Every project has to begin somewhere. When our engineers began work on the Boulder 508 Phono Preamplifier they began with inspiration from the absolute pinnacle of vinyl playback: the 2008 Phono Preamplifier, easily the most celebrated phono stage of all time.
But that’s where the similarities end. Where the 2008 was pure excess, the 508 is pure efficiency. As the smallest Boulder in more than two decades, the 508 packs an enormous amount of performance in a single, small chassis. A chassis that is carved from a single block of metal, no less. All of the proper inputs, outputs, and adjustments are here. As is the one constant from every Boulder product since Day One: a stunning level of performance.
INPUTS: 1 pair balanced, converts to unbalanced
OUTPUTS: 1 pair balanced
INPUT IMPEDANCE, MAXIMUMMC: 100 ohms, MM: 47k ohms
OUTPUT IMPEDANCE: 100 ohms, balanced
1 KHZ GAIN, RIAAMC: 70 dB, MM: 44 dB
FREQUENCY RESPONSE, RIAA: ±0.5 dB, 20 Hz to 20 kHz
DISTORTION, THD0.01%
NOISE (EIN), MC116 nanovolts flat, 20 Hz to 20 kHz
MAXIMUM OUTPUT LEVEL: 16 Vrms
CROSSTALK, L TO R OR R TO L: >100 dB or better 20 Hz to 20 kHz
WEIGHT: 11.5 lbs. (5.2 kg)
POWER REQUIREMENTS: 100, 120, 200-240 VAC, 50-60 Hz
The Boulder 508 is an easy phono stage to recommend. It boasts clarity, low noise and a consistency across MM and MC that makes it a hugely enjoyable listen. If there's a drawback it's that there are other phono stages offering greater flexibility at a lower price, but if the features here cover your needs then the 508 should be high on your 'must hear' list. Simplicity and purity are its watchwords.