Benchmark and THX: a talk at RMAF

[AndersVinberg]

The Benchmark AHB2 amplifier and HPA4 headphone amplifier include technology from THX, also licensed in the Massdrop THX AAA 789 headphone amplifier ($349!). Benchmark of course contributed solid engineering as well. I have written about my fondness for them (links below).

At RMAF, John Siau of Benchmark and Laurie Fincham of THX discuss these designs and other things.

My notes on these devices:

How I revised a long-held belief

(Fair warning: another long, philosophizing piece.) In the 80s, I became convinced that the front and back ends of the chain were the most difficult to get right, and therefore the most important to focus on and invest in: the transducers that convert between mechanical and electrical energy, the cartridge (and its supporting arm and turntable) at the input end, and the speakers (and their interaction with the room) at the output end. And consequently, I felt that the all-electronic chain in-…

How I revised a long held belief, part 2: Chord and Hifiman

I have previously written about changing my views on the impact of a good headphone amp, and the THX AAA 789 and later the Benchmark HPA4 (with DAC3B). But I needed to set up two rooms. I was happy with the Benchmark stack and could have replicated that, but in the interest of science I decided to try another system. Chord gets most attention for their DACs, but Rob Watts also has an interesting perspective on driving headphones: he wants to minimize the number of active stages and the parts…