Hegel H95 Review (Streaming Amplifier)

[buzwork]

Another thing that sucks about this amp is the very low voltage preouts. I had to add a separate preamp to get sufficient signal to my sub.

(The amp reviewed is mine, BTW.)

Regrets… a mistake I can afford, begrudgingly.

 

[ex audiophile]

Amir SSSSSssssssttrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrikes again !!

 

[phoenixdogfan]

A favorite Darko brand! And Jay Soulsik! We could find 30 yo bargain basement DACS with better performance than this.

For two grand anyone could buy a Topping (or S.M.S.L. like Amir just reviewed) DAC with volume control, a Purifi Eigentact amp, and have money left over for a downpayment on LS 50 Metas!

It's so much fun to see these multi kilobuck brands unmasked for the rip offs they truly are. Keep up the great work, Amir.

 

[Amplifier dude]

$70 Chinese amps are better.

 

[Ata]

If I did not know any better, I'd say that Amir's jinxing expensive products to perform poorly on the bench. Luckily, I do know better!

With most of the DAC distortion being odd harmonics this could sound worse than well implemented valve amps...

 

[Martin Takamine]

another soup sandwich

 

[Doodski]

With most of the DAC distortion being odd harmonics this could sound worse than well implemented valve amps...

I thought that odd order versus even order sound quality from harmonics stuff is debunked. The scientists here and others if I remember correctly debunked that stuff.? Perhaps a new thread could be about odd order being better or not.

 

[respice finem]

This will be a very bitter pill to swallow for many "all-hearing" people...

To say it with Harry Potter, expecto maiorem faeciotempestam

 

[Vini darko]

Another thing that sucks about this amp is the very low voltage preouts. I had to add a separate preamp to get sufficient signal to my sub.

(The amp reviewed is mine, BTW.)

Regrets… a mistake I can afford, begrudgingly.

Thanks for sending it in. Been curious about the hyperbole surrounding hegal for some time.

 

[PeteL]

Another thing that sucks about this amp is the very low voltage preouts. I had to add a separate preamp to get sufficient signal to my sub.

(The amp reviewed is mine, BTW.)

Regrets… a mistake I can afford, begrudgingly.

I am genuinely curious when I see stuff with obviously audible flaws. How does it sounds to you? Where you expecting those resusts?

 

[polmuaddib]

Is there a chance Hegel is making high distortion and noise on purpose? So that it can be audible?
And even though it is worse, it sounds different then competition and when customer is bombarded with Hegel marketing they even like their worse sound?
Because this level of poor performance can be easily measured on cheaper devices then Audio Precision, right? You could take any proper AD/DA interface and check the product in a matter of minutes using REW.
So, they must be doing this on purpose...

 

[Tangband]

Interesting review. Clearly a case of something that has been designed to sound nice, with some euphonic colorations such as noise and distortion. Many people like the sound of vinyl records and this might be a similar case ?

 

[Doodski]

Is there a chance Hegel is making high distortion and noise on purpose?

Hegel is using the "Sound Engine 2" in the H95. It is a proprietary epoxied PCB that does something. I don't know what it does.
At the ~8 minute mark the Sound Engine 2 is detailed a bit in this video.

 

[polmuaddib]

Is it a proven fact that distortion is gonna sound nice? It may sound different. Is there a doble blind test done that confirms for sure that high distortion is euphonic?

 

[Rja4000]

Clearly a case of something that has been designed to sound nice, with some euphonic colorations such as noise and distortion.

No chance.
If that was the case, you wouldn't see all the other bad performances: jitter, bump of distortion at -10dBFS, too high Phone amp impedance, instability,...

I own a Focusrite Liquid 4Pre: this mic preamp has a 'distortion" knob: you may add 2nd order and/or 3rd order harmonics to taste, to simulate some legendary preamps.
But other than that, it's book-perfect (for its age)

Just a screwed design here.

EDIT: here are measurements of the preamp I speak about above:.

Putting THD in the perspective

Some pages for reference https://clarityfidelity.blogspot.com/2016/05/audeze-lcd-2-fazor-over-ear-headphones.html https://m.blog.naver.com/PostView.nhn?blogId=gre_nada&logNo=221293072936&navType=tl https://clarityfidelity.blogspot.com/2016/06/stax-sr-404-signature-over-ear.html...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[Dzhaughn]

On the bright side, it sports the name of an important philosopher.

So crates and crates of these are now classified as junk, thanks to its poor marx? I just kant(o?) stand it.

 

[Doodski]

On the bright side, it sports the name of an important philosopher.

So crates and crates of these are now classified as junk, thanks to its poor marx? I just kant(o?) stand it.

It will take awhile for the word to spread and possibly peeps will have buyers' hesitancy. Maybe even buyers' remorse.

 

[Rja4000]

Is it a proven fact that distortion is gonna sound nice? It may sound different. Is there a doble blind test done that confirms for sure that high distortion is euphonic?

You don't really need a double blind test if you shoot high enough.
Distortion is increasing higher frequencies.
If it's high enough, level will therefore be higher as well.

About "euphonic', that's very subjective.
What is for sure is that it will depend of the music marerial.

Distortion has been used as an effect by musicians for decades.
Adding some distortion to an electric bass, as an example is very common practice.

But adding distortion to the final music is another story. It was not the intention of the artist.
And its effect will vary with what you play, even within the same recording.

That's like adding bass or trebble to taste (not to correct response) : that's an effect.

If you want to try by yourself, I'm sure you'll easily find some plug-ins that could add distortion to taste to any music.

 

[ROOSKIE]

how about that poll?
I really want to vote on this one. Poor.

 

[Ata]

I thought that odd order versus even order sound quality from harmonics stuff is debunked. The scientists here and others if I remember correctly debunked that stuff.? Perhaps a new thread could be about odd order being better or not.

Seems I may be behind the times on that one, my understanding is that the main tone would mask 2nd harmonic but not 3rd. More stuff to read up on!