Benchmark AHB2 Teardown

[RexrothPigeon]

"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."

If the claims he made are true and even uncontroversial, why does it matter that "the dealer in question" Keith, a very active participant here for years, posted that? Genuine question, I'm trying to figure out why this is noteworthy to you.

On edit: This site is best when we talk about the topic, not about our fellow posters.

 

[PristineSound]

If the claims he made are true and even uncontroversial, why does it matter that "the dealer in question" Keith, a very active participant here for years, posted that? Genuine question, I'm trying to figure out why this is noteworthy to you.

On edit: This site is best when we talk about the topic, not about our fellow posters.

Thank you for the genuine question, let me give you a genuine answer.

The dealer in question here, Keith, seems to be implying one should consider the Boxem over the Benchmark. Keith is a Boxem dealer, he is no longer a Benchmark dealer. If that is indeed his intent, he is seeking commercial benefit at the cost of a previous business partner.

That is not an attractive behavior, I would hope you agree. And that is what I am pointing out.


Do you have anymore genuine questions?

 

[madwolfa]

I've had my Benchmark stack for couple years now and been very happy with it! My endgame for sure.

 

[Bruce Morgen]

For a meticulously engineered $3500 amp to work perfectly for 5+ trouble-free years is to be expected.

For a sub-$100 chip amp to work perfectly for 5+ trouble-free years is remarkable.

I'm just sayin'...

We now return you to the actual topic at hand.

 

[Billy Budapest]

Also—and this is not an aside to the conversation as it is directly relevant to the video—John Siau is a really great communicator and is able to explain the engineering of the product in just enough detail to be understandable to the layman yet also provide useful information to professionals.

 

[rjp]

The dealer in question here, Keith, seems to be implying one should consider the Boxem over the Benchmark. Keith is a Boxem dealer, he is no longer a Benchmark dealer. If that is indeed his intent, he is seeking commercial benefit at the cost of a previous business partner.

That is not an attractive behavior, I would hope you agree. And that is what I am pointing out.

I see your point. A dealer is in a position of trust and influence. Even if the facts are 100 percent true and no specific laws or rules were broken, these actions could lead a reasonable, objective observer to suspect misconduct, which even when untrue is still bad for business.

 

[fazalmajid]

Very interesting! This amp is legendary.

By the way, for those who don't know, it's already 10 years old! It went into production in 2016.

Longer than that. I bought mine in June 2015.

In addition to being an expert engineer in an industry filled with hucksters and snake-oil salesmen, John Siau also showed tremendous dignity and fortitude in the face of unimaginable tragedy:

• https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/20/us/montana-shooting-attack.html
• https://www.localsyr.com/news/local...n-and-granddaughter-killed-in-montana-attack/

 

[fazalmajid]

Let's just say he's built like a tank!

And yet FedEx managed to damage the thick heat sinks when I shipped it back to them a decade ago to have a firmware update for 12V trigger operation and sleep fixed. Fortunately, Benchmark repaired it and replaced the heat sinks (for a fee, of course, it wasn't their doing). They shipped me the old ones and I have them in storage somewhere as souvenirs...

The point being, you can expect superlative service from Rory Rail at Benchmark Media, which is why professionals rely on them.

 

[PJR918BMW]

Maybe I'm odd (actually scrap that - I am odd) but I have built up some nice DIY 3255 power amps which totally serve my needs and with the rest of the kit I use are more than required. But I'd have one of these in a heartbeat if I could afford one without even having a use case.

I'd buy it as much for the sound engineering as the performance - and be happy to to pay the price

 

[etc6849]

For sure. Rory and John, have gone out of their way to help me more than once too. Just a great small company making world class studio grade components.

And yet FedEx managed to damage the thick heat sinks when I shipped it back to them a decade ago to have a firmware update for 12V trigger operation and sleep fixed. Fortunately, Benchmark repaired it and replaced the heat sinks (for a fee, of course, it wasn't their doing). They shipped me the old ones and I have them in storage somewhere as souvenirs...

The point being, you can expect superlative service from Rory Rail at Benchmark Media, which is why professionals rely on them.

 

[PristineSound]

Folks, for privacy and to not open old wounds, let's move on and not talk about this topic. Let's stick to discussions on the product and the professionalism of the service from Benchmark and it's representatives.

I want to share a story on their pre-sales support. Before I even brought anything, I was asking Rory for a huge favor, I don't want to get into what it is, but I thought it was a pretty big ask and it's not typical. Rory and I exchanged several emails on the logistics and agreed to it, unfortunately, I ended up buying the AHB2 from the used market, so we never went through with the generous and kind gesture.

If course, I am not made of money, I could only afford what is within my means, so I ended up buying the AHB2 from the used market.

That is the kind of support you get with Benchmark. That is what I mean cost : everything = value.

 

[totti1965]

And unusual presentation of the designer of the Benchmark AHB2 to do a teardown of his own amplifier!

Nice insights as he goes along.

I have watched it two times! Great video! There is something special with these Benchmark amps.

 

[Mikett]

I have watched it two times! Great video! There is something special with these Benchmark amps.

No to remove credit from Benchmark and John but one needs to remember that THX provided a lot of work that went into the AHB2. A serious amount of intelligence and knowledge went into this product and it is the work of many designers.

 

[PristineSound]

No to remove credit from Benchmark and John but one needs to remember that THX provided a lot of work that went into the AHB2. A serious amount of intelligence and knowledge went into this product and it is the work of many designers.

That is a fair statement for sure. John mentioned in a video with Audioholics stating the amount of brain power from the engineers from THX that went into it.

From what I pieced together the THX AAA technology was mostly reserved for headphone amps, and the AHB2 was the first power amp to use that feed forward technology.

 

[Platypus20]

I’ve had some of their equipment since 2008, amps, preamps, dacs and wires, never any issues.

 

[etc6849]

Yep, it was a multi year, multi continent research project. A great video, but older, discusses this if I remember correctly, but it's been a decade since I watched it:

That is a fair statement for sure. John mentioned in a video with Audioholics stating the amount of brain power from the engineers from THX that went into it.

From what I pieced together the THX AAA technology was mostly reserved for headphone amps, and the AHB2 was the first power amp to use that feed forward technology.