Boulder 2060 vs Gryphon Mephisto

infinitely baffled

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I owned a 2060 for several years until getting a Boulder 3060. I compared my 2060 to a lot of amps, tube and SS, and could not disagree with Alex more. So bring in all the amps you can to compare, play the most difficult, complex music. The quietness and control of the 2060 IMO really can't be matched, except for the 3060 of course.

I have used an Audio Research Reference Anniversary pre-amp for many years so maybe, as suggested, a different pre-amp.
Chuck may i ask what other pre amps you have tried with Boulder power amps?
Like you i enjoy the combination of valve pre, solid state power. It feels like to solution the the OP's situation as well, the issues he observes are the ones i feel come with using a solid state pre amp.
I'm in the process of upgrading to 2160.
Monthly installments...
 

LL21

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Chuck may i ask what other pre amps you have tried with Boulder power amps?
Like you i enjoy the combination of valve pre, solid state power. It feels like to solution the the OP's situation as well, the issues he observes are the ones i feel come with using a solid state pre amp.
I'm in the process of upgrading to 2160.
Monthly installments...
Congrats! Did you hear the 2160 and compare with your 2060? How do they compare? Like your Wavac/2060 combination...intuitively sounds like a combination i would definitely want to hear and likely enjoy.
 
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chuck

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I tried a Boulder 1110 and will likely switch to a Boulder preamp, either the 1110 or a 2110. The 1110 was a little better sound IMO. I like the user interface better, it will turn on immediately or I can just leave it on. The ARC takes about a minute to power up.
 

LL21

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I tried a Boulder 1110 and will likely switch to a Boulder preamp, either the 1110 or a 2110. The 1110 was a little better sound IMO. I like the user interface better, it will turn on immediately or I can just leave it on. The ARC takes about a minute to power up.
Chuck

Do you mean the Boulder 1110 was better than your ARC Ref Pre-amp or the Boulder 2110? Presume the former, but just checking.
 

infinitely baffled

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Congrats! Did you hear the 2160 and compare with your 2060? How do they compare? Like your Wavac/2060 combination...intuitively sounds like a combination i would definitely want to hear and likely enjoy.
Thank you Lloyd:)

Embarrassingly, given the nature of the forum, i didnt audition 2160.
Some 2160 spec upgrades were applied to my, now defunct, 2060. I noticed a worthwhile improvement; things became more palpable, fluid and textured. So when my cat finally killed it by puking on it when it was powered up:eek: it was just a matter of procrastinating for a few months, and then biting the bullet as the choice was obvious.

The only other contender was 3060, who knows, if after three years of monthly installments i can handle waiting a bit longer i will go for the long haul....but it seems unlikely.
More realistically i will trade up in a few years time

I'd like to hear the Arc ref10 combined with 2160, if only to rule it out.
I accept that, as Microstrip sagely observes, they may be a better match on paper than Wavac - Boulder. In my experience ARC preamps have an impressive way of scaling my system up, but do they get to the heart of the music like the Wavac - Boulder combo?
That i would like to know.

And just in my humble opinion, to the OP if your system with 2060 in sounds sterile or cold, this should not be laid at the feet of the Boulder power amp as it is not how i would ever describe the sound of mine:)
 

spiritofmusic

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IB, just how did you explain the cat incident to yr insurance company?

Right up there w being thrown down the stairs and saying you cut yself shaving.
 

infinitely baffled

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Funnily enough, the stranger the story the more likely they are to believe you. And cats certainly have a rep in insurance circles....i remember one year we all sat down to family sunday dinner with the news on in the background and a cat either side of the telly. As we were tucking into the roast parsnips a fight broke out between the cats, and in front of us all, watched the tv fall forwards off the stand and break
The insurance company didn't bat an eyelid
 
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Hyperion

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I would suggest investigating a different pre amp first and foremost. You will be able to influence the qualities of your systems in a much easier and more flexible way - especially if you choose a tube based preamp - rather than switching out your power amp. I will personally learn more about the synergy in between the Allnic preamps and the Boulder power amps at some point next year.

Worth mentioning is also that Magico will always be a very revealing speaker with specific and rather analytical characteristics which I wouldn't place on the "organic" side of any spectrum.

/ Marcus, www.perfect-sense.se
 

infinitely baffled

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Please keep us updated with your findings, Marcus?

The Quest for the perfect partner continues....
 
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LL21

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I would suggest investigating a different pre amp first and foremost. You will be able to influence the qualities of your systems in a much easier and more flexible way - especially if you choose a tube based preamp - rather than switching out your power amp. I will personally learn more about the synergy in between the Allnic preamps and the Boulder power amps at some point next year.

Worth mentioning is also that Magico will always be a very revealing speaker with specific and rather analytical characteristics which I wouldn't place on the "organic" side of any spectrum.

/ Marcus, www.perfect-sense.se

Please keep us updated with your findings, Marcus?

The Quest for the perfect partner continues....

Ypsilon? I was thinking CJ GAT 2 + Boulder 2060, and realized that perhaps Ypsilon (which Marcus carries) might be an interesting approach.
 
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chuck

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Thank you Lloyd:)

Embarrassingly, given the nature of the forum, i didnt audition 2160.
Some 2160 spec upgrades were applied to my, now defunct, 2060. I noticed a worthwhile improvement; things became more palpable, fluid and textured. So when my cat finally killed it by puking on it when it was powered up:eek: it was just a matter of procrastinating for a few months, and then biting the bullet as the choice was obvious.

The only other contender was 3060, who knows, if after three years of monthly installments i can handle waiting a bit longer i will go for the long haul....but it seems unlikely.
More realistically i will trade up in a few years time

I'd like to hear the Arc ref10 combined with 2160, if only to rule it out.
I accept that, as Microstrip sagely observes, they may be a better match on paper than Wavac - Boulder. In my experience ARC preamps have an impressive way of scaling my system up, but do they get to the heart of the music like the Wavac - Boulder combo?
That i would like to know.

And just in my humble opinion, to the OP if your system with 2060 in sounds sterile or cold, this should not be laid at the feet of the Boulder power amp as it is not how i would ever describe the sound of mine:)
Did you investigate whether Boulder could fix your 2060? I remember being at the factory and they were fixing a 2060 that had been through a flood.
 

infinitely baffled

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They made me an offer i couldn't refuse on a new 2160:)
 

infinitely baffled

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Thank you:)


Wavac pr-t1 pre amp, Focal Stella Utopia speakers
 

Jlaz

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Aug 22, 2015
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Interesting thread. I have a Boulder 2060 and I do not think it’s cold at all. The 1060, as I remember it, was a bit cooler sounding. The 2060 is an entirely different beast. It’s far more nuanced and engaging and tonally accurate.
 
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infinitely baffled

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Interesting thread. I have a Boulder 2060 and I do not think it’s cold at all. The 1060, as I remember it, was a bit cooler sounding. The 2060 is an entirely different beast. It’s far more nuanced and engaging and tonally accurate.
Can i ask what pre amp you partner with your 2060?
 

infinitely baffled

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