Burmester 911MK3

[Glisse]

Originally Posted by jdebonth

Glisse, what does the rest of your system look like?

Joost, the SF Futura/Burmester 911Mk3/088 combination is part of my AV system. The primary source for the music part is a Mac Mini with Pure Music via Firewire out to a Weiss INT202 to a Metrum Octave DAC. The 088 I have at the moment has the DAC module, but I prefer the Metrum. I also have a Kuzma Stabi S12/Stogi 12 turntable in this system, and an Oppo 95 for SACD playback. Plus a Logitech Touch with a Teddy Pardo power supply for listening to internet radio. The side and rear surrounds are SF Concerto Grand Pianos, Domus Grand Pianos, and a Domus centre. Subwoofer is a Velodyne DD15. But I do not use the AV side at all when listening to music.

My main music only system is a 300B SET with high efficiency speakers - a very different approach.

[Glisse]

Originally Posted by Anatta

Glisse, what other amps did you try with the Futuras before settling on the Burmester?

Parasound Halo A21, Electrocompaniet AW250R and AW180 monos, Burmester 956, Pass X150.5. The 911 was double what I wanted to spend. But within one minute of listening to a brand new 911, straight out of the box and very cold from going over the Alps in a courier truck, to buy it was the only possible outcome. The other amp I would like to have listened to is the Vitus Audio 100w class AB power amp model that has just been released. But I could not audition one.

To me, the Futura is the cornerstone of the system. So I was only prepared to buy an amplifier I could hear being used with the speakers, in conditions I was very familiar with.

[Anatta]

Elberoth, do you have a list of high current amps in mind to replace your Dart beside the Soulution 710? Maybe some Gryphon Colosseum (also zero global NFB design)?

[howiebrou]

Originally Posted by Glisse

My main music only system is a 300B SET with high efficiency speakers - a very different approach.

Tell us more Glisse!

And welcome to AA!

howie

[howiebrou]

Originally Posted by Anatta

Elberoth, do you have a list of high current amps in mind to replace your Dart beside the Soulution 710? Maybe some Gryphon Colosseum (also zero global NFB design)?

Wow those two power amps sound very different!

howie

[joeinid]

Originally Posted by howiebrou

Wow those two power amps sound very different!

howie

Howie,

Didn't you have Soulution? How would you characterize the sound?

[howiebrou]

Originally Posted by joeinid

Howie,

Didn't you have Soulution? How would you characterize the sound?

Very neutral to the point where I actually wanted a bit more class A warmth and this was with Strads as well.

Nothing wrong with the sound but it must be what you want.

[joeinid]

I know exactly what you mean Thanks Howie!

[jdebonth]

Originally Posted by Anatta

jdebonth, do you know how much digital attenuation you use with the Medea? Did you fine tuned it with the front trim pots so that you use as little digital attenuation as possible?

"The output level is set via the "high / low" switch on the backpanel and via the trim potentiometers on the frontpanel. For output levels between +15dBu and +27 dBu symmetrical (or +9dBu and +21dBu asymmetrical) set the switch to "high". For all other levels set it to "low". These output level figures are reached for 0dBFS at the input of the DAC1.

The factory preset of the output levels is for 0dBu asymmetrical (or +6dBu symmetrical)."

+6dBu means 1.54V RMS and the 911 has a sensitivity of 0.67V; you should lower the output from the front trim pots even further so that it doesn't put more than 0.5V; this way you'll use less digital attenuation and you won't clip the amp because it won't receive enough voltage from the Medea even with no attenuation.

I am not sure exactly how many V RMS I have it set at, but I know it's very much on the low side. Any idea how to measure? To achieve perfect balance between L and R channels I play a 0 dB 1kHz test tone and measure voltage with a multimeter whilst fine tuning the trim pots until the voltages match perfectly. Does this value tell me the V RMS? With this method I have both L and R channels set at 0.270 V.

Anyways I am in the sweet spot because I usually am only attenuating very little within pure music (volume set between 75-100%). I do not have the FireWire version of the Medea so the dac itself performs no digital attenuation. (The FW upgrade/option provides digital attenuation with remote inside the dac, it's basically an INT202 built into the Medea).

What do you mean about clipping the amp due to too low voltage from the Medea? Was not aware this could happen...

[Elberoth]

Originally Posted by Glisse

Parasound Halo A21, Electrocompaniet AW250R and AW180 monos, Burmester 956, Pass X150.5. The 911 was double what I wanted to spend. But within one minute of listening to a brand new 911, straight out of the box and very cold from going over the Alps in a courier truck, to buy it was the only possible outcome.

Having heard Parasound Halo A21, Electrocompaniet AW250R and Pass X150.5, I can tell you that was the only possible outcome ! 911 is like from other universe next to them.

But then, you could probably tell that just by looking at the price list: the other amps were in $5-$7k range, and the 911 is ... $30k !

If anything, you should have tried to compare the 911 to Pass XA-200.5 or EC Nemo. Not saying that you would have chosen them over 911, just that the comparo would be at least more fair to those brands.