MattHooper
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For Benchmark Owners: Why Did You Buy Benchmark Gear?
I'm asking because clearly Benchmark is a highly regarded company here, and plenty of ASR members own Benchmark amplification/DACs. We know they are top of the heap in terms of measured performance, outdoing plenty of the competition in terms of typical distortion measurements.
But there's also the issue of just how audible the advantages of Benchmark's engineering are in practice. As I remember, even Benchmark has acknowledge you'd have to be in somewhat atypical circumstances to realize audible benefits from, say, AHB2 amplifier vs another similarly spec'd competent design. They said that one reason for making the super transparent LA4 preamp was to finally allow the super low noise of the AHB2 to be realized. And then IIRC it's advised it might take using the balanced connections to get that benefit. Anyone, correct me if I'm wrong please, but the main point is that the benefits of the Benchmark engineering seems to be playing in that "overkill" point in some regards, since one can find cheaper amps that should be just as audibly transparent in any normal use-case.
So, with that pre-amble out of the way, to start things off I'll just give my reasoning for why I ended up owning some Benchmark products:
In my case - and I'm somewhat atypical here - I started out years ago with a second-hand Benchmark DAC 1. I wanted to move to using a music server instead of my Meridian 508.20 CD player and the Benchmark had great reviews, and measurements, and came from a company with a solid no-nonsense rep. When I got the Benchmark DAC 1 it did seem to sound slightly different from my Meridian 508.20 (which, if my previous blind-tests on the Meridian were sound, isn't a surprise since I was able to easily identify the Meridian's particular sound vs other CDPs/DACs in blind conditions). But whether it did in fact sound different, it sounded great and I simply took the signal as neutral, which is what I wanted. Digital for me is essentially a solved problem, so the DAC1 was all I needed for many years.
Later I wanted to try some different arrangements in my system and the Benchmark DAC 2L seemed to fit the bill. Was I going to hear any sonic difference with the new DAC design? I didn't know, but it wasn't a big selling point. The pre-amp section and greater flexibility over the DAC 1 was going to be helpful for me at that time. It was expensive, even 2nd-hand, but I just liked Benchmark's approach and was willing to pay.
On to the Benchmark LA4 Preamp that I picked up last November: I enjoy tube amplification but occasionally like trying out more neutral amplification (putting aside debates about that - I'm describing my thinking, not making claims anyone has to accept). I tried a Bryston 4B3 in place of my Conrad Johnson tube monoblocks, and I perceived some things I liked, others I didn't. What I did like was the finer more nuanced clarity and timbre in some aspects. But I still preferred the tubes. Then I thought, what if I instead get a little more neutrality in the system by using an SS preamp instead of my CJ tube preamp? So I bought the Benchmark LA4 to try out.
Now, for my purposed, the extraordinarily low distortion levels of the LA4 is overkill. For one thing, if I understand Benchmark correctly, given the distortion levels of my tube amps I'd never realize the full promise of the LA4 - at least in technical terms. (Which is why it's so often paired with the similarly low distortion AHB2 amps). And all I really needed was a SS preamp that was more neutral/lower in distortion than my tube preamp. That's a pretty low bar to pass, so I'm sure plenty of cheaper less heroic preamps would have done fine.
But...again...I was attracted to the Benchmark reputation/prowess and approach. There is a certain level of intellectual satisfaction and "pride of ownership" in using a preamp that is so well designed, and is among the best measuring consumer electronics I'm aware of. Plus, it had just the right features for my use (I could even run my tube pre-amp through the LA4 to use when I want).
So overall my reasons for choosing Benchmark products were a combination of their features which perfectly suited my needs, and I was willing to pay more for engineering that I knew to be among the best in the business, which has it's own type of satisfaction. And this thread arose in my mind after listening again last night to my digital server played in to my Benchmark DAC 2L sent to my LA4 on to my amps. The clarity and detail is pretty mind-boggling!
So back to you Benchmark owners, I'll just repeat the earlier questions: Why Did You Buy Benchmark Gear? Do you believe you are realizing the full benefits of those amps (or whatever) in your system? Do you believe you are hearing audible difference from other SS gear? Or does it scratchs the "measures great" itch in your brain in a satisfying way? Any other considerations?
