Burson Audio HA-160 Reference Class Headphone Amplifier. 

• Multistage Low Noice Power Supply
• Pure Class A Design
• High Accuracy 24 Stepped Volume Control 
• 2 Outputs to mach to all Headphones
• 800mW @ 60 Ohm of driving power

No ICs.
Most headphone amps are built with ICs (integrated circuitry). Listening to an IC based head amp is like trying to listen to a grand concert through a key-hole! With ICs you are missing out on the micro detail that makes music musical and the macro dynamic that makes our hearts beat with excitement. There is only one reason for an IC to appear in audio gear, and that is cost saving at the expense of music!

The HA-160 has been designed with no ICs within its circuitry. Our discrete (IC free) approach allows us to optimise our design and tune our machines to achieve the best in audio reproduction. The elimination of ICs has made the HA-160 far more superior to its IC based competitors - on all fronts.

High Definition.
The function of Opamps at the output stage is as important as the lens on a cinema projector. Regardless of the analytical capability of the audio gear, an inferior opamp will halve a machine’s performance, and distort every dB of sonic imagery.

Just like our acclaimed P-160 amplifiers, the HA-160 features our Burson HD audio opamp. It enables the HA-160 to reproduce music in superior resolution and accuracy.

A performance focused volume control.
At the time when an audio signal is passing through the volume control, it is still at its weakest. At this stage, the audio signal is very vulnerable to noise pollution and interference. A major source of such distortion is the commonly used remote volume control adopted by most manufactures.

Burson Audio recognized the drawbacks associated with remote volume controls and deemed them unacceptable. Instead, we developed a 24 stepped attenuator, constructed with the best quality components available. Our Burson stepped attenuator ensures preservation of even the weakest audio signal; The air between instruments, the decay after an attack and all micro details that makes music enjoyable.

Low Noise Power Supply (LNPS).
Just like an athlete needs clean air to perform at an optimum standard – audio equipment needs clean power to reproduce transparent and natural music. Utilising the Burson Audio discrete (IC free) low noise regulator technology we have ensured that only the cleanest power is running through every component of our HA-160. 

Resonance Free Aluminium (RFA) Enclosure.
The HA-160 is housed in a 6mm case, constructed from high precision machined aluminium. This enclosure allows the AB-160, to achieve a very high mechanical damping factor, which reduces any microphonic effects, that may degrade the clarity of sonic performance.

The enclosure was also constructed to act as a giant heat-sink, which allows the Class-A headamp to run cooler, and remain optimised at all times.

Specifications.

• Input impedance: 47 KOhms
• Frequency response: 5Hz (-0.3dB) to 35 kHz (-1dB)
• Signal to noise ratio: >98dB at 0dB gain
• THD: <0.001% at 6mW/300 Ohms
• Channel separation: >70dB/10kHz
• Output power: 650mW/300 Ohms, 800mW/60 Ohms
• Output impedance: line out 60 Ohms, phones out 5 Ohms
• Power dissipation: <10W, internal, regulated power supply
• Dimensions: 180mm x 250mm x 80mm
• Connectors (audio): 2 x phone jacks 6.35mm - 2 x gold plated RCA connectors with Teflon isolation
• Weight: app. 4.5 kg
• Colour: silver anodized aluminium
  

Sonic Characteristics
Headphone amps are often criticised for their lack of sense of space. While most manufactures are keen to tell you that this is the norm for headphone amps, the truth of the matter is that it is an unpleasant form of distortion.

Once you have listened with the HA-160 you will be taken by the sense of space. In addition, the delicacy and transparency of the high-frequencies are beyond reproach. Teamed with a high end headphone, one can hear all the vibrations that have been recorded through the studio’s microphone. The good the bad and the ugly. When the last note falls you know that your soul has been cleansed once again.