Benchmark AHB2 - To 'mono' or not to 'mono'

A lower damping factor will make the amp sound less tight and it may give you a slight bass bump at the speaker resonance frequency.

For the damping ot the membrane movement - speaker's own impedance is in the series with the amp's output.  Most of this impedance is resistive.  Assuming 6 ohm (for 8ohm speaker)  and 0.05ohm output impedance, we might have 6.1ohm vs 6.05ohm  - not audible IMHO. 

I have seen the amp clip at what I thought should have been a reasonable volume, but only on a very demanding recording - Steely Dan's 'Gaslighting Abby' from "Two Against Nature." But just that once and so I'm not too concerned in that respect. 

In general, I'm extremely happy with the performance of the amp and the Pulsars together, and I don't want for the ability to create more loudness in my listening room with most of what I listen to. Maybe I should just leave well enough alone until I'm ready to invest in some nice neutral-sounding mono-block amps with more horsepower. If I had the second amp, I'd go with George's advice and try bridging too, to see what my ears tell me. Since I don't, it seems like the money I'd spend on the second amp would be better spent in other ways.

Thank you all.

wwoodrum OP
mrdecibel
seigen

What I will also add, if one amp has enough power to easily drive said speaker, you can gain extra dynamics and more bass grunt without losing quality by what I said before. To vertically passive bi-amp two stereo amps (linked).
What happens then is all the bass power from the power supply from one amp, has it available to just that one bass driver, of the channel it's hooked up to. The other has the same. 
So you can get better sound with two amps, (just not in bridged mode.)
  http://www.av2day.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/biamp2.jpg

Cheers George

Actually you might perceive an increase in dynamics with 2 amps bridged, not due to more power but due to the decreased damping factor of the amp.

A lower damping factor will make the amp sound less tight and it may give you a slight bass bump at the speaker resonance frequency.

Since the Pulsars are an easy load there's no harm in trying.

What George said, bridging doesn't improve the sound quality, it just gives you more power for higher SPL, but it reduces the amp ability to drive low impedances.

Do you see the clipping leds on the AHB2 constantly flashing? If not, there's no need for more power.

@georgehifi - Well, George, your post on the other thread was what made me start to question whether I should go the bridged mono route! I've seen posts by others that stated that going bridged mono was awesome, or words to that effect.

(Now, I read these discussions regularly and mostly lurk, lacking anything worthwhile to add - and I avoid the flame wars about cables and such, but... ) I know there's a significant amount of experience represented by quite a few of the people who post here. So I started the thread hoping for some good advice, and really appreciate yours. No point in spending money (or spending it wrongly) on improvements that really aren't.

Vertically and passively bi-amp the Pulsars with a pair of AHB2 amps, rather than bridging. Plus, what George said.

@pcc67 - The only objective comparisons (head to head) have been with a Bryston 60W integrated amp and with a Rega Osiris. The comparison with the Bryston and the superior mid-bass resolution of the AHB2 during my in-home trial of the latter was the basis for my decision to hold on to the AHB2.

The comparison with the Osiris came later. The owner of the Osiris (my brother) left the duel with the feeling that he preferred his amp hands down. He's all about the dynamics. I thought the AHB2 portrayed everything more cleanly; more definition and air between the individual voices. The AHB2 was slightly less dynamic, which I attributed to its lower wattage delivered to the speakers. (Hence my curiosity about bridging, because I did appreciate the dynamics; it just isn't a deal-killer for me like image is.) 

Speakers used for these comparisons were Joseph Audio Pulsars.

wwoodrum
Benchmark AHB2 - To ’mono’ or not to ’mono’

I’ve said it before in other threads here it is again

"Nice amp, if you want to hear them at their best, don’t bridge "if there’s no need to", as all you’ll gain is watts, everything else takes a hit when you bridge amps.

Pro’s=
More watts.

Con’s=
Worse damping factor
Higher output impedance (has relevance to damping factor)
Lower stability (especially into low impedance’s)
Current ability is reduced (especially into low impedance’s)
Higher distortion.

And if you have two of them better to run them in stereo mode and vertically bi-amped, instead of bridging (mono’ing).
http://www.av2day.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/biamp2.jpg"

Cheers George

@wwoodrum, 
I do not have this amp, but I am looking to upgrade and have looked into benchmark.  What speakers do you have and what other amps have you compared it with. Thanks.