Boulder 2160 Review
A few folks have reached out to me via DM about the Boulder 2160 amplifier and I’m finally getting around to posting my personal listening notes. This is my first time writing a review of an audio product, and I’m not using ChatGPT to assist (or any other AI agent), so I hope no one gets upset, or tries to get me kicked off the forum, again… (!) ; )
I also hope that the review below will be marginally helpful to those considering Boulder as a brand/product.
Before beginning the review, I thought I would provide some context of my system philosophy. I have learned a tremendous amount from others on this forum and many of you have incredible systems with multiple sources and other features that I greatly admire. In my case, I still work 60+ hours a week, live in a NYC apartment, and I have little time for experimentation, critical listening sessions and/or dealer loans. As such, my purchase decisions start with a philosophy that emphasizes longevity and simplicity. I don’t generally “try” products for a few months and swap them out, but instead seek to keep anything I buy for at least 10 years. Accordingly, I do a fair amount of research and ask as many questions as I can beforehand, then make a decision, and unless it is a true blunder, stick with it for some time.
As such, when my longtime modest tube amp, Jadis DA-88S, needed to be re-tubed, this prompted some broader searching around what amp could anchor my system for the next 10+ years of my audio journey. A number of sources communicated to me that their opinion was Boulder was the best amplifier made in the United States. One Boulder dealer I respect indicated that in 20 years of carrying the product he has had less than 5 service incidents (!) This, other research, and a discount opportunity ultimately led to the purchase. My signal path for this review is: Roon Nucleus->Rossini Apex->Boulder->SF Guarneri.
Positives
Clarity: It was said to me before purchase that the Boulder 2160 is like a mirror, a zero-distortion reflection of the music source. After four months, I have found this to be true. The detail and clarity from good source material is truly outstanding. Incredible recordings sound incredible, it is as simple as that. Classical greats (too many to list) and jazz greats like Bill Evans, Ben Webster, Cannonball Adderley, etc. sound near-live. To my ears, modern acoustic/folk music like Iron & Wine are just as captivating. To me, musicality should come from the recording, not the amplifier or the electronics.
Power: The Boulder 2160 offers 600W per channel (at 8 ohms) and I am driving 19-year old Sonus Faber Guarneri Homage monitors (ano 2005). These are (very) small speakers relative to most on this forum, in what many might consider a large room: 15m long by 4m wide by 5m high. Even with minimum power the Boulder+SF combination has no trouble filling the room completely with sound. I cannot hear the individual speakers. It’s more like placing my head into an air chamber surrounded by sound. A professional reviewer claimed that that there is no signal too complex, and no speaker too demanding for this amplifier, and I have found this to be true.
Build quality: As one might expect with a ~100kg product machined out of a solid block of aluminum, the build quality is incredible. The product is built like a tank. To my eyes the milled heat sinks on the sides are beautiful, reflecting the power and precision of the manufacturing process. I also find that aesthetically the Boulder pairs wonderfully next to dCS products, both in daylight with the matching aluminum finish, and in the dark, since the dCS display can be turned off, leaving a total of one small light on the amp during playback.
Simplicity: There is zero complexity to this product. There are no RCA inputs, only balanced. The manual instructs the user not the change the manufacturer-supplied power cable. There is one master “On” switch in the back, then one button on the front to toggle between Standby and Operate. There is one light that indicates status. You set it on the floor, connect the ICs, speaker cables and power cable and you are done, for a long time.
Dead quiet: Whether in operation or in standby, the amplifier itself is a void of sound. Though I read this before, this was an incredible surprise. There is no hum, no buzz, no nothing. It is dead quiet. Dead. For all of the power, I find this an amazing feat. My former dCS Puccini had some modest transport hum which was audible and disturbing (to my ears) in soft classical passages. This problem was solved by moving to the Rossini DAC, and now paired with the Boulder my entire system is dead quiet.
It runs cold (!). Incredibly, this is a 600W class A amplifier that runs cold. This is because the power is managed via an analog circuit that minimizes heat and power consumption. The amp is room temperature even after hours of operation. It is amazing.
Negatives
Clarity: Clarity means clarity, and in this case, in the most unforgiving ways. The lack of quality in bad recordings is magnified, sometimes resulting in a painful listening experience. This doesn’t mean all Redbook CDs are bad, or all DSD/DXDs are good, it really comes down to the recording and mastering. This was a particularly difficult adjustment for me having moved from the lush, warm sound (coloration?) of tubes.
Size/Weight: Three to four men are required to move this product. It is large and heavy. I see no point of placing a stand underneath, which would just mean adding a huge amount of heavy metal below an already huge amount of heavy metal (!). As a result, in my system it sits on the floor in between the speakers and your wife or significant other may not care for it. This in turn also has a slight positive: once set in place she/he won’t be able to move it either way, so you are good! ; )
Summary
In summary, am I satisfied with the purchase? Yes, very, with some of the caveats above. I think the product will go the 10+year distance with me, possibly more. Most importantly, I am confident that any speaker I choose next will be a good match for the dCS + Boulder signal path because of (a) the power and clarity of the Boulder and (b) both products’/companies’ pursuit of quality and neutrality.
I can appreciate that other amplifiers may provide a gentle smoothness, which may result in the (perceived?) addition of musicality, per se. Again, for me this took a few months to get use to. I can also appreciate that this aforementioned effect may provide a more consistently good listening experience, over a wider range of recordings. For now, I am enjoying the raw assault of neutrality, which results in some harshness for bad recordings, but bliss in others.
I welcome the thoughts and comments of others.
Richard
