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Great Talk on Design of Benchmark AHB2 and THX Technology

trl

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You all can band together and fund a $25,000 power cube load anytime you like. :)

You already have a powerful pair of speakers, so an isolation headphones should be enough:
earphones-headphones-gloves-security-safety-construction-isolated-industrial-X2PR9Y.jpg

Of course, entire equipment might be required, depending on what you need to test that day. :)
 

signalpath

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Did the THX guy say (25:01) "pianists should wear earplugs because a piano puts out 126dB SPL" ??

That's not right. A piano, from the player's perspective, might reach 100-105dB if played at the absolute loudest levels.

That said, there are real world sources that can reach enormous SPL. For instance, an fff trumpet blast at the bell can reach over 150dB SPL. And today's boom car systems routinely reach 155dB or more of low frequency pulse acoustics, measured inside the vehicle. Thankfully, 155dB of 40Hz pulses won't hurt ears. A 150dB trumpet -- that's a different story.
 
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m8o

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Loved the technical detail; described as "the boring bits". I imagine all there listening did too.

A lot came to mind during it. But I will voice only one I think pertinent to the tenet of this site.

It was describes that particular if not better to say extreme care was given to the cumulative noise every cap, resistor, device, board, lead/trace, et al would add to the whole. I think it would be very interesting to remeasure an amp that gets normal but frequent use over time. To see after 5 then 10 then 20 or whatever years, whether degradation occurs to any of the selected precision components, and degrades the original super low noise floor or possibly THD/IMD. Meaning, we know components degrade. But traditional amps start at such a much lower value of SINAD, the degradation of components likely doesnt lower SINAD by much. But with this amp starting at such an incredibly low SINAD relying on super high precision and matching, I posit degradation of components from normal use could/might be more apt to affect the SINAD to the negative.

Just a supposition. But it could be interesting to put remeasuring this amp on the calendar periodically every 5 years. ;)
 

Piatnik

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I would have expected a better video sound with their Nordost lanyards... ;)
 

squeedle

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John Siau of Benchmark and Laurie Fincham of THX talk not only about design of the Benchmark AHB2 amplifier...
Apologies for my ignorance on this subject, but I thought the AHB2 was a new product based on the new Purifi amplifiers designed by Bruno Putzeys. But this video is from 2013 and Fincham says the technology was really designed by someone named Owens. Can someone clue me in? Thanks!
 
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amirm

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Apologies for my ignorance on this subject, but I thought the AHB2 was a new product based on the new Purifi amplifiers designed by Bruno Putzeys. But this video is from 2013 and Fincham says the technology was really designed by someone named Owens. Can someone clue me in? Thanks!
There is no purifi technology in Benchmark amps. It is a collaborative design with THX engineers.
 
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