This designated running mate is none other than Boulder’s own 1160 stereo power amplifier.

All things considered, if you have an 1160 power amp and are looking for the ideal matching preamplifier, history suggests you should make haste to an 1110 preamplifier.

Why? Because no one knows their own gear better than the outfit that designs the stuff. So it’s logical and intelligent to assume the two Boulder above models ensure an ideal electrical and sonic synergy.

The two ought to work beautifully together eliciting broad grins from their fortunate owners.

Fortunate because the Boulder 1160 stereo amp is no sonic slouch. In fact, it’s a refined power amp with grace and abundant power. The proverbial cast iron fist in a velvet glove.

Boulder builds its gear beautifully. The 1110 preamplifier simply enhances the brand’s reputation for dotting the “I’s” and “crossing the “t’s’’ when it comes to external styling and neat, internal housekeeping.

The 1100 model improves on the previous 1000 series model, according to Boulder; by a wide margin. The 1100 on the brand’s sayso is “a substantial advancement’’.

Boulder tells us the huge improvements in sound quality are derived from better ground paths, thermal management, circuit topology and the lowering of the noise floor.

Add to this list the increased use of surface-mounted PCB technology, built using Boulder’s own SMD manufacturing machines and ovens.

A process that delivers improvements in noise radiation, propagation delay, parasitic capacitance and the elimination of lead inductance in selected circuits. Accrued as well, is a unit-to-unit quality and consistency with the added bonus of long-term reliability.

You’ve got to like that.

And you’ll also approve of the 1110’s volume control that’s a next generation CMOS actuated stepped volume design.

Adapted from the 3010 preamplifier, this volume control is fully balanced to reduce noise, increase resolution, and dispense with step noise.

The volume control has programmable options such as step resolution, start-up level, and maximum output level and volume scale.

Intelligent user options other manufacturers should latch on to.

The 1110 is equipped with a 64-bit, multicore ARM (Advanced RISC Machine) processor for all supervisory modes including power-up/power-off, inputs and user-interface, error notification, display driver, web-page generation and HTML or IP based external control.

The gain stages inside the 1110 are Boulder’s own 983 design, and these are unique to the 1110 series. These surface mounted stages with machined, board-mounted heat sinks yield up to 20dB of gain and a huge bandwidth.

Typically Boulder and commendably so is the design of the 1110 that has a front panel reflecting the geography near Boulder, Colorado and that features a reproduction of the topographical map of Flagstaff Mountain. Gotta’ lurve this design innovation!

A full-colour LCD display is front and centre of the 1110’s facia, and this shows current function settings as well as offering a simple platform for setup and option menus.

The 1110 as expected, is loaded with connections. It has five pairs of balanced XLR inputs, two pairs balanced XLR outputs, and one pair balanced XLR Aux output.

THD measures just 0.0008 per cent at -102dB and the frequency response is 0.02Hz & 300kHz.

The Boulder 1110 Preamplifier is available now for $31,500 RRP.

For more information visit Boulder.