I now have a lot of hours on the CODA 07x in my office system and this unit has helped me setup my gear in an interesting way. It also made the decision to sell my KRELL K-300i integrated a lot easier.
This weekend I brought back my Benchmark AHB2’s from my living room and hooked up each AHB2 to the XLR output sets of the 07x. One set of outputs go to the AHB2 driving my Thiel CS3.7. The other output goes to the AHB2 driving my RAAL SR1a headphones.
In the past I came to the conclusion that the AHB2 did not sound good with the RAAL SR1a. It was too harsh and the RAAL is the most revealing speaker I have ever heard. I also said that the AHB2 in stereo is not hard hitting with the Thiel CS3.7. It felt underpowered.
The RAAL SR1a was sounding so good with my CODA 07x + AudioMirror Tubadour III SE + D-Sonic Class D amp that I thought I should put back the Benchmark AHB2 to see if it sounds better wit the 07x as compared with the Benchmark HPA4 preamp I used previously. I think the AHB2 is an incredible amp and replacing the D-Sonic with the AHB2 did what I expected. The smidgen of harshness that I felt was there with the D-Sonic was gone with the AHB2. It sounds amazing and I have decided to use the AHB2 as my RAAL SR1a amp, this is a complete 180 degree turn for me based on my prior gear combos. This result I attribute solely to the CODA 07x taming the RAAL’s high frequencies.
On my Thiel CS3.7 I liked the AHB2 in mono over a single stereo unit. However, now with the CODA 07x and the Gustard X26 Pro DAC I am hearing the very best combo of gear on the CS3.7. Prior to this new combo the best gear I had on it was the Benchmark DAC3B + HPA4 + AHB2 mono. I attribute the brilliance of the new combo to both the CODA 07x and the Gustard X26 Pro. Maybe more of a push to the Gustard. It certainly does not feel underpowered, though I have heard more bass with my KRELL K-300i integrated.
The CODA 07x and the Benchmark AHB2 is an amazing combo. The dealer said as such to me when I was looking at the CODA 07x. He said a few of his clients are using that combo. I will say that this combo I have now sounds better than the CODA CSiB I had (from a 2018 build). I am looking to get the CODA #8 or #16 but I will definitely keep the AHB2’s in the office.
Don’t get me wrong on the Benchmark HPA4 preamp. It is also an incredible preamp, it is just not as warm as the CODA 07x. It has no sound to it. The D-Sonic is also an amp that I like a lot. Today it is rocking my KEF LS50s with the HPA4 preamp. No harshness with speakers, just with the RAAL.
One day in the future, I am going to switch the Gustard X26 Pro (connected to the CODA 07x) with the Benchmark DAC3B (connected to the HPA4) to see what is contributing the most to the great sound I am hearing now on my floor standers. Is it the CODA 07x or the Gustard?
This weekend I brought back my Benchmark AHB2’s from my living room and hooked up each AHB2 to the XLR output sets of the 07x. One set of outputs go to the AHB2 driving my Thiel CS3.7. The other output goes to the AHB2 driving my RAAL SR1a headphones.
In the past I came to the conclusion that the AHB2 did not sound good with the RAAL SR1a. It was too harsh and the RAAL is the most revealing speaker I have ever heard. I also said that the AHB2 in stereo is not hard hitting with the Thiel CS3.7. It felt underpowered.
The RAAL SR1a was sounding so good with my CODA 07x + AudioMirror Tubadour III SE + D-Sonic Class D amp that I thought I should put back the Benchmark AHB2 to see if it sounds better wit the 07x as compared with the Benchmark HPA4 preamp I used previously. I think the AHB2 is an incredible amp and replacing the D-Sonic with the AHB2 did what I expected. The smidgen of harshness that I felt was there with the D-Sonic was gone with the AHB2. It sounds amazing and I have decided to use the AHB2 as my RAAL SR1a amp, this is a complete 180 degree turn for me based on my prior gear combos. This result I attribute solely to the CODA 07x taming the RAAL’s high frequencies.
On my Thiel CS3.7 I liked the AHB2 in mono over a single stereo unit. However, now with the CODA 07x and the Gustard X26 Pro DAC I am hearing the very best combo of gear on the CS3.7. Prior to this new combo the best gear I had on it was the Benchmark DAC3B + HPA4 + AHB2 mono. I attribute the brilliance of the new combo to both the CODA 07x and the Gustard X26 Pro. Maybe more of a push to the Gustard. It certainly does not feel underpowered, though I have heard more bass with my KRELL K-300i integrated.
The CODA 07x and the Benchmark AHB2 is an amazing combo. The dealer said as such to me when I was looking at the CODA 07x. He said a few of his clients are using that combo. I will say that this combo I have now sounds better than the CODA CSiB I had (from a 2018 build). I am looking to get the CODA #8 or #16 but I will definitely keep the AHB2’s in the office.
Don’t get me wrong on the Benchmark HPA4 preamp. It is also an incredible preamp, it is just not as warm as the CODA 07x. It has no sound to it. The D-Sonic is also an amp that I like a lot. Today it is rocking my KEF LS50s with the HPA4 preamp. No harshness with speakers, just with the RAAL.
One day in the future, I am going to switch the Gustard X26 Pro (connected to the CODA 07x) with the Benchmark DAC3B (connected to the HPA4) to see what is contributing the most to the great sound I am hearing now on my floor standers. Is it the CODA 07x or the Gustard?