Benchmark AHB2 Amplifier, opinions and competition

It’s ironic that I bought the Benchmark not having yet read the reviews but out of expediency, simply needing to quickly replace my broken amp out for repairs.
You can imagine how thrilled I am after hearing it and reading the glowing reviews cited above.  Also it appears I got lucky in obtaining one before the shortage.

Perhaps they are selling a ton of them because they just kick @ss and people are catching on. 

@mrdecibel Your suggestion is excellent advice. I don’t know why that never occurred to me. While I don’t have an issue with clipping, I like the principle of having more power if needed and having the same load on the amps. Since I bought two at the same time they have consecutive serial numbers and would share the same part lots. They should sound identical. . . As you said it’s free to try, and it makes logical sense. Just got to move a few cords around. I’ll try to rearrange it tomorrow! I wonder if I’ll hear difference. That’s one reason I like this forum. I feel you can always learn things! 

Thanks,
Steve 

hifidream
While I don’t have an issue with clipping. Since I bought two at the same time they have consecutive serial numbers and would share the same part lots. They should sound identical. . . As you said it’s free to try, and it makes logical sense.

From Magnepan: "The MG20.1 has optional bi-amplification and bi-wire capability."

Seeing you have Magnepan 20.1 and have enough watts with one amp, I suggest you vertically bi-amp the two amps, one channel on the ribbon tweeter and the other channel on the bass panel, of each speaker, with each amp.
http://www.av2day.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/biamp2.jpg
It will sound far better than bridging the amps, and give you the best sound using two identical amps.

Cheers George

Thanks George. I understand it completely and agree it should sound better. I’ve always had it arranged where one amp is playing the lows for both speakers and the other amp plays the highs. I think my idea was that both channels will have the same draw on them and thereby reduce harmonic distortion etc. but most amps would operate in driving a high/low  scenario and are designed to do so. Was my thinking totally off? 

Thanks,
Steve

hifidream
Was my thinking totally off?

Yes Steve, the AHB2 has one power supply for both channels.
By having one amp playing one speaker, one channel for highs and the other for lows, then the total power supply’s stored energy (joules) of that amp has all it’s energy available for just one bass driver on big transients. Instead of sharing it for two bass units horizontal bi-amping the way you have it. The highs don’t take much out out the supply. Buy vertically bi-amping these instead of horizontally, you should hear a marked improvement in the lower mids and bass, highs should remain the same.

It would be a different story if the stereo amp was true dual mono construction, with 2 transformers and completely dual mono power supply. Then it would make no difference if it were vertically or horizontally bi-amped.

Cheers George