• 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!

Great Talk on Design of Benchmark AHB2 and THX Technology

amirm

Founder/Admin
Staff Member
CFO (Chief Fun Officer)
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
44,368
Likes
234,393
Location
Seattle Area
Someone post this jewel of a video where John Siau of Benchmark and Laurie Fincham of THX talk not only about design of the Benchmark AHB2 amplifier but many concepts in general from dynamic range to content production and speakers. Definitely worth a watch. It is less than an hour so put aside some quality time and listen.

 

maty

Major Contributor
Joined
Dec 12, 2017
Messages
4,596
Likes
3,160
Location
Tarragona (Spain)
Je, "Solutions to Performance Bottlenecks" :)
 

maty

Major Contributor
Joined
Dec 12, 2017
Messages
4,596
Likes
3,160
Location
Tarragona (Spain)
I should that the title is NOT descriptive of the talk.

Only in one part, true. When they talk about the problems that affect the audio and how they have solved them, I have felt identified in a certain way. They did it during the design of the Benchmark AHB2 power amp and I did it later with a cheap one, in what was feasible.

As you eliminate or reduce those bottlenecks, the sound improves and is more detailed and natural, credible.
 

Wombat

Master Contributor
Joined
Nov 5, 2017
Messages
6,722
Likes
6,459
Location
Australia
Je, "Solutions to Performance Bottlenecks" :)


This is a bottleneck:

imagesRG6W6W9X.jpg



;)
 

maty

Major Contributor
Joined
Dec 12, 2017
Messages
4,596
Likes
3,160
Location
Tarragona (Spain)
I watched the video last night. John Siau demonstrates knowledge that goes beyond the EE. Over the years, engineering has become too specialized.
 

Blumlein 88

Grand Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Feb 23, 2016
Messages
20,524
Likes
37,057
I watched the video last night. John Siau demonstrates knowledge that goes beyond the EE. Over the years, engineering has become too specialized.
I think John Siau is someone who obviously is having fun at what he is doing. I think it was mentioned one difference is having better tools than in the past. I think lots of work is using those tools to get okay performance (using guidelines of the past) and stopping there. If you work for others that is going to be a big constraint because more is slower and expensive. I think what Mr. Siau has done is simple in one sense. He is like someone from 40 years ago, who says "if we could just do this to the n'th degree possible, then we could get a handle on this, and on this. We could potentially build an amazing device limited mostly by thermal noise." So not to diminish what he and his company have managed to produce, but basically as described they took every issue on one at a time and just kept knocking it on and until there is no where else to go. Good enough wasn't. Best possible according to the physics of electronic design is what they were after.

Now Mr. Siau is someone who is good at achieving this in an efficient manner I would think. And it does take a coming together of desire, motivation, experience, knowledge and a knack for running things to make this happen. A coming together which isn't common or you'd see more superlative products like his company produces. I'm much more impressed by products like his that push the boundaries of what is possible for somewhat expensive, but not crazy expensive gear. Maybe MSB gets performance like his, but at 20 times the cost. Color me less impressed. I'm also disappointed with Bruno Putzey's. He early one I think had some of the same aims. I think he has seen how easy it is to roll in the dough with the high end mythos and has sold out to it. Maybe not fully, but while his own best work is right up there it also has moved right up there with crazy expensive gear.
 

Wombat

Master Contributor
Joined
Nov 5, 2017
Messages
6,722
Likes
6,459
Location
Australia
I watched the video last night. John Siau demonstrates knowledge that goes beyond the EE. Over the years, engineering has become too specialized.

An amazing deduction from viewing one video. I seems you have a very narrow view of the broad activities of the Engineering profession. I am not surprised.
 

anmpr1

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Oct 11, 2018
Messages
3,722
Likes
6,406
When I bought my DAC3HGC/AHB2 combo I actually wanted an integrated amp. I crossed shopped it with Luxman and McIntosh, both similar in price. Lux was my first choice because it reminded me of the kind of gear I grew up with. Meters, and a lot of controls. The Mac didn't look as nice as their older units, IMO. When it came time to pull the trigger I bought the Benchmark combination because I knew that there was nothing as good, for the dollars. And things for more dollars were no better, either. Probably worse. My interactions with Benchmark have been first rate. They are nice guys. Helpful. Same for McIntosh I guess--they've been in business since '49 so that tells you something. On the other hand, I can't call Yokohama if I have questions, or a problem with an integrated amplifier.
 

D700

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2018
Messages
311
Likes
370
When I bought my DAC3HGC/AHB2 combo I actually wanted an integrated amp. ...
I'm going through this same decision making process, looking at same potential solutions for a dedicated 2 channel listening area I'm planning. I was kind of leaning on resale value of McIntosh to push me in that direction....but OTOH I can't find any used DAC3HGC/AHB2 with which to compare. I'd like to get 20 years out of the investment or at least be able to flip with with reasonable depreciation to get something else 5-10 years down the road. Kind of like the Eames chair...low depreciation kind of makes it functional art, if you can afford it.
 
OP
amirm

amirm

Founder/Admin
Staff Member
CFO (Chief Fun Officer)
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
44,368
Likes
234,393
Location
Seattle Area
36:02 "It is no good measuring an amplifier just with a resistant load"
You all can band together and fund a $25,000 power cube load anytime you like. :)
 
OP
amirm

amirm

Founder/Admin
Staff Member
CFO (Chief Fun Officer)
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
44,368
Likes
234,393
Location
Seattle Area
Top Bottom