I have Hegel HD25 and smsl su 9
before hegel hd 25 i was using smsl su 8. I bought the hegel after selling su 8, but I didn't like it when I listened to it for the first time, but after using it for a long time, I bought the smsl brand that remained in my heart, but after my ears got used to the quality of the hegel for a long time, I realized how artificial the sound of smsl was.
Hegel HD 25:
-warmest sound like tube amp
-like mullard el34 tubes sound
-great mids and vocals
-bass is ideal (soft bass)
-lacking dynamism, but playing music much slower and without mixing, each instrument is one by one
smsl su9:
-like a solid state amp
-better treble but tiring compared to hegel
-The background is perfectly quiet
-bass is ideal (hard bass)
-plays the song very fast and dynamically. I also tried different modes
the hegel hd 25 sound is velvety soft. If you listen for hours, your ears won't get tired. never loses details. It is far superior to smsl in mid and vocal. smsl can only pass in treble and background silence. Still smsl su 9 is a device that deserves its money but it can never be a hegel hd 25. I spend hundreds of dollars to capture the warm sound in my amp and buy mullard tubes. Hegel has the same effect as mullard tubes. It's true if the rating here is based on background silence, but that doesn't mean sound quality.
It depends on what you want, but if you are one of those who like the sound of the warmest tube amp, don't leave the panther's head missing, must be sipping lemonade under the sunbed on the beach. if you are like a solid state amp and bright music leave the panther's head missing