I’m in this same place. I have a moon 390 streaming Dac in my work office with focal Utopia headphones. At home I use a PS Audio Directstream dac with bridge II through a Violeletric HPA V281 final edition and the Utopias as my reference. My main listening room is a Lumin T2 and Atoll AM 400 amplification playing SF Guarneri Evolution speakers along with 2 REL carbon special subs. All cardas clear beyond cabling and speaker wire and all music is roon/tidal streamed. I’m feeling like taking the next step in electronics in my main room. Not sure if I should invest in a top shelf preamp to go with the Lumin and atoll amplifier or scrub the existing electronics and go all in with something like the Boulder 866. I will be auditioning the Boulder 866 at Music for pleasure it ST Louis as soon as I can get out that way. Not an expert but I feel magic is missing in my main room. My utopia headphone through the Violectric is so emotionally engaging. I need this magic in my main room. I know I need to invest in more acoustic treatments for this room, and this is the priority. Any experts out there as to synergy with tube equipment and the Guarneri‘s? It feels like getting an audition list together for tube equipment and including the Boulder is next. Thanks.
Boulder 866 experience? Users?
Hello,
Is there any Boulder 866 owner? How is your experience? :)Almost finalizing my next year setup, my last consideration becomes All-in-One solution.
- So far my consideration is Pass Int60 + Bryston BDA 3.14
Then these three candidates come in.
1) Devialet - Honestly, I haven’t thought about it.
But I heard a recommendation that this can work as preamp+amp+dac+streamer
2) darTZeel LHC-208 - ironman from Swiss, looks exotic
3) Boulder 866
My first interest is Boulder 866 because it’s from the US. (I live in the US, so expect to be easy to fix or do something).
My questions are,
1) How’s your impression? (Especially compared to Pass, Devialet and dartzeel)
Not just better/worse but how’s different?
2) Do you experience any technical glitch? (In terms of touch screen, wireless integration)
3) Can you use Apple Airplay? (It’s important to me, I use apple music/idagio and need to stream it.)
Positive feedback review mentions NO airplay capability but other reviews mention it’s capable.
Thank you.
Is there any Boulder 866 owner? How is your experience? :)Almost finalizing my next year setup, my last consideration becomes All-in-One solution.
- So far my consideration is Pass Int60 + Bryston BDA 3.14
Then these three candidates come in.
1) Devialet - Honestly, I haven’t thought about it.
But I heard a recommendation that this can work as preamp+amp+dac+streamer
2) darTZeel LHC-208 - ironman from Swiss, looks exotic
3) Boulder 866
My first interest is Boulder 866 because it’s from the US. (I live in the US, so expect to be easy to fix or do something).
My questions are,
1) How’s your impression? (Especially compared to Pass, Devialet and dartzeel)
Not just better/worse but how’s different?
2) Do you experience any technical glitch? (In terms of touch screen, wireless integration)
3) Can you use Apple Airplay? (It’s important to me, I use apple music/idagio and need to stream it.)
Positive feedback review mentions NO airplay capability but other reviews mention it’s capable.
Thank you.