Buy 2 components and get 4 free cables. Free shipping on all orders over $700. We will be closed on Good Friday (March 29).
Buy 2 components and get 4 free cables. Free shipping on all orders over $700. We will be closed on Good Friday (March 29).
Your Cart is Empty
by Benchmark Media Systems August 01, 2015
Enjoy the Music.com takes a look back at the 20 most significant digital audio products from the past 20 years.
"It is widely known within the high-end audio industry that Enjoy the Music.com gives out very few awards. With the nearly constant barrage with 'best of' and 'top picks' featuring hundreds of products elsewhere, there is little doubt Enjoy the Music.com is perhaps the most conservative of magazines when it comes to giving out special accolades. With our annual Blue Note awards possibly being the most sought-after within the audiophile industry, as only a very small handful of products get special recognition each year, we want to highlight our 20th anniversary by using our 20/20 vision as it were and look back to some of the best gear."
"As Editor and Creative Director for Enjoy the Music.com, it is my honor to look back at the many thousands of reviews and choose the top 20 per category. This month my choices are for the very best digital gear over the past 20 years."
by Benchmark Media Systems July 29, 2015
"The sonic performance of the DAC2 DX is in an entirely new league when compared to the DAC1 (I still have a DAC1 USB available for comparison). First, the tonal balance is extremely neutral, without any of the DAC1’s brightness. The DAC2 DX also has a harmonic richness which, by comparison, I find somewhat lacking in the DAC1."
"Since I reviewed the OPPO BDP-105 in audioXpress, I’ve been searching for a reasonably-priced D/A converter that will actually improve the OPPO’s performance as a stand-alone player."
"The Benchmark DAC2 DX is a hands-down improvement over the OPPO as a stand-alone player, especially in the areas of inner detail, soundstaging, high-frequency airiness, and bass. The extreme low end is both deeper and better controlled than the OPPO. Dynamics, across the spectrum, are excellent."
"Benchmark’s goal in all of its products is ultimate precision and accuracy, and the DAC2 DX tells the truth about every source it’s fed, while being free of unmusical artifacts sometimes associated with digital audio."
- Gary Galo, audioxpress
by Benchmark Media Systems July 23, 2015
"If you are determined to get the most out of high-resolution audio then you need a system whose optimal performance can bring out deliver the full potential of high-res audio. There is no more compelling case than to anchor a high-res setup with the Benchmark DAC2 and AHB2 combo."
"The Benchmark AHB2 amplifier and DAC2 control of the universally acclaimed Revel Ultima2 Salon speakers and never let go. In fact, the AHB2 allowed the Salon2s to achieve pinnacle performance. The AHB2 isn’t cheap; but its build quality, materials, and astonishing sonic performance are a marvel."
"The AHB2 is an audiophile’s dream and a competitor’s nightmare. For my part, I don’t want my dream with the AHB2 to end."
"Not only does the AHB2 get my highest and strongest recommendation, but it also gets an enthusiastic nod as our 2015 Audiophile Amplifier of the Year."
by Benchmark Media Systems July 23, 2015
"It is so incredibly hard to put into words the experience that the DAC2 → AHB2 → Revel Ultima2 Salon setup produced. There was simply no distortion, no noise, just a blank stage. Regardless of genre, vocals and instruments popped to life and they did so with a almost true-to-life 'you are there' feel to them."
"The Salons are some of the most capable full-range speakers on the planet. When paired with the AHB2s in bridged mono, bass notes were the cleanest, most detailed, and most controlled I’ve ever heard out of the Salon2s."
"The delicate notes of violins resonated precisely, perfectly laid out and you were able to discern the tonal character of the strings and the warmth of the violin’s body. The resonant timbre of brass notes was spot on. The entire orchestra came together in a coherent, dynamic whole. If this is high-res music, then I will take it with joy every time. There wasn’t a single note where the DAC2/AHB2 combination didn’t bring out the immaculate character of the Salon2s. Crescendo!"
- The Poor Audiophile
by Benchmark Media Systems July 14, 2015
"The DAC2 projects a sonic image that reaches from floor to ceiling."
"The DAC2 also throws a huge soundstage and mines a lot of ambient detail from high-resolution recordings."
"Its versatility takes the value to another level, making me nominate this one for an Exceptional Value Award and give it an enthusiastic recommendation."
- Jeff Dorgay, Tone Audio
by Benchmark Media Systems July 13, 2015
"John is a long-time audiophile. In fact, it was his love of music and audio that originally inspired his interest in electronics and prompted him to pursue a degree in electrical engineering at Syracuse University."
