Burmester

A Quest To Build The Perfect Sound

Occasionally, certain reoccurring circumstances cause you to make key decisions to head in a particular direction in life. In Dieter Burmester’s case it was a tube amplifiers sensitivity or susceptibility that initially determined his choice of vocational education and would later lead him establishing one of the world’s most renowned hi-fi businesses.

His life may possibly have taken a different course, had he not opted to up the e-bass. At any rate, the frequent defects that afflicted his instrument’s tube amplifier played a considerable part in his decision to qualify as a radio and TV technician, which enabled him to produce his own tube amplifier for his gigs. Around 15 years later, following two years as a professional musician, an electrical engineering degree and the establishment of an engineering consultancy specialising in computer interfaces and circuit technology for medical measuring instruments in Berlin, it was the malfunction of the amplifier in his Quad system that caused him to go looking for a new amp.

Ultimately, it was his demand for quality and his spirit of innovation that led to the formation of Burmester Audiosysteme GmbH in 1978.
Had Dieter Burmester not been so exacting and at the same time so creative, he would probably not have decided to design-engineer his own amplifier. Since he no longer considered using a hi-fi amplifier featuring tube technology, given relatively severe distortions, low damping factor compared with low-frequency membranes and rapid ageing, Burmester incorporated op-amp technology, modelled on modern measuring instruments, into his amp. Ultimately it was his high quality standards and spirit of innovation that led in 1978 to the establishment of Burmester Audiosysteme GmbH and which still form the basis of the company’s philosophy to this day. An unwillingness to compromise on the choice of components and the quality of workmanship combined with the principle of only launching a product if it represents a clear technical enhancement, compared with competitors’ products.

1980

The world’s first modular preamplifier
Dieter Burmester developed and produced the world’s first modular preamplifier. The legendary 808 is still produced today and in the meantime continues to show the way in the fifth evolutionary stage.

1983

The Phono Preamplifier
Dieter Burmester introduced symmetrical switching technology in the high-end segment with the 838 phono preamplifier.

1990

The stereo power amplifier 909
In 1990 the stereo power amplifier 909 is launched. It marked the foundation for all future generations of Burmester power amplifiers such as the 911, 956 and 036. The massive heat sink with its anodised silver ribs has become a characteristic design element for Burmester components across the globe.

1997

The Reference Line
The new product line completed the Burmester portfolio. The new Burmester Reference Line is now known for setting the standard in sound quality, innovation and processing quality in the high-end segment around the world. The naming of this extraordinary series was practically predetermined by the specialist magazines around the world: Reference – because all the products from this line are honoured with reference titles.

2005

Entering the automotive segment
Burmester is the first High-End sound manufacturer worldwide to be implemented in a luxury automobile. Bugatti, for whom Burmester developed an exclusive sound system over the course of three years, implemented the system in the model 16.4 Veyron.

2009

Porsche and Burmester
With a High-End surround sound system for the Porsche Panamera, Burmester set a new benchmark for automotive sound. Today, this award-winning system is available in all Porsche models.

2018

The Signature Line is complete
With the Burmester Signature Line, the company has made it possible for listeners to enter a new dimension of musical enjoyment. This product line, which perfectly combines with Burmester’s 175 turntable, is notorious for its many technological progressions and represents the zenith of sound reproduction quality.