Burson Audio offers with its Conductor 3 Reference a DAC, Class A headphone amplifier and preamplifier combo of great quality. Its digital/analog conversion stage is indeed equipped with a pair of ESS ES9038Q2M DAC chips, associated with a USB XMOS receiver chip using a custom Thesycon driver. This combination allows to deliver a rich and precise sound, while supporting high sampling rates, up to PCM 32bit 768kHz and DSD512.

Conveniently, the Conductor 3 Reference also features a Qualcomm CSR8675 Bluetooth 5.0 receiver, supporting the aptX HD audio codec, allowing you to remotely stream your music, from a smartphone for example, with improved quality, comparable to CD.

The unit also incorporates Burson Audio's patented MCPS (Max Current Power Supply), increasing the voltage frequency from 50Hz to 170kHz, pushing noise beyond the threshold of human hearing. Moreover, it takes advantage of a low impedance to offer an important energy reserve to the output transistors. It is worth noting that the Conductor 3 Reference has no less than 5 sets of MCPS. Each element, namely the display, the controls, the DAC and the left and right analog channels are all independently powered.

In terms of design, the device's components are hidden in a robust high-density aluminum case. This chassis also acts as a heat sink to keep the components at an acceptable temperature. On its front panel, the Conductor 3 Reference is equipped with an OLED display for intuitive and fluid use.