Reviews

DAC3 - "Its Sound is Among the Best at Any Price"

"The DAC3 soundstage is highly accurate, and its sound is among the best at any price."

"Benchmark Media began in the mid-1980s providing audio equipment to television broadcast facilities. Today it is recognized amongst recording professionals and high-end audio enthusiasts for producing high-end, sonically transparent components. This philosophy is inherent in all of Benchmark's products--digital-to-analog converters, analog-to-digital converters, preamps, and amplifiers--and it plays right into the sweet spot of high-resolution audio."

"After Benchmark announced the release of the DAC3 HGC, I was quick to contact the company and request a review sample. I was excited after reading about Benchmark's enthusiastic endorsement of the new ESS PRO SABRE chips and had a hunch that the new DAC3 could be a significant step forward in Benchmark's DAC lineage."

"The DAC3 also possesses an uncanny ability to resolve hidden details that typically get lost in a mix. With more resolved detail, the tonality of instruments sounds more real."

- Ben Shyman, Home Theater Review

DAC3 HGC - "Expansive Soundstage Populated with Nicely Layered Instrumentation"

"Tonally things are well balanced, with no part of the frequency range gaining undue prominence. This is coupled to a good dose of refinement, so any aggressive tendencies in recordings, while revealed, are never overemphasized."

"Like all the best products, the Benchmark manages the difficult feat of stepping out of the limelight and letting the music take center stage."

"There’s a high degree of transparency here, and a fluidity of dynamics few rivals can match."

- What Hi*Fi?

DAC3 HGC - "A Genetically Modified Version of the DAC2"

"With the implementation of the latest ESS9028PRO chip from Sabre ... a genetically modified version of the already popular DAC2 is born."

"Harmonically the DAC3 produced definitions of clarity that pushed away inner walls, giving height, depth and a feeling of surround sound."

"The precision in which the DAC3 produces each note is combined with a real flow to the music."

"My system felt like a dominant force when I introduced the Benchmark DAC3 HGC to the middle shelf of my rack."

- Dan Worth, Hifi Pig

DAC3 HGC - "Everything You Like About the DAC2 Only Mo' Better"

"The older Benchmark DAC2 and the new DAC3 are practically indistinguishable visually."

"The underlying ES9028PRO chipset is the big difference in the new DAC3 – everything else is pretty much the same. …even the USB drivers are the same."

"In short – it's everything you like about the DAC2 only mo’ better."

"I think it’s a fantastic sounding D/A converter. On well recorded material it does an outstanding job with detail and resolution."

"It brought new life to CD quality 16/44.1 material - even on tracks that weren’t particularly well mastered."

- "T Bone", Head-Fi.org

AHB2 - "Stereophile Amplification Component of the Year" - 2016 Finalist

The AHB2 was one of only 11 finalists in Stereophile's "Amplification Component of the Year" category. The finalists included 6 power amplifiers, 2 preamplifiers, 2 integrated amplifiers, and 1 headphone amplifier. This elite selection of amplification products included power amplifiers ranging in price from $2,995* (Benchmark AHB2) to $52,000* a pair (Vandersteen M7-HPA).

At $52,000* the Vandersteen includes a chassis milled from a solid billet of aluminum, liquid cooling and a vibration dampening suspension. It is an impressive example of mechanical engineering and industrial design.

At $2,995*, the Benchmark AHB2 delivers the quietest, cleanest power available at any price.

The AHB2 proves that top-quality audio can be affordable.

* 2016 Prices

DAC3 HGC - "More Space, Increased Precision"

The Benchmark DAC3 is the first product to ship with the new ESS Technology ES9028PRO D/A converter chip.

"It may look like the DAC2 HGC, but the new DAC3 HGC offers a slew of better measurements and more notably, an incremental boost in sound quality."

"Via headphones I definitely could hear more space around the instruments and an increased precision in transients — like cymbals and upper-register piano notes."

"In terms of new functions, the DAC3 switches a lot faster between inputs, and gone is that audibly phasy transition when you initially switch between two digital sources."

- John Gatski, Publisher, Everything Audio Network

AHB2 - "End of the Journey"

"I Took A Leap of Faith"

It's not the first time I've heard Error-Correction amplifiers, but those were prototypes that weren't working all too well. Classic feedback, TIM-free design was better, so I was afraid that AHB2 might be “wrong” somehow. It took a little bit of “leap-of-faith” to buy one, but I could not ignore the advice I was given about it, as it was given by people that are insiders in this Audio industry of ours. I'm happy to say that my thoughts of Error Correction approach being maybe wrong, could not be farthest from the truth.

"End of the Journey"

"What can I say ... maybe the shortest way to summarize it would be this: the AHB2 is the end of the journey for me."

"I Have No Desire to Go Back"

"I have no desire for ever going back to typical multi-thousand Dollar High-End amplifiers."

- Aleksandar Radisavljević, Founder and Director of RAAL

AHB2 - "Could be Your Last Amp"

"It could well be the last amp you'll ever own. Yes, it is that good."

"Benchmark Media Systems Pro-centric products tout exceptional specifications, and their AHB2 amplifier--developed in tandem with engineers from THX and using their patented THX Achromatic™ Audio Amplifier technology—uses some rather unusual patented designs to get to those remarkable spec numbers." 

DAC2 - "Slathered in Near-Universal Praise"

"The Benchmark AHB2 is a very good amp, and the DAC2 is a very good DAC—it's no wonder that they have been slathered in near-universal praise."

