Electricity leaves the power plant in 50-60hz sine waves. Inside a piece of audio equipment, a traditional linear power supply then lowers the main voltage to 12-30V using a large coil of wire called a transformer. At this stage, the voltage still has a 50-60hz sine wave.

From there, audio engineers use rectifiers and a coupling capacitor bank to convert this fluctuating energy into direct current (DC) that powers all audio circuitries.

However, this traditional design approach has two fundamental shortcomings, Impedance, and Noise.

Impedance & resistance

When electricity passes through a conductive material it meets resistance. The longer the material, the higher its resistance. A power transformer is a very long stretch of wire with very high resistance. Even the best quality copper wire transformers have over 15ohm. This is not ideal for audio amplification. During music playback, the demand for current fluctuates sharply with the music but the resistance from the transformer is constraining supply. Music playback becomes unimpactful and lacking in details. Engineers can use various means to mitigate the impact of impedance on sound, but not eliminate it.

The Burson Max Current Power Supply (MCPS) resolves this problem by removing the power transformer altogether. It uses transistors and as such it has less than 1 ohm of resistance. It means delivering electric current instantly to met any demand. The resulting music reproduction is detailed and dynamic, the way music should be.

Noise

Since the main power has a 50-60hz working frequency, a traditional linear power supply charges and discharges 50-60 times each second. This frequency is within human hearing hence extremely noisy. Furthermore, this rate of charging is too slow for audio amplification. To mitigate, audio engineers use a large number of capacitors which presents other problems without removing the root cause.

The Burson MCPS increases the working frequency to 170khz. Any noise at this frequency is well above the human hearing threshold of 20khz. The result is a pitch black soundstage critical for micro-details to shine through.

The Burson MCPS also converts the original sine-wave energy into a more efficient square wave. In combined with the 170khz frequency, the MCPS charges capacitors much faster. This is the reason why a big capacitor bank is not necessary for our designs. The resulting sound is holophonic with dynamic, accuracy and details even during the most demanding of music reproduction. Furthermore, the resulting sound has a much higher perceived driving power which means a 2Wpc Burson Fun feels even more powerful than a conventional 4Wpc headphone amplifier.

A new generation of audio products is here.

In the “old days” size really matters. Audiophiles and manufacturers everywhere like to show off the size and weight of their equipment. A big transformer and an even bigger array of capacitor formation was a reassuring sign of performance.

By removing the power transformer, the Burson MCPS is more responsive and quiet. Its improved efficiency also removed the need for big capacitors. As such, it gives us an opportunity to squeeze top-level performance and functionality into products that are elegant and practical in everyday homes.

The Burson MCPS starts a new chapter in audio engineering where style and performance co-exists.