Benchmark AHB2 Amplifier, opinions and competition

@rvpiano 
 
Yeah, 100W into 8ohm doesn’t seem like a lot for $3000, but people overestimate how much wattage they need. It also doesn’t help when you have companies like Sim/Moon who sell a monoblock amp that delivers 888W (for ~$120,000), the funny thing is that it has more distortion than the Benchmark. 
 
Even 25W is good enough for most setups (if you’re speakers are 84dB sensitive and you sit 20ft away, that’s a different story).

As I’ve been listening to the amp and experimenting, the richest sound I get is with the sensitivity switch in the uppermost position with the highest gain.
The technician at Benchmark suggested the middle position, but on my set the upper position sounds best.

Try the Job 225. Lots of info and reviews online.

mzkmxcv, …."Even 25W is good enough for most setups (if you’re speakers are 84dB sensitive and you sit 20ft away, that’s a different story)."

This has not been my experience, my speakers are rated at 89db, 6 ohm nominal, although I suspect they are a little less efficient than this would indicate.  They only really came alive after I started using a 100 watt+ per side amp.  Oh they played using 35W tube and 50 watt SS, but they sang with the greater power.

Go to the cable forum and read up on the thread that bears my name, regarding the Schroeder Method of IC placement. I have been doing this with the Benchmark Amps in Mono and they are nothing short of stunning.