"These two partners in musical misbehavior sound great together and cost less--with Benchmark cables included—than my Pass XA 30.8 amp alone. To be sure, my reference Pass is a fantastic amplifier, but the AHB2 has its own charms that I found played to my own listening biases."

"Yep. Good stuff, those BM boys."

- Gary L Beard, Positive-Feedback

AHB2 - Driving PMC IB2S Passive Studio Monitors at AES 141

At the 141st AES conference we demonstrated two Benchmark AHB2 monoblock power amplifiers driving a pair of 4-Ohm PMC IB2S passive studio monitors (these monitor are also available in the PMC IB2SE hi-fi version).

In bridged mono, the AHB2 can deliver over 518 watts into each of these 4-Ohm speakers. This is a perfect match to PMC's 500 watt recommendation. The AHB2 easily provides the power, the output current, and the damping required by these low-impedance speakers.

"I am very impressed with the clarity and accuracy of these outstanding professional monitors. The Benchmark AHB2 and PMC IB2S are an absolutely killer combination!"

- John Siau, VP, Benchmark Media Systems, Inc.

ADC1 USB - Stereophile "A-Rated Recommended Component", 2016

"Housed in the same small case as Benchmark's DACs, the ADC1 is a 24-bit USB A/D converter with a Texas Instruments TAS1020B USB chip and a 128x-oversampling, delta-sigma AKM 5394 A/D converter chip."

"The Benchmark produced a natural, coherent overall sound, with clean high frequencies and weighty, extended lows, said JA, who also noted superb measured performance."

DAC2 HGC - Stereophile "A+ Recommended Component", 2016

"Although similar in appearance to previous Benchmark models, with a front-panel volume control and two 1/4" headphone jacks, the new DAC2 HGC uses four 32-bit ESS Sabre DACs, run in balanced configuration, for a significantly lower noise floor; has a new Hybrid Gain Control (HGC) for volume attenuation, which combines active analog gain control and passive low-impedance attenuators in the analog realm with a 32-bit digital DSP gain control for digital signals; and provides front-panel displays for both sample rate and word length."

"It had a pleasantly forward sound, with smooth highs, a solid bottom end, and excellent image separation, said EL."

AHB2 - Absolute Sound 2016 Golden Ear Award

"Used within its 100Wpc rating, this is in any practical sense a perfect power source, with by far the lowest measured noise and distortion of any amplifier currently on the market."

"... if you need more power, buy two and strap them for dual mono at 380 watts a side."

"Either way, power just doesn't get any cleaner or purer than this."

"Neutrality and accuracy are the names of its game ... a sense of being plugged right into the source."

DAC2 and AHB2 - "Open, Colorful, Well-Balanced, and Immediate"

"I loved the open, colorful, well-balanced, and immediate sound of this system."

"I was happy to have finally heard the Benchmark AHB2 power amp that Kal Rubinson and so many others have raved about."

- Art Dudley, Stereophile

Phil Collins - remastered via Abbey Road's Benchmark converters

"At work on the Phil Collins remasters in Abbey Road's mastering studio were (l-r): mastering engineer Miles Showell; artist/curator Phil Collins; and producer Nick Davis."

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

DAC2 HGC - "Taking the DAC1 ... and Improving Upon It"

"I remember writing up a large group test, for a national UK Hi-Fi magazine, several years back, on DACs. I’d never heard of Benchmark before but the DAC1 trounced all of the other DACs on test to win the crown for that test. I was more than impressed and vowed to keep an eye on the brand from that day forward."

"Benchmark says that this, the latest iteration in the range, is superior in terms of sound quality to the DAC1."

"Immediately, right from the off, I was seriously impressed with the DAC2."

- Paul Rigby, The Audiophile Man - audiophileman.com

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

AHB2 - "Ideal Fulcrum to any Hi-Fi System"

"Neat in construction, busy in terms of features and small in stature, the AHB2 is quite remarkable in how it goes about its business of delivering music."

"I’ve seldom heard such a balanced, easy on the ear power amplifier as this that also provides tonal accuracy plus an attractive space in the midrange."

"The AHB2 would be an ideal fulcrum to any hi-fi system, acting as the heart around which you can build up your hi-fi chain. It’s dependable and rock solid."

"The perfect heart to any hi-fi."

- Paul Rigby, The Audiophile Man - audiophileman.com

SMS1 - "Airy Mids, Spacious Soundstage"

"I was impressed by the broad nature of the SMS1 soundstage. Clarinets and strings had a beautifully resonant aspect, letting the ear know that all of these instruments had a specific character. Another feature of the soundstage was the piano’s ability to make itself heard." 

"The space and air around the midrange helps these speakers to tackle even the most complex of arrangements while the allied meaty bass means that they will be a good performer within any genre of music."

- Paul Rigby, The Audiophile Man - audiophileman.com

AHB2 - "Essentially Perfect"

"Benchmark products ... are made for the professional market (where they are ubiquitous) and designed to the most exacting standards of performance and reliability."

"Within a remarkably short period of time ... my mental processes shifted from comparison mode to enjoying music, all the attention drawn to the source material and the rare sensation of feeling as if I were listening back to the source."

"... the AHB2 gets as high, enthusiastic, and confident a thumbs up as my arm is capable of reaching."

- Paul Seydor, The Absolute Sound, April 2016