship, currently best sounding Op-AMPs available to purcahse from most audiophile websites, outside of some unique and boutique options that we will hopefully review too in the near future.
Overall Signature – Burson V7 Vivid will enhance the default sound of any DAC/AMp they are implemented in, will widen the soundstage, tighten the impulse response, greatly enhance resolution, detail, depth and how colorful / vivid the midrange sounds are. This word, vivid, is a result of how well a source or transducer handles dynamics, midrange tonality, and how well it resolves details. Burson Audio V7 Vivid is literally the kind of OP-AMP that turns any DAC/AMP into a maestro of detail, clarity, but keeps the sound organic, engaging and produces a holographic / dynamic image.
Bass – Burson PlayMate2 in particular has a more neutral bass, and it improves when installing V7 Vivid, having better depth, more impact, and more nuance, more color. The tuning is ever so slightly warm, but it is so nuanced and subtle that it feels natural to the ear. Bass is where the sound gets tighter, more precise and quicker, not bloomier with V7 Vivid.
Midrange – The midrange is where the new Op-AMPs have the biggest impact, creating a far more detailed, more natural sounding midrange, with a colorful and vivid presentation. Guitars have more color, more upper midrange emphasis, they are projected more effectively out of the sonic scape of my mind, the sound coming from a place, outside the room, I can describe and point to, but which doesn’t exist outside of the headphones I am using to listen. Male voices are sweet, and pleasing, while female voices are sweet and emotional, even Robin Coffhinshakers’s voice soothes my mind from the stress and fatigue of work, when it is played on PlayMate 2 sporting the Vivid V7 PRO OP-AMPs. This kind of tuning makes square waves and synth sounds richer, lusher and deeper, without taking away their edge, V7 PRO being an effective way to make sound more dynamic and punchier.
Treble – You can top it off with a bright, airy and sharp treble, but which is gentle in the impulse response and texture, treble is always super airy and bright in tuning, but never fatiguing or metallic / grainy / harsh sound. This refined but extended tuning seems to be a household favorite for all music lovers and audiophiles, it makes music accessible and easy to enjoy. Cymbal crashes are evident and have the right tonality without sounding aggressive. Violins and pianos sound colorful and extended, present in the upper midrange, so a slight emphasis in the lower treble seems to happen too. This all rounds up to a really dynamic, punchy and engaging sound.
Volume Control – I expected a perfect volume control, but sonic character changes with the volume, starting with a softer, airier and more blended sound at minimum volumes, and growing to a natural, refined and organic sound at medium listening volumes, all the way to really sharp, precise and well defined sound at high volumes. There is no trace of distortion even when pushing the volume with an overly enthusiastic force. It is hard to tell if the variation of tuning with the volume comes from V7 vivid, or is also a result of how it combines with Play Mate 2, but in this combo, the effect is fairly noticeable.
Dynamics / PRaT / Textures – V7 vivid sounds really dynamic, punchy and has a refined, rich instrument response. This means you can expect to hear every little micro detail in music, but textures don’t sound sharp, instead they sound organic and luscious.
Soundstage – Burson Audio has always been the kind of company to emphasize the soundstage to the max, they always get the widest, most holographic sounds possible in their dAc/AMPs, but the new V7 Vivid enhances instrument separation, and even the directionality of individual musical notes is far more evident when running the V7 Vivid OP-AMps. I really enjoy having a strong staging, V7 Vivid offering a boundless but well defined space.
Gaming Usage
As the new Op-AMPs do not add any kind of delay and do not have any negative impact on the usage of the DAC/AMP they are installed in, you can safely use them for gaming setups. The better part is that the sound improves in directionality, soundstage size and precision. With the increased instrument separation, you will hear excellent directionality for competitive games, hear each sound effect accurately and know where those footsteps are coming from, or where to look on the map in strategy games.
The more colorful midrange makes guitars and pianos in Visual Novel Soundtracks sound sublime, giving them a full, lush and rich presentation that puts me much more in the mood to play and read those crazy stories. I know audio is always taken for granted in those kinds of games, but there are many titles that became popular solely thanks to the amazing soundtracks created for them, even Genshin Impact employing large-scale orchestras to keep up the levels of engagement and entertainment for their players.
Value and Conclusion
With a meager price point of $169 USD for a pair of Vivid Dual OP-AMPs and 215 USD for two pairs, one of single and one of Dual Op-AMps, you can upgrade the part that most directly influences the sound in your setup, effectively upgrading the sound without replacing the DAc/AMp, and this kind of price is what you pay for entry-level products, but here you’re fine tuning the performance of flagship DAC/AMps, even for the most expensive, luxurious systems available today. Op-AMps are an effective but underexplored way to improve the sound of your setup, and here there won’t be any questioning, this ain’t cable talk, this is literally and directly improving the sound of your setup.
Before the end of the day, Burson V7 Vivid deserves a place in our Hall Of Fame, being literally the most effective way to improve the sound of your setup, having performance that’s far above your standard chip-based OP-AMPs, and offering a simple install method, and reliable build quality, backed by a lifetime warranty.
At the end of the day, I have to admit that I liked the V6 Vivid I reviewed a few years ago, but I was nowhere near as impressed as I am by the V7 Vivid I am reviewing today, this is the perfect upgrade and fits perfectly with my listening taste, Burson Audio offers performance and experience far exceeding the price point and all in a convenient package, for a really good price, and if you have a DAc/AMP with socketed OP-AMPs, the new Burson Audio V7 Vivid PRO OP-AMPs are the best way to upgrade your listening setup, and currently this is the flagship, top OP-AMP available that I tested.
Product Link
You can grab one here – https://amzn.to/46Qjr5s
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Full Playlist used for this review
We listened to more songs than those named in this playlist, but those are excellent for identifying a sonic signature. I recommend trying most of the songs from this playlist, especially if you’re searching for new music! The playlists are different for Spotify, Tidal and Youtube, and based on the songs I enjoy and are available on each!
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_cjBXGmwSHSdGcwuc_bKbBDGHL4QvYBu
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5J3oloz8Riy9LxEGenOjQ0?si=979ba4f082414be7
https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/330fd544-8e5b-4839-bd35-676b2edbb3d5
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