RMAF 2018
RMAF 2018 Show Report
Benchmark products were in use in many booths and rooms this year at RMAF. Many vendors chose to use our equipment to drive their headphones and loudspeakers:
The Benchmark DAC3 B, LA4, AHB2 system was in use in RMAF rooms 1000 and 8007.
The Benchmark DAC3 B, HPA4 headphone system was in use at RMAF CANJAM tables 32, 33, 34, 66, 77, 78, 2001 and 2010.
Scroll down for a photo tour of the many Benchmark systems at RMAF 2018.
Benchmark introduced several new products at RMAF 2018:
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Announced at RMAF 2018 - The LA4 is our newest preamplifier. This new line amplifier is an HPA4 without the headphone outputs.
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Announced at RMAF 2018 - The new DAC3 B is the latest addition the the award-wining DAC3 family. It is specifically designed to compliment the HPA4 and the new LA4, but has many other applications.
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New to RMAF - The HPA4 headphone amplifier is new to RMAF. It was introduced after the 2017 show. But, due to its ground-breaking performance, you will find it being used by many headphone vendors at this year's show.
Benchmark HPA4 - Headphone Amplifier
- CANJAM booth 32, 33, 34, 66, 77 and 78
THE ULTIMATE HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER
Benchmark Media Systems, Inc. and THX, Ltd. have partnered to introduce the Benchmark HPA4 headphone/line amplifier featuring THX Achromatic Audio Amplifier (AAA™) technology.
THX AAA™ reduces harmonic, intermodulation, and crossover distortion by 20 to 40 dB to guarantee a realistic and fatigue-free listening experience. It accomplishes this using a patented feed-forward topology to null conventional distortion and noise mechanisms, resulting in the world's most linear amplifier. THX AAA allows the amplifier to reach its maximum output power and sound pressure level (SPL) without producing the distortion that normally accompanies increased output levels in traditional amplifiers.
Featuring the flagship THX-888 amplifier design, the revolutionary HPA4 headphone amplifier incorporates the same THX AAAtechnology that Benchmark uses in the AHB2 power amplifier. The HPA4 delivers sonic perfection. Hear the music without any contamination from electronic noise or distortion. The HPA4 delivers power, audio fidelity, speed and accuracy over an utterly silent background.
NEW! Benchmark LA4 - Line Amplifier
- RMAF room 1000 and 8007
THE ULTIMATE LINE-LEVEL PREAMPLIFIER
The LA4 is an HPA4 without the headphone outputs.
The LA4 line amplifier incorporates the finest gold-contact relays available. The gain control has 256 steps in 0.5 dB increments. It also features a balance control. Relay closures are precisely timed to deliver silky-smooth volume changes. No other relay gain control offers this level of precision and performance. The LA4 includes two fully balanced 256-step attenuators for the L&R line outputs.
The stepped attenuator optimizes the interface between your analog sources and your power amplifier. This optimization will improve the system SNR by allowing each component to operate at its optimal signal level. This is especially important when the upstream device is a D/A converter. The LA4 allows the D/A converter to run at full output where it delivers the best SNR. The result is lower noise and lower distortion over a wide range of listening levels.
NEW! Benchmark DAC3 B - D/A Converter
- CANJAM booth 32, 33, 34, 66, 77 and 78
- RMAF room 1000 and 8007
DAC3 B - Reference Quality - Basic Features
The DAC3 B is the bare-bones basic D/A converter in Benchmark's DAC3 converter series. The DAC3 B is the ideal converter to use in front of Benchmark's HPA4 headphone amplifier or LA4 line amplifier. It is also ideal for many professional studio applications. It delivers the full performance of the flagship DAC3 HGC, but eliminates the volume control, the analog inputs, the mute and polarity controls, and the headphone amplifier.
To make system integration easy, the DAC3 B retains IR remote control (handset optional), 12 V trigger, and the programmable auto-on feature. The DAC3 B adds a control-lock feature that turns off the remote control and locks the keypad to prevent tampering and accidental changes. The optional 1/2-width rack-mount faceplate allows the mounting of two units in a single 1-RU rack space.
The DAC3 B sounds exactly like the DAC3 HGC because it uses the exact same circuit board and the exact same audio path. Benchmark has simply eliminated the unnecessary parts to deliver a stripped down race car of a converter. If you want a basic D/A converter that delivers the finest conversion available, the DAC3 B is for you.
The DAC3 B is a 2-channel D/A converter featuring the new ESS Technologies ES9028PRO converter chip. The DAC3 converter has lower THD and THD+N noise than Benchmark's DAC2 converters.
Benchmark's DAC1 and DAC2 D/A converter families have been the reference to which other converters have been compared. It is rare to find a converter review that does not draw comparisons to the DAC1 or the DAC2. Benchmark converters are in daily use at many of the world's finest recording studios and mastering rooms. Benchmark converters are also enjoyed by thousands of audiophiles. Benchmark has raised the bar again ... the DAC3 defines a new reference.
Benchmark AHB2 Power Amplifier
- RMAF room 1000 and 8007
The cleanest, quietest amplifier on the planet!
