2026 Awards – Integrated Amplifier Over £15K

Outside the car world, Burmester is best known for its excellent preamplifiers and power amplifiers, while its integrated designs are often seen as stepping stones to those separates. The 232 challenges that assumption. This is an outstanding integrated amplifier and by far the best Burmester has ever produced. The 232 is ‘integrated’ by hi-fi definitions, combining the company’s high-quality, balanced-only line-level preamplifier stage with a symmetric, DC-coupled dual-mono Class A/B power amplifier capable of delivering 150W into a four-ohm load. But it can also be described as ‘modular’, as optional plug-in boards can expand the 232’s connectivity to include moving-coil phono, HDMI ARC, USB and network streaming.

Consumers now expect a modern user interface as opposed to the single-function controls, and the 232 delivers on that front with a big, square and chrome chassis that combines Burmester’s traditional design elements with something that looks very ‘now’. Operating the 232 is a truly fascinating affair, too. The front panel features a central screen, flanked by touch buttons on each side, and the distinctive rotary encoder elicits a ‘wow!’ response upon first use.

Burmester with a twist

The 232 sound is also classic Burmester with a contemporary twist. It’s big, warm and inviting yet highly precise, with a strong sense of intensely detailed bass – but it’s less warm-sounding than previous Burmester models, delivering a more modern tonal balance and an ‘oomph’ factor that’s great for dynamic pieces. “It’s a twist with no downside!” says Alan Sircom, who finishes his 232 review feeling utterly satisfied.

Reviewed in Issue 249

Burmester • burmester.de

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The Pendulum is notable for many reasons. Despite its considerable asking price, it’s the entry-level amplifier in D’Agostino’s range; it offers the option to add digital streaming (£3,200) and phono stage (£1,500) modules to its £20,000 base price; it is one of the most distinctive-looking amps out there, right down to its unique remote control; and finally, its fast, powerful and musically gifted sound is best-of-breed level for the money. 

Without those extra modules, the Pendulum simply sports three pairs of balanced XLR inputs, a single RCA pair (taken up by the phono stage if one is fitted) and a headphone jack. The front panel is what demands your attention, though – specifically the circular porthole, styled to resemble a Breguet Timepiece, encircled by a copper ring and, inside, displaying track information, input and volume level. This design is mirrored in the rechargeable Bluetooth remote. Together, they look very elegant.

Musical maestro

There is something very ‘fast’ and immediate about the Pendulum’s sound, which also has a real knack for revealing the textures of music. “The Pendulum excels at showcasing the musical line,” praises reviewer Rafael Todes, who notes how the pairing of the D’Agostino with a dCS Bartók Apex streamer demonstrates how good digital replay and a well-designed amplifier can reveal the essence of Mozart’s phrasing: “The rendition has a beautiful flow; the piano sounds not only completely convincing, but also allows me to perceive a deeper rhythmic playfulness in what Barenboim is doing at the keyboard.”

The optional outboards deliver good-value performance, too, even if someone spending £20k on an amplifier may want to go further than their abilities.

Reviewed in Issue 248

D’Agostino • dandagostino.com

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For the uninitiated, Aavik is a brand of Audio Group Denmark, which was founded at the end of 2020 by Lars Kristensen (formerly of Nordost) and audio engineer Michael Børresen. The I-188 is a collaboration between Børresen and Flemming Rasmussen, the former owner of Danish high-end hi-fi brand Gryphon, and is a Class D design delivering 300 watts into 8 ohms.

High-end Class D

Aavik tells reviewer Chris Frankland that it would have been impossible to fit a 300-watt Class AB amp inside the compact chassis and that it “would most likely provide no benefits to audio quality”. The manufacturer has worked hard to alleviate the high-frequency noise typically associated with Class D amps through power supply design tweaks, with any remaining noise managed by 132 ‘Tesla coils’, strategically placed at key points in the circuitry and also employed to filter out noise captured by the wiring.

At its rear are five line-level RCA inputs, an RCA pre-out, and a primary input for solely operating the power amp section when an external preamp is connected. The aesthetic simplicity of the excellently built and finished I-188, with its bright, clear display, volume control and input selector, makes it a pleasure to operate, too.

The most pleasurable aspect, mind you, is the sound. The Aavik impresses Chris from the first few bars of the initial track he plays. “It has a clean, detailed, dynamic and highly musical sound,” he notes. “It offers excellent insights into what each musician is playing and how, and brings them all together as a musically coherent whole.” We wholeheartedly recommend it.

Reviewed in Issue 246

Aavik •
audiogroupdenmark.com/aavik-acoustics/

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