Burmester has just refreshed its entire Reference line of products. The refreshed range comprises the 257 turntable, 249 preamplifier and 259 stereo power amplifier. The company is at pains to point out that they are all new designs that borrow nothing from the previous generation of products.
The 257 turntable is supplied with its partnering tonearm and outboard power supply. The deck features an inverted magnetic main bearing that minimises noise. The bearing shaft is made of polished ceramic and is partnered with a sintered bronze liner for the smoothest operation.
The belt-driven deck unusually features two high-torque 12v motors, and rotational accuracy is ensured by using a sophisticated optical sensor system.
Its platter uses a sandwich construction of 50 mm-thick ‘technical plastic’ and stainless steel to provide a solid foundation for the record. Other highlights include the option to add an internal phono stage; a neat solution that also has the potential for improving performance thanks to the shorter path the cartridge’s low-level signal has to travel.
Calling 249 just a preamplifier is selling it short. This all-new, fully balanced unit offers its prospective owner digital inputs as standard and the option of adding a streaming module, phono stage or extra line-level inputs.
Internally, Burmester’s engineers have worked hard to simplify signal paths and minimise interference. The amplification circuitry is three stage and fully analogue, using the company’s latest X-AMP 3 design, which is claimed to be extremely linear and low distortion in its operation.
The preamp’s external design marks a real step forward for the brand, looking cleaner and less cluttered to our eyes. It, and the partnering outboard power supply, both feature a mirrored front, while the preamp’s twin haptic rotary controls mimic the lovely feel of the company’s older, mechanical dials.
The final component in the series is the mighty 259 power amplifier. It is claimed to deliver 500 watts of power channel into a 4-ohm load in stereo mode and a whopping 1500 watts when used as a monoblock. The engineering priorities with this fully-balanced product were to deliver a low noise design with wide dynamic range, taut bass and the ability to drive difficult speakers without a hint of fatigue or aggression.
All these products are planned to appear in shops in the second half of this year. We don't have any firm prices yet, but a complete set is likely to cost around €300k.
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