Boulder Hi End Products

[Still-One]

I had to chuckle when they refer to Boulders earlier products as being Upper and mid-level. Did anyone look to see what they charge for their current top of the line amps and CD player.

The following is their latest new release.

Boulder Amplifiers, America's premiere manufacturer of home audio entertainment products since 1984, will debut their 3050 monoblock power amplifier in suite 34-203 of the Venetian Tower at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show. While Boulder's entry, mid and upper level products have always garnered awards as the best in their respective classes, the 3050 is the first true intended "Reference Level" product from Boulder and our largest and most powerful amplifier in over 25 years of audio design. The model 3050s will only be built to order and will not be stocked. Expected power output will be between 1200 and 1500 watts into an eight-ohm load (adequate to drive any known loudspeaker) and will weigh between 350 and 400 lbs. when shipping begins. All will be dedicated to 240V operation and will include a custom physical isolation system. Boulder's proven multi-stage design will be augmented with an unprecedented number of output devices, a new gain stage evolved from our own peerless 993, complete isolation and damping of individual circuit boards, a new chassis style and countless other technological advances. Full control via both Boulder Link and other external control systems will be supported. Retail prices for the 3050s have not yet been determined at the time of this writing.

[-E-]

I've always quite enjoyed Boulder - but last CES was the icing; the people that represent that company are down-to-earth, energetic about their marque, and extremely accommodating.

Plus - the equipment was paired with JM Lab Maestro Utopia BE's... it was insanely sweet.

[Still-One]

Originally Posted by Vesuvius

I've always quite enjoyed Boulder - but last CES was the icing; the people that represent that company are down-to-earth, energetic about their marque, and extremely accommodating.

Plus - the equipment was paired with JM Lab Maestro Utopia BE's... it was insanely sweet.

If these are really larger than their current products, they must be enormous.

I too have liked what I have heard from Boulder, and for that matter too, JM Lab (Focal).

Jim

[TommyC]

I often wonder why audio manufacturers charge so much money for things. Do those products actually cost that much to make? Even if they include all the R&D, marketing, prototypes, materials, etc, the prices still seem a bit excessive. Or perhaps they charge this much because they can.

[Still-One]

Originally Posted by TommyC

I often wonder why audio manufacturers charge so much money for things. Do those products actually cost that much to make? Even if they include all the R&D, marketing, prototypes, materials, etc, the prices still seem a bit excessive. Or perhaps they charge this much because they can.

I agree with you 100%. There cannot be that much more to the BOM for those Boulder amps than in a pair of 1.2k's. Part of the issue is Boulder is spreading their R&D ad overhead over significantly fewer units.

Jim

[Tonepub]

Originally Posted by Still-One

I agree with you 100%. There cannot be that much more to the BOM for those Boulder amps than in a pair of 1.2k's. Part of the issue is Boulder is spreading their R&D ad overhead over significantly fewer units.

Jim

No offense (and a happy 1.2kw user as well) but the level of sophistication between a pair of those big Boulder amps and the MC1.2kw's is pretty staggering. As is the performance diff too. That being said, I don't enjoy my 1.2kw's any less!

[Still-One]

Originally Posted by tonepub

No offense (and a happy 1.2kw user as well) but the level of sophistication between a pair of those big Boulder amps and the MC1.2kw's is pretty staggering. As is the performance diff too. That being said, I don't enjoy my 1.2kw's any less!

Jeff
I am not speaking about sound, rather standard costs and BOM. We all know there is little correlation between the cost of materials and the end cost of a product. Just because Boulder chooses to tool their production a certain way or Zanden only has one individual qualified to polish their cases does not mean the cost do for aluminum is changes.

I have liked the Boulder gear I have heard and would have to say their gear powering the Focal EM's would be in the top three of all systems I have experienced.

JIm

[Tonepub]

Originally Posted by Still-One

Jeff
I am not speaking about sound, rather standard costs and BOM. We all know there is little correlation between the cost of materials and the end cost of a product. Just because Boulder chooses to tool their production a certain way or Zanden only has one individual qualified to polish their cases does not mean the cost do for aluminum is changes.

I have liked the Boulder gear I have heard and would have to say their gear powering the Focal EM's would be in the top three of all systems I have experienced.

JIm

Actually I was referring to parts cost. Again, Mc uses very good parts, but they do shy away from the really exotic resistors, caps and other parts that are commonplace in some of the super high end gear like Boulder. The CJ GAT preamp uses a dozen big teflon caps that cost $350 EACH under the hood and you won't ever see parts like that in a McIntosh, hence the much more reasonable price.

[prepress]

Originally Posted by Still-One

I agree with you 100%. There cannot be that much more to the BOM for those Boulder amps than in a pair of 1.2k's. Part of the issue is Boulder is spreading their R&D ad overhead over significantly fewer units.

Jim

Economies of scale and custom parts often factor in too. Smaller distribution chains, hand-assembled (and therefore more labor-intensive), perhaps other factors. Not just Boulder but other companies too.

Still, this is a lot of money to pay for amplifiers (or anything).

[Tonepub]

I certainly liked the 1008 phono stage when it was here.