Integrated amplifiers — Burmester 101

The 101 is an integrated amplifier from the Classic Line of Burmester Audiosysteme, the Berlin company founded in 1977 by Dieter Burmester. It combines a Class D power stage with an analogue power supply and a balanced circuit layout, and it is assembled by hand in Berlin. Burmester names it as the matching partner for the 102 CD player of the same line, and a balanced preamplifier output lets it grow into a preamplifier for separate power amplifiers later.

Key specs that matter

Output power is 120 W per channel into 4 ohm, and no 8 ohm figure is published. Frequency response reaches 5 Hz to 60 kHz at -3 dB. THD+N is 0.015%, signal to noise ratio exceeds 92 dB and the damping factor is 250. Input impedance is 16.4 kOhm on the XLR inputs and 8.2 kOhm on the RCA inputs, and input sensitivity is 550 mV for full output at 1% THD+N into 4 ohm. There are three balanced XLR inputs and two RCA inputs, a balanced preamplifier output and a 6.3 mm headphone jack on the front. The amplifier measures 482 x 93 x 350 mm without connectors and weighs 12 kg.

Engineering and use context

The Class D output stage switches its transistors fully on and off at high frequency, which keeps losses and heat low and allows a high output from a slim case. Burmester combines it with an analogue power supply rather than a switch-mode unit. The circuit is laid out in balanced form, and with most of its inputs on XLR the 101 is set up for sources with balanced outputs. The preamplifier and headphone outputs are DC-coupled, so no coupling capacitors sit in those signal paths. The high damping factor indicates a low output impedance, which gives the amplifier firm control over the woofer movement of the connected speakers. The switchable Smooth function is intended for listening at low volume. The balanced preamplifier output allows a Burmester power amplifier to be added later, at which point the 101 can serve purely as a preamplifier while its own power stage remains available. With only line inputs and no phono input listed, vinyl playback calls for an outboard phono stage.

Pairing

The power rating suits compact and medium floorstanding speakers with low-impedance loads. The Burmester 102 CD player connects through the XLR inputs as the intended source, and a streamer or DAC can use the remaining inputs.

Alternatives

The Burmester 082 is another integrated amplifier from the Classic Line.