Many do not hear the air, space, depth, harmonic rightness, palpable presence and micro detail they get from more expensive amps. The Benchmark is not totally neutral.nothing is. In order to claim something has zero sound you need to do a straight wire bypass test on it (yes,this is possible with a power amp.however, I know no one who has ever done it except my late friend Sieg Modes.and he did his testing in the late 70s). His reference in his review is a Quad 909 and a all tube Zesto amp.hardly a $200K pair of mono block Boulders or whatever. Paul Seydor does not listen to reference quality amps. But to anyone else, the AHB2 gets as high, enthusiastic, and confident a thumbs up as my arm is capable of reaching. I’m not sure I can in good conscience recommend this amplifier to them as I am not sure they are in search of what it offers: a precision instrument designed to perform the precisely defined task of reproducing music and sound accurately, which it does essentially to perfection. But audiophiles? Well, the longer I’m in this racket, the less I sometimes think I understand what audiophiles really want except that a lot of dallying about with components, equipment swapping, and coloration matching seems to be what amuses them. Music lovers buy them because they are neutral and accurate and thus reproduce the tonal character of voices and instruments correctly (and also, I presume, because they are reasonably priced, most musicians, like most other people, being typically not wealthy). Professionals buy Benchmark because they know the products work and are reliable and accurate-indeed, reference caliber. I enjoy AHB2, but Paul Seydor in Absolute Sound review of AHB2,suggested it is not an audiophile amplifier:īecause accuracy allied to absolutely reliable performance is the goal of all the Benchmarks, they are not products that tend to attract cults or other sorts of starry-eyed enthusiasts, wholly lacking any of the quirks, foibles, idiosyncrasies, sonic flavorings, euphonic distortions, and so on that characterize the objects of most audio cults. Review and Measurements of Benchmark AHB2 Amp | | Audio Science Review (ASR) Forum The following post on ASR about the AHB2 was so right on the money and so well written. My Livingroom system which will be rather costly will either use the Benchmark LA4 preamp or Holo Serene preamp (both ASR wet dreams). I had planned on buying the Yamaha NS3000 monitors (almost $10K) from Canada but the AHB2 and KEF LS50 Meta sounded so good I decided to save my money. I have the KEF LS50 Meta + KEF KC62 sub in my small office powered by the AHB2s.
What I use the AHB2 monos today is really a killer setup. The D-Sonic also had way more grunt than the AHB2 though I thought the AHB2 was the cleanest and nicest sounding on the Thiel (minus the grunt on certain music). The CODA #8 and the KRELL XD line were so much better in the thunder department. I had monos on my hard to drive Thiel CS3.7 and it was lacking grunt. Running the amps in mono are actually not rated for 2 Ohm while the single stereo is officially rated for continuous operation in 2 Ohm. I attributed the AHB2's poor showing to a lack of power. A Mark Levinson amp and ML 585 integrated was so much better. When I demoed the Magico A3 speaker I took along a single AHB2 stereo amp and it was awful with the A3. No fatigue, just enjoyment.įrom my experience the AHB2 should not be used with speakers that go into 2 Ohm and I feel it does not provide thunderous power with speakers it even matches well with. I am no longer searching for amps.īTW - I listen all day and late into the night with my office system. The AHB2, KRELL XD, and the CODA #16 are my fav amps. It has the same crystal-clear clarity of the AHB2 amps. I will be buying a more powerful KRELL XD amp for my future Livingroom system (when the amp is released).Īnother amp that I would consider with the AHB2 is the CODA #16.
#Benchmark ahb2 power amplifier for sale upgrade#
I sold the KRELL XD amps because I continued to upgrade up the line. I use the DAC3B instead with a tube headphone amp. I have the Benchmark DAC3B but switched it out for the warmer Musetec 005 DAC. I also have a tube Magnum Dynalab 108T tuner that also sounds great with the clean Benchmark combo. I use the AHB2 monos in my office with the Benchmark LA4 preamp and a warmish Musetec 005 DAC. LSA Voyager 350 GAN (modified by EVS much better than stock) CODA CSiB integrated (from 2019 not latest) It is the only amp I have left after the following amps came and went in the last 2 years:
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