Boulder 866 Driving Magnepan 20.7's

[Cycles2]

I'm considering purchasing a Boulder 866 Integrated (Digital version) based on the positive reviews and speaking with a couple 866 owners. My main concern is will it have ample power to drive my Magnepan 20.7's? If anyone out there owns or has listened to this combo, I appreciate the feedback. I plan on using a REL S/812 subwoofer but the Maggie 20.7's will receive a full range signal from the Boulder 866 speaker outputs.

Thanks in advance.

 

[DonH50]

Depends how far away you are from them and how loudly you listen, but it's hard for me to imagine 400 W at 4 ohms and peak power of 700 W at 2 ohms wouldn't be enough to drive your Maggies to ear-splitting levels.

 

[Addicted to hifi]

I'm considering purchasing a Boulder 866 Integrated (Digital version) based on the positive reviews and speaking with a couple 866 owners. My main concern is will it have ample power to drive my Magnepan 20.7's? If anyone out there owns or has listened to this combo, I appreciate the feedback. I plan on using a REL S/812 subwoofer but the Maggie 20.7's will receive a full range signal from the Boulder 866 speaker outputs.

Thanks in advance.

Should be an excellent match Boulder are super hi end .

 

[chuck]

A new video on the 866:

Probably a bit basic for this forum, but fun anyway.

 

[Addicted to hifi]

A new video on the 866:

Probably a bit basic for this forum, but fun anyway.

Thanks for the video.

 

[Cycles2]

/,!,!

Thanks for the video.

Mike, your Boulder 866 review was pathetic. You missed the entire point of the 866. Connect it to the Internet to access Qobuz aand you don't need a lo-fi Bluesound 2i or Sony CD player. You never hooked it up to some challenging speaker loads like Magico to see how powerful the amp sextion of thd 866 is. Then you bring on some giggling girl who has no quifications for a hi-fi review and she tells us she heard nooses in songs she's never heard before. 'Noises - seriously?
You need to stick to reviewing lo-fi equipment from Best Buy.

 

[chuck]

/,!,!

Mike, your Boulder 866 review was pathetic. You missed the entire point of the 866. Connect it to the Internet to access Qobuz aand you don't need a lo-fi Bluesound 2i or Sony CD player. You never hooked it up to some challenging speaker loads like Magico to see how powerful the amp sextion of thd 866 is. Then you bring on some giggling girl who has no quifications for a hi-fi review and she tells us she heard nooses in songs she's never heard before. 'Noises - seriously?
You need to stick to reviewing lo-fi equipment from Best Buy.

I must disagree. I thought it was a terrific review. He is speaking to a larger audience, people who want something better than is available at Best Buy. Telling people who don't know what a Magico speaker is that the Boulder 866 is something great that will work for them, lowering the barriers, showing them how to make it work. The young woman tells people that the difference in sound is huge, and compared to anything she has heard before, it is. She tells what her qualifications are -- pre-pandemic she went to lots of live music shows and the 866 sounds more like real music than anything she had experienced before. He used accessible speakers in the review to show the 866 will make any system much better, which is true. If he used $50K Magicos, then the message would be that the 866 is only for people who have that kind of gear.

 

[Big Dog RJ]

Checking on Cycles2;

How did you go with the Boulder integrated?
Let us know your findings and what you feel are the strengths and areas for improvement.

One of my former dealers in Spore just took delivery of this particular Integrated amp by Boulder to order for a lady customer who has the Apogee Duetta sigs fully refurbed, replaced her Maggie 1.7i. She couldn't be any happier, thrilled to bits apparently, and she's not interested in proceeding with larger panels. I can certainly imagine so and why.

Another amplifier I must demo on my next trip, have only heard rave reviews from personal owners on this new amp by Boulder. It has a pretty fancy face plate!
Cheers, and enjoy those fine tunes!
RJ

 

[Cycles2]

Checking on Cycles2;

How did you go with the Boulder integrated?
Let us know your findings and what you feel are the strengths and areas for improvement.

One of my former dealers in Spore just took delivery of this particular Integrated amp by Boulder to order for a lady customer who has the Apogee Duetta sigs fully refurbed, replaced her Maggie 1.7i. She couldn't be any happier, thrilled to bits apparently, and she's not interested in proceeding with larger panels. I can certainly imagine so and why.

Another amplifier I must demo on my next trip, have only heard rave reviews from personal owners on this new amp by Boulder. It has a pretty fancy face plate!
Cheers, and enjoy those fine tunes!
RJ

@Big Dog RJ

Because it's a Boulder, my expectations of the 866 were pretty high but I never expected it to be as good as it is. It's the first all-in-1 that I've heard that competes with high end separates.

It has more meat on the bones than the typical Class D based all-in-1 boxes I've heard. The design and build quality are world class which we've all come to expect from Boulder.

Admittedly the 866 is more expensive than many all-in-1 systems but it's not a dairy might to compare it to units like the NAD Masters Series. In my opinion as the SPL of the M33 increases, the SQ seems strained. The 866 doesn't sound strained. This could be why it's the only all-in-1 that drives my Maggie 20.7s as well as maany high end separate Class A amps. The DAC/Streamer section of the 866 also surpassed my expectations. I'm using an Ayre CS/SACD player and Qobuz. The 866 DAC provides terrific resolution, clarity and heft to both sources.

Boulder hit a grand slam with the 866.

 

[Big Dog RJ]

Ah! Nice one Cycles2, that's about right I reckon.

This was basically her impressions as well, the Boulder totally grips those ribbons like no other. This is the grip factor I'm referring to, and quite a few who are using Maggie's larger panels, haven't been able to experience this sort of grip, simply because the amplifiers they're using are quite different. Obviously personal preference comes into play, and that's the bottom line.

I can imagine that ribbon panel moving with the Boulder, and especially on the LF detail. You would be experiencing the whiplash bass I'm talking about. Extension with supreme control... Nice one indeed!

One thing for sure is, Boulder is no ordinary amplifier! They're in a class of their own.
Cheers matey, enjoy those fine tunes!
Best, RJ

 

[Addicted to hifi]

I have heard Boulder amplifiers before and indeed they are very special and very expensive as well.

 

[LL21]

I have heard Boulder amplifiers before and indeed they are very special and very expensive as well.

Interesting and agree...which ones have you heard? Would be interested to know more about how you think they compare with other amps you have heard. I have heard the older 2060 and the newer 2160 but not in a system I knew well.

 

[Addicted to hifi]

Interesting and agree...which ones have you heard? Would be interested to know more about how you think they compare with other amps you have heard. I have heard the older 2060 and the newer 2160 but not in a system I knew well.

It was a while ago and I don’t know what model it was but I remember the sound quality was stunning driving a pair of Martin Logan prodigy speakers.the CD player was a burmuster.

 

[hongkongfoufou]

Ah! Nice one Cycles2, that's about right I reckon.

This was basically her impressions as well, the Boulder totally grips those ribbons like no other. This is the grip factor I'm referring to, and quite a few who are using Maggie's larger panels, haven't been able to experience this sort of grip, simply because the amplifiers they're using are quite different. Obviously personal preference comes into play, and that's the bottom line.

I can imagine that ribbon panel moving with the Boulder, and especially on the LF detail. You would be experiencing the whiplash bass I'm talking about. Extension with supreme control... Nice one indeed!

One thing for sure is, Boulder is no ordinary amplifier! They're in a class of their own.
Cheers matey, enjoy those fine tunes!
Best, RJ

Very interesting.
I have a Jeff Rowland amplifier.
It is better than Audio Research Ref 75 on my Magnepan 3.7i...
There are no doubt because the differencies are enormous.

 

[Big Dog RJ]

Very interesting.
I have a Jeff Rowland amplifier.
It is better than Audio Research Ref 75 on my Magnepan 3.7i...
There are no doubt because the differencies are enormous.

Ah! That's a very good point on the Maggie's and ARC REF75SE. The exact same phenomenon happened with J Hall's (Aussie Quad whisperer...) MG3.7i's. He was using the REF75SE on his Quads ESL 2905's (same combination I had as well) to a wonderful extent! It was really a top notch combination, even though I prefer CJ with stats, which to me is truly special.

Then he got a pair of MG3.7i's and the REF75SE just couldn't drive it to its optimum potential. During those good old years, Maggie's were always combined with ARC gear, and thus used to be an outstanding match. I guess not all ARC amplifiers are made of the same power supply standards, unlike CJ. Anyway, he then went for the Sanders Magtec amp, which drives the Maggie's no issues! However, it doesn't quite have that musical ambience that ARC has.

BTW, which Jeff Rowland amplifiers do you have?
Not all of them are capable of driving difficult loads. Only his top three in the line are what I found to be an excellent match with panels, especially the top of the line monoblocks. They're really good, and this is one design of Class D that has come a long way from those previous ones. JR has really taken these to the limit, and they are incredibly good.

Cheers, and enjoy those fine tunes !
RJ

 

[audio.bill]

BTW, which Jeff Rowland amplifiers do you have?
Not all of them are capable of driving difficult loads. Only his top three in the line are what I found to be an excellent match with panels, especially the top of the line monoblocks. They're really good, and this is one design of Class D that has come a long way from those previous ones. JR has really taken these to the limit, and they are incredibly good.

Cheers, and enjoy those fine tunes !
RJ

Rowland 625 amp shown in signature, which I recommended as being an exceptional match with the 3.7i speakers.

 

[Big Dog RJ]

Rowland 625 amp shown in signature, which I recommended as being an exceptional match with the 3.7i speakers.

Ah! The JR- model 625 excellent !
That will be some fine tunes indeed, coming from your 3.7i's. One of the very best combinations to drive those ribbons.
Woof! RJ

 

[hongkongfoufou]

Rowland 625 amp shown in signature, which I recommended as being an exceptional match with the 3.7i speakers.

Thanks...
I have improve it with the Isotek Titan Evo 3 + Isotek Synchro Evo3 power cable...
Yes this combination works well.

 

[hongkongfoufou]

Rowland 625 amp shown in signature, which I recommended as being an exceptional match with the 3.7i speakers.

Hello, how do you know that Model 625 is exceptional match with the 3.7i speakers ? Thanks.

 

[audio.bill]

Hello, how do you know that Model 625 is exceptional match with the 3.7i speakers ? Thanks.

Due to my personal experience with the combination. Thought I had recommended it to you on another forum but maybe was confusing you with another user.