Should i go Boulder 1060 or Jeff Rowland 625

Melbguy1, it is quite possible that the combination of Boulder 1060 with VAC Renaissance II might work well for you, although usually the VAC sound is a little tipped up for my own preference. My favorite tube pre is the fabulously resolving and ever so sweet VTL TL 7.5 Series 2. In my listening sessions with 1060 and M312 the pre was the 1000 series boulder ..... the audition of Boulder 2060 and Rowland M312 used the excellent Boulder 2000 series pre, and in my home system I use the Rowland Criterion on M625 and M312. Let us know how things go. G.

I agree with Stringreen and Johnnyb re: the OP's question, If you've already got a rowland front end, then it's a no brainer to go for the M625.

The Boulder pre/power combination is very dynamic and quiet, but this combination does not have enough harmonic richness or warmth for my taste. The Ayon is a good impedance match for the Boulder, and is very quiet..so this combination should sound wonderful, adding class A warmth and sweetness, as well as harmonic richness and body. If this combination sounds great, I will most likely upgrade to a higher end Ayon separate next year. I thought i'd mention the Vac review just to show the extent to which the Boulder's sound changes with good tubes upstream.

Yes I think there is a photo floating around somewhere of an egg frying on the top of an M625! No wonder they needed ceramic circuit boards!!

Melbguy1, while M625 is certainly toasty to the touch, it is unable to achieve an unpleasant temperature ... hence the photo of the egg frying on the device may have been, uhrn ... "posted out of context" ... I would consider M625 much more applicable as a buffet-warmer than a frying skillet (grins!).

Guido, perhaps one of Rowland's competitor's? though I think that's likely one part urban myth, one part photo shop :D

+1 Vote for Rowland 625. Both do a great job, but to me 625 was a warmer, more holographic sound which I prefer. Boulder does feel the wider soundstage but touch less detail, felt a little thinner.

Tested both on Avalon, Wilson, MBL.

per my memory (was few months ago), boulder gear generally does not truly strut its stuff until the 20xx line, which was threw a phenomenal soundstage/imaging and detail with sashas. but i think theres a significant price gap.