Impressions Boulder 2110, 2150 Mono Amps

rsorren1

Well-Known Member
Sep 6, 2013
365
133
348
Dallas area
I got the chance to listen to the new Boulder 2100 pre-amp, mono amps, at Dallas Audio Concepts yesterday. The rest of the system was: Boulder 1021 CD, 2008 phono, Linn LP-12 Keel, Ekos SE, Radikal, Kandid, Valhalla 2 interconnects and speaker cable, Wilson Alexia. I listened to several cuts on CD and then LP. These included: CD - Johnny Cash "Solitary Man", Shelby Lynne "Just a Little Lovin", "I Only Want to be With You", LP - Miles Davis "If I Were a Bell", Roseanne Cash "Miss the Mississippi", Peggy Lee "Black Coffee" (mono). Several characteristics were evident:
1. The Boulder gear is VERY neutral especially playing through the digital chain. You hear what is on the recording. This was especially evident to me since my system is ARC REF Anniversary and Ref 210s w/ KT120s, MSB Diamond on Alexia.
2. Bass presentation is about the most authoritative I've ever heard. Think older Krell monos but more detailed.
3. The openness and transparency on the mid-range and treble were excellent. I've heard the 2000 series before and did not remember the degree of transparency that I heard yesterday. Cymbals had excellent air and space around them; the hall ambience in the Shelby Lynne recording was presented as if you were in studio.
4. Big soundstage left to right, floor to ceiling. I thought images were presented at the correct height. Three dimensional.

Overall, outstanding system. 1000W / channel ! For real! Boulder has not updated the 2000 series in 17 years. Impressive. $$$$$$$$$$ too!
 

LL21

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Dec 26, 2010
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great feedback and lots of fun to read. Any chance you could elaborate on your ARC setup vs Boulder setup on the Alexias? I am most curious because one of the things I loved about the 2060 and really really love about my Gryphon Colosseum, is that there is a density of tone and intensity of sweetness in notes that reminds me of tubes, but the rest of the presentation tells you its clearly not tubes (insane bass power, control, detail, discipline). I wonder whether the added transparency of the Boulder 2100 has successfully maintained these elements which I found (amongst other SS amps) particularly impressive with Boulder 2060, Gryphon Antileon and Gryphon Colosseum. Sometimes, as transparency increases, I find that it can sometimes 'shave' the tonal density a bit.

thanks for any further feedback...again, great read.
 

rsorren1

Well-Known Member
Sep 6, 2013
365
133
348
Dallas area
great feedback and lots of fun to read. Any chance you could elaborate on your ARC setup vs Boulder setup on the Alexias? I am most curious because one of the things I loved about the 2060 and really really love about my Gryphon Colosseum, is that there is a density of tone and intensity of sweetness in notes that reminds me of tubes, but the rest of the presentation tells you its clearly not tubes (insane bass power, control, detail, discipline). I wonder whether the added transparency of the Boulder 2100 has successfully maintained these elements which I found (amongst other SS amps) particularly impressive with Boulder 2060, Gryphon Antileon and Gryphon Colosseum. Sometimes, as transparency increases, I find that it can sometimes 'shave' the tonal density a bit.

thanks for any further feedback...again, great read.

Happy too elaborate. My system (ARC REF 40, 210s, MSB Diamond) presents female voice (Shelby, Roseanne), male voice (Johnny Cash), solo acoustic guitar with a bit more mid-range "tube glow". The ARC REF series and VTL are two tube products that appear to both be advancing toward solid state neutrality to my ears but the Boulder 2100 series is there. With that said, at one point during the session, I turned to the owner of Dallas Audio Concepts and said I could get fooled into thinking that I'm listening to a tube based system because there is absolutely no grain, no glare, but the bass is most definitely NOT tube bass. As you commented about Boulder 2060 and your Gryphon (that I have never heard), bass power, authority, and control way down low are some of the best. So yes, the 2100 has some of the characteristics of tubes that we like and the bass control and power associated with best solid state. I've heard the 2060 a few times on Wilson Alexandria (once at the Boulder factory in fact), and the 2100 series stood out to me because of the improved transparency and openness in the mid-range and treble.
 

