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Sound Impressions - Benchmark HPA4/LA4 in use with a quality vinyl rig?

I’ve read a number of posts about the HPA4 and LA4 inside and outside of Audiogon. Plus, a number of professional reviews. However, the vast majority of these are using DACs instead of phono stages, as well as solid state amps instead of tube ones.

So, I’m curious to see if I can get some feedback from those of you who may own one of these Benchmark line stages with a nice analog rig. I do realize that many consider the LA4 to be a straight wire revealing both the recording and your system. So, without engaging in a 30- or 60-day trial period off the bat, I would first like to get anyone’s impressions about how well these line stages sound with your vinyl, and tube amps.

And, does it make sense to combine the design philosophy of a HPA4 with that of my vinyl rig? The HPA4 would be in-between these…Tron Seven Phono, TW-Acustic 300B SET mono blocks.

Thanks,

Kenny

 

kennythekey
yyzsantabarbara
4,698 posts
 

Send Rory Rail an email at Benchmark and ask him. He may be able to point you to some examples of such use cases.

 

 

kennythekey OP
593 posts
 

Thanks, yyzsantabarbara!

kennythekey OP
593 posts
 

Yyzsantabarbara,

I contacted and heard back from Rory. The only issue regarding my using the HPA4 with my single ended components will be giving up some SNR and that makes sense. As, I won’t be giving up my single ended 300B mono blocks, I need more time to evaluate my options.

Another option that I considered was the Spatial Revelation Raven tube preamp that is fully balanced. I asked Don about using my system with his preamp, and he thought that my single ended amps would not be an optimal use of the system.

Both Rory and Don consider that their preamps are so good, that it would be difficult to find a better preamp anyway. Time is on my side, and will use it to think things through. I’ve been using a 1990 Boulder L3A line stage, and the capacitors were upgraded by Boulder 5 years ago. Single ended inputs with single ended and XLR outs. I’ve been extremely happy with the sound, but I still wonder if a newer line stage in my price range would make more sense?

 

ozzy62's avatar
ozzy62
3,039 posts
 

I had an LA4 paired with a tube amp and vinyl. The LA4 has an exciting sound that after a while became fatiguing to me. There is much talk about it's transparency, but there was always a slight "sheen" to the presentation no mater the source.

YMMV.....

kennythekey OP
593 posts
 

Ozzy62

It’s good to hear back from you having experienced the LA4 with tubes and vinyl. It took me a long time to lose the “sheen” and I don’t want that back. Just looking to build upon the relaxed sound that keeps me listening.

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