Just browsing the Benchmark Media website and came across some great videos of products being manufactured:
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Considering the painstaking attention to detail, the engineering behind the products, the performance, the build quality and the fact that the products are made in the USA (not in an overseas minimum-wage sweatshop), the product pricing seems ridiculously reasonable to me.
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Add to all that the customer support. Fast shipping; 30 day return policy; clear, detailed information on the website and in the user manuals. A phone call goes straight to capable person, in my experience (which is admittedly limited, since I’ve only felt the need to call once or twice).
Now, $3K for a pre or power amp is not inexpensive, regardless of what the competition is charging. And the LA4 (or HPA4) touchscreen UI, while very good functionally, looks like a throwback to MS DOS/Windows circa 1995. So there’s a little room for improvement.
My gear includes: Matrix Element X (streaming DAC) > Benchmark LA4 pre > Benchmark AHB2 power amp.
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I kinda like my HPA4’s UI, though I do now have the latest firmware.
The eyesight which comes with advancing years really does appreciate the larger font size!
I would love some Benchmark gear, but the stars have not aligned yet. I would like an LA4 ideally to pair with my NAD M23 power amp. A bit more saving yet.
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If you’re likely to use headphones, I’d recommend the HPA4. Same line amp as the LA4 and the headphone amp performance is nothing short of spectacular.
It’s worth keeping an eye on ebay - ex-demo Benchmark gear with full warranty often comes up for sale.
My HPA4 and both AHB2s were bought ex-demo at significant discounts compared to “new”.
Thanks @Graeme_Finlayson - I do keep an eye on ebay, but not seen anything with a warranty yet.
I tried headphone listening a few years ago and I didnt really like it, I wear glasses, so I am not sure that helped. I wear earbuds for dog walking, but not really the same obviously. I do have an RME ADI-2 DAC fs on my desk which I think has a decent headphone amp if I wanted to go that way again.
There’s an LA4 on eBay at the moment. Looks like a dealer open box, so should come with a warranty. It’s always worth enquiring with the seller.
All mine have come from Audioclear, apart from the DAC3 HGC (which I bought used from a private seller) It’s the eBay trading name of one of the main Benchmark distributors in the UK and they gave me a Benchmark full international warranty.
They were pretty relaxed about it, as they reckoned in their experience, I would never need to make use of the warranty…
Still, comforting to have it.
You are a bad influence @Graeme_Finlayson !
I am running with a Topping pre90, from a Topping D90 DAC currently but the LA4 is tempting…I don’t think it comes with a remote, which is essential for me. The Topping pre90 is great, but the remote is not and spoils the experience for me, plasticky and you have to be very precise with the aiming.
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Benchmark does offer a handheld IR remote for $100. It’s not automatically included when you order a preamp. Benchmark publishes its control codes on its “Manuals” page; you might be able to program them into some universal remotes.
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Benchmark has just released an HPA4 assembly video:
