Burmester

Burmester Audiosysteme was set up in Berlin in 1977 by Dieter Burmester, an Austrian-born musician and engineer. It builds amplifiers, preamplifiers, CD players, turntables and loudspeakers for the home, and it also designs factory sound systems for luxury cars. Its home products are sold in about 50 countries.

Range & what it's known for

The home range is split into four tiers. The Reference Line holds the high-end components, the Top Line offers more compact versions, and the Classic Line is aimed at simpler everyday use, while the Signature Line sits above them as the top tier. Beyond hi-fi, the company is a long-standing automotive partner. Burmester systems are fitted in Mercedes-Benz models from the A-Class to the S-Class, G-Class and Maybach, across the Porsche range including the 911, 718, Taycan, Panamera, Cayenne and Macan, in the Bugatti Veyron, and in the Ferrari Purosangue with a 21-speaker 3D system. The company also offers bespoke one-off finishes on request.

Who owns it and where it's made

The firm is privately held. After Dieter Burmester died in 2015, management changed hands several times, and since January 2024 Thorsten Poenig and Thomas Schneider have been managing directors, with his widow Marianne Burmester still a shareholder. Headquarters and production are in Berlin-Schöneberg, where a staff of roughly 100 to 120 builds the products by hand and most component parts are sourced from German suppliers.

The lineup in this catalog

Amplifiers and disc players, with several items across categories. Around EUR 10,000 buys a component at the bottom of the Burmester catalogue, while the top separates go well beyond EUR 100,000.

Who it's for

Burmester suits buyers assembling a long-term system from one maker, with matching electronics and a consistent look across components. A Classic or Top Line integrated or CD player is a practical first step, and owners can later move to Reference Line separates and finally to the Signature tier. Drivers who already know the brand from a Mercedes or Porsche cabin may also find the home range a natural follow-up.