Burmester 151 MK2 Musiccenter

Burmester calls the 151 MK2 the little brother of the Reference Line 111, and it was developed from the 111's engine with the requests of 151 owners folded in. The server holds music on a 2 TB internal SSD, mirrored across two drives so a disc failure does not lose the library, and it also plays from USB sticks, from the four rear USB ports, from network storage and from the internal CD drive, which rips discs to the SSD with a choice of thorough or extremely thorough modes. Streaming covers Tidal, Qobuz, Idagio and internet radio over Ethernet or Wi-Fi. Every digital source is resampled to the owner's choice of 24-bit/192 kHz or 24-bit/96 kHz and reclocked before conversion; PCM up to 24/384 and DSD up to DSD256 are accepted and converted. The analog output stage has its own volume control, so the 151 MK2 can run at fixed level into a preamplifier or at variable level straight into a power amplifier or active loudspeakers, with a volume-matching setting to even out levels between recordings. There is a stereo analog input on mini-XLR (adapter cables to full-size XLR are included) for a phono stage or another line source, coaxial and optical digital inputs, XLR and RCA analog outputs, coaxial and optical digital outputs, a 6.3 mm headphone jack and the BurLink interface. The chassis is the slim Top Line format, 3.8 inches tall, with a chromed brass faceplate on polished aluminum.

Jason Victor Serinus reviewed the 151 MK2 for Stereophile in 2022 in three configurations, including direct into D'Agostino amplification with Wilson Alexia 2 loudspeakers. He found it warm and involving, with excellent bass, strong air and spaciousness and a wide stage, and heard a Perahia CD ripped to the SSD sound more vivid than the same album streamed from Qobuz: "As a CD ripper and playback system, the Burmester 151 MK2 Musiccenter excels." He rated its DAC among the best he had heard for the price of the section, and concluded that it performed at its best feeding a quality external preamplifier, where "Burmester's 151 MK2 Musiccenter delivers on its designer's promise."

For a Burmester owner the 151 MK2 is the digital front end for the 088, 035 or 032, connected over XLR at fixed level; with the volume control engaged it makes a two-box system with a 216 or 956 MK2 and no preamplifier at all. A turntable with the 100 Phono can come in through the analog input. Above it, the 111 Musiccenter adds a full analog preamplifier with three XLR inputs, X-Amp 3 gain stages, 4 TB of storage and a two-chamber chassis.

The 151 MK2 belongs to Burmester's Top Line. Its chrome front and polished aluminum case match the 088 and 216, and at 17.4 lb it sits on any shelf with a network connection nearby.