Benchmark AHB2 or Class D (GaN FET)

I’ve not heard the latest iterations of class D so cannot comment on these amps, but I recently took delivery of a Benchmark amp, and it is incredibly quiet, dynamic, and clean thru 93db Verity Leonore speakers.  I am streaming with a less than reference setup in my second system and yet, the amp is a revelation and surprise.  Tracy Thorn’s voice on the 30-year recording of Amplified Heart gave me goose bumps right out of the box.  I can understand the observation that midrange or voices may seem forward, but concert mixes can have the vocalist forward if you’re center row, close in and studio mix pull it this way often as well.  This amp just doesn’t add much, if any sound of its own.

Tubes are what I have listened to for decades – Shindo in particular, coupled with very nice front-end components.  The Benchmark, with a completely different presentation is thoroughly enjoyable.  I’ll now need to upgrade my DAC and streamer to keep up with the Benchmark.  The Benchmark makes me think of an audio mag cover a few years ago, it showed a high-end, well regarded tube amp and a SS state one and said something to the effect that if one is right, then the other must be wrong.  In fact, they were both great amps.

Hi Fi Critic reviewed the Benchmark and gave it a very low score.They praised the measurements but said it was quite poor at musical communication.I have heard some Class D amps including Purifi ones that sound like that too.Although they also had quite poor imaging too.

Well, the Hi Fi Critic sorta killed this thread.

Benchmarks amplifiers are not Class D. 

I have owned the AHB2 about 5 times during the past 10 years. I think I may have made money on the amps, though that was not the intention.

I have the Peachtree GAN1 that I mentioned in my prior post. I also have the Peachtree GAN400. I was totally satisfied with the GAN400 on my slightly bright Magnepan LRS+.

However, I had negative listening session with my Yamaha NS5000 and the CODA #16 in my other system. That session made me miss my cleaner sounding Benchmark AHB2’s which I think would be a nice match for the slightly warm NS5000.

I then paired the slightly warm CODA #16 with the slightly bright LRS+ and that combo was better than the GAN400 with the LRS+. We are talking Class A vs Class D and GAN. The cost is $16K vs $2K.

When I compared the GAN400 with the #16 on the LRS+. I notice that the GAN400 had a bit of hardness on the top compared to the smoother #16. The #16 sounds more full or organic while the GAN400 is a bit drier. Saying all of this, I loved the GAN400 on the LRS+. It is just the #16 is a perfect amp for the LRS+.

The CODA #16 stays with the LRS+. I will likely get a pair of AHB2 monos to try out with the NS5000.

I am returning the GAN400 tomorrow because it is not as good as the AHB2 I am going to try next. The AHB2 and the modded Peachtree GAN1 are more comparable. Though the 200 watts on the GAN1 are not enough for my NS5000 and the GAN1 is a PIA to use.

The HiFI Critic likely likes gear that I think is sheete, so who is correct? No one really.

BTW - I also owned a LSA Voyager GAN 300. I also had that one modded. The PeazchTree GAN amps seem a bit better to me, definitely the modded GAN1. I like the GAN400 more than the LSA Voyager. It seems to bit more powerful. I like the AHB2 over all of them except the modded GAN1 which is in the same class as the AHB2, but warmer.