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Burmester 175
Turntable
For Reference Line
The 175 turntable’s design is a tribute to our Reference Line.
Our Turntable
After 35 years of experience in the processing of finest audio signals, Burmester now crowns its series of successful phono preamplifiers with a turntable. The integrated signal processing from the Burmester 100 phono pre-amplifier processes the fine phono signals at the highest level. The Burmester 175 comes as plug-and-play-suite with an cardanic mounted 9-inch tone arm with carbon-aluminium tube. By taking this step, the manufacturer completes the portfolio for fans of analogue sound.
With attention to detail.
Recognisable as a typical Burmester even from the very first glance, the 175 turntable makes use of characteristic design elements of the Reference Line.
This is just a damn good turntable, more than you might ever expect as a first shot across the vinyl bows from the brand.
HI-FI+
Platter tone arm
The turntable of the 175 record player has a sandwich construction consisting of two layers of aluminium and a further layer of brass in between. This design principle ensures optimal damping and less resultant resonance. The bitumen coating located on the reverse of the platter increases the damping properties even further. The bearing is designed to be maintenance-free for life and therefore always ready for use. The sub-platter with a cone allows easy mounting of the platter and is centered automatically for perfect concentricity.
In addition to the platter, the cardanic mounted 9-inch tone arm with its carbon-aluminium tube intrinsically enhances the 175’s inherently exquisite sound quality. Its bearing in the form of a hybrid bearing of steel and ceramic guarantees the precise delivery of intricate vinyl detail. The anti-skating is gradually adjustable via control knob.
Drive
The 175 turntable is driven by four motors located in the outer square around the sub-platter. This squaring of the circle and the use of multiple belts ensures that no irregular tension arises on the central bearing. The two-fold design of this arrangement shortens the ramp-up time and improves synchronisation. This simultaneously results in an improved sound and a fast starting time for the drive.
Alongside the mechanical system and the arrangement of the drive components, the control electronics and the motors are also crucial for a great audio experience. The AC synchronous motors used are driven by digital motor electronics. The electronics are completely immune to fluctuations in the mains voltage frequency. Due to the high level of efficiency of the electronics, driver stages and motors, the entire unit remains cool and free from heat-related impairments.
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Professional Reviews 92/100
Deliciously Crispy
Sound Quality
93/100
Build Quality
95/100
Features Usability
90/100
Value for Money
87/100
The Burmester 175 combines explosive transient precision, gripping rhythmic drive and a remarkably quiet vinyl background in a lavish, integrated reference system. Michael Fremer found its low-resonance design exceptionally coherent through dynamic swings, with vivid spatial focus and real sustain once correctly loaded. Four-motor stability, factory-set arm geometry and a built-in phono stage make this a genuinely polished high-end analogue proposition.
What Reviewers Are Saying
Pros
Exceptionally clean, fast and rhythmically compelling playback, with precise transients and strong spatial focus.
Very quiet, low-vibration multi-motor drive system with commendably low wow and flutter.
Complete turnkey package with pre-installed belt, factory-adjusted arm and integrated phono stage reduces system-matching complexity.
Reference-grade construction and sonics that Audiophilepure considered competitive with the best in its class.
&
Cons
Cartridge loading requires care: the initial setting sounded lean, sharp and overly cool until adjusted.
Its highly explicit, attack-led presentation may not suit listeners seeking a soft, warm or romantic tonal balance.
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 93/100
Reviewers found the 175 exceptionally clean, precise and rhythmically involving, with powerful transient definition and convincing spatial information. Its speed is very good and the low-resonance arm and drive system contribute to a notably quiet, composed presentation; careful cartridge loading is important to avoid an initially lean, sharp balance.
Overall Sound
96/100
Michael Fremer heard great clarity and precision in piano transients, bass attack, sustain and decay, along with a pleasing sense of club space. He also praised the deck's exciting pace, rhythm and timing, lifelike trumpet and cymbal impact, and its ability to keep complex or distant-miked recordings cohesive. Initial listening at one loading setting sounded leaner and sharper than expected, but the recommended adjustment brought a linear, extended and warmly natural balance.
Speed Stability
91/100
Measured speed averaged 33.664rpm, close enough that a strobe disc showed no movement. Wow and flutter were described as commendably low, and the review characterizes the resulting speed performance as very good.
Tonearm Performance
91/100
The supplied 9-inch arm uses a substantial bearing housing and a multi-layer carbon arm tube, and it provides VTA/SRA and azimuth adjustment. Fremer's listening notes describe the low-resonance arm as part of a setup that delivered strong timing, clean transients and secure musical focus.
Noise Isolation
93/100
The carefully executed multi-motor belt-drive arrangement was reported to transmit little or no vibrational energy into the plinth and platter. Even without the more elaborate silencer modules used on a related design, the 175 was said to give records a very quiet ride.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
95/100
The 134-pound, unsuspended chassis is machined from solid aluminum billet and uses four concealed, carefully matched synchronous motors. Reviewers praised the care in its machining and motor implementation, while Audiophilepure judged it able to stand among the best products in its class on build as well as sound.
Features Usability
90/100
This is a highly integrated vinyl system intended to avoid the usual component matching and setup complexity. The belt is hidden and pre-installed, the arm's principal adjustments are factory set, and the system retains full VTA/SRA and azimuth adjustment for owners who want to fine-tune it.
Value for Money
87/100
At around $60,000, the 175 is positioned as an ultra-premium turnkey turntable rather than a conventional value purchase. Reviewers nevertheless found its complete, space-saving package attractive for buyers seeking top-tier vinyl playback without the usual mix-and-match challenges, and Audiophilepure considered it competitive with the best on build and sound.
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Verified Dealers
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Authorized dealers for Burmester 175
- 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