Boulder amp from hell...

[andromedaaudio]

But thats not all , they sound about as musical/involving as the 300 B amps i have , and far more musical then krell i would say , the 300 B s are more dynamic probably , boulder is more about control /drive the tubes are gentler /softer/rounded but can convey the dynamics of a trumpet better than the boulder can
Buying a 2010 2050 combo 14 years ago might have been actually a good high end investment unless so many other high end designs
The reason they dont get much press lately , is that the highendshows /magazines like any other industry flourish/live of new designs , whether the old ones are better is not that important

 

[AMP]

They reason they dont get much press lately , is that the highendshows /magazines like any other industry flourish/live of new designs , whether the old ones are better is not that important

So true.... and unfortunately too many manufacturers fell into this trap and shelved excellent designs in favor of new and different, but often not even remotely better. Rowland's ICE module amps come to mind here... great idea, but I'd gladly take an 8Ti or 9Ti over the 300 series.

 

[NorthStar]

-- I agree with you Andromed. ...And some older ('bolder' ) amps can hold their own just fine with today's newer designs (quality build and sound wise).

Main thing: Component's matching (synergy), with today's newest high-end loudspeaker's designs.

 

[LL21]

-- Thx AMP. ...I did some searching, and several models have been reviewed (I did read few Boulder amps reviews myself before because I read so many audio mags), but the 2060 I couldn't find.

One thing for shure about Boulder products (amps & all); they are very solidly build (internally, externally), and they are super heavy (weight). ...You need a forklift to position them into place. Some are expensive, and others 'more' expensive.

They are fortresses, radically.

I think Jeff Fritz may have done a comparison with the Gryphon Colosseum (2011) on Ultra Audio, World Best Audio...as he used to use the Boulder 2060 as his reference in World Best Audio System, before moving over to the Gryphon Colosseum. I think he went Antileon Signature, then Vitus then Boulder 1060 to 2060, then Colosseum and now the brand new custom all-out-assault Vitus monos. So in some respects he's been quite consistent...all high powered Class A SS amplification from 3 competitors for the last 5-6 years!

 

[LL21]

-- Thx AMP. ...I did some searching, and several models have been reviewed (I did read few Boulder amps reviews myself before because I read so many audio mags), but the 2060 I couldn't find.

One thing for shure about Boulder products (amps & all); they are very solidly build (internally, externally), and they are super heavy (weight). ...You need a forklift to position them into place. Some are expensive, and others 'more' expensive.

They are fortresses, radically.

Positive Feedback Review of Boulder 2060...i've read this one before when i was seriously considering a second hand one.

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

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Positive Feedback Review of Boulder 2060...i've read this one before when i was seriously considering a second hand one.

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

i heard that Boulder 2060 in David's room at that time. i did not share his viewpoint.

 

[NorthStar]

Positive Feedback Review of Boulder 2060...i've read this one before when i was seriously considering a second hand one.

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

---- Alright, good score Lloyd.

 

[Imperial]

3050 is using 48 160V 4700 uF caps - total 225,600 uF.
2900 joule and high RC at 4,3.

2900 Joule, that is like 6 mono blocks of the type 750 from Audio Research equal to a stereo pair of Boulder 3050's...
Wild, Wild and then crazy!!!

Imperial.

 

[LL21]

View attachment 8147

At Boulder's listening room.

Great shot...particularly telling when you think about how bloody big those amps are...they're sitting next to Utopia Grandes, a 2060, and what i will guess is the 850 monos and a 1060 as well...and they look big even in comparison with the Utopias.

 

[Roysen]

3050 is using 48 160V 4700 uF caps - total 225,600 uF.
2900 joule and high Ripple Current at 4,3.

I wonder how that compares to my Krell MRA? From what I understand the capacitor bank has a total of 3.3 Farad. I am also curious how they compare in terms of sound.

 

[LL21]

I wonder how that compares to my Krell MRA? From what I understand the capacitor bank has a total of 3.3 Farad. I am also curious how they compare in terms of sound.

Great question...in fact, Roy, how does your MRA compare to other amps you have heard? You've heard many, but the ones that would be relatively more helpful to me in a comparison include: Gryphon Colosseum, Krell Evo Ones, MBL Ref monos, Boulder 2060, Momentum Stereo or Mono, Dartzeel 108, TAD Ref 600 monos, Tidal Impact monos.

