Hegel H95 Review (Streaming Amplifier)

[DanielT]

But come on who buys an amplifier that has:

Technical Specifications
Power output: 2 x 60 W into 8 Ω

H95

Manufacturer of hi-end audio electronics - amplifiers, preamplifiers, power amplifiers, D/A converters, CD-players and custom installation amplifiers.

www.hegel.com

For $ 2,000?!? No matter how good it measures? The effect is, after all low. 60W. With speakers say 88 dB 2.83V / 1 M in 8 Ohm in a normal-sized living room, listening room. How far do you go with a 60 W amplifier then? Especially with music with a high crest factor. Is not such an amplifier driven quite easily into clipping?

I would take my sub amp every day of the week and power my full range speakers with it compared to this Hegel.

In any case, the effect is decent:

the t.amp E-800

Stereo Amplifier Power: 2x 500 W at 4 Ohm, 2x 350 W at 8 Ohm, 1 x 1000W bridged at 8 Ohm (@ 1 kHz, THD

www.thomann.de

Crest factor - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Dogcoop]

I looked and searched and found no measurements. I did find a subjective review.

1st line of the review contains a link to the tests.

 

[pma]

I looked and searched and found no measurements. I did find a subjective review.

SoundStageNetwork.com | SoundStage.com - Hegel Music Systems H95 Integrated Amplifier-DAC Measurements

www.soundstagenetwork.com

BTW it is a very good set of measurements. Forget the subjective review part written by Doug.

 

[sam_adams]

But come on who buys an amplifier that has:

Technical Specifications
Power output: 2 x 60 W into 8 Ω

H95

Manufacturer of hi-end audio electronics - amplifiers, preamplifiers, power amplifiers, D/A converters, CD-players and custom installation amplifiers.

www.hegel.com

For $ 2,000?!? No matter how good it measures? The effect is, after all low. 60W. With speakers say 88 dB 2.83V / 1 M in 8 Ohm in a normal-sized living room, listening room How far do you go with a 60 W amplifier then? Especially with music with a high crest factor. Is not such an amplifier driven quite easily into clipping?

By and large products like these are 'lifestyle' products. They are designed for people who have no interest in specifications other than the price tag. Looking at Hegel's website and their manuals, everything is specifically tuned to the demographic that values form over function. What does it look like? Does it fit my decor? Most of all; will my friends be impressed by my good taste? One would expect products like these to be seen in the background of some architecture print mag where everything is arranged 'just so'.

 

[DanielT]

What does it look like? Does it fit my decor? Most of all; will my friends be impressed by my good taste? One would expect products like these to be seen in the background of some architecture print mag where everything is arranged 'just so'.

That may be so, even if the Hegel had cost as much as my low-power bedroom receiver, I would have chosen my vintage anyway.

HK 330C, now we can start talking about style, awesome looking receiver.I have it primarily because I think it's cool not for the sake of sound quality.Of course it is a matter of taste.
(not mine in the picture)

I hardly need any effect in the bedroom. Plays mostly at low volume, small space. The living room, on the other hand ..

 

[sam_adams]

"BTW, one approach that's promoted there that has NO basis in science or the research that's been done in hi-fi is the use of measurements to listen."

He really doesn't get it. Tests are done to validate performance claims. If you can understand the whys and wherefores of the tests and the results that are produced, you can be assured the product lives up to claims.

My thinking is that audio devices should be as transparent as possible. They should not alter the signal that passes through them in any way. Only then can one hear the intent of the artist and the engineer as they want us to.

 

[sam_adams]

Of course it is a matter of taste.

Exactly!

 

[caught gesture]

By and large products like these are 'lifestyle' products. They are designed for people who have no interest in specifications other than the price tag. Looking at Hegel's website and their manuals, everything is specifically tuned to the demographic that values form over function. What does it look like? Does it fit my decor? Most of all; will my friends be impressed by my good taste? One would expect products like these to be seen in the background of some architecture print mag where everything is arranged 'just so'.

I just had my first look at the Hegel website. What I find interesting is the page https://www.hegel.com/en/about/people-of-hegel. There is not one person listed with a technical/engineering qualification. It’s all about sales and marketing.

 

[Geert]

I just had my first look at the Hegel website. What I find interesting is the page https://www.hegel.com/en/about/people-of-hegel. There is not one person listed with a technical/engineering qualification. It’s all about sales and marketing.

