Amplification Component of the Year
Boulder Amplifiers 2150 monoblock power amplifier ($99,000/pair; reviewed by Michael Fremer, February 2017, Vol.40 No.2 review)
A quick spin through the archives at Stereophile.com will show that, for whatever reason, very-high-power solid-state amplifiers don't often take our top honors in this category: the last time that happened was in 2011, when we honored the Classé CT-M600/CA-M600 amps. Yet the Boulder 2150 monoblock isn't just any high-power amplifier: This 220-lb beast delivers 1000W into 8 ohms, and every one of those watts is claimed to be pure class-A, thanks to a microprocessor-based circuit that adjusts bias in accordance with input-signal voltage and loudspeaker load at any given millimoment. Yet for all that, said JA, "the Boulder 2150 runs relatively cool"—thanks in part to integral (non-fin) heatsinking created in Boulder's own machine shop. In a word, also courtesy JA: "extraordinary."
Notes on the Vote:
The big Boulder outdistanced the runners-up by a relatively modest number of votes, second place being taken by the class-D Bel Canto e.One REF600M, which charmed both Kal Rubinson and Herb Reichert. But here's the thing: third place was a four-way tie among three tubed products and one perhaps inspired by thermionic valves: respectively, the Audio Research Reference 6 preamplifier, PrimaLuna ProLogue Premium power amplifier, Shindo Monbrison preamplifier, and Pass Labs INT-60 integrated amplifier.
Finalists (in alphabetical order)
Audionet Max monoblock power amplifier ($30,500/pair; reviewed by Jason Victor Serinus, July 2017, Vol.40 No.7 review)
Audio Research Reference 6 preamplifier ($14,000; reviewed by Michael Fremer, December 2016, Vol.39 No.12 review)
Bel Canto Design e.One REF600M monoblock power amplifier ($4990/pair; reviewed by Kalman Rubinson & Herb Reichert, October 2016 & September 2017, Vol.39 No.10 & Vol.40 No.9 review)
Dan D'Agostino Master Audio Systems Progression monoblock power amplifier ($38,000/pair; reviewed by Jason Victor Serinus, October 2017, Vol.40 No.10 review)
darTZeel Audio NHB-18NS Mk.II preamplifier ($38,000; reviewed by Michael Fremer, June 2017, Vol.40 No.6)
Lamm Industries L2.1 Reference preamplifier ($22,790; reviewed by Art Dudley, July 2017, Vol.40 No.7 review)
Pass Labs INT-60 integrated amplifier ($9000; reviewed by Herb Reichert, December 2016, Vol.39 No.12 review)
Peachtree nova300 integrated amplifier ($2499; reviewed by Art Dudley, June 2017, Vol.40 No.6 review)
PrimaLuna ProLogue Premium power amplifier ($2199; reviewed by Herb Reichert, November 2016, Vol.39 No.11 review)
PS Audio BHK 300 monoblock power amplifier ($14,998/pair; reviewed by Michael Fremer & Jim Austin, February 2016 & August 2017, Vol.39 No.2 & Vol.40 No.8 review)
Shindo Laboratory Monbrison preamplifier ($12,500; reviewed by Art Dudley, September 2017, Vol.40 No.9 review)
Notes on the Vote:
The big Boulder outdistanced the runners-up by a relatively modest number of votes, second place being taken by the class-D Bel Canto e.One REF600M, which charmed both Kal Rubinson and Herb Reichert. But here's the thing: third place was a four-way tie among three tubed products and one perhaps inspired by thermionic valves: respectively, the Audio Research Reference 6 preamplifier, PrimaLuna ProLogue Premium power amplifier, Shindo Monbrison preamplifier, and Pass Labs INT-60 integrated amplifier.
Finalists (in alphabetical order)
Audionet Max monoblock power amplifier ($30,500/pair; reviewed by Jason Victor Serinus, July 2017, Vol.40 No.7 review)Audio Research Reference 6 preamplifier ($14,000; reviewed by Michael Fremer, December 2016, Vol.39 No.12 review)
Bel Canto Design e.One REF600M monoblock power amplifier ($4990/pair; reviewed by Kalman Rubinson & Herb Reichert, October 2016 & September 2017, Vol.39 No.10 & Vol.40 No.9 review)
Dan D'Agostino Master Audio Systems Progression monoblock power amplifier ($38,000/pair; reviewed by Jason Victor Serinus, October 2017, Vol.40 No.10 review)
darTZeel Audio NHB-18NS Mk.II preamplifier ($38,000; reviewed by Michael Fremer, June 2017, Vol.40 No.6)
Lamm Industries L2.1 Reference preamplifier ($22,790; reviewed by Art Dudley, July 2017, Vol.40 No.7 review)
Pass Labs INT-60 integrated amplifier ($9000; reviewed by Herb Reichert, December 2016, Vol.39 No.12 review)
Peachtree nova300 integrated amplifier ($2499; reviewed by Art Dudley, June 2017, Vol.40 No.6 review)
PrimaLuna ProLogue Premium power amplifier ($2199; reviewed by Herb Reichert, November 2016, Vol.39 No.11 review)
PS Audio BHK 300 monoblock power amplifier ($14,998/pair; reviewed by Michael Fremer & Jim Austin, February 2016 & August 2017, Vol.39 No.2 & Vol.40 No.8 review)
Shindo Laboratory Monbrison preamplifier ($12,500; reviewed by Art Dudley, September 2017, Vol.40 No.9 review)
