Reviews

AHB2 - "Stable and Load-Independent, Capable of Driving Difficult Loads"

"AHB2's output power ... easily confirmed the specs given by the company itself."

"Based on this performance, the amplifier seems more than capable of driving difficult loads."

"Damping factor was estimated above 200, therefore, no system frequency response discrepancies, due to loudspeaker's impedance variability, should be expected."

"In distortion measurements, AHB2's behavior was impressive ..."

"The amplifier's spectral behavior does not seem to change significantly with a 4-Ohm load at its outputs."

"This stable and load-independent behavior of the output stage is something not often encountered."

"This performance clearly shows that the Benchmark/THX design approach works ... the result is a power stage with very low distortion, indeed."

"The noise performance of the amplifier was, also, top-class ... there is an apparent absence of noise components from the power supply ... this is a remarkable behavior, especially with the output stage under load conditions ..."

- Dimitris Stamatakos, AVMENTOR.net

AHB2 - "What the Future of Power Amplifiers Can Be"

"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."

"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!"

DAC2 and AHB2 - "The Best in this Price Range"

"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



DAC2 HGC - "Very High Level of Performance, Very Low Distortion"

"The noise spectrum shows that the DAC2 HGC is indeed a very quiet device without problems of interference or hum."

"Frequency response is flat across the entire range of measurement without a visible cut-off towards the lower frequencies, and with a rather mild roll-off at very high frequencies close to 80kHz. The differences between the two channels are small, in the range of 0.2dB."

"The THD+N Vs Frequency graph does not hide any unpleasant surprises. The curves (for an output level of 1Vrms) are below 0.003% with an apparent increasing trend from the 10kHz upwards but with minimal level-depended variation, an indication for a good analog stage design."