Benchmark AHB2 power amp impressions?

Thanks for the comments, aberyclarck and tobes, good info.

Any amp can be made to sound relatively more or less sterile; so much depends upon the rest of the system. As well, one man’s sterile is another’s "accurate", etc. However, the amp is quite a bit less colored than many other SS and tube amps. If a person is used to and adores the thick, syrupy, darker sound of tubes, they won’t like the AHB2.

Regarding the Schroeder Method, I am using Y cables from Audio Sensibility currently (previously I had obtained my own Y cables from online and pro sound sources). For RCA both Y cables are identical, but for XLR one needs a "splitter" Y cable and then to reverse it a "joining" Y cable. My terms for lack of better description. I am very pleased with the quality of the Audio Sensibility Y cables.

I have used Clarity Cables XLR in Schroeder Method, and am now reviewing a full set of another fairly affordable cable manufacturer. The power cord of this manufacturer also uses a slightly smaller round barrel on the IEC, so I can use these wonderful power cords. They are making a nice improvement over the older Harmonic Technology AC-10 Power Cord I had been using.

As with anything else, there is a spectrum of acceptance/rejection among engineers and designers/manufacturers. Some are very open and authentically interested in my ideas. Some are only interested in a good review, i.e. accurate and fair. I understand both perspectives and respect them.

@douglas_schroeder I'm going to make myself up a set of double interconnects to try between my Benchmark HPA4 and mono AHB2's.

I was initially going to make up XLR 'Y' adapters but was put off by the extra cable breaks and all the extra connectors required.
Of course for people who want to experiment extensively the adapters would be a good idea.

Since I'm using pro cables - Mogami Gold studio (W2534 star quad) - it's pretty cheap to make up double runs of w2534 with the same gold Neutrik connectors terminating both cables to a single XLR at both ends.    

I'll reply back with my results to the double interconnect thread as it'll be more relevant there.

Maybe I missed above, has anyone compared sound quality of using the preferred full balanced cable hook vs RCA to XLR cable or adapter?  My Rogue RP 5 pre only offers RCA main outs. Yes, I could purchase the RP- 7 , but that’s quite a bit more cash

@aberyclark Balanced will give you much lower noise floor and protection against issues of running longer cable runs. RP-7 is fully balanced which means you are getting way lot more than just XLR output.

What is your input to the preamp ?, does the source output a balanced XLR out?. Then you will have a technical benefit. If you can hear the difference or not will depend on many things. But you will get lower SNR, lower noise floor i.e from good implementations.  If you can afford balanced gear and balanced interconnects go for it.

My quick first impression with Benchmark AHB2 after couple of hours listening is that I think I have got myself the first serious HiFi product. Very good sound with my Paradigm Studio 40v3, well controlled across the spectrum, clean. Makes me turn up the volume without fatigue, at this point it seems like my speakers are the limit. I hate to compare with anything at this point without spending more time and doing a proper A/B testing. For such a small and not heavy amp it just makes great sound.

My signal chain is Tidal from Mac -> Audio-gd Master 5(with Dac, in pre-amp/dac mode) XLR out -> Benchmark AHB2.

The speaker cables from Benchmark seem to be of quite high quality. I am using the 10ft NL2 cable to speaker.