Burmester and MBL

Can't say anything about the MBL 6010, but I just auditioned the MBL 5011, and compared it to the Nagra PLL. I bought the Nagra!! IMHO the Nagra was soooo much better. Much more information (detail) sound stage was bigger, imaging, and mid range was in a different league I thought. If fact after auditioning I was in the show room and could hear some of the music I was auditioning, still playing with the Nagra as the pre, and the detail was obvious from the show room, outside the listening room.

I have owned Lamm, MBL, and Burmester along with a variety of other products. There is absolutely no question for me. Burmester has better musicality, engineering, build, and ability to be future-ready. I think that Burmester is the only one that qualifies as an investment and offers the true o flong term ownership.

I have to offer an alternative viewpoint. I have a tube system, and have the MBL 6010D along with a VAC Phi 300 amp and Stealth interconnects. I also use the Accustic Arts tube Dac, and have Kharma speakers. A dealer told me that he did a comparison, and found the Burmester 011 Preamp more musical, and I took the unit on loan and did a direct comparison myself.
It was immediately apparent that the Burmester was more solid state, and some of the body and tube like quality was gone. I felt the high and low ends were compressed with the Burmester. For me the MBL was the clear winner, and has a much sweeter and lush sound, with better dynamics.

Thanks to the last two entries.....obviously system compatability is key to these two excellent preamps.

It is important to note that the Noble line (15XX, 50XX) is quite different than the reference line. I changed from a 1521 transport to a 1621 and the difference was notable. What I experienced was a similar level of detail with much more musicality. Important to compare apples to apples.