Speaking of the AHB2...
I went to the Raven Audio shop today, courtesy of Dave Thomson, the owner.
Raven is in Onalaska, Texas, about 80 miles north of Houston, where it was a trip well made.
Meeting Dave was a fantastic experience, as we waxed on about the intricacies of sound reproduction, SS vs. tubes, and of course the Double Impacts, as well as the Legacy Audio speakers he carries. Dave was even gracious enough to allow me to bring my Benchmark AHB2 amp to compare with his own amps.
The DIs that Dave has are not the upgraded model, and he maybe has 50-60 hours on them, still, they sounded rather good, yet I don't think sitting only 6ft away from speakers is for me. I think I have my own sweet spot where the sound pressure is pretty mild, even cranked to some hefty levels (don't we all?) Nevertheless, his DIs served as a fantastic conduit to compare the AHB2 along side his Osprey and Blackhawk amps.
To tell the truth, the AHB2 didn't give an inch of ground in its grip on the drivers, neither did it sound colored, nor did it have any peaks nor valleys. It performed great. Then again, the Osprey and the Blackhawks didn't have the aforementioned traits, either, that would get in the way of the music. Indeed, the amps sounded very much alike, which is a testament to Raven Audio tube amps in that there isn't a single hint of flubbyness, bloat or syrup from his tube gear. Dave's amps did, however, impart a sense of ease: a nebulous sparkle to the music, yet with no coloration, and they were as quick as can be. When I'm talking fast, I'm talking very fast!
I came close to opening my wallet.
Then came the Legacy speakers. Well, really only one floated my boat, the Focus SE, but I believe it would be too much for my 13x12x8 room. The DIs, on the other hand, required no room treatment. Indeed, they were situated only 10" from the front wall, with the side walls being unequal, in pretty much an open space. So, hey, the DIs held their own. They are certainly easy to place.
So, yeah, I might just open my wallet yet at a Raven Audio piece. Good stuff!
As for the DIs? Right now I'm weighing my options since there is no shortage of time. I'm studying and still getting the lay of the land, leaning heavy toward Tekton, even the full blown DIs for my small room, because they're so easy to place and dial in.