From the first watt to the last watt, no audio power amplifier offers lower noise or lower distortion than the Benchmark AHB2. Benchmark has raised the bar by introducing a new and revolutionary amplifier!
“I measured less distortion and noise in the AHB2 than in any other of the many power amps I've measured over the years.”
- Bascom King, BHK Labs
“If ever there were a giant-killer of an amp, this is it.”
"It is one of the -- if not the -- quietest, most resolving amps I've heard. Time and again, without ever having intended to, I wound up hours deep in listening to the fringes of my music collection, thanks to the AHB2’s reference-level transparency and obscene athleticism."
- Hans Wetzel, SoundStage!
"Benchmark Media Systems' AHB2 is an extraordinary amplifier. Not only does its performance lie at the limits of what is possible for me to reliably test, it packs high power into a very small package, especially when used in bridged-mono mode. It is truly a high-resolution amplifier."
- John Atkinson, Stereophile
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ROOM 1000
In room 1000, Benchmark debuted two new products; the LA4 Line Amplifier and DAC3 B D/A converter. This pairing of preamp and DAC along with a pair of AHB2 power amps in monoblock configuration offer the utmost in system transparency. Dennis Chern of Martin Logan demoed the Impression ESL11A electrostatic speakers. Music files was played via an Aurender Music Server.
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ROOM 8007
Speaker manufacturer, Amphion, used the new Benchmark LA4 Line Amp, DAC3 B D/A converter and a pair of AHB2 monoblocs to drive their Krypton3 and Argon 7LS floorstanding speakers. Trevor Fedele of Amphion played some of his favorite music via USB from a laptop. Like Benchmark, Ampion is a pro-audio company offering products for home audio.
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CANJAM 32 Benchmark
At the Benchmark CANJAM headphone table we had two DAC3 B - HPA4 combos driving several different brands and models of headphones! The "tree" in the back had a number of top headphones for our guests to audition.
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CANJAM 77,78 AUDEZE
AUDEZE selected a DAC3 B - HPA4 combo to drive their outstanding selection of headphones!
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CANJAM 66 CLEER
CLEER also selected a DAC3 B - HPA4 combo to drive their headphones at table 66!
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CANJAM 33,34 HIFIMAN
HIFIMAN selected a DAC3 B - HPA4 combo to driving their headphones at their CANJAM tables!
Also in News
AXPONA 2024 Chicago - April 12-14
Visit us at AXPONA 2024
- April 12-14, 2024
- Schaumburg Convention Center, Chicago, IL
- Two Benchmark Rooms, Three Locations!
- Room 620 - Benchmark and Studio Electric Loudspeakers
- Room 1145 - Benchmark and Porzilli Audio Note Line Array
- Expo Hall - Booth 8216 - Benchmark HPA4 and Meze Audio Headphones
Win a DAC3 B
Visit us at AXPONA and enter to win a DAC3 B
One winner per show. One entry per person. You do not need to be present to win. Drawing will take place 7 days after the show ends. Winner is responsible for taxes. Must be a USA or CA resident. Winner will be notified by email. Telephone number will be used if we cannot reach you by email. Telephone number will not be used for any other purpose.
CANJAM 2024 New York - March 9-10
Head-Fi Presents the World's Premier Headphone Audio Show
If you enjoy listening with headphones, a CANJAM show should be on your bucket list. Register for a CANJAM show today!
When you go, be sure to visit the Benchmark booth. We will be showing our reference-quality HPA4 headphone amplifier and DAC3 converter. This signal chain defines the state of the art when it comes to transparency, low noise, and low distortion. To top it off, the HPA4 has the power to drive the most difficult headphones with ease.
All the Best Headphones at One Booth!
As usual, we will have all of the newest and hottest headphones at the Benchmark booth. You will be able to make side-by-side comparisons to find out which headphones are best for you. You can even try those "hard to drive" headphones to see just how well they are handled by the Benchmark HPA4. Try all the best headphones at one booth so that you can make direct comparisons. Warning - the Benchmark Booth is a popular spot, get there early!
We are Giving Away a Benchmark DAC3 B ($1,899.00 value)
While you are at the Benchmark booth, enter to win a Benchmark DAC3 B.
David and McKenzie Siau
"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." - John 15:13
David Paul Siau - June 25, 1983 - July 17, 2022
McKenzie Joy Siau - December 30, 2020 - July 17, 2022
On the evening of July 17, 2022, my oldest son David Paul Siau gave the ultimate sacrifice of love when he knowingly gave his life to save those he loved. He took three shots from a 12 gauge shotgun so that his wife, children and sister could be spared.
David is survived by his wife Christy Siau and their two oldest children, ages 6 and 3. His 18-month old daughter McKenzie was killed within moments of David. I have no doubt that David and McKenzie entered into God’s glory hand in hand.
My daughter-in-law Christy Siau was shot and nearly killed in the incident. We are grateful that she is now out of the hospital making a full recovery.
In the end, my daughter Christina Siau fought the attacker with a knife and prevailed. She sustained many knife injuries and it is a miracle that she lived. She is now out of the hospital and making a full recovery.
We ask your prayers for the healing of physical and emotional scars. We have been overwhelmed by the love people have shown to our family during this difficult time.