Boulder 2108 Phono Pre Amp

In 2002 Boulder released the 2008 Phono Preamplifier. At the end of that year, it was placed in the A+ category of Stereophile magazine’s recommended components, a category created for electronics that are so far ahead of their peers that they justify an entirely new classification.

And now we present the 2108, the next generation phono preamplifier built upon the fundamentals of the past while making meaningful strides forward in technology and design. Countless changes have been made to insure that the 2108 significantly improves upon the 2008 in every way.

Why? Because the best phono stage in the world is the one that makes you focus on the music instead of the electronics. The very things that make analog playback so special are the things that the 2108 passes along without alteration. Dynamics are quick and powerful. Bass is taut and solid. Images are distinct. Silence is just that. Nothing should be added, nothing should be subtracted. Music shouldn’t just play, it should transport you to another place. It should thrill.

And with the 2108, it does.

Features

Three pairs of balanced inputs allow connection to three different turntable, tonearm, or cartridge combinations at the push of a button, without any reconfiguration

Fully-balanced circuitry rejects noise and keeps the delicate signal from a phono cartridge in balanced mode, maintaining balanced operation throughout and eliminating noise that would otherwise obscure critical musical information

Entirely separate power supply chassis houses four independent power supplies: left audio, right audio, control, and standby, for total isolation of all supplies from the sensitive analog audio circuitry

Standard RIAA equalization as well as EMI, FFRR (London/Decca), and Columbia EQ selections enable proper playback of collectible records made prior to 1955

Modular and discrete Boulder 995S phono gain stage is exclusive to the 2108, hand-manufactured and calibrated to spec in a potted and precision-machined housing

Non-resonant and expertly machined casework protect the delicate analog signal from microphonic and resonant distortions

Customizable Personality Cards for each input to match the exact individual needs of various phono cartridges: MM, MC, resistive and capacitive loading, high or low gain, and demagnetizing

Switchable outboard demagnetizer pass-through connections for use with specific MC phono cartridges

Front panel selectable, three-setting low-cut filter removes turntable rumble or low frequency noise from warped records

Specs
2108 Phono Preamplifier
Inputs

Three pairs balanced,
converts to unbalanced

Outputs

Two pairs balanced,
converts to unbalanced

Input impedance (maximum)

MC: 1000 ohms
MM: 47k ohms
Resistive and capacitive loading adjustable on individual Personality Cards

Output impedance

100 ohms balanced

Phono equalization

RIAA,
FFRR (London/Decca),
EMI,
Columbia

Maximum output level

28 Vrms

Distortion, THD

0.005%

1 kHz gain, RIAA

MC: 70 or 60 dB
MM: 50 or 40 dB

Noise (EIN), MC

65 mV A-weighted, 105mV flat,
20 Hz to 20 kHz

Frequency Response, 20 Hz to 20 kHz

RIAA: ±0.10 dB

Crosstalk, L to R or R to L

-100 dB or better,
20 Hz to 20 kHz

Phono preamplifier weight

37 lbs. (16.8 kg)
Shipping: 51 lbs. (23.2 kg)

Power supply weight

48 lbs. (21.8 kg)
Shipping: 69.5 lbs. (31.6 kg)

Power requirements

90-120V / 200-240V, 50-60 Hz

Power consumption

75W maximum