When we listen to digital music—whether it’s from a streaming service, a CD, or a high-res audio file—it all starts as digital data, a stream of ones and zeroes. Before that data becomes music we can actually hear, it must go through several crucial steps of conversion and refinement.

Two of the most important steps in this transformation are the I/V stage and the LP (Low-Pass) stage. These aren’t terms you’ll usually see on a spec sheet, but they play a major role in how your audio system sounds.

Let’s break them down in simple terms.

High-end digital-to-analog converter (DAC) chips—like the ESS9039, used in products such as the Burson Conductor GT4—often output their signal in the form of current, not voltage.

But here’s the thing: amplifiers and most audio components are designed to work with voltage signals, not current. So before the audio signal can move further along the chain, it needs to be converted from current to voltage. This is the job of the I/V stage, short for Current-to-Voltage conversion.

Think of this stage as a translator. It takes the language of the DAC (current) and converts it into something your amplifier and headphones can understand (voltage), without losing any detail or introducing unwanted noise.

Why does this matter? Because a poorly designed I/V stage can easily smear or distort the delicate musical signal. That’s why high-end manufacturers like Burson invest in discrete I/V circuits, carefully tuned for accuracy and musicality.

Once the signal is in voltage form, it still isn’t quite ready to be amplified. The process of converting digital data to analog inevitably introduces some ultra-high frequency noise—not audible, but still present in the signal.

The Low-Pass (LP) filter stage acts like a final clean-up step. It filters out that high-frequency noise, leaving behind only the clean, usable audio signal. The name “low-pass” refers to the fact that it lets the lower, musical frequencies pass through, while blocking out the unwanted higher ones.

Done right, this stage helps the music sound smoother, more natural, and free from digital harshness.

In well-engineered systems like the Conductor GT4, this LP stage is also built with discrete components, meaning it’s fine-tuned for sonic transparency and doesn’t rely on generic integrated chips.

While DAC chips like the ESS9039 often get the spotlight, the real shaping of sound happens in the stages that follow—the I/V and LP stages. These are where digital data becomes voltage, and where noise is removed so only music remains. They are essential to achieving high-fidelity playback.

And at the heart of both stages are operational amplifiers, or opamps. The quality of these components directly affects the clarity, texture, and realism of your audio. Most off-the-shelf audio gear uses standard integrated opamps, which can bottleneck the performance of even the best DAC chips.

That’s why Burson Audio developed its own range of discrete opamps—meticulously engineered to preserve signal integrity and unlock the full potential of your system. These opamps are key ingredients in products like the Conductor GT4, and they’re also available for those looking to upgrade their own gear.

If you’re chasing ultimate sound quality, high-quality discrete opamps in the I/V and LP stages are not just important—they’re essential.