Review and Measurements of Benchmark HPA4 Headphone Amp/Pre

[March Audio]

Picture optimized

from: https://www.avforums.com/news/benchmark-hpa4-headphone-line-amplifier-coming-soon.14885

View attachment 29780

Closed Box, without holes.

Thick aluminum? walls.

SMPS protected and with small circular holes, as is usual in the professional world. Thus they will not act as small antennas, unlike what happens with long and narrow slots, present on the top of many devices (an example: the AVR), even just above the audio section!

In Benchmark they design very well not only electronics!

If you live in NA it is a great option. In Europe, with shipping, customs and taxes (Spain: + 21%) not so much. And in case of breakdown ...

Maty your commentary on RF and its behaviour in products is totally uninformed. Can you please stop cluttering every review with your observations on this subject.

 

[VintageFlanker]

I guess soon AP will need to create a better measuring device, just to be sure Benchmark will not surpass them.

Yep.

I guess the limit measurable by APx 555 is 123db SINAD.

@amirm said somewhere that AP released an upgrade (costing 6000$) that put the limit to 126db.

 

[anmpr1]

As excellent as this is, and it is excellent, no doubt about it, can someone explain how this compares with their other products, and who is the intended market? What I mean is that the DAC3HGC preamp goes for $2200.00. It comes with 2 headphone outputs. The HPA4/DAC3b combo (DAC sans preamp/headphone) is $4700.00.

I'm just trying to understand where the added value comes in for someone building a system.

 

[Sal1950]

Benchmark's amps/dacs sure measure nicely but.... they are

So.
God.
Damn.
Ugly.

 

[Sal1950]

As excellent as this is, and it is excellent, no doubt about it, can someone explain how this compares with their other products, and who is the intended market? What I mean is that the DAC3HGC preamp goes for $2200.00. It comes with 2 headphone outputs. The HPA4/DAC3b combo (DAC sans preamp/headphone) is $4700.00.

I'm just trying to understand where the added value comes in for someone building a system.

That's a good question?

 

[VintageFlanker]

What I mean is that the DAC3HGC preamp goes for $2200.00. It comes with 2 headphone outputs. The HPA4/DAC3b combo (DAC sans preamp/headphone) is $4700.00.

I'm just trying to understand where the added value comes in for someone building a system.

Benchmark specs being reliable, here is your answer:

HPA2TM HEADPHONE OUTPUTS

• Number of Headphone Outputs
  2
  Output Connectors
  ¼” TRS with switch on left-hand jack
  Output Impedance
  < 0.11 Ohms
  Output Level Control
  Stereo Control on Front Panel
  Output Level Range (at 0 dBFS) into 60-Ohm Load
  Off to +21.5 dBu (9.2 Vrms)
  Output Power1.25 W into 30 Ohms
  Maximum Output Current
  250 mA
  Overload Protection (independent per channel)
  Current limited at 300 mA, Thermal
  Bandwidth
  > 500 kHz, -0.35 dB at 200 kHz
  THD+N at 20 mW
  -108 dB (0.0004%) into 300 Ohms, -100 dB (0.0010%) into 30 Ohms

So, a lot less power with slightly "worse" performance regarding the headamp.

 

[anmpr1]

That's a good question?

I guess if you mostly live with headphones (I don't), and for certain reasons have to have the best of the best (I do, or would like to, but in this case I can't pay the cover charge--my bad), the HPA4 would make sense. On the other hand, if headphones are secondary in your life, this probably isn't the preamp 'droid you are looking for.

 

[anmpr1]

Benchmark specs being reliable, here is your answer:

So, a lot less power with slightly "worse" performance regarding the headamp.

Well, as they say (or used to say) in Detroit, there's no substitute for cubic inches. I'm all for clean power.

 

[anmpr1]

Benchmark's amps/dacs sure measure nicely but.... they are

So.
God.
Damn.
Ugly.

Yes. Some gear is more attractive than others. Accuphase, Lux, McIntosh. But I've got some of this Benchmark stuff, and can report that once you turn the lights off, they all look the same. And after a few beers, it starts to look better.

 

[Joachim Herbert]

Glad to see the RME ADI-2 DAC is not loosing out completely. It seems to stand its ground pretty well.

 

[Mtbf]

Benchmark's amps/dacs sure measure nicely but.... they are

So.
God.
Damn.
Ugly.

Don’t agree. I think the AHB2 and also the DAC look nice in black. Minimalistic, but nice. Personally I would have preferred the HPA4 without a display. I like to buy my stuff once and for eternity , so I prefer anything without a display and especially anything without an app that may or may not work anymore in the (near?) future.

