Munich 2022

In a room that vied for recognition as the hottest enclosed space on the hottest floor on the hottest day of Munich High End, 45-year-old Burmester Audio introduced its new CEO, Industrial Engineer Frank Weise, and at least four new products. If my comments are far more than fuzzy around the edges, so was this far more than half-baked Serinus.

The new 216 and 218 amplifiers fill a price and quality gap in Burmester's former amp line-up. The 216, which is the successor to the Burmester 911, is claimed to offer "flagship Burmester sound" in a modern design.

Burmester's new BC150 loudspeaker was first shown at AXPONA. Because I was dazed by the heat, it's best to rely on Ken Micallef's AXPONA show report on the" three-way, bass reflex BC150 loudspeakers ($150,000/pair) [that have a] specified sensitivity of 88.5dB/2.83V/m and impedance of 3 ohms. The BC150 includes two Air-Motion-Transformer (AMT) tweeters, a side-firing 12.5" woofer, and a 7" fiber-cone midrange unit with an oval-shaped voice-coil, which is said to 'significantly increase the dimensional stability of the lightweight membrane.' "The very lowest frequencies are delivered via the flow-optimized, carbon-fiber bass reflex port," stated the publicity materials."

Finally, the company introduced its 217 turntable. On music by Dominique Fils-Aimé and Mickey Hart, the system delivered impressive bass and beguiling sound.