Description
The Burson Conductor GT4 replaces a DAC, headphone amplifier, and preamplifier in a single desktop component, designed for listeners who want audiophile-grade performance without multiple boxes. Its fully balanced, fully discrete Class-A MOSFET output stage delivers up to 10W through balanced XLR, driving demanding planar and dynamic headphones from 32Ω to 300Ω with authority. Dual ESS9038 Q2M DAC chips, each independently powered on its own channel, handle native DSD512 and 32-bit/768kHz PCM via the XMOS XU-316 USB-C transport, while Qualcomm CSR8675 Bluetooth 5.0 brings aptX HD and LDAC wireless connectivity.
The GT4's sonic character comes from Burson's V6 Vivid discrete opamps working with seven Silent Power Modules — each rated for noise filtering more than 200× better than standard regulators — and six stackable Max-Current Power Modules that feed the DAC and output stages with clean, isolated power. Head-Fi users describe the result as a clean, neutral digital signature with musical warmth, noting that the unit lifts every headphone it encounters. Raw CNC-machined aluminum forms both the chassis and the heatsink, and with eight analog inputs, balanced and single-ended preamp outputs, a subwoofer out, and Roon Tested compatibility, the Conductor GT4 is as flexible as it is precise.
Specifications
| DAC chips | 2× ESS9038 Q2M (one per channel, independently powered) |
| USB transport | XMOS XU-316, native DSD 512, PCM 32-bit/768kHz |
| Bluetooth | Qualcomm CSR8675, BT 5.0, aptX HD, LDAC, 24-bit/96kHz |
| Headphone output (balanced XLR) | 10W @ 32Ω, 5W @ 100Ω, 3W @ 150Ω, 2W @ 300Ω |
| Headphone output (single-ended) | 5W @ 32Ω, 2.5W @ 100Ω, 1.5W @ 150Ω, 1W @ 300Ω |
| Headphone jacks | 6.35mm, 4-pin XLR, 3.5mm (mic) |
| Amplifier topology | Fully balanced, fully discrete, Class-A MOSFET output stage |
| Op-amps (Standard) | Burson V6 Vivid discrete opamps |
| Silent Power Modules | 7× SP01 (noise filtering >200× standard regulators) |
| Max Current Power Modules | 6× stackable MCPS |
| Input impedance | 40kΩ |
| Frequency response | ±1dB, 0–58kHz |
| THD | <0.0015% |
| Output impedance (headphone) | 0.5Ω |
| Output impedance (pre/DAC out) | 1Ω / 25Ω |
| Signal-to-noise ratio | 95–98dB (load-dependent) |
| Channel separation | 99% |
| Gain | 2 levels (Low / High) |
| Digital inputs | USB Type-C, Optical (Toslink), Coaxial (SPDIF) |
| Analog inputs | 2× XLR balanced, 2× RCA single-ended |
| Analog outputs | 1× XLR + 1× RCA preamp out, subwoofer out |
| Power supply | 24V DC 5A (standard); optional Super Charger 5A or Fusion Core |
| Dimensions | 255 × 270 × 70 mm |
| Weight | ≈5 kg (11 lbs) |
| Model number | R-182 |
