The LA4 is identical to the HPA4 except that it eliminates the headphone outputs. The LA4 is well-suited to customers who do not need the headphone amplifier.

The LA4 is a line-level preamplifier that is designed to sit between a reference-quality D/A converter and a reference-quality power amplifier. This is not an easy task. Most hi-fi preamplifiers introduce significant noise and distortion due to the necessity to provide volume control and input switching. To solve this problem, the LA4 is completely relay controlled and features analogue amplifiers with vanishingly low distortion. It features relay gain control, relay input selection, and relay muting. The entire system incorporates the finest gold-contact relays available. The gain control has 256 steps in 0.5 dB increments. It also features a relay-controlled balance adjustment. Relay closures are precisely timed to deliver silky-smooth volume changes. No other relay gain control offers this level of precision or performance. The LA4 includes 2 independent 256-step attenuators: one for the left channel and one for the right channel. To make this all happen, the LA4 includes a total of 40 precision relays that switch high-precision metal-film resistors.

The LA4 is 100% analogue. It is designed to be driven from external D/A converters and external line-level analogue sources. The LA4 is designed to drive any professional or hi-fi power amplifier. The LA4 provides the ultimate analogue signal path between inputs and outputs. The LA4 eclipses the performance of typical high-end hi-fi preamplifiers by achieving much lower noise and distortion.

The LA4 includes IR remote control and can be operated using the optional Benchmark remote. The LA4 is designed to work with the Benchmark DAC2 and DAC3 converters but may be driven from any high-end D/A converter. When paired with a Benchmark DAC, a single remote control will operate both units.

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