Burmester 911 mk3

[FrantzM]

Hi

Although a fan, I am for transparency.. Even the power is not stated on their web site ... It wasn't always so... Their website has never been a model but at least you could find the power ratings a few years ago .. Right now almost nothing ... Marketing? Strange one ...

 

[AudioExplorations]

Same here. They are not very good in this regard. Even their manuals are full of typo's (fuse amperages, 4/8 ohm power outputs).

I suspect that they do not publish much because on the test bench their amps do not measure particularly well (THD etc). To some people (who approach amplifier buying the same way as buying a laptop) this is important.

 

[microstrip]

I suspect that they do not publish much because on the test bench their amps do not measure particularly well (THD etc). To some people (who approach amplifier buying the same way as buying a laptop) this is important.

Jdebonth,

This is partially true. If you look at the few measurements of THD available in reviews they are textbook. However the signal to noise ratios are not better than those of my tube equipment. These values were considered unacceptable in another thread about another brand by most of the posters a few months ago.

Some confusion arises because they specify maximum power at 1% distortion - this does not mean that the amplifier distorts a lot in normal use.

 

[microstrip]

No, which is why I am confused by the published specs. If it was two different inputs, one RCA and another XLR, Burmester could put in an additional buffer to raise the impedance of the RCA inputs. However, if it's just using an adapter RCA should be exactly half the input impedance of XLR.

Gary,
Did you try it with the Interocitor One?

 

[jtein]

I believe the official communication is "highly class A biased". Also not quite sure what that means

Hmm...I wonder if my Parasound JC1 monoblocks can be considered "highly class A biased" since it runs in Class A for the first 25W....and it gets pretty warm to the point that's its uncomfortable to the touch. Would upgrading to the 911 Mk III prove to be significant sonic jump from my JC1s then? I know I've got to listen to it for myself with the rest of my system but that's just not possible here.

 

[AudioExplorations]

Jtein- there is more to the sound of an amp then the class it runs in!

 

[garylkoh]

Gary,
Did you try it with the Interocitor One?

Yes. Everything balanced I've tried sounds better using the Interocitor to go from single-ended to balanced than just using the shorting plugs. You have to try various switch settings on the Interocitor - because depending on the different grounding on the preamp and the power amp, ground should be floated or shorted.

Going the other way, balanced preamp to single-ended power amp is much more variable. Sometimes it sounds better, sometimes it sounds worse.

I even tried balanced to balanced and single-ended to single-ended using the Interocitor, and suffice to say, it is now permanently in my "bag of tricks".

 

[garylkoh]

Hmm...I wonder if my Parasound JC1 monoblocks can be considered "highly class A biased" since it runs in Class A for the first 25W....and it gets pretty warm to the point that's its uncomfortable to the touch. Would upgrading to the 911 Mk III prove to be significant sonic jump from my JC1s then? I know I've got to listen to it for myself with the rest of my system but that's just not possible here.

Oh yes it would. I just demo'ed with the JC1 and the Genesis 5.3 in the Montreal show and that is an excellent amplifier for the price. The 911 Mk III (which I had running also with the Genesis 5.3) is an excellent amplifier at any price. I would say everything is better - dynamics, transparency, bass, midrange, highs, detail, warmth, musicality....... But the JC1 and the 911 are in totally different price ranges. It's like trying to compare a Corvette to a 911 Turbo.

 

[AudioExplorations]

Everything balanced I've tried sounds better using the Interocitor to go from single-ended to balanced than just using the shorting plugs.

Interesting device, I have never heard of this before, will need to read up on it...

 

[joeinid]

AudioExplorations


Welcome to the Forum!

 

[AudioExplorations]

AudioExplorations
Welcome to the Forum!

Haha, it's just me Joe (Joost). I changed my username.

 

[joeinid]

Joost,

I guess I'm still tired, sorry. I saw the post count as 1 and thought you were new. Welcome anyway my friend. Ha!

 

[NorthStar]

Welcome to WBF Joost! :b

Bob

 

[AudioExplorations]

Sorry for creating confusion, I changed my username from jdebonth to AudioExplorations and my post count was reset. Steve has now cleared things up.

Back to the program....

 

[NorthStar]

AudioExplorations is a great username! :b

 

[jtein]

Jtein- there is more to the sound of an amp then the class it runs in!

Yeah, I'm aware of that. Sam Tellig had this to say: "There is about Class A amps a certain sweetness, or purity, of sound - a lack of midrange, and especially high-frequency, harshness. There is also superb transient response: triangles tingle, cymbals clash, and brass instruments, while burnished, have bite. I have never heard a bad-sounding class-A solid-state amplifier." (Sam's Space, p24, Stereophile Vol. 33 No. 3, March 2010)

Oh yes it would. I just demo'ed with the JC1 and the Genesis 5.3 in the Montreal show and that is an excellent amplifier for the price. The 911 Mk III (which I had running also with the Genesis 5.3) is an excellent amplifier at any price. I would say everything is better - dynamics, transparency, bass, midrange, highs, detail, warmth, musicality....... But the JC1 and the 911 are in totally different price ranges. It's like trying to compare a Corvette to a 911 Turbo.

Thanks for the feedback, Gary. I love this kind of comparison....very delicious and tempting!

 

[LL21]

Yeah, I'm aware of that. Sam Tellig had this to say: "There is about Class A amps a certain sweetness, or purity, of sound - a lack of midrange, and especially high-frequency, harshness. There is also superb transient response: triangles tingle, cymbals clash, and brass instruments, while burnished, have bite." (Sam's Space, p24, Stereophile Vol. 33 No. 3, March 2010)

Hi JTein, FWIW, my fav SS amps over the last 20 years are the Forte 4, Krell FPB-series, Gryphon Antileon, Boulder 2060 and Gryphon Colosseum. All are Class A and i have noted the comments Sam Tellig made above, about each of these amps. Good luck and please keep us posted!

 

[FrantzM]

Hi

I tend not to go for such generalization .. It is all in the implementation ... I have heard great sounding Class A, Class AB and even Class D amplifiers ...

 

[AudioExplorations]

Hi

I tend not to go for such generalization .. It is all in the implementation ... I have heard great sounding Class A, Class AB and even Class D amplifiers ...

Is it the case that class A is easier to get right? I understand AB and specially D are much newer designs and are still somewhat in their infancy?

 

[Rocco I.]

Hello to everybody.

I own a mono-pair of Burmester 911 MK3 and a complete Burmester Reference System cabled by Nordost. After a long personal research and listening sessions/comparison of better amps (ss and tube) in the world market today, I didn't find yet an amp and especially a sound so neutral, refined, natural and completed in all parameters. For me that I like to frequently listen live music worldwide, I really love these amps/gears. Astonishing performance especially when them are connected within the same line of components.

Kindest regards,
Rocco