Burmester 032 Integrated Amplifier

Complimentary White Glove Delivery • Travel Reimbursement*

The Burmester 032 Integrated Amplifier brings the control, current delivery and circuit architecture of serious Burmester separates into a single Classic Line component. Delivering 2 × 171 watts into 4 ohms with 30 amps of continuous peak current, the 032 is engineered to drive demanding high-end loudspeakers while eliminating the need for separate preamplifier and power amplifier chassis.

Its engineering goes considerably deeper than its power rating. The 032 combines Burmester's proprietary Class A X-Amp input stages, fully balanced circuitry, a completely DC-coupled signal path, extremely low overall negative feedback, more than 1,800 damping factor and an oversized power supply with approximately 90,000 µF of filter capacity.

Five analog inputs, balanced and unbalanced preamplifier outputs, home theater pass-through, headphone output and extensive configuration options make the 032 equally capable as the centerpiece of a dedicated two-channel system or a high-performance stereo system integrated into a larger home theater.

2 × 171 Watts Into 4 Ohms

The 032 delivers 171 watts per channel into 4 ohms, but its ability to control difficult loudspeakers is better represented by the amplifier's current capability than wattage alone.

Burmester specifies 30 amps of continuous peak current, giving the 032 substantial reserves for loudspeakers whose impedance and electrical demands change dramatically with frequency.

This is particularly important with large multi-driver floorstanding loudspeakers, low-impedance designs and speakers with complex crossover networks.

More Than 1,800 Damping Factor

The 032 has a specified damping factor greater than 1,800.

Damping factor describes the relationship between amplifier output impedance and the loudspeaker load. An amplifier with very low output impedance can exert greater electrical control over the movement of a loudspeaker driver after the musical signal changes or stops.

That becomes especially relevant with large bass drivers, where precise control of cone movement is fundamental to transient response and low-frequency definition.

Combined with its 30-amp current capability, the 032 is engineered for control rather than simply headline output power.

Burmester X-Amp Class A Input Stage

The 032 uses Burmester's proprietary X-Amp technology in its input stages, operating in Class A.

Class A operation keeps the active devices continuously biased within their operating region, avoiding the switching behavior associated with conventional Class AB input-stage transitions.

This technology is derived from Burmester's higher-level amplification and is a central part of the 032's analog architecture.

Fully Balanced Circuit Design

The 032 is built around a fully balanced signal architecture.

Balanced topology processes the positive and negative portions of the audio signal symmetrically rather than referencing the complete signal to a common ground.

Burmester carries this philosophy throughout its high-end electronics, particularly when the 032 is connected to a balanced source through its XLR inputs.

Three of the amplifier's five primary inputs are balanced XLR connections.

Completely DC-Coupled Signal Path

The 032 is completely DC-coupled, eliminating coupling capacitors from the audio signal path.

Coupling capacitors are commonly used to block DC between amplifier stages, but they also become electrical components through which the music signal must pass.

Burmester instead designs the 032 to maintain the required operating conditions without inserting these capacitors into the signal path.

The result is an extremely wide published power bandwidth extending from essentially 0 Hz to 200 kHz at -3 dB.

Low Overall Negative Feedback

Burmester deliberately uses low overall negative feedback in the 032.

Rather than relying heavily on global feedback to correct the amplifier after amplification has taken place, the underlying circuit stages are engineered for high linearity and stability.

This approach places greater demands on component selection, circuit matching and thermal stability, which helps explain several of the 032's more elaborate internal construction techniques.

Oversized Power Supply

At the center of any serious power amplifier is its power supply.

The 032 employs an oversized toroidal transformer and approximately 90,000 µF of filter capacitance, providing the energy reserves required for substantial transient current delivery.

The large power supply contributes directly to the amplifier's ability to deliver 30 amps of continuous peak current and maintain control over demanding loudspeaker loads.

This is one reason the 032 weighs roughly 28 kg, or 62 lb, despite being an integrated amplifier.

Four Selected Power Transistors Per Channel

Each channel uses four carefully selected power transistors.

The output devices are thermally coupled to the amplifier's substantial external heatsinks through massive copper blocks.

Copper's excellent thermal conductivity allows heat generated by the output transistors to be transferred efficiently into the large heatsink structure.

This helps maintain consistent operating conditions as amplifier output and temperature change.

Thermally Isolated Driver Stages

Burmester goes further by mounting the 032's driver stages on a separate internal heatsink.

The objective is to prevent large temperature changes in the main output-stage heatsinks from altering the operating points of the driver circuitry.

Thermal stability is particularly important in precision analog circuits because semiconductor characteristics change with temperature.

Separating these thermal environments allows the 032's driver stages to maintain more consistent operating conditions even as the output section is delivering substantial power.