As excellent as this is, and it is excellent, no doubt about it, can someone explain how this compares with their other products, and who is the intended market? What I mean is that the DAC3HGC preamp goes for $2200.00. It comes with 2 headphone outputs. The HPA4/DAC3b combo (DAC sans preamp/headphone) is $4700.00.

I'm just trying to understand where the added value comes in for someone building a system.

From the Benchmark site:
“The LA4 or HPA4 can be inserted between a Benchmark DAC3 and AHB2 without degrading the system noise performance. With the LA4 or HPA4 inserted, the DAC3's 32-bit digital gain control is replaced by a more-resolving fully-analog relay gain control.”

 

[Mtbf]

I guess if you mostly live with headphones (I don't), and for certain reasons have to have the best of the best (I do, or would like to, but in this case I can't pay the cover charge--my bad), the HPA4 would make sense. On the other hand, if headphones are secondary in your life, this probably isn't the preamp 'droid you are looking for.

Well, then you could go for the LA4, same pre-amp without the headphone department.

Don't forget THX... their design is a huge part of this performance.

It's the THX 789 with a bigger budget to take things to the next (top) level. Plus balanced input can be handy.

Only for the headphone part. The pre-amp LA4 has the same exquisite specs, without the THX-888 contribution.

 

[Mtbf]

Pity Benchmark doesn’t offer the 3-year warranty outside the US... Moon-Simaudio does (10-year!). Bryston does (20 year!!).

 

[anmpr1]

From the Benchmark site:
“The LA4 or HPA4 can be inserted between a Benchmark DAC3 and AHB2 without degrading the system noise performance. With the LA4 or HPA4 inserted, the DAC3's 32-bit digital gain control is replaced by a more-resolving fully-analog relay gain control.”

I get that. I'm all for more resolution. That said, I never thought the gain control of the HGC was deficient. I admit that headphones are not really my bag. So I'm not the person this is intended for. I still appreciate the effort. Makes me wonder in amazement what the next 10 years can possibly bring, from this company.

What is sad, really, are companies asking so much more for likely so much less. In any case, in the scheme of things, this is much cheaper than, say, the Sennheiser HE-1... but you don't get fancy marble and a lot of tubes. It's still cheaper (with it's companion DAC) than a Mac MHA150. But you don't get the blue meters. I think the McIntosh looks cooler, but I'd be surprised if it matches the Benchmark in performance.

 

[Mtbf]

I get that. I'm all for more resolution. That said, I never thought the gain control of the HGC was deficient. I admit that headphones are not really my bag. So I'm not the person this is intended for. I still appreciate the effort. Makes me wonder in amazement what the next 10 years can possibly bring, from this company.

What is sad, really, are companies asking so much more for likely so much less. In any case, in the scheme of things, this is much cheaper than, say, the Sennheiser HE-1... but you don't get fancy marble and a lot of tubes. It's still cheaper (with it's companion DAC) than a Mac MHA150. But you don't get the blue meters. I think the McIntosh looks cooler, but I'd be surprised if it matches the Benchmark in performance.

Agree.

 

[anmpr1]

Pity Benchmark doesn’t offer the 3-year warranty outside the US... Moon-Simaudio does (10-year!). Bryston does (20 year!!).

Just to set the record straight, Bryston analog gear has the 20 year warranty. Digital gear has a 5 year warranty. Anything with a moving part is warranted for 3 years. This is still an excellent offer, and they should be commended for that. Bryston has been around for a long time, but who knows? Remember the 'lifetime' warranty on ReVox tape recorders?

 

[garbulky]

Jaw dropping performance figures! Can we get an XLR/balanced output power measurement at 300 ohms? Also do you plan to do any listening tests with it?

 

[Sal1950]

Just to set the record straight, Bryston analog gear has the 20 year warranty. Digital gear has a 5 year warranty. Anything with a moving part is warranted for 3 years. This is still an excellent offer, and they should be commended for that. Bryston has been around for a long time, but who knows? Remember the 'lifetime' warranty on ReVox tape recorders?

Warranty's are just a number based on projected costs of warranty service over X number of years and folded into a units price, plus some marketing spin. I'm surprised that more of the higher end gear doesn't offer warrantys more in line with what Bryston has considering their purchase costs. Modern well designed electronics should last many decades with low failure rates. I've had many components in my systems run 20-25 years without issue, I have 5 Adcom amps in my rig that are all at least 20 yo that have never been serviced. VTL originally gave lifetime warrantys on their gear minus tubes!
It's all just numbers.

 

[Music1969]

Only for the headphone part.

Andrew Mason of THX designed the power supply (SMPS) section too...

 

[Snafu]

Minimalistic, but nice. Personally I would have preferred the HPA4 without a display. I like to buy my stuff once and for eternity

I guess we have different standards for minimalistic . But i agree, i also by products that last (current amps are closing to 20 years mow).