Boulder 1151

MONOBLOCK POWER AMPLIFIER

- JASON VICTOR SERINUS

For several decades—from well before I toured the Boulder factory in 2016—I've wanted to get a handle on the best sound the now-41-year-old company can offer. Multiple listening sessions at shows had more than hinted at excellence. But neither my time in Boulder's large, dedicated music room, which was intentionally dry, nor exposure at various hi-fi shows left me convinced that I'd heard Boulder's full potential.

My first opportunity for an in-home audition came in 2021, when I reviewed the 866 stereo integrated amplifier ($17,500 with DAC, $16,000 without). But that entry-level (by Boulder standards) product, which Senior Engineer Jameson Ludlam said was released to build brand awareness and expand the company's reach by offering "a more accessible product that provides the features we think many people are looking for with the performance they have come to expect from Boulder," only provided a peek at the excellence I expected Boulder to achieve.

Bass was solid and perfectly controlled, and the sound was warm and inviting.

So when a last-minute review cancellation opened space to review the just-released Boulder 1151 mono power amplifier ($47,000/pair), I thought, “At last!” The 1151 is currently topped in Boulder’s mono line by only the 2150 ($130,000/pair) and the 3050 ($306,000/pair), which are too massive for my space. But then, when a press release for Boulder’s new models arrived, I realized that what I was about to hear represented a major departure for the company.