The Burson Audio Playmate was one of the first products I reviewed, back in early 2019. During all this time I have been growing as a reviewer, but Burson has increased its catalogue very significantly. Above all, it has added high-end and very high-end products, with the Playmate II being one of its most affordable complete products, along with the Funk amplifier. Next in the price range are the Composer 3XP DAC and the Soloist 3XP amplifier, priced at over $1000 each. At the top of the price range is the Conductor 3GT / 3XGT, which goes up to $3000. But, going back to the Playmate II, you can feel that the aesthetics have changed, but not the philosophy. It shares similarities with the first version, such as the layout of the elements. But its colour has gone from black to shiny silver. The display has improved in contrast and its lettering is larger. The volume control has a better grip, the power switch in front is subtly smaller. The construction remains exemplary, both inside and out. But the exterior has been designed as a radiator in order to dissipate heat better. Playmates have a tendency to heat up as the hours go by. Their power has been increased to 3W, while maintaining the same ESS9038 DAC and the ability to swap OpAmps. Let’s see what other changes have been introduced in this new product and, above all, how they influence its final sound.

The Burson Audio Playmate II came in a large raw cardboard box, inside of which was a white box and a power cable. Inside that white box and underneath a thick protective layer, on which there is a sticker incorporating instructions for connection to the mains, is the Playmate II, in a mould of its shape. Behind it is another elongated white box, containing the rest of the accessories. In a nutshell:

The box is not decorated and only carries another sticker with the brand’s logo as well as its slogan. You can see a front and rear view of the product, some specifications, the ESS logo and the XMOS logo. Also the Australian seal and the address from where manuals and other files related to the product can be downloaded.

The presentation is quite sober and simple, with quality accessories, the highlight being the power supply.

It’s not that the change has been radical between version I and II. I think the philosophy of the product is the same, just that a few small things have changed. It is clear that the exterior is a real eye-catcher, with the radiator shape covering the entire body of the Playmate II. Yes, it’s obvious, the colour is metallic, silver, shinier and more eye-catching. Its faceplate is thicker and its edge has a slight slope, no longer at right angles. The volume knob now has a wider grip area, as well as a deep roughness that makes it easier to operate. The button for entering the volume menu has been decoupled. The headphone input is now shared with the 3.5mm headphone output, so that headphones with microphone can be connected without the need for a converter. However, if you want to connect only the microphone, you will need to use the built-in converter. One option I liked compared to the first version is the power button, it is as small as the menu button and is on the front. On the back side the connections have been minimised. On the left is the USB Type C connector, followed by the Toslink optical input. Next are the RCA pre-outs. Last is the coaxial power connector. You can see that the whole body is a radiator. Underneath there are 4 black rubber half-spheres. Finally, there is a small blue LED under the power button.

The front side has 4 Allen screws, one in each corner. The same is true for the rear face. This indicates how easy it is to change the OpAmps inside the device. In this sense, the Playmate II mounts two single OpAmps (NE5534D) for the LP stage and two dual OpAmps (NE5532D) for the I/V stage.

As usual, both the interior and exterior of Burson Audio products are spectacular. The interior construction is photo-worthy, both in terms of cleanliness, layout and the quality of the components used. The exterior has improved over version I, being more attractive, robust and functional, especially with its heatsink body, improved volume grip and power button. The display is clearer, with larger, all-white numerals and greater visibility and contrast. The remote receiver has been moved below the menu button. More questionable would be the mic input, but only in my case. I use the Playmate I as source and mic input and find it easier not to have to use an adapter, just plug the cable from the EC60318-4 01 into its input.

Connectivity is simple. It has a USB Type C input which can also be used to connect to a mobile device. It is compatible with Win XP, 7, 8, 10, Mac OSX, also iOS* & Android (OTG support). With this type of connection it is possible to reach up to PCM 768kHz up to 32 bits. It has a Toslink optical input and with this it is possible to play 24bit 192kHz PCM.

There is an RCA pre-out as well as a 6.35mm SE headphone output. It also has a shared microphone input with 3.5mm TRRS audio output.

The operation has been improved compared to version I. From the small power button on the front, to its specific button to access the menu, to the blue LED that indicates that the device is ready to be switched on. Now, the remote receiver is off the screen. A press of the volume button will stop playback. At this point, the volume value will flash. A further press will resume playback.

The display clearly indicates the volume value, the connection, the output used and the format played.

Pressing the menu button gives access to the other functions, such as filter selection, input selection, output selection, gain selection, De-Emphasis selection, DPLL (DSD) selection, DPLL (PCM) selection and default restore.