LL21

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Dec 26, 2010
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Happy too elaborate. My system (ARC REF 40, 210s, MSB Diamond) presents female voice (Shelby, Roseanne), male voice (Johnny Cash), solo acoustic guitar with a bit more mid-range "tube glow". The ARC REF series and VTL are two tube products that appear to both be advancing toward solid state neutrality to my ears but the Boulder 2100 series is there. With that said, at one point during the session, I turned to the owner of Dallas Audio Concepts and said I could get fooled into thinking that I'm listening to a tube based system because there is absolutely no grain, no glare, but the bass is most definitely NOT tube bass. As you commented about Boulder 2060 and your Gryphon (that I have never heard), bass power, authority, and control way down low are some of the best. So yes, the 2100 has some of the characteristics of tubes that we like and the bass control and power associated with best solid state. I've heard the 2060 a few times on Wilson Alexandria (once at the Boulder factory in fact), and the 2100 series stood out to me because of the improved transparency and openness in the mid-range and treble.

Way cool...thank you for that. I find it fascinating that as time has marched on with SS...they have been able to 'open the throttle' on mid-range and treble without making things feel hard (from my perspective...ie, a tube-'phile's perspective)...before, these class A behemoths were a bit dark in the upper mids/treble where it sounded smooth, without [much] grain...but just dark. I suppose many were designed this way because 'opening up the throttle' would have meant hardness? I have no idea.

All I can say is that as some of the best of the best SS designs have come out, they have presented an astonishing level of clarity, openness, 'light' in the upper mids and treble but with a purity that really impresses (me). Thanks for the feedback...particularly in comparing it with 2060 which I also have heard on big Wilsons.
 

musicargyle

Well-Known Member
Jan 28, 2013
49
1
138
Heard the Boulder amps myself in Dallas. Simply massive units, build quality is remarkable, aesthetically "form follows function" w/ a military grade edge (think bunker w/ heat sinks, albeit very beautiful casework.) Excellent low frequency extension, lovely mids & great sense of decay. Spatially rich....however the HF in the vocals were a bit harsh & beamy (new amps so time may cure this.) Likely the Nordost & Wilson synergy added to this issue. Love to hear the Boulder's w/ dual runs Cardas Clear Beyond S. Cable & Cardas C. Beyond power cables. In theory the big new Boulders should have no real sound of their own, being a rare & truly stealth amp that simply reproduces whats in the recording. I am coming closer to understanding how all top-end systems can suffer if one or more of the parts within the system works antithetically to the synergy.
Want to hear Jeff Rowland's newest 825 amps in bridged mono configuration (better than the 925's we are hearing) as yet another stealth uber amp option., at $66,000.
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
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Heard the Boulder amps myself in Dallas. Simply massive units, build quality is remarkable, aesthetically "form follows function" w/ a military grade edge (think bunker w/ heat sinks, albeit very beautiful casework.) Excellent low frequency extension, lovely mids & great sense of decay. Spatially rich....however the HF in the vocals were a bit harsh & beamy (new amps so time may cure this.) Likely the Nordost & Wilson synergy added to this issue. Love to hear the Boulder's w/ dual runs Cardas Clear Beyond S. Cable & Cardas C. Beyond power cables. In theory the big new Boulders should have no real sound of their own, being a rare & truly stealth amp that simply reproduces whats in the recording. I am coming closer to understanding how all top-end systems can suffer if one or more of the parts within the system works antithetically to the synergy.
Want to hear Jeff Rowland's newest 825 amps in bridged mono configuration (better than the 925's we are hearing) as yet another stealth uber amp option., at $66,000.
Interesting comments about the HF vocals being 'a bit harsh and beamy (new amps so time may cure this). The 2060 I heard was also with Wilsons...but with Transparent Cable and ARC CD player and ARC Ref 3 pre. It also was a 2nd hand unit so well broken in and about 3+ years old at the time.

I could feel where the HF served the music straight up, no apologies but also very very pure with no apparent aberration...it felt very much like clear, cold water, if that makes any sense at all. I suppose thinking back, maybe [maybe] relative to other HF (Gryphon mainly) I could sense that edged in the wrong direction, I could see where some might find it became 'harder' faster than the Gryphon. But with the right electronics, I came away highly confident it could present a beautifully pure, clear treble.
 

musicargyle

Well-Known Member
Jan 28, 2013
49
1
138
LL21, "clear water" is my go to analogy for excellent HF in equipment. I do get it!! I just fell in love w/ an all Jeff Rowland system (the newest & most $$$ line) when I got my first taste of the liquid/fluid/cool water metaphor.
 

Jazzhead

VIP/Donor
Aug 26, 2012
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LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
14,411
2,509
1,448
Stunning, Jazzhead...did you hear these? Never the German Physics...presume that's what these are...any thoughts?
 

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