The engineering just got fired.

The founder/engineer: https://www.hegel.com/en/about

 

[sarumbear]

Measurements have nothing to do with sound transmission quality.

Oh dear. You are in the wrong forum…

 

[Raindog123]

We are still at 70db SINAD in the worst cases, which is less than most speakers at any volume. Frequency response is flat, distortion in different frequencies is behaved well enough.
To put it simple: would this amplifier actually sound different than others?

Only the actual [blind ] listening through a particular pair of speakers can answer... My 'educated guess', we might be fine listening quietly in the dead of night. However, when seeking excitement you'd ramp-up the volume, such distortions (of this relatively low-power 60W/chan amp) will be clearly heard, eg, in aggressive piano keystrokes or fortissimo dynamics of a double bass.

 

[Everett T]

The engineering just got fired.

The founder/engineer: https://www.hegel.com/en/about

Notice the dates for DACs and CDs?

 

[watchnerd]

But come on who buys an amplifier that has:

Technical Specifications
Power output: 2 x 60 W into 8 Ω

H95

Manufacturer of hi-end audio electronics - amplifiers, preamplifiers, power amplifiers, D/A converters, CD-players and custom installation amplifiers.

www.hegel.com

For $ 2,000?!? No matter how good it measures? The effect is, after all low. 60W. With speakers say 88 dB 2.83V / 1 M in 8 Ohm in a normal-sized living room, listening room. How far do you go with a 60 W amplifier then? Especially with music with a high crest factor. Is not such an amplifier driven quite easily into clipping?

Well...

Pass Labs INT-60 is rated for 2 x 60W:

INT-60 - Pass Labs

This integrated amplifier sets a new benchmark in significantly narrowing any perceived performance gap between separate components and integrated amplifiers. Advanced technologies and real-world testing combine to create the INT-60 which presents 60 glorious watts per channel into 8 ohms, …...

www.passlabs.com

Price: $9000

I assume they sell well enough to keep making them?

Doesn't include DAC or streamer.

But it does include, unlike Hegel:

VU meter (kind of)

 

[DanielT]

Well...

Pass Labs INT-60 is rated for 2 x 60W:

INT-60 - Pass Labs

This integrated amplifier sets a new benchmark in significantly narrowing any perceived performance gap between separate components and integrated amplifiers. Advanced technologies and real-world testing combine to create the INT-60 which presents 60 glorious watts per channel into 8 ohms, …...

www.passlabs.com

Price: $9000

I assume they sell well enough to keep making them?

Doesn't include DAC or streamer.

But it does include, unlike Hegel:

VU meter (kind of)

 

[watchnerd]

You can't use the green bin for e-waste!

 

[DanielT]

You can't use the green bin for e-waste!

He he.

Edit:
Question: Did not Duglas Self, said that he would rather take a class B amplifier with decent power than a class A with low power? To make it absolutely clear. That was a question. So no one comes and claims that I said Douglas Self said that. I need to be clear now when I mix a nestor into the game.

Douglas Self - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Vini darko]

Nest well and truly poked.
Good job Amir.

 

[DanielT]

Nest well and truly poked.
Good job Amir.

 

[3dbinCanada]

SoundStageNetwork.com | SoundStage.com - Hegel Music Systems H95 Integrated Amplifier-DAC Measurements

www.soundstagenetwork.com

BTW it is a very good set of measurements. Forget the subjective review part written by Doug.

Agreed. If I were Doug, I would have not engaged in a counter arguement because his measurements support that of ASR.

 

[amirm]

" BTW, one thing to remember about Amir's history in publishing was that he was one of the founder's of WhatsBestForum.com, which is a forum based on promoting the most expensive equipment possible using purely subjective methods.

Doug is wrong on this. I was the co-founder of WBF. My partner was indeed a subjectivist with expensive gear. I on the other hand, lead the objective side. The idea was that we could please both camps in audio. Well, we couldn't. There was constant food fights. Eventually my partner decided we need to stop the objective stuff such as measurements as it was making too many subjectivists upset. I disagreed completely. Things got ugly leading me to sell my share and starting ASR, this time with clear focus of objectivity.

Why Doug thinks twisting this story is helpful or useful in this context is beyond me.