To access the functions you have to move the volume, to change any option you have to press the volume. In case you are allowed to choose between several options, you have to move the volume to select any of them. Press the volume button to save the options and return to the main screen.

The operation is still very similar to the previous version. But the volume control is not very precise. If you move it quickly, it responds well, but if you move it slowly, it sometimes doesn’t follow the order, going down and up even if you move in the same direction. This is perhaps the most negative point of this device. Although it seems to improve over time.

 

The output voltage above 94 would saturate. But 12V is an impressive figure.

 

 

At maximum volume at low gain, 6.5V is obtained over the entire frequency range. That’s 2.83W of power and 430mA of current. Simply brutal. I have not been able to measure with high gain because the resistors I have are 3W.

 

 

 

Something similar has happened to me with the 33Ω. The calculated power at volume 90 is 3.03W. Going higher would have damaged the resistors used, which are 3W. I never thought I would have to measure 3W, so I didn’t buy them bigger. 300mA of current. This is the most powerful audio device I have ever measured for SE.

 

 

100Ω high gain

 

Nothing to say for this impedance, only that the measurements have been taken at volume 93. 1.25W and 110mA.

 

 

Output Impedance

 

According to the specs, Burson says the output impedance is less than 2Ω. According to my measurements, it is clearly less than 1Ω, both at low and high gain.

 

 

Frequency Response. Volume 20 to volume 80, low gain

 

Measurements have been taken from volume 20 to volume 80, at low gain.
Although the line input of my card is not calibrated, it can be clearly seen that every 10 volume steps, the Playmate gains 5dB. Furthermore, the frequency range, from 5Hz to 40kHz, is completely flat in all volume ranges. It can also be seen that there is no difference between channels.

 

 

Sound

 

The Burson Audio Playmate II comes standard with the basic OpAmps NE5532 (Dual) and NE5534 (Single) from Texas Instruments. Use two for each stage. It is true that these OpAmps are the most basic and cheapest. But the Playmate II already sounds very good with this basic set, so any improvement will always be a sensible upgrade. The sound with these OpAmps is a bit harsher. The roughness in the bass feels accentuated and the edges are not as precise, nor melodious. That’s the roughness I’m referring to. However, this kind of sound gives it a rawer aspect that also has its appeal, especially in the midrange. The high end has good sparkle, punchy and energetic, but lacks a certain level of resolution and refinement to deliver the detail in a more natural and musical way. However, after testing Burson Audio’s OpAmps V6 set, the sound takes on a higher value in refinement, musicality, resolution and definition. Another highlight is the sense of dynamics, the impression is that the sound decompresses and expands, something that also makes the scene better. The background becomes cleaner, the separation is more evident and the sense of transparency is improved. All this makes the sound more musical, but also more accurate. It’s like adding a few extra bits to the sound. The set of OpAmps installed is a hybrid. For the LP stage I have installed the Burson V6 Classic Single, while for the I/V stage, the OpAmps chosen are the Burson V6 Vivid Dual. From here on, the sound impressions have been made with these OpAmps installed.
The Playmate II continues the philosophy of the first version. The sound is organic, natural, dense, full, unctuous and musical. It does not have an analytical profile, but it is not completely warm either, although it is true that its harmony and euphony add that touch of warmth that makes it veer towards an almost romantic mood. In this second version, the sound has become bigger, the sense of dynamics is greater and so is the height. The soundstage is looser, wider, there is no hint of darkness or congestion and the level of transparency and definition has been enhanced. The level of resolution feels improved and, although the edges are not sharp, it is easier to notice micro details. There is also a refinement in the high end, the treble is cleaner and freer, the sound is more linear, the warmth and darker feel that trapped the high notes in the first version has been removed. Yes, the upper range is more vivid, realistic and natural, freed from the previous corset. Overall, the sound flows with a lusher, wider and more defined staging, adding a higher and improved descriptiveness than its predecessor.
If we go back to the classic range descriptions, the Playmate II’s low end has gained in maturity, density and body. Admittedly, Burson’s V6 OpAmps have helped to bring about this sensation over the standard OpAmps. But, there is no doubt that there is an amount of light in this area, which helps define the bass, gaining in resolution, increasing the corporeal feel of the bass, giving a more exalted impression of depth and volume. The layering capabilities and exposure of bass lines are clean and clear, with no hint of congestion or smearing. The Playmate I feels darker and somewhat slower. The bass is a little heavier, more full-bodied, less agile, though it also has more poise. All this makes the sound feel more congested, busy and oppressed. Version II has gained in speed and agility, offering a looser, tighter, more concise and dynamic lower range, capable of offering a superior, less oppressive rhythm, with a more realistic texture and not so marked by its roughness.
If there is one thing that suits this new Playmate, it is the increase in power. I clearly feel that this new model has been designed to offer more power and this is something that has been made clear in the previous section. However, it is also true that this increased power does benefit the sound quality. I think the Playmate II appreciates the sound being turned up, being able to offer an extra amount of body, volume and lushness as the decibels advance. This is noticeable in the lows, but also in the mids, thanks to an expansive feel to the soundstage due to the increased power. Thus, the midrange is perceived as very juicy, more elastic, descriptive, musical and brimming. There is that romantic feel, but I feel that it has given way to a superior efficiency, bringing more clarity, sharper edges, with a point of analytical ability that is more natural and in keeping with the reality of a high-performance system, even though the Playmate II is still Burson Audio’s entry-level device. Under these premises, the density of the midrange is obvious, but its level of transparency and separation allows the amount of air and space to be ample enough for the mids to flow freely enough to expose detail in an explicit, yet suggestive and evocative way. Male voices appreciate this sense of corporeal fullness, while female voices are showcased due to the greater level of illumination and precision provided in this second version. The naturalness and cleanness of sound are the characteristics that make the instruments sound with a more accurate tone and timbre than their older sibling. Overall, the mids are more mature, expressive and emancipated, gaining also in dynamic feel and distance between elements.
The high end has also taken a step forward in the Playmate II. I find the new version technically more refined, capable of recreating the treble with a more elegant, spaced, precise and higher-resolution sound. Comparatively speaking, the treble of version I is more energetic, but also tighter, less defined. The treble of version II has gained in expressiveness, improving also its musicality, as it is offered in a more natural, separated and airy way. I find that the Playmate II’s treble pattern is tamer and calmer, but, at the same time, it offers a superior performance in definition and detail rendering. It is not as energetic, but its extension feels elongated, offering a more volatile, expansive, but less cutting and compressed sparkle than the I version.
As soon as you move up a rung aurally, you feel it in the size of the scene, the expressiveness of the details, the sense of compression of the sound, the level of resolution and the dynamics of the whole. Well, it is easy to see that the Playmate II is on that higher rung compared to its big brother. The space occupied by the music in this new version is clearly larger. The detail does not look forced, nor does the scene look compressed, comparatively speaking. The fast transition from one to the other shows that the limitations of the first version have been overcome. The sound was more congested and tight. Whereas now it flows more simply, effortlessly, naturally, spaciously and musically. Such a comparison shows that the corset of the first version has been destroyed. The scene has been stretched in all directions, it is now more three-dimensional. Distance and separation are also superior, while details are less critical, not feeling forced as in version I, but drawn with a more appropriate and musical realism, which makes them more realistic and accurate. The overall feel makes the sound of Playmate II more enjoyable, even at higher volume levels than Playmate I, because it always sounds more relaxed, bigger and more expansive. Whereas the first version is less refined, even more strident at those critical points in the high end. This is not the case with the new version, hence its sound is more elegant, cleaner, tuned, distinguished and pure.

Conclusion

 

There comes a point, a price range, where it is always difficult to choose: a complete system or a separate system with a DAC and AMP? Well, it will never be easy to get it right and there will always be good options. Burson Audio knows that and that’s why it is still determined to offer the best combo at the best price. The Burson Audio Playmate II has been improved in every aspect, compared to its previous companion. The philosophy is the same and there are hardly any changes in functionality, only minor details. But in the obvious and necessary, the changes have been clear. First, there is the design, aesthetics and build level. I own both models and it must be stated for the record that every one of these aspects has been improved. The Playmate II is sleeker, more robust and more efficient. Second, there is the power level. With Burson Audio’s V6 OpAmps, the power level soars, leaving its predecessor far behind. The Playmate II is one of the most powerful audio devices per SE output on the market in this price range. Third, there’s the sound, of course. Burson Audio has improved every point over version I, every range is superior, the scene is bigger, the image more accurate and both the level of resolution and the detail have also improved. There is even more light, clarity, transparency and separation. And it’s not just a subtle difference, it’s easy to distinguish. The Playmate I was already a very good device. But time allows evolution and the Burson Audio Playmate II is a superior version.

Earphones and Sources Used During Analysis

 

• Letshuoer DZ4
• Hidizs MS3
• Kiwi Ears Quartet
• KiiBOOM Evoke
• KiiBOOM Allure
• NiceHCK F1
• Letshuoer S12 PRO
• Rose QT9 MK2s
• Yanyin Aladdin
• ISN H40
• Penon Globe
• OurArt QJ21
• Rose Martini
• Sunrise Dragon 2 Limited Edition (SWD2LE) 10th Anniversary
• Takstar Pro 80
• SoundMagic HP150