Why not review some Hegel amps?

[watchnerd]

Only problem with some of the great brands like Luxman is it doesn't come with a see-thru (or removable) top so you can admire the internal component build quality .. for me, it looks better than wall art at the Louvre

Some of them do, actually:

 

[watchnerd]

Hegel's are not class D, but they look like a 4th grade project.

View attachment 76000



Yeah, versus:

and

For the price, you would hope the Hegel would look better inside than a typical gaming PC.

 

[win]

From the pictures, I'd rather have to service the Hegel than the Luxman . That Hegel has virtually all components accessible, compared to the Luxman.

Reminds me of the audis and vw's that require the front bumper to be removed to change the alternator.

 

[Matias]

Then something small, light, cool, cheap, powerful and better measuring as the Purifi EVAL-1 comes along and changes the game. Simple built too (demo version below, but there are also nice commercial builds).

 

[watchnerd]

Then something small, light, cool, cheap, powerful and better measuring as the Purifi EVAL-1 comes along and changes the game. Simple built too (demo version below, but there are also nice commercial builds).

View attachment 101649

I'd be comfortable paying a low to modest amount of money for a DIY / Purifi amp. It's cheap and light.

I'd also be comfortable paying lot more for a Luxman, Accuphase, Levinson, or Nagra. They're hefty and built like tanks.

The Hegel, though, gives you the build quality close to the Purifi, and the price of the Levinson.

That's something I have a hard time reconciling.

 

[MDAguy]

I still can't get past this one.... I'm gonna have to find a way to get one home some day!

s

 

[watchnerd]

View attachment 101656View attachment 101655still can't get past this one.... I'm gonna have to find a way to get one home some day!

View attachment 101654

You're a pornographer.

 

[watchnerd]

From the pictures, I'd rather have to service the Hegel than the Luxman . That Hegel has virtually all components accessible, compared to the Luxman.

Reminds me of the audis and vw's that require the front bumper to be removed to change the alternator.

I'm curious, do you service your own audio electronics?

I only do that for my Raspberry Pi streamers, turntable, and reel-to-reel decks (no choice for the last one).

 

[MDAguy]

You're a pornographer.

my Avatar is a close up of the dCS "Ring DAC"... I'm surprised I've not been banned for that yet

 

[direstraitsfan98]

my Avatar is a close up of the dCS "Ring DAC"... I'm surprised I've not been banned for that yet

It's one of the best measuring dacs at least the ones Stereophile has reviewed https://www.stereophile.com/content/dcs-bartok-da-processorheadphone-amplifier-measurements

Does the Rossini have a more advanced Ring dac or is it the same thing inside the Bartok?

 

[Matias]

It's one of the best measuring dacs at least the ones Stereophile has reviewed https://www.stereophile.com/content/dcs-bartok-da-processorheadphone-amplifier-measurements

Does the Rossini have a more advanced Ring dac or is it the same thing inside the Bartok?

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-mola-tambaqui-measurements.10693/post-306420

 

[MDAguy]

It's one of the best measuring dacs at least the ones Stereophile has reviewed https://www.stereophile.com/content/dcs-bartok-da-processorheadphone-amplifier-measurements

Does the Rossini have a more advanced Ring dac or is it the same thing inside the Bartok?

I believe they (the Vivaldi family) all share the same Ring DAC, but the big differences are the additional (isolated) power supplies, and higher grade galvanic isolation, separate clock option, as well as case build being a bit more fancy... The best bang for the buck surely is the Bartók... (Pic of the Rossini on top vs Bartok below to show similarities)

 

[Chrise36]

Aside from the Benchmarks there are other class ab amps with same or better performance as far as measurements go like the Halcro amps:

Although i love hypex amps there still problems with them like dc mains noise and interference with dacs that have inadequate filters etc.

 

[direstraitsfan98]

Regarding the thread, Hegel kind of pisses me off with its very expensive made in Scandanavia pricing but in reality its amps are a Chinese OEM design made by Opera Audio Consonance. They pump out clones of their own amps. It's deceptive marketing and possibly illegal as on the back of these amps they state "Hegel, Oslo, Norway" in the same spot everyone else puts their "Made in X" labels. And if you visit their website they make every effort to make you believe they are made in Norway. Hegel is more of a software company then anything.

 

[MDAguy]

Regarding the thread, Hegel kind of pisses me off with its very expensive made in Scandanavia pricing but in reality its amps are a Chinese OEM design made by Opera Audio Consonance. They pump out clones of their own amps. It's deceptive marketing and possibly illegal as on the back of these amps they state "Hegel, Oslo, Norway" in the same spot everyone else puts their "Made in X" labels. And if you visit their website they make every effort to make you believe they are made in Norway. Hegel is more of a software company then anything.

I wasn't going to go there, but this is very much true... I will NOT pay made in EU / Scandinavia prices for a Chinese made product.. It's refreshing to see some Chinese brands that make and design their own stuff and proudly admit to it (Denafrips, Doge, etc), but this isn't the case here at all.

 

[direstraitsfan98]

I would also show you how similar the amps look but it appears they've recently removed them from the Opera Audio website. But the H190 was basically a clone of the Opera Audio amp.

 

[Dialectic]

I wasn't going to go there, but this is very much true... I will NOT pay made in EU / Scandinavia prices for a Chinese made product.. It's refreshing to see some Chinese brands that make and design their own stuff and proudly admit to it (Denafrips, Doge, etc), but this isn't the case here at all.

Regarding the thread, Hegel kind of pisses me off with its very expensive made in Scandanavia pricing but in reality its amps are a Chinese OEM design made by Opera Audio Consonance. They pump out clones of their own amps. It's deceptive marketing and possibly illegal as on the back of these amps they state "Hegel, Oslo, Norway" in the same spot everyone else puts their "Made in X" labels. And if you visit their website they make every effort to make you believe they are made in Norway. Hegel is more of a software company then anything.

Glad we are focused on the right things here.

 

[MDAguy]

Glad we are focused on the right things here.

we're not alone..

 

[Dialectic]

we're not alone..

I don't think anyone is alleging that Hegel uses slave labor.

And let's not bring Louis Rossman into this. I've spoken with him before and think very highly of him.

I've had equipment from lots of high-end manufacturers before, and I suspect that all of it at least contained components manufactured in China. Where something is made does not determine its performance.

If you're in the audio hobby because you like to show people where your stuff was made, you are probably in it for very silly reasons. I have found that normal humans are not impressed by how much money you spent on your artisanal Swiss-made amp.

 

[MDAguy]

I don't think anyone is alleging that Hegel uses slave labor.

Do you know this for certain? Have you visited their factory and seen the working conditions?

And let's not bring Louis Rossman into this. I've spoken with him before and think very highly of him.

Well then you should also respect his point about using "slave" (his words) labor...

I've had equipment from lots of high-end manufacturers before, and I suspect that all of it at least contained components manufactured in China. Where something is made does not determine its performance.

If you're in the audio hobby because you like to show people where your stuff was made, you are probably in it for very silly reasons. I have found that normal humans are not impressed by how much money you spent on your artisanal Swiss-made amp.

Have you now defined what it is to be an audiophile then? Find me the cheapest piece of equipment that you can, that measures just above the threshold of audible distortion, and carry on?