Burson Soloist 3X GT

HiFi, DAC
Burson Soloist 3X GT — Australian Muscle Amp

Burson Audio from Melbourne takes a different approach to headphone amplification — big, powerful, and unashamedly musical. The Soloist 3X GT is their flagship headphone amp, using Burson’s proprietary discrete op-amps and a Class A/AB circuit that delivers more power than most headphones will ever need. It’s the V8 muscle car of headphone amps.

Build & Design

Substantial. The Soloist 3X GT is a large unit with a machined aluminium case that runs warm — it’s Class A biased, so this is by design. The front panel has a motorised volume knob, gain switch, and input selector. Build quality is excellent with a premium, industrial aesthetic.

The “GT” version adds swappable op-amp modules — Burson’s Vivid and Classic op-amps let you tune the sound character. It’s like tube-rolling but with discrete solid-state modules.

Sound

Character

Warm, powerful, and engaging. The Soloist has a character that sits between the Sparkos Gemini’s tube richness and the Topping A90’s transparency. There’s genuine musicality here — bass has impact and authority, mids have body, and the overall presentation is full and involving. It’s not neutral by measurement standards, but it’s deeply satisfying.

Power & Control

Massive. The Soloist drives everything from IEMs to the most demanding planars with complete authority. The LCD-X, which can sound somewhat lean on lesser amps, comes alive with the Soloist’s current delivery. Dynamic headphones like the HD600 gain bass weight and control that reveals what they’re truly capable of.

Op-Amp Rolling

The Vivid op-amps add sparkle and air; the Classic op-amps add warmth and body. This flexibility is genuinely useful — it’s like having two amps in one. I preferred Vivid for my HD600 (adding sparkle to the Sennheiser’s warm mids) and Classic for brighter headphones.

Comparisons

Against my Sparkos Gemini, the Burson is more powerful with better bass authority, but the Gemini has that irreplaceable tube magic in the midrange. Against the Topping A90 Discrete, the Burson is more musical and colourful, the Topping more transparent and neutral. DMS described the Soloist as “the amp for people who want to feel their music,” and that’s exactly right.

Verdict

Pros

  • Enormous power and current delivery
  • Musical, engaging sound signature
  • Swappable op-amps for tuning
  • Premium build quality

Cons

  • Large and heavy
  • Runs warm (Class A)
  • Not neutral — colours the sound
  • Premium price

Ratings:

  • Build & Design: 8.5 / 10
  • Sound: 9 / 10
  • Power: 9.5 / 10
  • Value: 7.5 / 10

The Soloist 3X GT is raw audio muscle with finesse. If you want your headphones driven with authority and character, this is the amp.