Burmester 001, comment please?

I have a 220V Burmester 877 mkII pre-amp. I have 'heard' that it will cost around $1250 to have it changed to 110V by the dealer. I am currently using a $20 step-up transformer that plugs into a 110V outlet and generates 220V with a European-type outlet. Works fine. Just cannot use an after-market power cord with it to 'soup-up' performance.

After I posted, I found several websites, including the Burmester site, in which reference was made to belt-drive on the 001. So it appears that HP's statement to the contrary may be incorrect.

Can anyone confirm, from actual experience, that it is a belt-drive unit?

The 001 uses the same belt drive topology that is found in the 979 and 969 tranports. The real difference between the drives in these 2 transports and the 001 drive is that the 001 has a CDM-12 as a base mechanism and the other 2 have the ultra-rare CDM-9 as the base mechanism. Both mechanisms are equally modified and elaborated but the CDM-12 drive costs far less to begin with and in the end is not that far off in performance from the modded CDM-9.

The DAC section is a simplified version of what is found in the 980 SRC DAC. It has the switchable digital filter, HDCD decoder(no one with a 980 uses this anyway) and the upsampling sutdown function removed. While these were nice features to have, they are not essential to the performance of the 980. Also gone are the host of outputs found on the 979 and the clock sync sections. None of this is needed as the 001 is a 1 box player. Same power supply and same chassis as the 979 transport.

Added to this machine is a proper high voltage variable output that is switchable between a high and low voltage range to allow this unit to direct drive the amps. It can also be used as a straight CD by selecting either a high or low voltage fixed output mode.

The bottom line is that you get most of the performance of the $25K 980/979 combo at a fraction of the cost. Also, in my experience(I have had both the 001 and 979/980 SRC combo, the 001 is the better all around performer if you are direct driving your amplifiers. Going through a suitable preamp such as the Boulder 2010 or 1012, the 980SRC/979 combo pulls well ahead of the 001. These are different machines for different applications. Anyone who is using their 001 through anything less than the best preamp or not going direct, has never really heard what the unit can do.

Also, the volume control is in the analog domain and the output stage is designed as a full preamp stage(it will only take digital inputs though) so this unit will PROPERLY direct drive an amplifier. This is unlike any of the other variable output CD players on the market.

This machine is a great value at full list let alone a good used price.

I use my Burmester front ends with a Boulder 2060 amplifier, MBL 101D speakers, Tara Labs "The Zero" interconnects and "The One" AC Cords and speaker cables although the later is soon to be replaced with their new flagship "Omega" which is a companion product to the Zero.

A quick note on the CEC which I have owned in the past. This is a very good transport and essentially a 1st generation Burmester transport design with the killer chassis and power supply and built by Sanyo. Burmester had originally contracted Sanyo to build the belt drive transport that they designed. This remained the case until the mid-late '90s when they started building their own tranports in-house. At this time, Sanyo licensed the original transport design from Burmester and start producing a finished product under the brand name of C.E.C. and will continue to do so if I am not mistaken.

As good as the CEC tranports are, even the TL-1X does not compare with the 001 used via its digital out as a tranport(you wouldn't do this with an 001 anyway but the comparison is valid).

The 001 has a great DAC and surpasses almost all single box players at any price(read Linn CD12) and many very expensive DACs such as the mbl, DCS, Levinson, Krell, etc. The Boulder is the real competition for this unit and about the ultimate digital rig is a Burmester/Boulder combo which stands well beyond compare.

Good luck!

Dinan,
I had to sit down and imagine what your system could possibly sound like. It must be great.

BTW what speakers are you using?

914nut and Justacoder, thanks for your valuable input. Makes me wonder what Burmester has on its mind for marketing strategy in US.

Dinan, thanks for your complete response. I am impressed and even more intrigued by 001. I see you have a lot of experience and knowledge, which I envy. Makes me wonder though how many units have been actually sold in US. You are almost the only one who has come forward as an owner on those internet forums.

One note about CEC, which I know: CEC was spun off from Sanyo group (MBO, I guess), and has been independent ever since. They have reduced presence in US, but seem doing ok in Japan and Europe.

Thank you very much.