AXPONA Show Report - Stereophile Magazine
DAC3 B and AHB2 - Driving Laufer Teknik Note Line Array
Two AHB2 bridged-mono amplifiers were driving the 4-Ohm line arrays (48 drivers per side).
"Sound was extremely well-integrated and controlled, and the bass memorable."
The Note Line Array
"Laufer Teknik claims that the speaker has 360° dispersion up to 10kHz and 180° dispersion above that—when I walked around the speaker, sound was loudest in the front-firing direction—50 to 100 times less distortion and up to 200 times the dynamic range "of a typical D'Appolito design," and the ability to work in a "really large room." The Note has no crossover above the subwoofer, stands 87" tall, is a mere 2" wide and 2.5" deep, and weighs only 40lb."
Two DAC3 B Converters - One for the Array, and One for the Subs
"The Note received signal through Benchmark Media's AHB2 power amps, DAC3 B D/A processor, and interconnects."
Two AHB2 Power Amplifiers - Bridged Mono Mode - One per Array
"The system sounded super on a 16/44.1 file of the famed rendition of Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man, recorded by Eiji Oue and the Minnesota Orchestra for Reference Recordings."
- Jason Victor Serinus, Stereophile Magazine
Also in Reviews
CAF 2025 Best of Show - Krix Home Theater - Powered by Benchmark
"The setup used ... ten Benchmark AHB2 amps, and a Storm Audio ISP Elite 24 MK3 surround processor."
"The system delivered serious punch and clarity."
"During the car chase and gunfight sequence from No Time to Die, the Krix setup managed to convey the intensity and scale of a far larger theater—tight, immersive, and controlled. Proof that with the right engineering and setup, even a small room can deliver big-cinema energy."
- Brian Mitchell, ecoustics.com
AHB2 - Stereophile 2025 Recommended Component - Power Amplifiers
AHB2 - Receives Stereophile's Top Rating for Power Amplifiers
"An extraordinary amplifier."
- John Atkinson
"Much more apparent low-level detail in already-familiar recordings"
- Kalman Rubinson
KRIX 11.6.6 Home Theater - Powered by 10 Benchmark AHB2 Amplifiers - CAF 2025
"The final visual and audio results in this room were indeed spectacular."
"Complete and total immersion, with clean, clear sonics that were not fatiguing at all."
- Carlo Lo Raso, SECRETS of Home Theater and High Fidelity