Benson The Amp

A collaboration years in the making between two Bay Area boutique legends. Milkman Sound built the pedal-format amplifier platform; Chris Benson contributed the preamp circuit from his Chimera and Monarch amplifiers. The result puts genuine Benson tone into a 2.5-pound box you can toss in a gig bag.

The 12AX7 tube preamp runs at high voltage in Class A, feeding a Class D power section (50W at 16Ω, 100W at 8Ω, 200W at 4Ω). Onboard effects include a spring reverb algorithm developed exclusively by Keeley Electronics, a room simulation that adds early reflections for direct recording, and a 24dB clean op-amp boost that can push the tube from sparkle into full saturation. The cab sim was voiced by Chris Benson to match his ceramic speakers.

Outputs cover every scenario: balanced XLR with switchable cab sim, speaker out (Speakon/1/4"), pedal-level send, and headphones. Runs on universal IEC power (100-260V). 8.5" x 3" x 6.5", handmade in San Francisco.