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  #11  
Old 07-27-2015, 10:19 PM
aqman aqman is offline
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Poor audiophile's review of the amp is up. In short, he liked it.

http://www.pooraudiophile.com/2015/0...er-review.html
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  #12  
Old 07-28-2015, 01:29 AM
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Supercronopio Supercronopio is offline
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Interesting review. Are you using the Benchmark Speak-on cables? Are you running one or two amps?
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Benchmark DAC2 DX, Benchmark AHB2 Amplifier, Sonus Faber Cremona M, Bryston BDP-2, Oppo BDP-103, Torus TOT, GIK Acoustics Soffit Bass Traps (2) 242 Acoustic Panels
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  #13  
Old 07-28-2015, 10:05 PM
aqman aqman is offline
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I'm using the Benchmark cables with speak on on amp side with locking bananas on speaker end. The speakon connection is so easy to use. They also look reasonably nice, although not audio jewelry.

I'm using one amp.
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  #14  
Old 07-29-2015, 01:18 AM
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I am running one amp. The speakers I use are very efficient so I do not feel the need for more umph. I just ordered a pair of speak on cables from benchmark. In addition to the remarkable performance I am really liking the industrial / pro audio aspect of this Amp. So I am pretty sure the speak on connections will be awesome.
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PTP Audio Solid 9 turntable
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Benchmark ABH2 amplifiers x 2
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  #15  
Old 09-10-2015, 08:56 AM
yuhengdu yuhengdu is offline
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I have owned it for around 3 weeks. Sweet mids and lovely vocals. A little flat vocals compared to my Pass Labs int30a. The bass is good but not as tight as the int30a has.

Generally it is very smooth sounding.
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  #16  
Old 05-26-2016, 05:43 PM
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I just ordered one to "play around with." Given the relatively low price compared to other high-end amps, trying this out is a no-brainer to me. This amp has gotten universal acclaim.

My current speaker cables are AQ Oak with spades. I ordered AQ adaptors to fit into the banana plug receptacle. If I like the amp, I'll re-terminate the cables with Neutrick speakON connectors.
__________________
Primary System (Always in flux):
Analog Source: Rega RP10
Phono Preamp: Bryston BP2/PS3
Digital Software: Roon, Tidal Streaming
Digital Music Server: Melco N1A/2
Digital Sources: Totaldac d1-twelve SE MkII (factory upgraded from MKI) with "live power" 4 output power supply, Oppo UDP-205
Preamplifier: Rogue Audio RP-9 (factory upgraded from RP-7)
Amplifier: Vandersteen M5-HPA
Speakers: Vandersteen Quatro Wood CT w/IsoAcoustics Gaia 1 feet
Cabling: WW Platinum Starlight 7 digital wires, Totaldac Gigafilter USB filter, AQ Sky XLR, AQ Fire RCA
Speaker Cables: AudioQuest Oak spades ---> bi-wire spades
Power Cables: Esprit PC (for DAC), 2 WW Platinum Electra PC (Preamp/Phono Preamp), AQ NRG10 (Melco N1A/2), AQ Blizzard (Quatro Wood CT built-in subs)
Power Conditioning: 2 AQ Niagara 1000, 3 Oyaide R1 outlets
Sound Treatments: 23 ASC Tube Traps and 10 Panels
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  #17  
Old 05-28-2016, 04:09 PM
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ylee ylee is offline
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The Benchmark AHB2 is in the house. Putting it in my system with two AudioQuest Oak cables per channel with spades required some creative connecting on my part. I wound up being annoyed having to deal with very limited real estate on the back of the amp plus the very, very stiff AQ Oaks which made for a frustratingly difficult hookup. After wrestling for the better part of an hour plus resetting the dip switches in the Quatro CT high pass boxes to match the input impedence of the Benchmark, I switched everything on with bated breath. At first, the sound was rather faint. Hmmm, time to adjust the input sensitivity on the amp. Even though I'm using balanced cables throughout the chain starting from the source, I had to throw the rear switch on the amp to the highest sensitivity setting which was surprising.

