Product Description: Burmester Classic Line 232

Modular Integrated Amplifier, New for 2024. The Burmester Classic Line 232 is a high-quality integrated amplifier that offers excellent sound performance and premium workmanship. It meets all the requirements demanded of a modern amplifier. It combines unique advanced features with the unparalleled sound quality for which Burmester is known worldwide.

DETAIL
The 232 integrated amplifier combines traditional Burmester aesthetics, albeit in a new “domestic” look. The striking design elements of the Classic Line merge with minimalist controls, making the amplifier a work of art, designed with a full “360° approach” – for a sculptural presence in the living space.

TECHNICAL DETAILS

• Weight: 27 kg
• Width: 450 mm
• Height: 177 mm
• Depth: 480 mm
• Inputs (analog): 2 balanced XLR
• Inputs (digital): 3 USB, 1 HDMI, 1 electrical RCA, 1 optical (TOSLINK), 1 AES EBU
• Outputs (analog): 1 Stereo XLR, 1 Sub-Out (mono)
• Outputs (digital): 1 electrical RCA, 1 optical (TOSLINK)
• Output power stereo (CEA) per channel at 4 Ω: 150 W (determined on a pre-production device)
• Headphone connector: 6.3 mm
• Remote control: yes
• Optional module: DAC, Phono MC

SOUND QUALITY
Despite the variety of digital connection options and functions, the sound is still defined by analog circuit technology. With its warm, open, yet powerful and detailed sound, the Burmester Classic Line 232 amplifier embodies the sonic ideals expected from a Burmester amplifier.

The operational amplifiers used are of the highest quality and allow the musical signal to pass through uncolored. This almost completely eliminates any impact on sound quality.

The transformer serves as the central element, providing Class AB power. The 232 amplifier is fully constructed as a dual-mono design with secondary transformer windings. This minimizes electrical and magnetic coupling between the channels. The supply voltage remains absolutely stable for each channel, ensuring precise impulses.

MODULARITY
The 232 amplifier can be configured according to the customer’s preferences. It can be operated as a purely analog integrated amplifier or as an amplifier equipped with a top-tier DAC and phono preamplifier.

The new, purchasable D/A converter module is very versatile. It handles the conversion of internal audio streams, such as those from streaming services or Burmester servers, as well as external digital sources at the highest level.

The phono module for MC cartridge systems is derived from the phono signal processing of the Burmester Reference Preamplifier 077 and the award-winning Phono Preamplifier 100. It combines the processing of the finest analog signals with digital music at the highest level.

DESIGN
The new Burmester 232 integrated amplifier is the first product to utilize the new Burmester design. The elegant, timeless line harmonizes with expressive surfaces, such as the heat sink profile and the top of the component. A new addition is the black variant.

STREAMING
The optional DAC module transforms the 232 into a powerful integrated streaming amplifier with a digital interface, including HDMI eARC.

The three USB interfaces serve as audio interfaces for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android OS and allow offline music playback from USB storage devices.

Support for TIDAL Connect, Spotify Connect, and Apple AirPlay 2 is, of course, included.

Burmester – can it play anything?
A few years ago, my father and I were commissioned by a client to find a suitable amplifier for his speakers. These were floor-standing speakers from a well-known Scandinavian brand that were very demanding regarding amplifier selection. The search for the right combination of “amplifier brand X” with “speaker brand Y” is one of the main activities of every high-end audio dealer. That’s why HiFi studios are called “studios.”

In our case, we had quite a workout. We tested more than ten amplifier models, and the winner was the Burmester Classic Line 082. Since then, I’ve had a little personal rule of thumb: “Burmester can play almost anything.”

Modular Concept
The Burmester B38 offers the possibility of modular upgrades. You can purchase a D/A converter module (DAC) with a streamer and a module with a fully balanced phono preamplifier for MC cartridges. Burmester manufactures the DAC itself, and I consider it, along with the competing Japanese Rohm converter, to be the best on the market. Thanks to the modularity, you have a significant advantage – you simply click the module into the corresponding slot (or onto the mainboard) on the back of the amplifier. If you purchased an external DAC, you would have to deal with connecting signal cables.

