Why not review some Hegel amps?

[zermak]

That looks more like a receiver than an amp.

True and well considering also what a little Neurochrome module (class A/B) and its power module can do. More is not always better indeed.

 

[raistlin65]

That is my problem with D class, when I see some of them it looks like something from kit of school electronics for 4th grade. I would not give few thousands for something like that. Maybe few hundredths.

And when I see something like this, it looks like amplifier....

I am the opposite. Having been a coder part of my life, to me, there is an elegance to the more minimalist look of the Class D amp.

Powerful AB amps are the equivalent of the old big block V8s with four barrel carbs. Thank you, but I'll take the Tesla Model S

 

[zermak]

I am the opposite. Having been a coder part of my life, to me, there is an elegance to the more minimalist look of the Class D amp.

Powerful AB amps are the equivalent of the old big block V8s with four barrel carbs. Thank you, but I'll take the Tesla Model S

I am into class D too (for it's valuable cost/power/quality ratio) but as I said before class A/B amps don't need to be heavy to sound properly with enough power.

 

[Geert]

That is my problem with D class, when I see some of them it looks like something from kit of school electronics for 4th grade.

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

 

[nemanja_t]

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

That's even worse.

 

[raistlin65]

I am into class D too (for it's valuable cost/power/quality ratio) but as I said before class A/B amps don't need to be heavy to sound properly with enough power.

I would still take the Tesla Model S over more modern six-cylinder engines and turbocharged four-cylinder engines

 

[nemanja_t]

Offtopic ,I do not understand American obsession with Teslas, with so many affordable V8s and free gas (compared to EU prices).

Ontopic, there are for sure heavy A/B amplifiers that do not sound good, but anemic A/B amplifier that sounds good is even less likely in real world.

 

[CDMC]

I would still take the Tesla Model S over more modern six-cylinder engines and turbocharged four-cylinder engines

Fast in a straight line, handle pretty poorly. Not a driver’s car. Make mine a turbo straight or flat six and a Class D amp.

 

[zermak]

I would still take the Tesla Model S over more modern six-cylinder engines and turbocharged four-cylinder engines

Well here we have 3/4 cilinders 800cc and 1000cc little cars for proper city use Tesla models would be too big for comfort around here (generally speaking). The street which I use to drive into my house is less than 3 meters wide and it's a two-way

 

[CDMC]

I am into class D too (for it's valuable cost/power/quality ratio) but as I said before class A/B amps don't need to be heavy to sound properly with enough power.

But generally heavier than a D. Take a look at the Sunfire Stereo Signature which came out 25 years ago. Class H (so AB with a tracking power supply) SMPS power supply, cool running, 600w/channel into 8 ohms and doubles down until you blow the wall circuit. It still weighed 50 pounds. A pair of Ncore NC2000 amps, which have similar power capabilities will weigh less than 30 pounds.

 

[zermak]

But generally heavier than a D. Take a look at the Sunfire Stereo Signature which came out 25 years ago. Class H (so AB with a tracking power supply) SMPS power supply, cool running, 600w/channel into 8 ohms and doubles down until you blow the wall circuit. It still weighed 50 pounds. A pair of Ncore NC2000 amps, which have similar power capabilities will weigh less than 30 pounds.

I am talking about house-usage amps with like 105dB peaks(?)
And well that's for sure one of the positive sides of class D amps but I don't mind good class A/B (or even H) with a proper wattage for my needs (kind out of contex but I am still using a plasma TV which consumes 450W on average becasue I am not yet ready for the OLED switch mainly becasue all my content it is still 1080p or even 720i and right now only the bigger available sizes and very lower power consumption is the factor to change honestly).

 

[win]

I love the design of Hegel, their beautiful, spartan typography makes me envious.
That said, you're paying for the box. An Android phone connected to a topping d90, and benchmark ahb2 will certainly measure better, probably by two orders of magnitude.

 

[win]

Fast in a straight line, handle pretty poorly. Not a driver’s car. Make mine a turbo straight or flat six and a Class D amp.

Not only are they land yachts with zero handling capabilities, but the interior is not what one in the automotive industry would consider luxury. Lots of creaks, extremely bad fit and finish, all for a fast 0-60 that can't be repeated without overheating the battery.

here's an exercise: next time you pull up next to a model x, look at the door handles. They are never aligned correctly.

 

[raistlin65]

Not only are they land yachts with zero handling capabilities, but the interior is not what one in the automotive industry would consider luxury. Lots of creaks, extremely bad fit and finish, all for a fast 0-60 that can't be repeated without overheating the battery.

here's an exercise: next time you pull up next to a model x, look at the door handles. They are never aligned correctly.

You guys sort of missed the whole point that the analogy was about the Tesla engine, not the car.

And in Class D vs. Class AB / gas vs Tesla engine, it wasn't just that they are both such radical designs from each, but I also offered them as parallels because of their eco-friendly energy usage. Moreover, in about 20 years, I think it's a fair bet that Class D designs will dominate the amp market, just as electric engine designs will dominate the automobile market.

 

[tecnogadget]

I really don’t like the big fuzz made by dealers and advertising on Hegel amps.
Like there seems to be an implicit agreement on bundling this amps with certain brands of speakers. They will always put X brand speakers with this Hegels on their demos displays or sell them together with a minor discount.
This would certainly make on a purely marketing perspective position them as “the most” compatible or recomended amp for such speaker...but the reality (like other members have already pointed out) is that at several times less $ a Benchmark AHB2 will clearly outperform.
I can’t really put my hands over fire on this until Amir measures them, but I’m highly suspicious they will measure OK although not enough by a high margin to justify price mark up.

 

[Racheski]

You gotta love this image from their website. A picture of an amp, on the floor, not connected to any speakers, next to a Bauhaus book. Can't get much more Scandinavian than that.

 

[win]

You gotta love this image from their website. A picture of an amp, on the floor, not connected to any speakers, next to a Bauhaus book. Can't get much more Scandinavian than that.
View attachment 76080

if you look closely there are speaker cables

some of us go to great lengths to hide any wires!

 

[Racheski]

if you look closely there are speaker cables

some of us go to great lengths to hide any wires!

Touche, however they could be connected to a potato for all we know.

 

[win]

On that note though, what is with people putting their amps and such on the floor? Not only is it kinda funky looking (looks like a frat house or something) but it's inconvenient too

 

[Geert]

On that note though, what is with people putting their amps and such on the floor? Not only is it kinda funky looking (looks like a frat house or something) but it's inconvenient too

It improves the damping factor as it's easier for the electrons to flow back.