Boulder 1160 User manual
1160 Stereo Power Amplier
Boulder Ampliers, Inc.
255 S. Taylor Ave.
Louisville, CO 80027
(303) 449-8220
www.boulderamp.com
03/01/2018
Rev. 1.0
P/N: 91055
About
About Boulder Ampliers, Inc.
Boulder was founded in 1984 and is the last high-performance audio
manufacturer operating in North America to still perform all of its own
design, engineering and manufacturing in-house. While this form of
production may be more costly than outsourcing, the resulting quality
control and reliability of the nished products are never compromised.
In 2016, Boulder moved into a new, purpose-built production facility to
increase manufacturing efciency and offer space for expansion to meet
the needs of future growth.
Thank You
Congratulations and thank you for selecting the Boulder 1160 Stereo
Power Amplier for your high-performance sound system. We are certain it
will provide you with many years of listening pleasure.
The 1160 represents the concerted efforts of numerous Boulder designers,
engineers, and technicians working to bring you the best audio playback
components in the world. This amplier is among the best that Boulder has
to offer.
Please take a few minutes to read through this instruction manual prior
to using your 1160. This will help you understand the many functions
and capabilities of the amplier. It will also allow you to maximize the
exceptional performance for which it was designed.
Your Boulder 1160 Stereo Power Amplier has undergone extensive
laboratory tests for safety, functionality, and technical excellence. In
addition, it has been individually subjected to rigorous listening trials in
our sound room utilizing a wide range of musical material. No product
ever leaves our factory until we are totally satised that it achieves its full
potential.
Table of Contents
Getting Started
Placement of the 1160 Stereo Power Amplier •••••••••••••••••••••••••••1-1
Connecting to the AC Mains Outlet •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••1-1
Connecting to a Network ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••1-3
Connecting to a Balanced Source •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 1-3
Connecting to an Unbalanced Source •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••1-3
Polarity •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••1-5
Connecting Your Loudspeakers ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••1-5
Operation
Powering Up ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••2-1
Input DC Offset Voltage Detection ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••2-3
Clip Detection •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••2-3
Thermal Protection •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••2-3
Maintenence ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••2-4
Remote Control
Remote Operation•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 3-1
Fault Conditions
Errors Requiring Boulder Dealer Service ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••4-1
Operational Errors •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••4-1
Appendix
Specications •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••6-1
Weights & Dimensions ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••6-2
Troubleshooting•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 6-3
Notes•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••6-4
1-1
Getting Started
Getting Started
Placement of the 1160 Stereo Power Amplier
Your Boulder 1160 Stereo Power Amplier is designed to reduce
interference from external magnetic and radio elds (RF). While placement
is not critical, known magnetic elds should be avoided.
Moving this component will require at least four people, as it is very heavy.
Professional movers are recommended.
The 1160 Stereo Power Amplier will generate some heat. Therefore,
it should be located in an area with ample air circulation. Specically,
be certain that the heat sinks are unobstructed by objects that could
potentially block airow. Do not place the amplier on deep carpet and be
sure that the amplier has a minimum of 3 inches (8 cm) of free airspace
on all sides.
You may want to have access to the rear panel for cable changes.
Although input cables can be as long as necessary, it is suggested that
speaker cables be as short as possible.
Connecting to the AC Mains Outlet
Your 1160 Stereo Power Amplier is supplied with a mains power cable
suitable for the location where it was purchased. It is constructed of large
enough wire gauge and a plug appropriate for your AC line voltage. Do not
substitute another power cable.
Exact voltage and frequency compatibility is stated in the specications
section. See page 6-1.
Once the 1160 Stereo Power Amplier is connected to a live mains outlet
and the rear panel switch is moved to the “On” position, the LED on the
front panel will illuminate red for a short time. During this time the 1160 is
booting up.
The LED will then pulse white on and off, indicating that the supervising
microprocessor is powered up and the amp is ready to be turned on.
1-2
Getting Started
Getting Started
1-3
Getting Started
Getting Started
Connecting to a Network
In order for the 1160 to download software updates as necessary, it will
need to be connected to a network with an active Internet connection.
Connect a network cable between the 1160 and a network router or switch.
Use either Ethernet connector on the rear panel of the 1160; it does not
matter which one you use.
Connecting to a Balanced Source
To fully realize the sonic potential of your 1160 Stereo Power Amplier,
always use balanced connections. Balanced cables minimize interference
from magnetic and RF sources.
Connect the cables from your source or preamplier outputs to the input
connections provided on the rear panel of the 1160.
Connecting to an Unbalanced Source
Although the inputs are of the 3-pin XLR-type, an unbalanced source is
easily accommodated by using a special cable. This cable has an RCA-
type connector on the source end and a 3-pin XLR connector on the 1160
Stereo Power Amplier end.
The negative input (pin 3) should be wired to ground only at the RCA
connector. This brings the negative input reference of the 1160 to the
unbalanced source ground, thus reducing loops.
Another option for accommodating unbalanced sources is the Boulder
ABL2 Input Adapter. It converts a balanced input into an unbalanced RCA
input at the rear panel of the 1160. Like the above cable, the negative input
of the 1160 is connected to the ground of the RCA connector. However, the
negative side will then share the shield wire with the chassis ground and
will not have very good hum rejection.
Please contact your authorized Boulder dealer for further information about
the ABL2 Input Adaptor.
1-4
Getting Started
Getting Started
Connecting to a Network
In order for the 1160 to download software updates as necessary, it will
need to be connected to a network with an active Internet connection.
Connect a network cable between the 1160 and a network router or switch.
Use either Ethernet connector on the rear panel of the 1160; it does not
matter which one you use.
Connecting to a Balanced Source
To fully realize the sonic potential of your 1160 Stereo Power Amplier,
always use balanced connections. Balanced cables minimize interference
from magnetic and RF sources.
Connect the cables from your source or preamplier outputs to the input
connections provided on the rear panel of the 1160.
Connecting to an Unbalanced Source
Although the inputs are of the 3-pin XLR-type, an unbalanced source is
easily accommodated by using a special cable. This cable has an RCA-
type connector on the source end and a 3-pin XLR connector on the 1160
Stereo Power Amplier end.
The negative input (pin 3) should be wired to ground only at the RCA
connector. This brings the negative input reference of the 1160 to the
unbalanced source ground, thus reducing loops.
Another option for accommodating unbalanced sources is the Boulder
ABL2 Input Adapter. It converts a balanced input into an unbalanced RCA
input at the rear panel of the 1160. Like the above cable, the negative input
of the 1160 is connected to the ground of the RCA connector. However, the
negative side will then share the shield wire with the chassis ground and
will not have very good hum rejection.
Please contact your authorized Boulder dealer for further information about
the ABL2 Input Adaptor.
EthernetInput Input
1-5
Getting Started
Getting Started
Polarity
Please note that the 1160 Stereo Power Amplier conforms to the AES
standard of pin 2 as the “high,” “positive,” or “hot” pin for the balanced
input.
The polarity of the 1160 Stereo Power Amplier is such that a positive-
going transition at pin 2 will produce a positive-going transition at the “+”
output terminal.
Connecting Your Loudspeakers
Do not use a wrench or any other type of tool on the output terminal
binding posts. Tighten these connectors by hand only.
WARNING: This is a high-powered amplier! There is high voltage
potential at the terminals when driven. Connections should only be made
with the AC mains disconnected!
Select speaker cable spade terminals that will accept .250-inch (6 mm)
diameter binding posts. Two sets of output connections are provided on the
1160 to enable easy bi-wiring. Because the binding posts are connected in
parallel for each channel, there is no advantage of one set over the other.
There is no provision for the use of banana plugs. Banana plugs are
proven to lose spring tension and come loose over time, increasing contact
resistance and distortion. We also do not recommend the use of banana
plugs at the speaker end for these reasons.
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