AHB2 Review - Ben Shyman, Home Theater Review

AHB2 - "It improved my listening pleasure for a song that I have probably heard 500 times."

"Listening to track after track on Audioslave's flip disc (Audioslave, 24/48) proved that the AHB2 also packs serious punch."

"Furthermore, the tonality of the AHB2 is also absolutely spot-on."

"As with a Class A amplifier, I could detect the muscle of the AHB2 and hear it in the sheer weight of presentation in the lower octaves."

"While many hard rock albums have a tendency to sound harsh or muddy, none of those traits were apparent here through the Benchmark AHB2."

"The AHB2 can drive virtually any speaker load with significant power--especially in monaural mode--yet it never lacked finesse on delicate passages."

"The AHB2 is sonically transparent, images beautifully, and authoritatively delivers tons of bottom end, which is likely a factor of it being so quiet."

"The Benchmark AHB2 embodies everything that a solid-state amp should. It is a technologically advanced and remarkable amplifier that can hang with any amp in its class because it is sonically transparent, images beautifully, and produces authoritative bass. While costing only $2,995, it is hard to imagine asking for much more in a power amplifier. In fact, if the AHB2 cost another $1,000, I would still call it a bargain. Interestingly, while my Focal speakers are easy to drive, the AHB2 can probably drive a set of modestly inefficient floor-standing speakers to reasonable listening levels without any strain whatsoever. If you are looking to spend between $2,500 and $4,500 on a stereo, solid-state amplifier, it would be foolish not to consider the AHB2 a strong contender."

- Ben Shyman, hometheater.com

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