I'm asking because clearly Benchmark is a highly regarded company here, and plenty of ASR members own Benchmark amplification/DACs. We know they are top of the heap in terms of measured performance, outdoing plenty of the competition in terms of typical distortion measurements.
But there's also the issue of just how audible the advantages of Benchmark's engineering are in practice. As I remember, even Benchmark has acknowledge you'd have to be in somewhat atypical circumstances to realize audible benefits from, say, AHB2 amplifier vs another similarly spec'd competent design. They said that one reason for making the super transparent LA4 preamp was to finally allow the super low noise of the AHB2 to be realized. And then IIRC it's advised it might take using the balanced connections to get that benefit. Anyone, correct me if I'm wrong please, but the main point is that the benefits of the Benchmark engineering seems to be playing in that "overkill" point in some regards, since one can find cheaper amps that should be just as audibly transparent in any normal use-case.
So, with that pre-amble out of the way, to start things off I'll just give my reasoning for why I ended up owning some Benchmark products:
In my case - and I'm somewhat atypical here - I started out years ago with a second-hand Benchmark DAC 1. I wanted to move to using a music server instead of my Meridian 508.20 CD player and the Benchmark had great reviews, and measurements, and came from a company with a solid no-nonsense rep. When I got the Benchmark DAC 1 it did seem to sound slightly different from my Meridian 508.20 (which, if my previous blind-tests on the Meridian were sound, isn't a surprise since I was able to easily identify the Meridian's particular sound vs other CDPs/DACs in blind conditions). But whether it did in fact sound different, it sounded great and I simply took the signal as neutral, which is what I wanted. Digital for me is essentially a solved problem, so the DAC1 was all I needed for many years.
Later I wanted to try some different arrangements in my system and the Benchmark DAC 2L seemed to fit the bill. Was I going to hear any sonic difference with the new DAC design? I didn't know, but it wasn't a big selling point. The pre-amp section and greater flexibility over the DAC 1 was going to be helpful for me at that time. It was expensive, even 2nd-hand, but I just liked Benchmark's approach and was willing to pay.
On to the Benchmark LA4 Preamp that I picked up last November: I enjoy tube amplification but occasionally like trying out more neutral amplification (putting aside debates about that - I'm describing my thinking, not making claims anyone has to accept). I tried a Bryston 4B3 in place of my Conrad Johnson tube monoblocks, and I perceived some things I liked, others I didn't. What I did like was the finer more nuanced clarity and timbre in some aspects. But I still preferred the tubes. Then I thought, what if I instead get a little more neutrality in the system by using an SS preamp instead of my CJ tube preamp? So I bought the Benchmark LA4 to try out.
Now, for my purposed, the extraordinarily low distortion levels of the LA4 is overkill. For one thing, if I understand Benchmark correctly, given the distortion levels of my tube amps I'd never realize the full promise of the LA4 - at least in technical terms. (Which is why it's so often paired with the similarly low distortion AHB2 amps). And all I really needed was a SS preamp that was more neutral/lower in distortion than my tube preamp. That's a pretty low bar to pass, so I'm sure plenty of cheaper less heroic preamps would have done fine.
But...again...I was attracted to the Benchmark reputation/prowess and approach. There is a certain level of intellectual satisfaction and "pride of ownership" in using a preamp that is so well designed, and is among the best measuring consumer electronics I'm aware of. Plus, it had just the right features for my use (I could even run my tube pre-amp through the LA4 to use when I want).
So overall my reasons for choosing Benchmark products were a combination of their features which perfectly suited my needs, and I was willing to pay more for engineering that I knew to be among the best in the business, which has it's own type of satisfaction. And this thread arose in my mind after listening again last night to my digital server played in to my Benchmark DAC 2L sent to my LA4 on to my amps. The clarity and detail is pretty mind-boggling!
So back to you Benchmark owners, I'll just repeat the earlier questions: Why Did You Buy Benchmark Gear? Do you believe you are realizing the full benefits of those amps (or whatever) in your system? Do you believe you are hearing audible difference from other SS gear? Or does it scratchs the "measures great" itch in your brain in a satisfying way? Any other considerations?
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