The absence of USB-B is very disappointing. Because of this, you cannot play DSD files at high quality via another streamer/transport. I don’t understand why the DAC module includes the rarely-used digital XLR AES/EBU input, while the much more usable USB-B was forgotten.

The module with the D/A converter and streaming support doesn’t have its own streaming app, but it would be a shame not to get it. The purchasable DAC module is truly top-notch; it’s just a pity about the lack of its own app.

If Tidal Connect isn’t enough for you and you need the functionality of an app, you can simply get a streamer without a converter (a transport), e.g., Lumin U2 or Luxman NT-07, and connect it to the amplifier via a USB cable. You’ll still benefit from the advantage of the Burmester DAC while enjoying the benefits of the Lumin app. However, the vast majority of users in the Czech Republic will be fine with Tidal Connect or AirPlay 2.

Test: Burmester Classic Line 232 with Burmester B38

When connecting the amplifier to the B38 speakers, my father and I knew very well what we were getting. This set was presented to us in Munich and Berlin, and we considered whether to get it for demonstrations at PPHiFi. The acoustic treatment of the showroom at the Munich exhibition was average; we thought the set would sound even better in our environment.

One thing was clear – Burmester pairs best with another Burmester. At least from the manufacturer’s perspective. The stereo set of Burmester B38 and Burmester 232 is the best sonic result I have heard in that price category in our studio. The feeling of listening to high-end is almost tangible. Allow me to copy text from my previous review of the Burmester B38, as it evaluates the amplifier precisely with these loudspeakers:

“I strongly recommend the combination of Burmester Classic Line 232 with Burmester B38. It is precisely this matching (or the state of ‘everything from Burmester’) tailored by the manufacturer that is an advantage you shouldn’t miss out on. This symbiotic ‘Burmester harmony,’ or the ‘partnership between amplifier and speakers,’ is the most important thing in the search for the best possible stereo setup for a specific budget. I know far too many cases where a specific brand of speakers was connected to an amplifier that wasn’t their ‘partner,’ and the sonic result suffered. With Burmester, you don’t have to search; they’ve figured it out for you. They’ve even played it for you!

Thinking about it, few high-end brands manufacture both amplifiers and loudspeakers (right now, only McIntosh or Avid come to mind). It makes logical sense – high-end manufacturers focus only on what they excel at constructively over the long term. And it’s almost tempting to claim that Burmester excels at everything.”

• Which three essential things do I appreciate most about the Classic Line 232 & B38 set?
• Front-to-back soundstage (according to Burmester, a “three-dimensional spatial image”),
• Excellent microdynamics at lower volumes,
• Exceptional dynamics at higher volumes.

What did I listen to?
I always play the tracks Drive/Driven by Yello and Owner Of A Lonely Heart by Yes first. The latter reveals the aggressiveness or non-aggressiveness of the speakers’ treble, specifically on the saxophone at the beginning of the track. KEF and Burmester, unsurprisingly – the treble is excellent, with no hint of aggressiveness or “grain.”

Besides my most-listened-to reference and common tracks, I was inspired by the Burmester and Perlisten presentation at the Munich exhibition. Specifically, I played these tracks from Tidal:

• Yosi Horikawa – Bubbles (a Japanese “banger” with excellent dynamics, a joy for testing the spatiality of a stereo setup),
• Beatles – Here Comes the Sun (besides testing the correct left and right channel connection in the first seconds, it’s a sonically non-reference “favorite” I’ve listened to more than enough),
• Vahtang – Black Berry (a tip from Burmester with an excellent dynamic range),
• Francine Thirteen – Queen Mary (another tip from Burmester),
• Carolin No – Crystal Ball (another tip from Burmester),
• Queen – I Want To Break Free (rock classic, often used as a non-reference track),
• Pink Floyd – High Hopes (a prog-rock hit that has absolutely everything),
  and Pink Floyd – Time (another classic).