Adjusting this along with the max volume setting on my CP-800 preamp, I've been listening to a mix of classical and rock music. To summarize, this is a fantastic highly resolving amp!!! I'd say it definitly lives up to the hype. My Classe CA-2200 amp is still a great amp (impressively so considering it was introduced back in 2004), but this Benchmark is in another league when it comes to resolution. With 100 watts per channel coupled with the Quatro's built-in 250 watts per channel subwoofer amp, I'm still getting 350 watts per channel, so the system still sounds plenty strong. While there is not quite as much kick as with the CA-2200's 200 watts per channel (450 watts per channel total), it is definitely adequate with a very clean sound. The biggest improvement is pitch definition in the bass region - organ and bass notes come through very nicely.

Obviously I'm going to have to let the amp burn in and the character will change a bit as it does so. It nonetheless sounds great out of the box. Given the quality and price, this product along with the THX-AAA technology has all the potential of being a disruptive one in the industry. I'll post further updates as time goes on. Below is a pic of my creative attachment of the speaker cables.
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File Type: jpg 2016-05-28 18.44.17 - Copy.jpg (85.2 KB, 69 views)
__________________
Primary System (Always in flux):
Analog Source: Rega RP10
Phono Preamp: Bryston BP2/PS3
Digital Software: Roon, Tidal Streaming
Digital Music Server: Melco N1A/2
Digital Sources: Totaldac d1-twelve SE MkII (factory upgraded from MKI) with "live power" 4 output power supply, Oppo UDP-205
Preamplifier: Rogue Audio RP-9 (factory upgraded from RP-7)
Amplifier: Vandersteen M5-HPA
Speakers: Vandersteen Quatro Wood CT w/IsoAcoustics Gaia 1 feet
Cabling: WW Platinum Starlight 7 digital wires, Totaldac Gigafilter USB filter, AQ Sky XLR, AQ Fire RCA
Speaker Cables: AudioQuest Oak spades ---> bi-wire spades
Power Cables: Esprit PC (for DAC), 2 WW Platinum Electra PC (Preamp/Phono Preamp), AQ NRG10 (Melco N1A/2), AQ Blizzard (Quatro Wood CT built-in subs)
Power Conditioning: 2 AQ Niagara 1000, 3 Oyaide R1 outlets
Sound Treatments: 23 ASC Tube Traps and 10 Panels

Last edited by ylee; 05-28-2016 at 06:49 PM.
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  #18  
Old 05-28-2016, 08:25 PM
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ylee ylee is offline
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Several hours into the AHB-2 being in my system, a few more things are coming to mind as the amp burns in.

Soundstaging is excellent. The Benchmark aids and abets the Quatro Wood CT’s talent for separating instruments and voices. This is a very important attribute for classical music. Without separation in space instruments and vocalists can sonically overlap each other and telling them apart becomes a tad difficult. It helps that the Benchmark’s textures and timbre of instruments are also clearer, as are the instrumental and vocal components of large orchestras and choral ensembles

One of my tests for tonal resolution is Vladimir Horowitz’s 1985 New York recording (DG). His Steinway is an amazing tonal kaleidoscope that can sound clangy on lesser amps. Thru the Benchmark the complexity of his piano’s tones comes through clearly, so the clangy sound is absent.

Another test of resolution I use is the Helene Grimaud/Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra and Choir recording of Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy (also DG). There are subtle plucking of strings in the middle of the second movement along with some nice voice solos near the end of the same movement. The plucking is very evident and the vocalists sound gorgeous. I’ve heard this recording through the Linn Klimax system where the plucks sounded just a tad more clear, but that system had a $80k set of speakers!

A favorite test using rock music is Boston’s “Hitch a Ride” where there is an acoustic guitar that plays in the background in the second half of the song. The Benchmark brings it out so it’s presence is plainly evident.

