Benchmark AHB2 Teardown

[Billy Budapest]

After the warranty is over say on the say Nilai 500. How serviceable is it compared to the AHB2? Does one become garbage and the other serviceable. I currently prefer a serviceable auto over a complicated unserviceable alternative as I've been down that road. It is true luxury when one has no worries over something.

You could also drop in a replacement Nilai module and still end up spending much less than the Benchmark. But if you don’t want to open up your amp, point conceded.

 

[dalbert02]

I love my AHB2. But why do my speakers make a 'click/pop' noise when I turn it off? That annoys the fudge out of me!

 

[PristineSound]

I love my AHB2. But why do my speakers make a 'click/pop' noise when I turn it off? That annoys the fudge out of me!

That is a known reported "issue" with the AHB2.

The only issue that I am aware of with the AHB2. Of course, I rather it not have this pop, but I can live with it.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

That is a known reported "issue" with the AHB2.

Maybe but I have 4 of them and the only sound on power up or power down is from an on-chassis relay. No sounds at all via the speakers.

 

[PristineSound]

Maybe but I have 4 of them and the only sound on power up or power down is from an on-chassis relay. No sounds at all via the speakers.

Do you use the trigger?

 

[rjp]

So let's talk about Hypex and Purifi. The only thing that they have on the AHB2 is the power. The Hypex and Purifi distortion profile are not frequency invariant. The finished product is largely dependent on the integrator, the finished Hypex and Purifi products in the market today at most have a remote trigger feature and few models have signal sensing. Other than that it's absolutely barebone.

Whereas the Benchmark has all sorts of fault and safety mechanism. As an example distortion shutdown to protect your tweeters, my speakers cost me a pretty penny, such safety mechanism has already paid for itself, should there are any accidents.

I own a Buckeye Purifi 1ET 6525 build and I can tell you is most definitely has shutdown protection circuitry. It shuts down as soon as the distortion starts very reliably.

I don't know if this feature is built into the Purifi modules or if it is part of the Buckeye-built driver board.

 

[PristineSound]

I own a Buckeye Purifi 1ET 6525 build and I can tell you is most definitely has shutdown protection circuitry. It shuts down as soon as the distortion starts very reliably.

Good to know.

 

[KeithR]

Hold on, I want to clarify that I am not making any accusations, I am pointing out something that raises my eyebrows. The dealer in question here was once a Benchmark dealer and is no longer an active Benchmark dealer, on the same token this dealer is an active Boxem dealer (at least this is the information on the dealer's website). The comments made by this dealer appears to diminish Benchmark as expensive without much gain, and that Boxem has great features at "less than half the price." Implying one should consider the Boxem over the Benchmark.

Now this all can be that the dealer truly feels this way and could of say any Hypex/Purifi integrator but decided to use the one that he carries.

Anyway, I think we all can agree that Hypex, Purifi and Benchmark are all top-notch amps and you can't go wrong with anyone of these options, with possible exceptions on the Hypex MP line as reported by actual owners, and that different users have different use cases and value different things.

I've had a pair of the Hypex nilai 500 monoblocks for two years. Just wondering what you mean by the possible exceptions reported by owners? I've had no issues with my monoblocks since I assembled them.

 

[Ajax]

I have had 3 Benchmark DACs over the past 15 years with no issues. I used the HDR as a preamp via USB out of my MAC into a pair of ADAM A7X active speakers for my desktop. Simple and easy to use with wonderful sound.

I am now retired and my "main" system is a Wiim Amp Ultra into a pair of B&W AM01 and used Velodyne sub on my patio. I stream lossless Spotify connect from my phone. The Wiim replaced a Sonos - Benchmark DAC - Buckeye 252 Amp that got fried by lightning. I don't need a lot of power for my listening levels and again it is an easy and simple system at a lot less cost.

IMO the discussion regarding the cost of the AHB2 would be more meaningful if compared with those amps that were prominent in Stereophile and Sound on Sound magazines 10 years ago, such as Macintosh, Accuphase, Anthem, NAD, Naim, Linn etc.

Technology moves on, Hypex and Purifi are awesome for the price, however, Benchmark was and is an excellent company dedicated to exceptional performance and reliability at a reasonable price. Wonderful people.

 

[TLEDDY]

I have had Benchmark AHB2’s for about six years… when I pass on, my dealer will sell them for me and I expect he will realize more than my original cost!

BTW… I am in my 85th year…

 

[xlinknz]

Agreed, though perhaps one area they could try improving on is slew rate (apparently measured a very respectable 16V/uS, for a 100 W 8 ohms rated power amp). That would be just for the sake of better specs/measurements, not for audible better sound quality. As it is now, it has top notch SINAD vs most other power amps, but the same cannot be said about its slew rate spec/measurement, vs some of its competitors.

Interesting my mid (high end back then) vintage 1980s 100+W into 8 Ohms power amp has a spec of 50V per micro second but I have no idea what that means

 

[rjp]

Interesting my mid (high end back then) vintage 1980s 100+W into 8 Ohms power amp has a spec of 50V per micro second but I have no idea what that means

Slew rate is an interesting metric, but there is nothing about it that is not already contained in and determined by the frequency response amplitude and phase. I think this is why it is less commonly specified these days. Basically, all that is required to "slew quickly" is good high frequency response.

 

[PristineSound]

I've had a pair of the Hypex nilai 500 monoblocks for two years. Just wondering what you mean by the possible exceptions reported by owners? I've had no issues with my monoblocks since I assembled them.

I am referring to the Hypex MP series.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Do you use the trigger?

I used to but not for a while. I am reporting on use of the manual on/off switch.

 

[RexrothPigeon]

The comments made by this dealer appears to diminish Benchmark as expensive without much gain, and that Boxem has great features at "less than half the price."

I mean, those claims are...true, though, right? I'd still take the benchmark over the boxem if I needed an amp, but it's not like this is a smear job, right? or are you disputing his claims?

 

[PristineSound]

I mean, those claims are...true, though, right? I'd still take the benchmark over the boxem if I needed an amp, but it's not like this is a smear job, right? or are you disputing his claims?

Never said those aren't true, but you are focusing on an irrelevant point. Below is the point I am highlighting.

The dealer in question here was once a Benchmark dealer and is no longer an active Benchmark dealer, on the same token this dealer is an active Boxem dealer. . . Implying one should consider the Boxem over the Benchmark.

 

[RexrothPigeon]

Never said those aren't true, but you are focusing on an irrelevant point. Below is the point I am highlighting.

I think it's totally relevant--it seems like fair game for anyone, dealer or not, to point out true things, no?

 

[PristineSound]

I think it's totally relevant--it seems like fair game for anyone, dealer or not, to point out true things, no?

Those are points even I pointed out.

What is your point?

 

[RexrothPigeon]

Those are points even I pointed out.

What is your point?

My point is, as stated: "it seems like fair game for anyone, dealer or not, to point out true things"

 

[PristineSound]

My point is, as stated: "it seems like fair game for anyone, dealer or not, to point out true things"

OK. . .and my point is:

"The dealer in question here was once a Benchmark dealer and is no longer an active Benchmark dealer, on the same token this dealer is an active Boxem dealer (at least this is the information on the dealer's website). The comments made by this dealer appears to diminish Benchmark as expensive without much gain, and that Boxem has great features at "less than half the price." Implying one should consider the Boxem over the Benchmark."