 

[andromedaaudio]

Ive siriously compared between krell evo 400 monos and a 1060 , to me it would be a no brainer , i would buy a 3060 .
To me 3000 series monos would only be important if i would have very ...very ......very difficult speakers ,monos usually have a much bigger powersupply compared to the same wattage stereo versions .
Other advantages soundwise i have not discovered regarding mono versus stereo, besides that the boulder sounds way more in control than the krell did although the krell was rated 400 watt per channel , basscontrol is also better regardless of the name krell has .

Pride of ownership is also much higher with the boulder, and that 3060 looks very nice

 

[LL21]

Ive siriously compared between krell evo 400 monos and a 1060 , to me it would be a no brainer , i would buy a 3060 .
To me 3000 series monos would only be important if i would have very ...very ......very difficult speakers ,monos usually have a much bigger powersupply compared to the same wattage stereo versions .
Other advantages soundwise i have not discovered regarding mono versus stereo

Thanks...I have heard those Krell's and the evo 900s as well. I believe the Krell MRA is in a different league...designed by D'Agostino to break all bounds of engineering sanity when it was produced. I believe each mono weighs some 300kg or over 680lbs, and I suspect far out passes the regular production Krell Evo Ones. setting aside value, since the MRA's would be second-hand price today, I would be very curious to know how far D'Agostino managed to stretch his design from well over 10 years ago. Given how far his 750mcx monos have lasted, along with other 15 year old designs like Gryphon Antileon or even Boulder's own 2060, I would not be surprised if the MRA holds its own very well today.

 

[andromedaaudio]

Never heard the MRA , would love to one day!

Forget to mention the 1060 is also far more transparent and more musical ( gosh i have to stop repeating myself ) soundstage wrote a nice recent review about them.

The dutch importer stopped importing them , to expensive i reckon low sales , also they dont list on the german " whats best lists" , so much for " objective" audiomagazines stopped buying them long long time ago

 

[LL21]

Never heard the MRA , would love to one day!

Forget to mention the 1060 is also far more transparent and more musical ( gosh i have to stop repeating myself ) soundstage wrote a nice recent review about them.

The dutch importer stopped importing them , to expensive i reckon low sales , also they dont list on the german " whats best lists" , so much for objective audiomagazines stopped buying them long long time ago

By the way, i too really like the Boulders...my comments about Krell MRA are guessing, but guessing on listening to lots of Krell...when D'Agostino does a no holds barred, all-out-assault limited edition amplifier...it has to be something great. But coming back to Boulders, if I had not come across Gryphon, I would have gone Boulder and been very happy. The 2060 I nearly got second hand was tremendous. Different in some respects than Gryphon, but tremendously good.

 

[andromedaaudio]

I am also busy of designing /building a complement large high tech speaker to boulder amplfiers ( just kidding they work with any amp ) , but anyway ive been seriously inspired by them and they are are extremely neutral " reference " amplifiers

 

[LL21]

I am also busy of designing /building a complement large high tech speaker to boulder amplfiers ( just kidding they work with any amp ) , but anyway ive been seriously inspired by them

Wow! Look forward to reading about them...pictures please! When will they be ready?

 

[andromedaaudio]

I just got the first CAD (comp aided drawings) in on wednesday , but i will not show the preliminary screenshots ,for 99 % shure its gonna be a high tech adjustable aluminium modular design , i hope ready before the summer , a big system with 11 and 13 inch woofermodule and MTM on top , no more accuton units , been there done that, just natural sounding materials.

 

[LL21]

I just got the first CAD (comp aided drawings) in on wednesday , but i will not show the preliminary screenshots ,for 99 % shure its gonna be a high tech adjustable aluminium modular design , i hope ready before the summer , a big system with 11 and 13 inch woofermodule and MTM on top , no more accuton units , been there done that, just natural sounding materials.

Sounds like a cross between a Q7 and an XLF! Quite impressive already!

 

[andromedaaudio]

Well not exactly but roughly like a Maxx 3 qua systemsize ,but they will not sound like a wilson or a magico they will sound like AD speakers as they use entirely different units and X overs and housing construction /volume .
Mine will have as advantage that they will have around 94 db eff and have high impedance X overs , so you can run them with either 8 or 1000 watts and not merely drive , but i am talking full throttle audio, my design goal is neutrality ,one of them means having a flat output response , naturalness and as a result sheer audio thrill, meaning forget about them altogether .

Phase distortion will not be " solved " by adjustment /placing of units , but gets solved where it arises , namely in the X over !!!!
And they will be all passive designs