Benchmark AHB2 power amp impressions?

I wonder pairing the AHB2 with a tube preamp would be a good combination. I like how you can change the gain with both unbalanced and balanced cables. The amp, from what I've read, can sound quite clinical to some. With a good tube pre, some slight smoothness is what would make a great sounding system.

I will eventually be comparing this to an Ayre V5xe with Harbeth P3er speakers. Will follow this thread. 

Keep us updated 

Just curious if anyone purchased the Benchmark brand Canare speaker cables with the "special" connector at one end (for the amplifier). The interconnects they sell look like they are the same Beldon cables you can buy thru Blue Jeans just customized for Benchmark. 

I bought the cables.  They are so reasonably priced I thought it was worth a try.

The Speakon connector is very easy to use; trying to fit my other cables' spades into those insulated posts with downward-pointing entrance slots is a pain.  The back of the amp is really tight on space.

I don't feel the Benchmark cables were an improvement... it was more of a wash. Guess I thought something was not quite there, and in the end I put back my Omega Mikros, even though it's less convenient.  But the fact that the difference was not hugely noticeable (in my system) points to the Benchmark cables as being a good value.