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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
kennythekey OP
593 posts
 

Right, but I was using relaxed to describe the sound that I love, but that does not mean dull or non-involving. So, detailed, transparent, natural, etc., without any sheen. I understood from you that sheen meant anxious, or perhaps a bit too edgy.

I think we’re on the same page and I checked out your current system. Looks like our tastes in sound may be very similar. What gear were you using when you had the LA4 in place?

ozzy62's avatar
ozzy62
3,120 posts
 

I had a Music Reference RM 10 II and Klipsch Lascala II speakers.

kennythekey OP
593 posts
 

Do you think that any of that sheen you experienced with the LA4 may have been related to what you were using at the time?

ozzy62's avatar
ozzy62
3,120 posts
 

Not if it goes away when the preamp is replaced. Maybe it just wasn’t a match in my system. Hard to say. Just didn’t work for me.

yyzsantabarbara
4,795 posts
 

I had some fatigue issues with the system that had the LA4. I tried changing difference speaker cables and that resulted in the issue moving around to different frequency levels. I bit the bullet and bought the Audience Front Row speaker cable that I used in my other system and the fatigue issue I had went away.

My system is as follows:

Yamaha NS5000 speakers | Benchmark HPA4 preamp | Schitt Yggi+ OG DAC | CODA #16 amp | Audience FrontRow speaker cable | Benchmark XLR and Audience AU24 SE XLR.

Changing any of these non-HPA4 components resulted in an easily noticeable change in sound. The HPA4 let me hear everything, without any fatigue or sheen with my current gear.

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