Boulder preamp

Joey_V
Joey_V Posts: 8,569
in 2 Channel Audio
Went down to my dealer aka crack house in Oklahoma. Brought a club member with me who bought an entire HRS SXR rack system for his Vac statement system.

We got to demo a full Boulder and Rockport Set up, with arc 6se linestage pre in addition to the arc3se phono stage.

I’m not sure if I’ve just been blinded by the whole tube pre concept all these years since I heard a Cary tube preamp at my friend’s system in Chicago a decade and a half ago… but man. That Boulder 2110 preamp with the Boulder 2150 monoblocks… something else. You’d figure it was sterile or had a sheen… but wow, I thought it was a step above the audio research 6se line and Boulder 2150 combo.

Just another reminder, just when you think you know - maybe you just don’t know.

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Magico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R
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Comments

  • invalid
    invalid Posts: 1,373
    Some equipment like Boulder sounds sterile if your upstream equipment isn't top notch. I bet it sounds great with that setup.
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,949
    Nice Aurender with the transparent top.
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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 19,139
    loguap6u9fvl.jpg

    Beautiful rack.....gotta admit that. I like how it can grow with the system, as the needs change.

    So, question for you. Did this system raise the bar for you (sonically) and reset your goals?

    Tom
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,949
    No doubt about it, HRS racks are simply stunning.
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  • Joey_V
    Joey_V Posts: 8,569
    edited December 2023
    treitz3 wrote: »
    loguap6u9fvl.jpg

    Beautiful rack.....gotta admit that. I like how it can grow with the system, as the needs change.

    So, question for you. Did this system raise the bar for you (sonically) and reset your goals?

    Tom

    The rack is definitely beautiful. My friend forked over a check over 50 large for a 9 shelf unit. Crazy.

    I don’t know if raised the bar sonically but it definitely gave me a few pointers to mull over. I think it was probably close to if not on par with what I have at home except I felt like he had the soundstage envelope the listener better. I like to watch from afar as I describe it. The Boulder pre was very good, it has made me think that perhaps all roads end at the Boulder 3000 series some day not too soon.
    Magico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R
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