Dust Settled Consensus- is the Benchmark AHB2 an Audiophile Amplifier?

The older now discontinued Benchmark mic preamps used discrete transistors.  They now use op amps for most of the analog signal path in their current products.

You can lose harmonics or add juiceiness, etc. from a solder joint

You are absolutely correct (but I’m not sure that helps the person with OCD sleep better at night 😉). Have heard it and fixed it numerous times. It’s crazy what audio improvements can be heard from just reheating solder joints sometimes (even ones that are functional). It definitely helps if you know some basic electronics, and know how to solder, while partaking in this audio hobby.

The measurement people think that as long as it measures flat and has low distortion then it is neutral.

...or, as long as it sounds great to you, it must sound great to the rest of us. Audio reproduction has always been, and will always be, subjective. What sounds good to you, may not sound good to me, and vice versa. It’s as simple as that.

@kijanki In the Paul Seydor review you posted, I think he was using subtlety to mock audiophiles and not denegrate the AHB2. He essentially was suggesting that audiophiles at least sometimes seem to be more interested in playing around with gear and swapping things out and they wouldn’t be interested in the AHB2 which produces clean minimalist distortion sonic accuracy which audiophiles SHOULD want. He was being sarcastic. 
 

I own a pair of AHB2 and use them as monoblocks with my Magico A3s and REL T/9i subs. They perform well and as advertised. But this is in the context of my system and room. So others experience may be different. 

I liked the AHB2 very much when I got it. It was very clear, clean and noiseless, but when the Coda 16 arrived it made the AHB2 sound thin, anemic and lacking weight. I now have tube mono blocks so maybe I like distortion.

I totally agree with that comment with certain speakers. In fact, I bought lancelocks AHB2. The CODA #16 sound a lot like the AHB2 on top but it has grunt. That 150 watt CODA #16 is more powerful sounding than my 400 or 500 watt AHB2 monos. Though with a proper speaker match the AHB2 is great.

That comment about the AHB2 owners never hearing or owned $10K+ amps is not true in my case or in the case of some folks I have conversed with online.

The great thing about the AHB2 is that it should not be an amp that is a mystery. It is rather low cost and with a 30-day, home trial. If it does not work for you then you move on.

The guy that bought my KRELL Duo 175XD (a $11K amp) had the AHB2 with Harbeth speakers (a great pairing in my opinion). He was amazed at what he heard. However, after a couple of weeks he felt he was listening to the amp and not the music. It was too revealing for him. He easily sold the AHB2 and bought my KRELL. He loves my KRELL so far. Though I would say the KRELL is sufficiently revealing and is just much warmer.

I find the pairing of the AHB2 with my tubed Conrad-Johnson preamp to be detailed AND quite warm sounding with GoldenEar Triton 1 speakers.