Benchmark ABH2 compared to Merrill Element Series and other ultra high end amps

Just keep in mind the ABH2 only offers up 100w into 8ohms and 200w into 4ohms and 380W into 4ohms if running bridged mono. You’re very much likely to trip the amps protection circuits if you’re driving it into sub 4ohm loads since when running in bridges mode the amp is seeing half that.

Peronally I wish benchmark offered a more powerful version but Perhaps if they did that they couldn’t stick to the “Benchmark” philosophy of having the best stats on the market. There are trade offs with any design of any piece of electronic equipment.

The aforementioned uber amps, by constellation, pass labs, Solution tend to offer much more wattage and stability into 1ohm loads. Not even sure if the abh2 is stable into 1ohm, let alone 2ohm in stereo mode.

At different times, I heard a single AHB2 and stereo Merrill Element 114 at home.  The AHB2 was more neutral at continuous low/moderate SPL's, but it shut down at moderate SPL peaks when driving my inefficient electrostatic speakers.  The 114 was warmer/sweeter, more dynamic, with fuller bass.  Bridged AHB2's are probably more dynamic than a single AHB2, but they shouldn't be used if the inefficient speaker has very low impedance at certain freq.

Thank you viper 6.  I have Martin Logan CLX's and have heard mixed reviews of the AHB2 with full range stats.  Most comments seem to find that bridged mono'ed amps work better than a single amp into full range stats.  Benchmark maintains that bridged mono'ed amps are stable into low impedances.  I appreciate your comments regarding the Merrill 114's.  I am curious as which electrostatic speakers you are using.

soundhound OP
Most comments seem to find that bridged mono’ed amps work better than a single amp into full range stats

Most comments are BS then, as the ML’s ESL's present down to 1ohm loading and this is not nice for bridged amps, let alone good non bridged.

Benchmark maintains that bridged mono’ed amps are stable into low impedances.

So is a 1980’s $299 Nad 3020 receiver stable into 2ohms, doesn’t mean it will sound good

Cheers George

soundhound,
My electrostatics are the Audiostatic 240 from early 1980’s. They are still the most detailed stats I have ever heard, although I admire the ML CLX as next best. My 240’s are mellowing out compared to when I got them nearly 40 years ago, so I have added the Enigmacoustics Sopranino electrostatic tweeter in parallel. This gives me SOTA HF, but the impedance combo at the highest output 8kHz setting is probably 1.5 ohms or so, with a weird phase angle, so most amps are severely limited in the power they can deliver without shutting down. I make this sacrifice in power for the glorious brilliance at lower SPL’s which is doable for most classical music I listen to.