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Burmester 101
Integrated amplifier
For Classic Line
The 101 Integrated Amplifier exemplifies the perfect combination of efficient power amplification with an analog power supply. Its remarkable power reserves provide the warm and balanced sound that Burmester is famous for.
Integrated Amplifier
The 101 Integrated Amplifier is a sterling example for the perfect combination of efficient Class D power amplification with an analog power supply. With its available power reserves this compact component provides the warm and well-balanced sound that says unmistakably Burmester. The switchable „Smooth“ function guarantees a smooth, yet detailed sound even at low playback levels. The addition of balanced preamp outputs open the door to using the 101 as pure preamplifier by adding separate power amplifiers at a later date.
With attention to detail.
Recognisable as a typical Burmester even from the very first glance, the 101 integrated amplifier makes use of characteristic design elements of the Classic Line.
Design
The elegant and simple chromed front panel is augmented by a row of glossy polished buttons for input selection. A striking design element is the solid turn knob for volume control. Sound-wise and stylistically the 101 integrated Amplifier is the ideal partner for the 102 CD player.
Handmade
Burmester is famous for excellent amplifier technology. That was reason enough for the Burmester development team to accept the challenge of developing its own solution for Class D amplification. This proprietary Class D module is carefully assembled by hand in their Berlin factory and integrated with the other sub-assemblies.
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Professional Reviews 92/100
Deliciously Crispy
Sound Quality
95/100
Build Quality
92/100
Features Connectivity
89/100
Value for Money
85/100
The Burmester 101 pairs top-to-bottom clarity and low noise with a subtly warm, cohesive voice, creating vivid performers, generous air and dynamic verve without clinical edge. The Absolute Sound admired its precise spatial focus, while Marc Phillips found its detail, life and spacious headphone performance especially compelling. Balanced connectivity and the low-level Smooth mode complete a polished high-end integrated.
What Reviewers Are Saying
Pros
Exceptionally clear, low-noise presentation with realistic performer placement, air and depth.
Warm yet controlled tonal balance preserves detail without sounding sterile, rolled off or overly colored.
Lively dynamics deliver convincing impact from bass through treble.
Strong practical feature set, including three XLR inputs, two RCA inputs, balanced pre-out, headphone stage and low-volume Smooth mode.
&
Cons
Its medium power output is less suitable for low-sensitivity loudspeakers in large rooms.
Highly revealing voicing can expose harshness in standard-resolution Redbook CD recordings and benefits from carefully matched, low-noise components.
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 95/100
Reviewers describe an unusually clear, low-noise and spatially convincing presentation, tempered by a touch of Burmester warmth rather than clinical sterility. The 101 is also praised for its cohesive top-to-bottom balance and lively dynamic expression.
Transparency Resolution
96/100
The Absolute Sound identifies top-to-bottom clarity and very low noise as the amplifier's standout traits. It also hears fine performer detail without artificial edge or stridency, while Part Time Audiophile describes the presentation as full of detail and life.
Tonal Balance Musicality
93/100
The 101 is repeatedly characterized as warm, but not overly warm, rolled off, or conspicuously colored. The Absolute Sound finds its balance neither dry nor overly resonant, with a coherent and natural sound from bass through treble.
Dynamics
94/100
The Absolute Sound calls dynamic verve a hallmark of the 101, noting particularly convincing snare, kick-drum, and tom-tom impact. Its review also reports a dynamic sensibility extending from the bass into the treble, suggesting an animated and controlled delivery rather than simply brute-force weight.
Soundstage Imaging
96/100
The Absolute Sound praises the 101's ability to spotlight performers in realistic positions, with substantial air and phenomenal depth on orchestral material. Part Time Audiophile likewise heard the system open up the room and disappear, while the headphone output was described as spacious and airy.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
92/100
Part Time Audiophile finds the Burmester pairing beautifully made and says every observed detail looks and feels executed to the highest standard. Direct discussion of the 101's internal construction or long-term durability is limited, but the available hands-on impression is emphatically positive.
Features Connectivity
89/100
The 101 provides five line-level inputs, including three balanced XLR connections, plus a balanced pre-out, headphone amplifier, remote operation, BurLink control capability, and surround throughput. Its Smooth function is a useful low-volume listening option, although it omits built-in digital inputs, streaming, and phono facilities.
Value for Money
85/100
The supplied price information places the 101 in a premium segment, and Part Time Audiophile notes that the $28,000 combined cost of the reviewed Burmester system is substantial for many buyers. Neither review directly compares the 101's price with close rivals or offers a firm value verdict, though both portray its performance as highly accomplished.
Reviews
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Verified Dealers
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Authorized dealers for Burmester 101
- Absoulute Audio plus Video — in-store — Aiken, South Carolina, United States (website)
- Alpha High End — online and in-store — Brasschaat, Vlaams Gewest, Belgium (website)
- Audio & Video Expressions — in-store — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States (website)
- Audio Advisors — in-store — West Palm Beach, Florida, United States (website)
- AUDIO EXCLUSIVE — in-store — Wels, Oberösterreich, Austria (website)
- Audio Venue — online and in-store — London, England, United Kingdom (website)
- AudioART — in-store — Sudbury, Massachusetts (website)
- Auditorium — in-store — Hamburg-Mitte, Hamburg, Germany (website)
- Aug & Ohr — in-store — Zürich, Zürich, Germany (website)
- AV Luxury Group — in-store — Las Vegas, Nevada, United States (website)
and 29 more verified dealers