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 ensure 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
 
The 2108 follows in the footsteps of one of the most acclaimed products in the history of audio: Boulder’s 2008 Phono Preamplifier, originally released in 2002. Knowledge gathered over the years since has now culminated in the 2108, the next generation of completely uncompromised phono preamplifier from Boulder that moves the state of the art forward in every way possible.
 
Isolated Architecture
Isolation is the key to ultimate analog sound reproduction. The 2108 is a dual-chassis, dual-mono design to best protect the sensitive analog audio signal passing inside. Separation of the audio circuitry from the power supply guarantees that the phono signal is never exposed to transformer noise or hum that would otherwise cause distortion, while separating the left and right channels reduces crosstalk and interference.
 
The power supply chassis houses four independent power supplies in its casework: analog left, analog right, logic and control, and standby. The three supplies used during operation have their own individual transformers and regulation within the power supply casework to keep power supply noise where it belongs: in the power supply chassis and away from the analog audio signal. The standby supply is simply turned off and entirely disconnected from the phono preamp’s circuitry when not in use.
 
Advanced Circuitry
Left audio, right audio, and logic and control circuit boards take advantage of surface-mount design wherever possible. Surface-mount design (SMD) shortens signal paths, eliminates excess capacitance and lead inductance. What does this mean to you? Faster, more dynamic, more powerful and controlled music, with improved bass response and holographic imaging. SMD also improves long-term reliability and reduces the amount of solder in the overall circuit to absolutely minimize what comes between you and every detail in your record collection.
 
Controls and Connections
Simple, quiet logic circuits activate every control on the front panel: Standby, Demagnetizer pass-through for specific MC cartridges, Mono to optimize playback of historic mono recordings with stereo cartridges, EQ selection (standard RIAA, as well as EMI, Columbia, and FFRR for proper playback of collectible LPs produced before 1955), Low Cut filters to eliminate noise from warped or damaged records, and Input selection. Logic was chosen as the ideal form of control for the 2108. There is no host computer or microprocessor to interfere with the audio as it makes its way through the phono preamp.
 
The rear panel hosts connections for three pairs of balanced inputs, two pairs of balanced outputs, demagnetizer inputs, ground (earth), DC power, and each input’s customizable Personality Card where loading can be fine tuned to match the needs of virtually any phono cartridge.
 
Analog Design The incredible resolution and dynamic capability of the 2108 results from truly advanced audio design. Each input can be tailored for perfect resistive or capacitive loading, as well as MM or MC selections and variable gain levels. Gain stages are Boulder’s proprietary, modular, and discrete 995S. Input and output connections are fully-balanced via 3-pin XLR connectors for optimized signal transfer and the output impedance is specified at 100 ohms for a non-reactive and neutral output capable of driving any preamp’s inputs.
 
Balanced circuitry eliminates noise and maximizes resolution where it’s needed most: relative to the tiny analog signal. Because a phono cartridge is actually a balanced source, balanced operation is used throughout to maintain every last bit of clarity.
 
Cartridge loading is set at 100 ohms for moving coil (MC) cartridges and 47k ohms for moving magnet (MM). Loading is set with a single resistor and only a pair of rigid, low-resistance connections in the signal path. There are no relays or switches in order to minimize what comes between your turntable and the initial gain stage of the 2108.
 
Phono equalization is accomplished with an active two-stage RIAA filter. This carefully tuned topology takes advantage of 30 years of expertise in building the world’s finest phono preamplifiers and is executed to ensure extremely accurate playback EQ.
 
Separate Power Supply
The 2108’s power supply is a massive, isolated supply that enables the unit to reproduce vast dynamic swings. This supply can be made to operate at 100V, 120V, 200V, or 240V.
 
Transformer hum is most definitely not permitted. In order to eliminate even the slightest hum or noise, the 2108 is carefully designed with a power supply that is completely separate from sensitive audio circuitry.