More impressions to come in a few days.
__________________
Primary System (Always in flux):
Analog Source: Rega RP10
Phono Preamp: Bryston BP2/PS3
Digital Software: Roon, Tidal Streaming
Digital Music Server: Melco N1A/2
Digital Sources: Totaldac d1-twelve SE MkII (factory upgraded from MKI) with "live power" 4 output power supply, Oppo UDP-205
Preamplifier: Rogue Audio RP-9 (factory upgraded from RP-7)
Amplifier: Vandersteen M5-HPA
Speakers: Vandersteen Quatro Wood CT w/IsoAcoustics Gaia 1 feet
Cabling: WW Platinum Starlight 7 digital wires, Totaldac Gigafilter USB filter, AQ Sky XLR, AQ Fire RCA
Speaker Cables: AudioQuest Oak spades ---> bi-wire spades
Power Cables: Esprit PC (for DAC), 2 WW Platinum Electra PC (Preamp/Phono Preamp), AQ NRG10 (Melco N1A/2), AQ Blizzard (Quatro Wood CT built-in subs)
Power Conditioning: 2 AQ Niagara 1000, 3 Oyaide R1 outlets
Sound Treatments: 23 ASC Tube Traps and 10 Panels

Last edited by ylee; 05-29-2016 at 12:29 AM.
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  #19  
Old 06-03-2016, 11:07 PM
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ylee ylee is offline
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6 days after I took delivery of this amp, I continue to enjoy listening to it for a few hours a day. Considering I have four kids my wife has been very understanding of my passion! If I had the time I'd listen to it 6 hours a day. It's that enjoyable.

The amp's tonal balance is deepening as time goes on. At first, this was a lean sounding amp. With less-than-good recordings it remains so. With well-recorded/mastered albums however it sounds great. The bass extension is all there and quite stunning on organ recordings. Despite the transparency and clarity, it is very smooth sounding and I find myself completely devoid of listening fatigue. The soundstaging is very wide, extending about a couple feet beyond the speakers positions. Listening to Vangelis's "Chung Kuo" is quite a treat! Again, for $2995 this amplifier gives a full experience of where state-of-the-art amplifier technology is. I bought this wanting to play with it and was prepared to move on to a much more expensive amp within the next couple years. Given how good the AHB2 is, I no longer feel that need or desire.

I ordered a pair of Benchmark's Canare cable with Speakon connectors on the amp end and two pairs of spades on the speaker end for each channel so I can hook it up to the barrier strips on my Vandersteens. I'll post impressions of my system with that cable burned in a few weeks.
__________________
Primary System (Always in flux):
Analog Source: Rega RP10
Phono Preamp: Bryston BP2/PS3
Digital Software: Roon, Tidal Streaming
Digital Music Server: Melco N1A/2
Digital Sources: Totaldac d1-twelve SE MkII (factory upgraded from MKI) with "live power" 4 output power supply, Oppo UDP-205
Preamplifier: Rogue Audio RP-9 (factory upgraded from RP-7)
Amplifier: Vandersteen M5-HPA
Speakers: Vandersteen Quatro Wood CT w/IsoAcoustics Gaia 1 feet
Cabling: WW Platinum Starlight 7 digital wires, Totaldac Gigafilter USB filter, AQ Sky XLR, AQ Fire RCA
Speaker Cables: AudioQuest Oak spades ---> bi-wire spades
Power Cables: Esprit PC (for DAC), 2 WW Platinum Electra PC (Preamp/Phono Preamp), AQ NRG10 (Melco N1A/2), AQ Blizzard (Quatro Wood CT built-in subs)
Power Conditioning: 2 AQ Niagara 1000, 3 Oyaide R1 outlets
Sound Treatments: 23 ASC Tube Traps and 10 Panels

Last edited by ylee; 06-03-2016 at 11:17 PM.
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  #20  
Old 06-05-2016, 06:36 PM
aqman aqman is offline
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I'm using Benchmarks's cable with Speakon to locking bananas on the other end. So nice and easy to use the SpeakOn connector. The cable is fairly flexible for a thick cable and they look about as good as simple black wire can. I couldn't tell a difference from the benchmark cable and a blue jeans cable with locking bananas on both ends.

Still enjoying the AHB2 everyday, now with Magico S1s.
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