That said, you are speaking about reference to reference, and your point is well taken. I did not hear the 1811 or 811 monos, and was certainly not going to ask for them either. Nevertheless, my sense of the FM is that they are not designed as all-out powerhouses the way the Boulders are. And that all-out power is also a part of the music that matters to me...the effortlessness of music is marvelous and it can really help free up the music and bring it into the room.
All said, the choice I have made represents probably something more akin to FM than Boulder in that it is powerful 230 watts Class A into 4ohms but I doubt as unassailably so as the Boulder. But with the XLFs, they are a choice I have made because their organic qualities across the spectrum are a magic for me.