"“It became clear that we would not reach our goals if we designed a conventional power amplifier,” John said. “We realized that we needed to look at some unique solutions. We were very focused on eliminating crossover distortion in the output stage because we felt that this was one of the most important factors in the sonic performance of the amplifier. We began experimenting with ...”"
by Benchmark Media Systems June 29, 2015
"The AHB2 is being recognized as a Recommended Reference Component -- it’s an incredibly good amplifier that can take full advantage of the high-resolution music sources that audiophiles have access to today."
- SoundStage! Hi-Fi Editors
"It may be hi-fi’s biggest bargain"
- Hans Wetzel, SoundStage! Access
“I measured less distortion and noise in the AHB2 than in any other of the many power amps I’ve measured over the years.”
- Bascom King, BHK Labs
by Benchmark Media Systems June 01, 2015
"Benchmark Media Systems’ modest-looking little AHB2 power amp may be hi-fi’s biggest bargain. It is one of the -- if not the -- quietest, most resolving amps I've heard. Time and again, without ever having intended to, I wound up hours deep in listening to the fringes of my music collection, thanks to the AHB2’s reference-level transparency and obscene athleticism."
"The AHB2 was incredibly transparent. It just tore down the cloud of ambiguity that burdens the sounds of, well, just about everything else I've heard."
"If ever there were a giant-killer of an amp, this is it."
- Hans Wetzel, SoundStage!
by Benchmark Media Systems June 01, 2015
"All amplifier measurements are performed independently by BHK Labs."
"The AHB2 is Benchmark’s attempt to produce a very-low-distortion, low-noise power amplifier using THX’s AAA Technology, which linearizes the amp’s class-AB output stage without using large amounts of overall negative feedback. I must say that they’ve succeeded; I measured less distortion and noise in the AHB2 than in any other of the many power amps I’ve measured over the years."
"High-frequency THD+N is admirably low, and in stereo and mono modes, the AHB2’s level of distortion throughout most of the power range is amazingly low."
"... the signal harmonics -- consisting of the third and fifth harmonics in stereo mode -- are extremely low in amplitude."
- BHK Labs, SoundStage!
by Benchmark Media Systems May 31, 2015
"There was no compromising of the vocals’ clarity, no clouding of the space."
"The SMS1 has a high crossover point, so the larger driver is acting as a true mid/bass unit. Suffice it to say, voices sounded genuinely lifelike, with a blessed absence of sibilance."
"What made it so involving was the way the harmonies meshed, the resolving power of the tweeter ensuring that each singer could not only be heard clearly, but defined in their own space."
"This classy monitor has a distinct character, leaning toward the rich at the bottom and the analytical at the top, rather than the totally neutral ‘studio’ sound I might have anticipated. If the balance suits your taste, you'll find it sounds bigger than a small two-way, it’s easy to drive and the perceived value suggests a price of at least a grand more."
- Ken Kessler, Hi-Fi News
by Benchmark Media Systems May 03, 2015
"At under $10,000 total, this system offered one of the most rewardingly clean, natural, and engaging sounds at the show."
"From the soup of the DAC2 HGC, AHB2 amplifier, and SMS1 monitors to the nuts of the speakers stands and system cabling, everything in the room was produced and sold by Benchmark. This was my first experience of listening to how the company actually intends their gear to sound."
"AXPONA presented me with my first chance to sit down and listen to something familiar. A neat Bruce Brown reworking of Neil Young’s “Old Man” hit the hard drive, and we took the system for a tear-jerking spin."
"Hearing it all put together makes clear just how massively Benchmark has refined their skills."
- Mal Kenney, Part-Time Audiophile
by Benchmark Media Systems April 01, 2015
"The first thing you need to know about Laurie is that he’s an audiophile’s audiophile. He’s an engineer, music lover, and also a musician..."
"Instead of building upon existing technologies, Laurie and his team decided to design a better amplifier technology from the ground up."
"We didn’t invent or reinvent the amplifier. Instead, we looked at the shortcomings, the physics, and developed a technology to deal with that. We were motivated to do better. We didn’t stop."
“We’ve been working on the amplifier since 2006 ...
by Benchmark Media Systems March 29, 2015
"A high grade, high resolution, highly neutral DAC is an essential foundation point for any music system. If you are a serious music lover (you do not have to be a professional, or call yourself an audiophile), who wants to get the very most out of your playback system, I think you owe it to yourself to check out the Benchmark Media Systems DAC2 HGC."
"If you are interested in assembling an audio system to playback high resolution audio, the DAC2 is an essential starting point. You will need the exceptionally low noise, high linearity and exceptional clarity that this DAC has to offer before you can enjoy everything that high resolution digital audio has to offer."
- Rob Stewart, JustMastering.com
by Benchmark Media Systems March 18, 2015
"I rely on the DAC1 for monitoring in audio restoration and mastering. I am lost without it. I have used it, along with the ADC1, 8 hours a day, five days a week since 2005."
