Why would anyone want class AB amp when class A always sounds better ?

The Benchmark is as smooth or smoother than any class A amp I’ve heard...IF it’s paired with a good class A preamp. There is no point in owning a low distortion amplifier if the preamp is a weak link.

In my mind there are absolutely no reasons to own any other amp unless you either want a very colored sound or your speakers require more than 100/200 WPC, 8/4 ohm. You get an AHB2 then tailor the sound with your choice of preamp. Class A tube preamp paired with an AHB2 is that cliche “match made in heaven.”

Agree with the Benchmark stack being smooth, It is a smoothness that also has the most clarity that I ever heard.

I recently added a Gustard X26 Pro to my Benchmark HPA4 | AHB2 mono. It replaced the Benchmark DAC3B (still keeping it). The sound of my system was transformed to that of the Gustard. The HPA4 and AHB2 do not seem to add any flavor.

Comparing company X’s class A amp with company B’s class AB amp may not mean much. I bet even there are many class D amps that sound better than class A amps at the same price point.
I cannot think of apple to apple comparison, but how about these?

• Between a class A amp with another class AB amp at the same price point: if you find a class AB amp sounds better than or equal to any class A amp at the same price, why would you go for class A?
• Between class A setting and class AB setting from the same amp: if class A setting does not sound any better than class AB setting, what’s the point for the extra cost of class A setting?

For my Plinius SA102, I cannot hear any difference between class A and AB settings in most music. Only when the music is very demanding (more bass and dynamics) I can tell some difference, but still the difference is not day and night difference.

New Class Ds (e.g.NAD etc)..it's the future, like it or not. Have a listen, go on.I've had a range of A, A/B and early Ds over the last 50 years. Not going back away from D now - sound, size, heat, weight, WAF - all ticked.

The only thing that matters to me is the interaction with the speaker I'm connecting it to. Over the years I always seem to gravitate back to class A. It's a finer more complete presentation to my ears. The whole notion of everything on audio being black and white across the board is what makes the used market ripe with choices.