Фонокорректоры — Boulder 808

The 808 is a compact phono preamplifier that Boulder Amplifiers added to its 800 Series, together with the 851 mono power amplifier. The public debut came at the HIGH END Vienna show of 4 to 7 June 2026, and worldwide shipping was scheduled to begin immediately after the show, with pricing not yet announced at launch. The casework is cut from solid blocks of aluminium and shares the footprint of the 812 DAC/preamplifier, so the two can be stacked as matching components in an 800 Series system.

Key specs that matter

Signals enter through one pair of 3-pin balanced XLR sockets and leave through a second pair, and both can be adapted to unbalanced use. Gain at 1 kHz is 70 dB for moving coil cartridges and 44 dB for moving magnet types. MC input impedance can be set up to 1,000 ohm, while MM loading is fixed at 47 kohm, and the factory setting for MC is 100 ohm. Output impedance is 100 ohm balanced. Frequency response runs from 20 Hz to 20 kHz within 0.25 dB, with THD of 0.01%. The maximum output level reaches 16 Vrms, and crosstalk measures -90 dB or better across the audio band.

Engineering and use context

Resistive and capacitive loading is adjusted on individual Personality Cards, so the input can be tailored to a given cartridge by changing a card rather than using switches. A low-cut filter can be toggled in to cut the low-frequency noise that turntable rumble produces, and a selectable mono mode serves rare mono vinyl pressings. The power supply accepts 90 to 240 V AC at 50 or 60 Hz, and maximum consumption is 15 W. The unit weighs 4.76 kg. Internal shielding and a shielded power supply protect the low-level signal. The front panel carries controls for standby, mute, the low-cut filter and mono mode.

Pairing

Within the 800 Series the 808 is intended to sit next to the 812 DAC/preamplifier and the 861 stereo power amplifier, forming a complete Boulder chain from turntable to speakers, and the compact 851 mono amplifier launched with it offers a second power amplifier option in the same series. With balanced outputs only, any other line preamplifier used with it should offer XLR inputs or accept an adapter.

Alternatives

Boulder also makes the 1108 phono preamplifier in its 1100 Series, which has two pairs of balanced inputs, two pairs of balanced outputs for main and record use, EMI, FFRR and Columbia equalisation curves and a 16.8 kg chassis.