Suggestion between benchmark Ahb2, Bob carver crimson 275 and rogue atlas magnum 2 amos
First ever post here. I have a peachtree nova 150 integrated amp, KEF LS50 metas, a Bluesound node, a vintage technics turntable and a schiit mani phono preamp. I am making the move to a separate amp and preamp. I have a preamp (a rogue rp-1) on order and I’m looking for an amp. I think I have it narrowed down to a Benchmark AHB2, a Bob Carver Crimson 275 or a Rogue Atlas Magnum 2. would appreciate any input the group might have or any alternate suggestions.
carver dealer jim clark stereo offers 30 day money back trials for the carver benchmark does the same for its products not sure about rogue, but perhaps some its dealers will do the same so op, you can ask here, and you will get input from unidentified strangers of unknown qualification and motivations, or you can try for yourself and decide what works for you |
@pwoodard922 I have 3 preamps - Topping pre90 ($600) - Benchmark LA4 ($2500) - CODA 07x (much more $$) My KEF LS50 sounds incredible with the Topping pre90 and Benchmark AHB2's. I have AHB2 monos but will be splitting that up because the LS50s do not need monos. I needed to put the second mono somewhere. The Topping pre90 sounds just like the LA4, but with the caveat that, in my experience. it only sounds this good with the AHB2 and the Parasound A21+. I cannot recommend the pre90 with other amps due to the volume being too hot. Stereophile will review the pre90 in the Feb 2022 issue. The LA4 is of course great with the AHB2. However, surprisingly I found the Topping pre90 sounded better with the KEF KC62 subwoofer I added with the LS50's. A pretty nice system. Maybe I did not setup the sub correctly (cut off at 80 Hz on the sub). At the moment I am looking to get a very warm preamp (cheap) to pair with my second AHB2 for my RAAL SR1a headphones (for the bedroom). I am thinking of the Schitt Freya+ at $1000, Or maybe this, Supratek Audio Chardonnay | Tube | Audiogon
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@pwoodard922 , I had the Crimson 275 in my system for a couple of weeks. While it was a nice package (small footprint, lightweight, beautiful aesthetic, easy to bias), my unit had a terribly loud transformer buzz. If you go with the Carver, I'd suggest Jim Clark Stereo and their true to word return policy. They were great to work with and had me return the unit to Wyred4Sound who actually build these units. The amp did no harm to the sound, but I felt my Bob Latino ST-70 was every bit its equal at half the price. However the ST-70 throws more heat and is more work to bias.
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