Benchmark AHB2 amplifier - what to expect?

Just do it! 😉

Kijanki,. Good stuff. I agree 100% with those quotes. I am firmly in the "I want to hear it accurately" camp.  Also low noise is exactly what one wants with HE speakers, all else aside.

For background where I am coming from, the BEl Canto C5i in my smaller two channel family room system is probably the most neutral, airy, and transparent amp I have owned. It uses more recent generation IcePower modules, 60/w ch. More of the same power is all I could ask for. I’ve used all flavor of speaker with it (OHM, Triangle, Dynaudio) and they all sound best ever at low to modest volume. Just lovely! Never warm, never hot, with imaging and soundstage to die for, though the unique tonal character of each speaker does still come out.  Teh sound with any of these dynamic speakers more resembles the fast airy sound of electrostats like ML or Quad than with any other amp I have used there.  

Of course it is an all digital integrated amp (with both line level and phono inputs to boot), so there is more new technology at play there than just newer Icepower.

Compared to BC ref1000m amps, which is one generation older, that I still use in my main bigger system, Dynaudios can sound a tad hot depending on setup, Triangles a bit cold and analytic, OHMs right on target (that system is designed around optimizing the sound with my large OHM 5 speakers). Pre-amp is Audio Research sp16 (tube).

BTW Kijanki congrats on your retirement.   Now is the chance to do more of things you enjoy to engage the mind and body, like listening to great sounding great music, than perhaps before.  Perhaps a little dance even here and there?   

Class D is not for those seeking a "warm" sound for sure, though my Dynaudio monitors tend to skew that way somewhat. In the limited time I had to listen, the Benchmark amp struck me similarly, ie not for those seeking a warm sounding amp.

Correct.  Did not mean to give that impression.

Kijanki my recollection is the treble was very good and I did not notice any issues with high frequency "air".

I suspect the Benchmark or alternately many good quality newer generation quality Class D amps in the last few years like those from Bel Canto can be a step up from Icepower of prior generations, in particular when it comes to high frequency "air". I have a Bel Canto C5i digital integrated in my second system that supports that theory.

It's a very good choice I'd say and one I would consider as well.   Have heard it in BEnchmark room at shows with DAC 3 and liked it very much.