Burmester Musiccenter 151 review


 

Date: 2015-09-09

 

The Burmester Musiccenter 151 is difficult to pigeonhole. It’s a streamer, server, CD player and ripper, all wrapped in one superbly made chrome-laden box.

 

Build and design

This Burmester’s build quality is everything we’ve come to expect from the brand. The unit feels solid and is superbly finished, just as the price demands. Take a look inside and it’s clear that the company’s engineers have taken a great deal of care to get the layout and quality of the audio circuits just right.

 

Performance

We start off by using the Musiccenter as a CD player and are pleased with what we hear. Its presentation has the refined, creamy balance we’ve come to associate with Burmester.

A move to streaming a CD rip of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring allows the 151 to impress even more. The piece’s vicious dynamic swings are delivered with force, composure and excitement, yet the confident 151 keeps everything under control.

The tonal balance is slightly tilted towards richness at lower frequencies and smoothness at the top end. But this is never taken too far.

 

Verdict

In absolute terms, resolution and transparency are top-class. Such a balance means poorer recordings and lower quality sources are more fun to listen to than they would be on a less forgiving alternative.

 

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