Benchmark Preamps and Amp - For real?

I’m thinking of an AHB2 to go with my PSAudio BHK preamp. 

After having read several reviews (Stereophile, SoundStage, etc.) as well as several online discussions (such as this one), I've taken a chance and ordered an LA4 (don't use headphones). It will be driving a dbx DriveRack 4820 which in turn powers a pair of Crown K2s (below 150 Hz) and a Yamaha P7000S (above 150 Hz). Subs are the Tannoy VS218-DR; mains are the Tannoy SuperDual T300 (with custom cabinets and passive Xovers). The curious—or crazy—part of the exercise is that the LA4 will be going up against my present preamp, the Boulder 1012 which retailed, 15 years ago, for six times the current price of the LA4. Now I've gradually abandoned audiophile amplifiers for the pro amps mentioned above, and don't feel shortchanged. Now we'll see what the ears say when the little LA4 goes up against the big Boulder. . .

@dr_joe  What was the result of your comparison of the LA4 against the big Boulder?

I'm curious as well. 

I'm currently auditioning a LA4, driving a Don Sach's KT88 amp. My previous experience with the Benchmark DAC2 left me with the expectation that it would be cold, analytical and ultimately un-involving. I was wrong.
It was very bright out of the box without a lot of bottom end. After a few days of burn in, it became extremely balanced and transparent. It gives a blank canvas for the amp to put down its finesse, power, and holographic imaging. I can agree with the Sterephile's review on the open window created by the incredibly wide dynamic range. The music is still very engaging. It's missing the magic harmonics of a good 6SN7 tube preamp, but I'm tempted to say the transparency more than makes up for that. I don't know if it's possible to have both attributes in spades.