-
WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!
Benchmark HPA4 Line/headphone amplifier
- Thread starter Purité Audio
- Start date
OP
- Thread Starter
- #3
The distributor doesn’t have any stock, I have placed an order.
Keith
Keith
OP
- Thread Starter
- #4
Is this a preamp I see before me, I haven’t had a preamp here for years, I may have to ask Sal how to use it.
https://benchmarkmedia.com/products/hpa4
Keith
https://benchmarkmedia.com/products/hpa4
Keith
Oh, it will be easier then to test yours. Let's hook up in a few weeks. Please ping me then...
Nice, that is quite the upgrade. Maybe the only upgrade from the THX 789.
I have the already state of the art THX 789.
Is the difference between SOTA and 'even more SOTA' very noticeable, in your listening experience with both?
OP
- Thread Starter
- #8
It does work and the volume control makes quite a pleasant ratcheting sound as it goes up and down.
I have been using it with one one of Alan’s (March Audio’s) DACs and P502 amplifier with the Gradient loudspeakers.
Keith
I have been using it with one one of Alan’s (March Audio’s) DACs and P502 amplifier with the Gradient loudspeakers.
Keith
Just a few days with it...
But the combination with the DAC3 is most impressive, well over the 789 with another price-appropriate DAC (SMSL SU-8).
The 789 combined with the DAC3 held its own very well.
I could evaluate them both with other DACs (a Chord, a Meridian). But I am not a reviewer.
At present, the Benchmark combination is wonderful.
What about the DAC3 + 789 combination... does it sound much different to DAC3 + HPA4?
When you say 'price appropriate', some think the 789 could be priced significantly more and be justified, given it's objective performance.
Sometimes price is relative and not a good indicator of performance (both ways).
Last edited:
My next sentence said the 789 did very well when paired with the DAC3.
But first, let me qualify this: it was after a very brief listening test, and I have no way to equalize headphone volume across amps. I have done a brief test of the 789 with the Hugo 2 and it also did very well. The 789 thoroughly impressed me.
Second, let me explain why it is moot. I didn’t have the DAC3 to pair with the 789, nor did I have any other quality DAC, because they were all spoken for. I could have bought a DAC3 for the 789, or a Qutest, or this or that. But aside from the price mismatch (agree it is silly), I’m not very fond of a gaggle of mismatched boxes, and it’s difficult to test many. I was convinced by reading about how the Benchmark products are designed to play well together (e.g. high level balanced signals). So I bought the DAC3 specifically for the HPA4, as a unit. As such they perform well. How does the 789 perform, in hypothetical pairings? I don’t care, I’m not a reviewer. I’ll find a use for it.
The 789 is revolutionary and made me revise a long-held belief. I have written about this on the Roon forum:
https://community.roonlabs.com/t/how-i-revised-a-long-held-belief/65376?u=andersvinberg
The SMSL SU-8, was it the original issue or the improved v1.2? Just curious because I was considering a balanced DAC for my HPA4, and this one was on the radar.
Very recently bought the SU-8 (through Massdrop), should be v1.2 but I haven’t checked.
Even though the SU-8 works ok, I got the DAC3 B for the HPA4 because they are designed to work well together: both can use professional level balanced connection, integrated user interface (input naming, remote control knows to select digital inputs on the DAC and analog inputs + volume on the amp and they turn on/off together), and they have the same dimensions and look:
FWIW I liked the sound of the 789+SU-8 together, but when I tested DAC3+789, the amp did well but the SU-8 did not. Again, not a careful or fair comparison.
At the moment I drive the 789 with the Meridian 818, excellent.
Actually Keith, I just realized that you were listening to virtually the same front end as me (I am using the Khadas Tone Board - also used by March Audio). So I would be very interested, if you were to plug in a DAC3 to the balanced inputs and comment on your impressions! The difference here primarily would be the input signal levels, but with the superb noise performance of the HPA4 that difference should be rendered irelevant in practice, shouldn’t it (with the volume setting suitably adjusted)?
Thanks for the reply Anders V, yes I appreciate the improved functionality with the DAC3 plugged in. I think you can confirm the HW version of the SU-8 via the software version which is displayed on power up, holding the button, or something like that. 1.3 or higher is good. Incidentally, on the HPA4 functionality, I am using an Audiophonics 12v switch that controls a power strip to which my DAC, tuner, phono amp etc are connected, so the HPA4 triggers the whole system (AHB2 amp on a separate 12v trigger), an excellent arrangement, very family friendly.
SU-8 says 1.6
Great, thanks, fully up to date config. That’s off my list then!
Btw, hope you can get an arrangement with Amir to measure the HPA4, would be very interesting!
Btw, hope you can get an arrangement with Amir to measure the HPA4, would be very interesting!
I believe it has been shipped to me already....
Similar threads
