tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1164996683602462088.post921138509016271755..comments2024-01-04T14:05:06.829-05:00Comments on <center>Everything Audio Network</center>: Audiophile Review!Benchmark HPA4Headphone Amplifier/Line-Stage Preamplifier:"Precision Volume, Pure Transparency"John Gatskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354278547637768269noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1164996683602462088.post-58968630020667628212018-08-01T14:18:26.851-04:002018-08-01T14:18:26.851-04:00Mr. Anonymous:
Your observations pretty much ech...Mr. Anonymous:<br /> Your observations pretty much echo mine. I used the HPA4 with more amps and DACs, but came to the same conclusion. It is about as accurate as I have ever heard a HP amp and line stage. Even the lower cost DACs sound good through it. If we could all listen at 0 dB from our sources, we would not need a volume control. But since we cant', products like the HPA4 are our salvation.<br /><br />John GatskiJohn Gatskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08354278547637768269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1164996683602462088.post-27765157832550631812018-07-31T16:31:38.363-04:002018-07-31T16:31:38.363-04:00Thank you for a detailed review. I just got my HPA...Thank you for a detailed review. I just got my HPA4 yesterday, and I can already hear terrific improvement at regular listening volumes with my DAC3 and AHB2 through Harbeth 30.1 Anniversary monitors.<br /><br />Plucked acoustic bass notes are more textured and bass timbre is more rich (e.g. real). There is better soundstage depth at regular listening volumes, and cymbals have a more realistic shimmer and natural clarity. Everything is more easily discerned in the mix. In one piece of choral music I very easily clearly heard individual voices located in space without having to concentrate on listening. The ease and naturalness of this degree of clarity and realism makes listening fatigue free and full of fun discoveries.<br /><br />I was concerned that adding the HPA4 into the system with the DAC3 and AHB2 would not give me much improvement. I think the Benchmark site significantly understates the difference the HPA4 makes. As you mention in your review, even the good 32-bit digital attenuator in the DAC3 affects the important fine details at lower (regular, for me) listening volumes.<br /><br />I do have two nitpicks with the HPA4. The biggest is that the left/right balance cannot be controlled via the remote. For folks with pets or children who often displace them from a central listening position, being able to adjust the balance remotely is very very helpful. I had this on my Vinnie Rossi LIO pre-amp and it was great. The adjustment is definitely possible remotely with the HPA4, Benchmark just needs to let me assign a couple of keys to it. I never change inputs, for example, so I'd be glad to have those arrows for left/right balance.<br /><br />The second nitpick is the manual's instructions for setting up the DAC3 with the HPA4. Maybe I missed it, but I didn't see the advice that the DAC3 should be placed in Home Theatre mode (volume bypass) for use with the HPA4. It was a forum review (on WhatsBestForum) that alerted me to that.<br /><br />Those points aside, the HPA4 exceptional.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com