“The Blue Amp Model 42 is in the top tier of the phono preamps I’ve heard. It produced “black” back grounds out of which music exploded with a ferocity I’ve heard from only the finest performers. Just as some listeners don’t cotton to the Boulder 2008, those who prefer a soft, mellow sound will not warm to the Model 42-but in the right setting, and especially with the right cartridge, the Blue Amp provided an intense musical experience that was ultradynamic, tonally vivid, and rhythmically supple.”