Conference hips::uk_audioo

    I haven't  seen any German kit reviewed for years. The last I remember
    is a Burmeister pre amp, mega years ago. I don't know why it doesn't
    get reviewed. Maybe it isn't even sold here. If German hifi is anything
    like their cars it'll be well designed functionally, look good and be 
    built to last for years - very hi-end; since the UK market, like most 
    others, is mainly dominated by the low-margin, hi-volume,
    sell-it-fast-in-a-sealed-box brigade, there maybe isn't much room for
    German specialist audio after the UK makers and the hi-end US kit have
    had their share of the hi-end, especially given the Pound/Deutschmark 
    exchange rate.
    
    Maybe things will change in 1992; I hope so, cos the UK hi-end market
    is distinctly boring right now, same old names  (Linn, Krell, Apogee,
    KEF, Quad).....yawn, yawn.
    
    Aren't there any German mags to help? You must have the vernacular
    after all the time you've been there!
    
    Dave
    
    

    Hi Dave!
    
    Sadly my impression of the German mags is that they tend to be similar
    to the American mags (excepting the 2 top players!) and not detailed
    enough in REVIEWING the gear's sound........more like rehashing the
    features and putting the thing in a class listing that is summarised in
    the back of each month's edition eg. Unreal, not-so-unreal, good,
    average, give-it-to-the-dog.
    You're right, the build is A1, so is the price, hence i want to hear
    from others that have been down this road......or am I the first ;-)
    
    cheers fjeff

I've heard some good things about ``Orange'' (?) pre + power amps but these
were _really_ expensive (>�5000 I think). But appart from that I can't be
much help,

	Sorry,

		Rik.

    Jeff,
    
    There are only two UK mags that consistently review hi-end kit, HiFi
    News/Record Review, and HiFi Choice. They do back copies and for a
    price may supply photostats of reviews. Contact details are:-
    
    HFN/RR	HFN/RR	
    		Link House
    		Dingwall Avenue
    		Croydon
    		CR9 2TA
    		UK
    
    		Phone 081-686-2599
    		Fax   081-760-0973
    
    HiFi Choice
    		HiFi Choice Editorial
                14 Rathbone Place
    		London
    		W1P 1DE
    
    HiFi Choice won't accept phone queries about journal content, so it's a
    pen and paper job.
    
    Dave

    
    I have heard some rather disparaging remarks about German market
    electronics, mainly on the grounds that they have to do tremendous
    quantities of EMF screening. The way they go about this, or the way it
    is tested for by the 'authorities' means that they have to add masses
    of extra components into the signal paths and endup degrading the sound
    quite a lot. 
    
    In addition, this obviously adds lots extra to the build costs/overheads
    The main worry that has been expressed is that this is all going to be
    compulsory throughout the E.C. after 1993 and all that.
    
    Just some extra input
    
    Dave.

Screening isn't necessarily a bad thing though. I would really like to
leave my CD Player turned on while I am listening to the tuner - I
can't, as it causes interference.

Trevor

    Trevor,
    
    	A word or waring about leaving CD players switched on - DON'T.
    
    	The laser has a fixed `on' life and unless you'r CD player only
    switches the laser on when playing you're player may ware out :-(
    
    	Rik
    
    PS Philips CD player (and derivatives) are esp. prone to this
    (So beware Dave ...)

    In case anyone is one the Burmester trail, I have just had 2 hours with
    the Burmester 870 mkII DAC/preamp........I was at the Frankfurt Hi End
    Messe on the weekend and Burmester were smart enough to rent a good
    sized room (concrete floor/walls) in a local village's church....=
    better listening conditions and no timewasters......in fact only 12
    people visited the room on Saturday. I had the system to myself
    basically.
    
    The system comprised the Burmester 917 CD transport, 870 DAC/preamp and
    some prototype active speakers from Tubephon. The retail prices were
    DM14,000 , DM11,000 , DM14,000 respectively.
    
    All I can say is I haven't slept well since hearing this lot! I am an
    avid Apogee, Magnaplanar and Quad electrostat man but these speakers 
    were in the Apogee department (I hate myself having to write this!).
    The sound from the CD source is the first time I have said I would
    actually take this thing home with me to keep (just missing those 25,000
    readies).....dynamic as I expect from CD, delicate and detailed, no
    hardness AT ALL (as I didn't expect from CD), a full 3D sound stage
    that goes well behind the speaker line, ambience around the
    instruments/players..........in other words all the presentation
    attributes I have enjoyed from my Lp playing Oracle and Michell
    turntables but with the wider dynamics that CD has to offer.......this
    thing goes LOW......talk about detail finding amongst all the
    instruments. It isn't cold or warm, just 'there', or should I say "not
    there". I have had the earlier Burmester 877 mkI analogue preamp at
    home for a year but didn't keep it due to its 'coldness' of sound, this
    870mkII {BTW it has 3 digital inputs and 2 analogue, one of which is TAPE}
    has changed my earlier 'bias' against Burmester's reputation for being
    'clinical' sounding.
    
    To put the rest in perspective, the (Mark Levinson)Proceed CD transport
    and DAC combo was very 'analogue' sounding in it's
    presentation.....3D/spacious/warm......nice but I'd rather carry on with
    my 33.3 LP's thanks, the Meridian 208/203 Trans/DAC gives great detail and
    real 'blacks' in the silence but I am not sure about its dynamics and
    sometimes I hear real wierd mistiming between the instruments (maybe
    they DID have a bad day in the studio). The Wadia and Stax I haven't
    heard yet so I can't make a comparision there.
    
    If you are thinking of going the expensive transport/DAC way, then try
    the 917 and 870 out just to get  a reference for you hard earned cash
    and make a comment here, maybe I dreamt all this up (it's my head doc, it
    hurts!)..........	
    
    I just hate it when a pragmatic hifi/music nut like myself has this
    happen to me.........having 400LPs and 350CDs but still waiting for the
    'right' [for my expectations from such expensive software] sounding CD
    transport/DAC before parting with the 'readies', I now have the goal I
    need but not the bank balance.......life's a bugger like
    that...........!!
    
    cheers fjeff
    
    PS: To carry on using the turntables for Lp you would have to invest in
    a MC/MM-RIAA-line level preamp from say Michell, Roksan or Burmester
    838 via one of the 870's analogue inputs. 
                                             

I am having the Audiolabor pre-amp and amp. Have you heard to them?

Chak.