The Well-Tempered Computer, an introduction to computer audio

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Burson Audio DAC-160

Australian Burson Audio's claim to fame was its excellent HA-160D headphone amp+preamp+DAC which uses Burson's proprietary discrete operational amplifiers (not IC OpAmps, also available as upgrade modules for other products).  Burson is back with a stand alone digital to analog converter dubbed the DAC-160 which is based roughly on the DAC section of the HA-160D, housed in a handsome machined aluminum case.


  • 2 x 24/96 USB inputs 
  • 10ppm low-jitter clock
  • 1 x each 24/192 Coaxial and Toslink SPDIF inputs
  • 2 x fixed analog RCA outputs with high/low gain switch. 
  • All voltage regulators and OpAmps are built up from discrete components
  • Output stage operates in Class A with constant current source power supply
  • Two low noise power transformers 
  • Input impedance is 52 Kohms
  • S/N ratio is >101dB at 0dB gain
  • THD is <0.001% at 6mW/300 ohms
  • Channel separation is >95dB/10kHz 
  • Output impedance is 25/45 ohms selectable
  • Power dissipation is <25W
  • Dimensions are 180 x 250 x 80mm, 5kg