DAC2 & AHB2 Review - Dimitris Stamatakos, AVMENTOR.net
AHB2 - "What the Future of Power Amplifiers Can Be"
DAC2 & AHB2 - "The best preamplifier/power amplifier ... in this price range"
"For the listening test, DAC2 HGC and AHB2 replaced our regular reference preamplifier and power amplifier (Melos Plus Series Line and Parasound HCA3500) to drive the ATC SCM50PSL loudspeakers with the Teac P70/D70 CD transport/DAC as a source."
"Replacing the reference amplifiers with the Benchmark devices introduced some interesting and significant changes in the system."
The first impressions include a more clear, dimensionally stable and well-defined soundstage, a better performance on detail and a better feeling of macrodynamics of the listening material. The end result was effortless and uncompressed, with very good speed characteristics and a sense of balance."
"Low frequencies appeared comfortable, well extended and balanced while, in comparison, the reference amplifiers sounded somewhat exaggerated and larger-than-life in this part of the audio spectrum. In contrast, the Benchmark system seemed tighter and with a more strict character without depriving the listener of any details contained in the recording."
"Rhythm section parts reproduced effortlessly, with great speed, and a sense of fullness, without ever becoming excessive."
"Stereo imaging is clear, well defined in space, with very good resolution and a sense of transparency and good depth. Voices feature very good articulation and detail and the overall presence is very realistic, both in small orchestras and solo voices and in larger scale projects and choirs. It is obvious that the design of the amplifiers is done with some "good monitoring" values in mind, like tonal accuracy and a coherent soundstage."
"Towards the high-frequency part of the audio spectrum, the DAC2 HGC/AHB2 combination sounded quite pleasant -but without being intentionally soft or euphonic- and offered a very well balanced feeling of brightness and wide bandwidth. From the listener's point of view, the result is a restful character, without any trace of harshness."
"The overall impression is that the system is able to pass into the listening room both the harmonic richness and the tonal balance of the recording."
"The Benchmark pair offered near-flawless attack/release times and sounded full and impressively present even in small details, a behavior that reinforces the sense of precision and carries the listener a step closer to the live performance."
"Based on a very interesting set of ideas, with a long history but few examples of a practical application, the Benchmark AHB2 could serve as a convincing example of what the future of power amplifiers can be. Combine it with a renowned D/A Converter like the DAC2 HGC, and what you have is a top quality system from which only the loudspeakers are missing!"
"While the DAC2 HGC is a, pretty much, well-known device, the AHB2 proved to be a very pleasant surprise, indeed."
"Benchmark dared to engage their power amplifier project from a different angle, discarding the standard approach ... and certainly succeeded. The theoretical advantages of their choices are both evident in the laboratory and heard during the listening sessions, thus justifying the whole approach."
"Overall, the DAC2 HGC/AHB2 pair is the best preamplifier/power amplifier we had the opportunity to listen to in recent years in this price range."
- Dimitris Stamatakos, AVMENTOR.net
Also in Reviews
Benchmark Converters at Abbey Road - Geoff Pesche
"What are the Latest Advancements in Mastering?"
"Geoff Pesche weighs in on how the mastering team at Abbey Road Studios achieve first-class results." - Mix with the Masters
"The biggest sonic improvement in mastering in the last 5 or 6 years is D/A and A/D converters and that's very very important - what you have at the front and the back of the chain."
"We use fairly new Benchmark converters front and back."
"Abbey Road like a uniformity between the rooms so all of the rooms have the same A/D and D/A conversion."
- Geoff Pesche, Mastering Engineer, Abbey Road Studios
DAC3 Review - Alan Sircom, hi-fi+
"A Damn Good, No-Frills Digital Converter"
"Benchmark Media Systems’ no-nonsense approach to all things audio is rare today."
"Uniformly Good"
"This is a DAC that’s uniformly good at everything. It resolves well, has good imaging properties."
"It makes a balanced, honest sound that allows you to sit and listen to music for hours. That is what makes Benchmark’s products consistently popular with audio engineers. You don’t want ‘bright’ if you sit at a mixing desk 10 hours a day. "
"Leave No Trace"
"It also has the latest version of Benchmark’s jitter attenuation system (UltraLock3) and doubles down on the digital demon with its multi-mode asynchronous USB system."
"Benchmark also uses the distortion compensation facilities built into the ESS chip to reduce second and third order distortion."
"The net result is a DAC that delivers lower distortion, lower noise, less passband ripple, faster signal switching and locking onto signals and a more linear frequency response."
"The Benchmark Media Systems DAC3 B is very much in the ‘leave no trace’ school of good audio."
- Alan Sircom, hi-fi+
DAC3 - Award Nominee - Best Digital Audiophile Product of 2024 (Cost No Object)
2024 Nominees
- Benchmark Media DAC3 B DAC, $1895
- Bricasti M3 DAC, $6000
- Bricasti M19 CD-SACD Player, $10,000
- T+A DAC 200, $7620
- Weiss Engineering Helios DAC, $21,995
"There was some debate about whether anybody can hear the differences above a good Chi-Fi DAC like the Topping D90. Unless you are missing most of your high-frequency hearing, you can hear where a high-end DAC makes a difference."
The Bricasti M3 is a great example of that performance in a $6,000 DAC."
"The Benchmark DAC3 B is an audiophile DAC, with pro audio roots, that punches way above its weight."