"I used the DAC1 and Samplitude in the “OLD-TIME SMOKY MOUNTAIN MUSIC” CD which was nominated in 2013 for a Grammy in historic recording."
John T. Fleenor, Archives Of Appalachia, East Tennessee State University
by Benchmark Media Systems March 16, 2015
"The AHB2 redefines the word 'transparency' and will make many competing amplifiers sound veiled and foggy by comparison."
"Benchmark and THX have clearly set out to produce the most accurate amplifier possible, free of the colorations - euphonic or otherwise - that we've come to expect from most amplifiers."
"The difficulty in creating an "accurate" amplifier, as opposed to a "euphonic" one, is that an accurate amplifier's designer must make absolutely certain the amplifier doesn't add any unpleasant character of its own. In this regard, the AHB2 is a resounding success."
"The most immediately striking characteristic of the amplifier is the jaw-dropping level of detail and resolution."
"The speed of this amplifier gives percussion instruments a crisp, well-defined quality."
"This amplifier's performance in the bass is nothing short of phenomenal - easily the best I've ever heard"
"The AHB2 delivers the entire envelope of sound with incredible precision and realism."
- Gary Galo, audioXpress
by Benchmark Media Systems February 01, 2015
"This is an amplifier with very serious slam, and – even better for those with less sensitive speakers, big rooms or just a hankering for ‘just in front of the PA stack’ listening levels – it keeps it all together however loud you decide to play things."
"If that doesn't make you smile every time you listen, I don't know what will."
- Andrew Everard, Hi-Fi News
"... the widest A-wtd S/N ratio of any amplifier I've measured in some 30 years."
- Paul Miller, Hi-Fi News
by Benchmark Media Systems January 28, 2015
"I believe it is the purest sounding and lowest noise amplifier in my experience."
"Is the AHB2 the “perfect amplifier?” The truth is that it could be when paired synergistically with certain components and speakers."
"What is perhaps most impressive about the AHB2 is its very natural presentation of brass horns, piano and percussion in general."
"The Benchmark AHB2 is a powerful and efficient amplifier with prodigious low levels of noise and distortion. The fact that it is also very musical and non-fatiguing, courtesy of THX’s patented AAA™ technology, is the icing on the cake. Benchmark Media and THX have a lot to be proud of for the development and implementation of the new technology the AHB2 represents."
"The AHB2 provides deep, impactful, and articulate bass, a very musical and transparent midrange, and ultra-clean high frequency reproduction."
- Frank Alles, Stereo Times
by Benchmark Media Systems December 31, 2014
"From the get-go, the amp lives up to its design specs by providing a very clean presentation. The Benchmark does a good job of layering vocals and instruments in all dimensions, with each element supported by a solid and convincing image."
"As desired in a studio setting, the sonics from the AHB2 are neutral, and in my home setup, there is no observable emphasis in any particular frequency range."
"Regardless of music type, bass through the Benchmark offers a taught presentation with the snap and punch one expects from percussion. Depeche Mode’s “Personal Jesus” is engaging through the AHB2, with all the subtle synthesized sounds popping into position in the soundstage."
-Rob Johnson, Tone Audio, December 2014, pages 122 - 129
"In the end, the Benchmark AHB2 can become a great anchor to your system, offering high performance in a compact box. With an extremely neutral tonal balance, you can use it straight, or warm it up with a tube preamplifier, should that be your preference."
"The AHB2 is a stellar performer from a company known for excellence."
- Jeff Dorgay, Tone Audio, December 2014, pages 130 - 131
by Benchmark Media Systems December 23, 2014
"The SMS1 is an excellent pro-caliber passive monitor. It’s what I expect from a Benchmark product."
"The compact Benchmark SMS1 is an impressive, two-way crossover speaker with Benchmark’s typical attention to quality. Its compact size makes it easy to place, and it is suitable for many kinds of listening environments. Standout characteristics include vocal clarity and imaging."
"The Benchmark SMS1 is a first rate speaker. It goes on my list of recommended small speakers and recipient of the Everything Audio Network Stellar Sound Award."
- John Gatski, Everything Audio Network
by Benchmark Media Systems December 21, 2014
"The Benchmark AHB2 gets the award because its design pushes the spec envelope of power amplifiers."
"It is no longer enough to have 100 dB S/N ratio (or worse) spec’d amplifiers when you have the Benchmark measuring in excess of 130 dB! That is better than the majority of DACs can perform. It is digital performance from an analog amp."
"And the amp sounds great as well — a very neutral analog sound with tight bass and gracious stereo image."
"Throw in the reasonable price tag, and its award status is a no-brainer."
- John Gatski, Everything Audio Network