I went to my local dealer last week to audition a streamer/dac from Moon Audio, but ended up listening to a whole Moon system with SF Liliums. Wouldn't be surprised if the kit cost six figures, but I was not really impressed. So the staff steered me to a Boulder 866 which they hooked up to my speakers: Serafinos. The combination was sublime: natural, musical, transparent, excellent pace and timing, effortless. Just outstanding. And no fancy add-ons, just streaming Tidal using Roon in a well-treated room.
I have always been aware of Boulder, but never gave much consideration since they are generally out of my comfort level in terms of price. And the 866 is no exception at $15k, but could be considered a bargain given the level of performance and that it replaces preamp, amps, dac, streamer and all that messy, expensive cabling. Plus tidy, modern, and fits anywhere.
I have been considering updating and simplifying my system which includes Mc 501 mono blocks and the 866 makes a compelling argument, even if it isn't quite a complete one-box solution. But the sound! Just have to come to terms with trading in the 501's, and of course the cost.
I can definitely see how someone could buy two of these. And it does run a little warm, especially compared to the 501, but nothing excessive. I presume it is a Class AB amp biased towards A which is why it sounds so great and runs warm. One of those auditions we have all experienced that is hard to get out of your head.
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