What is the power output of the Burmester 232?
Regarding technical specifications, the manufacturer provides only sparse details. It could be said they are as “sparse as possible.” Official technical specs tell you almost nothing except connectivity, dimensions, and weight.

For some reason, Burmester keeps the power values and the type of D/A converter a secret, and we can only speculate why. Unofficially, information leaks suggest that the Burmester Classic Line 232 offers a stable output of 2 x 150 W at 4Ω and 2 x 110 W at 8Ω load. If I may recommend, for high-end amplifiers, attach minimal importance to the power figures. In the case of Burmester, Accuphase, or Luxman, this rule applies doubly.

D/A Converter (DAC)
The DAC module from Burmester is perhaps the largest modular DAC I have tested. I admit, before purchasing the modular DAC for a surcharge of CZK 151,500, I was very skeptical. However, after A/B tests with other converters, I rank the modular Burmester D/A among the best converters I know.

We must also mention another benefit of the modular solution – it eliminates the need for signal cable interconnection. Plugging the module directly into the mainboard is equivalent to using the best XLR cable on the market.

What is generally decisive with high-end amplifiers?

Some manufacturers only specify power at 4Ω because the power at 8Ω impedance is “lower on paper,” and that doesn’t look very impressive – a higher number is more appealing. I don’t even want to know how many users choose an amplifier solely based on the highest power output.

Other manufacturers like to boast about the largest possible watt values in the specifications, but in the end, their 2 x 400W can be easily surpassed by the Burmester 232 with its 2 x 110W or, for example, the Luxman L-507Z with 110W per channel. According to which aspects should you choose?:

For high-end amplifiers, what matters is:

• the quality of the transformer,
• the damping factor,
• the correct combination of hardware,
• the manufacturer’s know-how,
• and the most important thing – a practical listening session before purchase (!!)

The new remote control for the Burmester 232 = a step back
Now for a bit of criticism that I simply can’t help but mention.

Older Burmester models boasted an extraordinary remote control with dozens of buttons, essentially a metal brick weighing maybe half a kilo. Legend has it that if this control block fell on the floor, it could make a hole just like the old Nokia 3310 =)) …

… But seriously, now. The new remote is the opposite extreme. Unfortunately. Now you get a small remote weighing 45 grams, which only has basic functions. It lacks, for example, a button for direct input selection, and the volume control buttons are “sunken” among the other buttons. Moreover, the buttons protrude perhaps only a quarter of a millimeter above the surface of the remote. Every user likes to feel for the volume + and volume – blindly, and here you might run into trouble. You have to get used to it or reach for another programmable remote.

Availability of Burmester Classic Line 232

I remember the Burmester 232 from the presentation in Munich in May 2023; it took a long two years from its announcement to reach distribution. The question is whether this is right. Hardcore fans of the brand (especially Germans) will probably forgive the endless delays, but others may not have such patience. Fortunately, the situation is now significantly better; a new unit can be ordered without any problems with availability around 4 weeks.

(Non-) Dependence of this Review
I write reviews quite rarely and in my free time. I haven’t been paid for any of them, not even in kind =)). However, I know the components I decide to test beforehand, and I’ll admit straight away that I am only able to write about the currently best audio products on the market. That is the main reason I am not sparing with praise, and ratings in my reviews rarely go below 8/10.

I am an official dealer for Burmester, as I am for most of the products. So yes, another admission – this review has a conflict of interest. At PPHiFi, my father and I carefully choose exactly what stays with us for permanent demonstrations. And the Burmester Classic Line 232 Nocturnal Noir is the most recent case – deservedly so.

Verdict:
Just like with the B38 floor-standing speakers, you have to hear the combination of two Burmesters (speaker & amplifier) with your own ears. The design of the amplifier is exceptionally successful, especially the matte black variant I had available for review.

If I were to rate only the resulting sound, I would give it full marks. But lately, I count myself among the unhealthily demanding users, so I’ll be strict. Due to the missing USB-B on the DAC, the illogical button layout on the remote control (+ its functions), and the lack of a dedicated streaming app for the DAC module, I give it “only 9/10”.