Shielded Solid-Brass Control Section

The highly polished center section on the 032 is more than a visual design element.

It is milled from solid brass and surrounds the display electronics.

The substantial brass structure helps shield the sensitive audio circuitry from unwanted interference generated by the display and control electronics.

This is characteristic of the 032's overall design philosophy: mechanical construction, thermal management and electrical architecture are treated as parts of the same amplifier rather than separate engineering problems.

Five Analog Inputs

The 032 provides five primary analog inputs:

3 × balanced XLR
2 × unbalanced RCA

Input sensitivity can be adjusted, making it possible to compensate for differences in output level between connected source components.

That means switching between a DAC, phono preamplifier and other analog sources does not necessarily result in large changes in playback volume.

Inputs can also be configured as part of the amplifier's setup system.

Balanced and Unbalanced Preamplifier Outputs

The 032 includes a preamplifier output, allowing its preamp section to control additional amplification.

This provides several upgrade and system-design possibilities.

A separate power amplifier can be added later, additional listening zones can be driven from the 032's volume control, or the amplifier can become part of a more complex system without replacing the entire component.

The 032 therefore provides considerably more system flexibility than a conventional integrated amplifier with only source inputs and speaker outputs.

Home Theater Pass-Through

A dedicated Surround Thruput function allows the 032 to be incorporated into a home theater while retaining a dedicated high-end analog stereo signal path for music.

When properly configured, the theater processor controls volume during multichannel playback while the 032 continues to power the main left and right loudspeakers.

For two-channel listening, the theater electronics can be removed from the primary music signal path.

This makes the 032 particularly useful in high-end systems where the same reference loudspeakers serve both serious stereo listening and private cinema.

Switchable Tone Controls

The 032 provides bass and treble adjustment for systems where some tonal correction is useful.

The tone controls can also be completely bypassed, allowing the amplifier to operate without tone-control circuitry affecting the signal when adjustment is not required.

This provides useful flexibility without forcing the user to choose between permanent tone processing and no adjustment capability at all.

Protection Outside the Signal Path

The 032 continuously monitors critical operating conditions including overheating, DC offset and overload.

Importantly, Burmester places the protection circuitry outside the primary audio signal path.

The objective is to protect the amplifier and connected loudspeakers without inserting unnecessary protective components directly into the path traveled by the music signal.

Technical Details

Specification	Burmester 032
Product Line	Classic Line
Product Type	Integrated Amplifier
Amplifier Configuration	Stereo
Rated Output Power	2 × 171 W into 4 Ω
Continuous Peak Current	30 A
Damping Factor	>1,800
Input Stage	Burmester X-Amp
Input Stage Operation	Class A
Circuit Architecture	Fully balanced
Signal Path	Completely DC-coupled
Overall Negative Feedback	Low
Power Bandwidth	0 Hz to 200 kHz (-3 dB)
Output Transistors	4 selected devices per channel
Power Supply	Oversized toroidal transformer
Filter Capacity	Approx. 90,000 µF
Balanced Inputs	3 × XLR
Unbalanced Inputs	2 × RCA
Preamplifier Output	Yes
Headphone Output	6.3 mm
Home Theater Integration	Surround Thruput
Tone Controls	Bass / Treble
Tone Control Bypass	Yes
Input Sensitivity	Adjustable
Output Level	Adjustable
Wake-Up Volume	Adjustable
Remote Control	Included
Remote Switching	10 V DC
Protection	Overtemperature / DC / overload monitoring
Standby Consumption	Approx. 3 W
Current Published Dimensions	482 × 191 × 482 mm / 19 × 7.5 × 19 in
Current Published Weight	Approx. 28 kg / 61.7 lb
Manufacturing	Berlin, Germany

Burmester 032 at The Grid HiFi

The Grid HiFi in Houston specializes in Burmester high-end audio and complete reference two-channel systems. The 032 is one of the most compelling ways to build a serious Burmester system around a single amplification component, particularly when substantial current delivery and loudspeaker control are required without moving to separate preamplifier and power amplifier chassis.

Its 171-watt output, 30-amp current capability and greater than 1,800 damping factor make loudspeaker matching particularly interesting. We can configure a complete 032-based system around Burmester loudspeakers such as the B18, B28 or B38, or match it with other reference loudspeakers based on room size, impedance, listening distance and desired playback level.

We can also design the complete signal chain around the 032, including digital or analog sources, phono playback, cabling, power conditioning, equipment support, speaker placement and final system setup.

Complimentary White Glove Delivery • Travel Reimbursement*
Qualifying purchasers may receive airfare reimbursement for your private audition.
Considering the 032? Let’s build your dream system around it. Call (713) 218-8120.
*Restrictions apply. Contact us for details.