Thiel Owners

@unsound - thank you again. I hear you and am eager to hear about other options. I came to Benchmark via recommendations from high-end recording folks, tried it and like it. I can't explain how or why it outperforms its expectations.

I did connect a dot or two around the power spec idiosyncrasy. Due to its feed-forward error correction topology, the amp simply can't function beyond the limits of that brick wall. It can't be rated at 1% distortion because it can't produce power with 1% distortion. 

Regarding protection: I learned that the flickering lights are merely warnings, not actual activation. That’s why ’it’ sounds so transparent - it’s not actually going into protection.

If protection is activated, a restart is required. That's happened twice, once by intentionally pushing it hard and the other time due to a cable short-circuit, where I was glad to have it.

@tomthiel, I was suggesting that if the Benchmark’s are capable of delivering power into lower impedances that they rate their amplifiers into such impedances with what ever distortion level they choose so long as it doesn’t exceed 1%.. If the distortions levels are lower; kudos.

While flickering is better than shutting down, such flickering suggesting pending overload doesn’t exactly lend itself to a relaxed listening session.

In the mean time, for those that are enjoying their Benchmark’s on their Thiels, carry on, enjoy! For those on the fence about such a pairing, please consider the limitations and options.

Am a very satisfied and happy owner of Benchmark's LA4 Preamp and two AHB2 in bridged mono mode, driving the Thiel CS2.7 !

This matching gave me the cleanliness, quietness, transparency, musical detail, and 'right speed' of the music I listen to.

tomthiel

Thank You for the follow up on Hot Rod garage II and Studio space.

Happy Listening!