Bryston 4B Cubed vs Hegel H360 vs Benchmark AHB2


I am likely going to get the KEF Reference 1 for my office at the end of this month. I was trying to convince myself to get something else but I always came back to the KEF Ref 1 for many factors, such as sound, cost, size, ease of setup.

I think the KEF Ref 1 speakers can use a lot of power even though they are rated at 50-200 watts at 8 ohms. My setup in the office will require a few digital inputs  and 1 or 2 analog inputs. 

I have narrowed down my list to the following electronics:

1) Benchmark DAC3 + AHB2 amp(s), I have not heard the AHB2 amp but did own the DAC2 for years and liked it a lot. Only issue with this setup is that I will likely need to get 2 AHB2 amps to get over 100 watts for the Ref 1's.  Anybody with these amps think I need 2 of them for the KEF Ref 1's in an office? I sometimes play music loud but not for long while I work. I would buy Benchmark as new gear.

2) The Bryston 4B Cubed along with the Bryston pre-amp with integrated DAC option. I owned older Bryston gear in the past and one complaint I had was a slightly smaller sound stage. I would buy the Bryston gear on the used market.

3) The Hegel H360. I heard this unit playing KEF Blade 2 at a show and I was pleased with the sound. I loved the sound of the Blades but I may be giving too much credit for the sound that day to the Hegel. Whatever, the case it was an enjoyable experience. I could go used or new with this gear. My concern about Hegel is repair work and reliability. I have never owned Hegel gear but I have read some rants here about Hegel customer service. BTW - Is there a new H390 in the horizon?

All of my choices are in the detail oriented sound camp. This is fine for my office system since I am getting a warmer sounding system later on for the living room. Some variety in systems will keep things interesting.

Anybody have any feedback on the 3 brands I have listed and the concerns I have for each.
yyzsantabarbara

Showing 1 response by scott_w

I owned the KEF Ref Ones a couple years ago, and sold them as I needed the cabbage. Miss them constantly. Anyhoo, for an office I don't think you need as much power as you think. I had my Sony ES integrated on them, and they kicked. Best I heard them was with an Octave 40 tube amp on loan, almost frightening.
Yeah, more mustard never hurts, but these 1s get hugely loud for their size, and in an office? You should think hard about all the unused mustard that won't be needed.