Boulder amp from hell...

[microstrip]

I hope this doesn't come across the wrong way . But my first thought after talking about how they make those massive heatsinks was "what a waste of natural resources!" They get a huge block of aluminum and drill out and cut away huge chunks of it. I suspect more is thrown away than kept. Yes, yes, buying high-end of anything is about excess . But still, I thought that there would be many ways to utilize that metal that was thrown away to keep the machine cooler and by that, use less material. Alas, form over function has a role here and that is the design we see.

Amir,
Just to let you sleep better tonight - manufacturers usually sell the high quality aluminum excess for recycling.
See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium_recycling

 

[mep]

Good point Microstrip and it's true. It does get sold for scrap and recycled.

 

[amirm]

Amir,
Just to let you sleep better tonight - manufacturers usually sell the high quality aluminum excess for recycling.
See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium_recycling

I figured someone would help me out in this regard .

 

[microstrip]

Now we all had a good sleep, I will add that the JBevier, posting in the thread about the Devialet wrote some very interesting casuistic thoughts about distortions that can be related to the use of these massive structures of aluminum in electronic devices. Many reputed manufacturers (Ayre, Rowland Research, DartZeel) also use similar techniques in the casing of their amplifiers. aiming at reducing the vibrational effects in the sound characteristics of their electronics.

See:
http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showt...e-Devialet-D-Premier-Integrated-Amp-DAC/page8

 

[egidius]

I have a friend (won't name him) whom I consider a brilliant tinkerer. Anyway; he made great speakers in the 4-9K$ range, suddenly he got a distributor in the States, and an invitation to CES; within three months he had developped a speaker that cost 40K$ that could stand up against all that what 's best.
Unfortunately, before this he defended slim thinking, claiming he could get the "same" (whatever that is) performance with his "cheap" speakers.

I am actually sad about this, even though I can imagine the temptation is huge. I would have presumed an overhead of 100% would cover distribution??, but a 700%

 

[egidius]

Exactly Mark, it is too clean for tonality people (per your statement that you prefer tube amps which in no way are as clean as high power solid state like Boulder..and thats fine, I like SET sound--tonality-- as well as SS sound) and not clean enough to publish specifications other than the usual dribble without invoking a spec war with halcro.

They make the claim about this as a statement amp as per any other amp out there, well, let the measurement crowd see the real goods....ha...never...only the accepted THD and twin tone IMD, boy, that is something to brag about, paleeesee, that is not innovation, thats just an amp with 120 transisitors, each probably with its own feedback circuit of some sort, (geez, 120 transistors with feedback...that should upset the non-feedback crowd!) and some suped up discrete op amps designed by Jensen transformer company (not a problem with that, they are good amps) twenty years ago.

I happen to respect Boulders engineering, but if I were to part with that much brass, you better show me something innovative, not just 120 class a transistors hidden in a bullet proof case. That is just more of the same, perhaps $750 in electronic components excepting the power transformers, which add another perhaps $600 by my guesstimate.

No worries, I severely doubt I could hear the difference between it and an amp at a tenth of its price, unless part of the pre-conditioning was banging on the top of them with a sledge hammer!

Tom

If you want innovation go to David Berning!

 

[RogerD]

Now if those were solid copper i would be impressed.

 

[MylesBAstor]

I saw that but where was the "review" promised in the heading? It read more like an advertorial.

 

[Saturntube]

Square box

I am sure they sound fantastic and obviously no expensess cut.

I think designers are going out of their way trying to make yet ANOTHER square box different.

I would love to see a design that really thinks outside the box.

Now if Boulder for their statement product remains "in the box" .who will put some money in this direction?

 

[mep]

I just love this statement from Boulder: "...there's no reason to confuse people with specs that can be manipulated and twisted all over the place anyway."

 

[naturephoto1]

I just love this statement from Boulder: "...there's no reason to confuse people with specs that can be manipulated and twisted all over the place anyway."

Mark,

But, I have to love the price of $195K for the pair and 1500 watts Class A for each monoblock.

Rich

 

[JackD201]

If it had one zero less in it's price tag, I'd give those beasts a whirl.

 

[naturephoto1]

If it had one zero less in it's price tag, I'd give those beasts a whirl.

Jack,

Not in our lifetime. But who needs 1500 watts Class A per Monoblock? I wouldn't want to see my electric bill. Here is a case for having Solar Power or wind power.

Rich

 

[fas42]

For a start these can't be true "pure" class A, they would blow the circuit breaker even on a dedicated circuit within seconds if that were true, for 1500W output, or start melting the aluminium if the circuit would supply the current. They probably have a sliding bias, like Krell's efforts, which allows them in a sense to call it such a type device ...

Frank

 

[Steve Williams]

From the Boulder web site


JANUARY 11, 2011: Las Vegas, Nevada. 2011 Consumer Electronics Show.

Boulder would like to announce the world debut of the 3050 Mono Amplifier, seen by only a select few prior to the 2011 CES. After more than 25 years, Boulder has engineered and manufactured its largest and most powerful amplifier, the finest amplifier the world has ever seen. Bar none.

There is no turning back: with the 3050, the future of amplification began anew in 2011. Amongst the 3050's design features: Fully-balanced, dual-mono audio circuitry. An all-new gain stage based on the incomparable 993 to achieve vanishing levels of distortion. 120 bipolar output devices, 50% more than the Boulder 2050 Mono Amplifier. Pure Class A operation. 400 lbs. (180 kg). A dedicated carved granite and stainless steel base. Extensive mechanical resonance damping. Four toroidal power transformers. Dedicated 240V operation. And a brilliant new chassis design worthy of the description "modern art." The 3050 is, without a doubt, the most significant amplification development since the groundbreaking release of the 2050.

Only a handful of people will see or hear the 3050s. Fewer still will ever own them. For these individuals awaits the world's most sublime and intense music reproduction experience. Ever.

 

[es347]

well the music was nice but it didn't show anything much except the heat sinks and a brief look at the back of the amp

..and Boulder proves via this video, once again "it's all about the music....really"...pay no attention to those pesky Guggenheim-worthy heatsinks

 

[fas42]

With regard to having "true" class A operation at 1500W, at perfect efficiency for such a circuit, extremely unlikely in the real thing, it would dissipate 3,000W per side, a grand total of 6,000W of electricity and heat while the stereo setup is playing a long passage of pure silence.

Just the thing to keep your home warm in winter and burn a hole in your wallet ...

Frank

 

[DonH50]

Note the amp in question uses active biasing...

Also, while class B can achieve 50% efficiency, the theoretical limit for class A is less than 30% so it would actually burn around 5 kW/amp. I hope it can be pre-wired for 440 V three-phase.

 

[fas42]

Note the amp in question uses active biasing...

Also, while class B can achieve 50% efficiency, the theoretical limit for class A is less than 30% so it would actually burn around 5 kW/amp. I hope it can be pre-wired for 440 V three-phase.

Yes, I did mention sliding bias before ...

But you've got me confused about efficiency: from Wikipedia, 50% for class A, 78.5% for class B, better go correct them, Don!

Frank

 

[MylesBAstor]

I have to say that if the new Boulder amp is better than the 2060, it's going to be something special in the solid-state realm.

See review of 2060:

http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue27/2060_boulder.htm