Is the Benchmark AHB2, in mono mode, really better than my Mark Levinson No. 536 monoblocks?

[Mnyb]

Recordings vary so wildly so using the amp as a tone control is futile use actual tone controls or EQ .

You know your getting close (IMHO) when you system sound very different with different recordings. If there is a sameness to everything even if it’s pleasant it ain’t rigth a s I see it ?

But it’s a kind of daft argument regarding the amps in question none of them seems to reach audible levels of distortion anyway

Sorry it’s an nelson pass amp involved maybe it does , or modify the fr response via its damping factor that will be very audible ( a sort of loudness effect usually)

 

[Revelation Sound]

Recordings vary so wildly so using the amp as a tone control is futile use actual tone controls or EQ .

You know your getting close (IMHO) when you system sound very different with different recordings. If there is a sameness to everything even if it’s pleasant it ain’t rigth a s I see it ?

But it’s a kind of daft argument regarding the amps in question none of them seems to reach audible levels of distortion anyway

I agree with you but none of the amps mentioned make all the recordings have a sameness. If it did, then they are way too colored.

 

[MaxBuck]

Some people place a great deal of significance on "Class A" amplification, even for just the first few watts. I don't understand why.

 

[Revelation Sound]

Some people place a great deal of significance on "Class A" amplification, even for just the first few watts. I don't understand why.

Many people like the 2nd harmonic distortion it adds which has a pleasing character

 

[SaltyCDogg]

Since the OP's speakers are pretty sensitive and he also appears to be using a subwoofer is two AHB2's actually going to sound any different to one?

 

[Mnyb]

Since the OP's speakers are pretty sensitive and he also appears to be using a subwoofer is two AHB2's actually going to sound any different to one?

good Q if one can power the pair of speakers OP might get away with even less i suppose one stereo amp can drive the speakers easily , but room size and listening levels is also factors and if EQ is used some headroom is possibly needed for that

 

[MaxBuck]

Many people like the 2nd harmonic distortion it adds which has a pleasing character

I don't really think "2nd harmonic distortion" is a particular characteristic of Class A. Perhaps someone more knowledgeable will chime in here.

 

[DHT 845]

Some people place a great deal of significance on "Class A" amplification, even for just the first few watts. I don't understand why.

because of the sound quality and listening pleasure, go try a good class A for ex. accuphase A50V then you will understand

 

[LTig]

Spending 5, 10, and even 20 grand on power amplification is passé unless you're running some sort of cinema in your home or running a venue, and at that stage you would want to be upgrading to something like Genelec active speakers/subs at which point what amplifier you're using ceases to matter anyway.

I fully agree but I would not set such a limit. I think almost all systems would gain sound quality when using good active speakers. Their price/performance relation is very hard to beat.

 

[Tom C]

If it’s good class A, it shouldn’t sound any worse than good class AB, good class D, or any other quality design. If it’s not good class A, then of course it will sound worse.

 

[LTig]

I don't really think "2nd harmonic distortion" is a particular characteristic of Class A. Perhaps someone more knowledgeable will chime in here.

2nd harmonic distortion is a feature of single ended power amp stages. Class A can be either this or the traditional approach where 3rd harmonic distortion dominates.

 

[JasonH]

Since the OP's speakers are pretty sensitive and he also appears to be using a subwoofer is two AHB2's actually going to sound any different to one?

I suspect not. But that’s my hope. Because it’ll be somewhat an epiphany to realize I don’t need the expensive monos. If I can have the same or better sound for less money, that’s a win. The subs are SVS SB16-Ultras. They’re turned down -12dB and crossed at 35hz. The Revels are great without them but they do add a nice depth. They work great but I really wanted RELs. No local dealer.

 

[JasonH]

good Q if one can power the pair of speakers OP might get away with even less i suppose one stereo amp can drive the speakers easily , but room size and listening levels is also factors and if EQ is used some headroom is possibly needed for that

The room is large and it opens to the dining and kitchen space. Small speakers just don’t do enough.

 

[MasterApex]

Anyway, have any of you had the experience of replacing expensive monoblocks with less expensive Benchmarks? The retail on the ML amps is 5x that of the Benchmark. (I bought used)

I am in the market for 536 and own both 333 and Benchmark AHB2.
I would love to hear your impression as I did 333 vs AHB2 compare previously https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...on-333-listening-impression-conclusion.23853/
Measurement number is important but they are based on test tone.
We are listening to music, not test tone

 

[JSmith]

We are listening to music, not test tone

Hence the multi-tone test;

1. The characteristics of a multitone waveform (e.g., spectral content, histogram, crest factor, etc.) give it a much closer resemblance to typical audio program material like music or speech, than a single sine wave.
2. Multitone distortion is generally better at detecting real-world problems involving clock jitter and sample rate conversion than traditional THD+N measurements.

Technical Library

www.ap.com

JSmith

 

[kongwee]

I don't really think "2nd harmonic distortion" is a particular characteristic of Class A. Perhaps someone more knowledgeable will chime in here.

It does not break up the sine wave like other class does. Someone will bite me for this immediately.

 

[BDWoody]

because of the sound quality and listening pleasure, go try a good class A for ex. accuphase A50V then you will understand

And, if you do a proper blind comparison, then you'll really understand.

 

[BDWoody]

It does not break up the sine wave like other class does.

Can you show any evidence of these broken sine waves in an otherwise competent amp?

 

[kongwee]

See, someone will bite me immediately. bye!

 

[JSmith]

someone will bite me immediately

No one bit you dude... it's a fair question, make the claim, show the evidence, simples.


JSmith