Why not review some Hegel amps?

[win]

I was told electrons actually flow from, not to ground

 

[nemanja_t]

They actually do not exist, they are just excitations of the field ...

 

[Balle Clorin]

Yes, the early electric scientist got the charge wrong. All electron go from minus to plus, but actually in a loop , current cannot flow in a single wire, it has to complete a full circle

 

[th0m]

For clarification, the measurements were performed incorrectly the first time around. (The unit was mine.) That Amir would not change the panther to reflect this is annoying. Here are the real measurements:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...headphone-amp-review.10179/page-3#post-278497

Agreed, that should be fixed.

I had an HD11 for many years which worked just fine. The build quality of Hegel products was just terrible though considering the price. The HD11's case sounded like a gong if you tapped the top of it, and the remote that came with the older DAC's is just laughable. Looking at the current models, the finish looks a bit different though, so hopefully the build quality has improved in the last few years.

I also find their stuff quite ugly, but that's of course purely subjective. Other Scandinavian manyfacturers like Bladelius or Electrocompaniet both look and feel infinitely better IMO. Would love to see either of those brands on the test bench.

 

[Chromatischism]

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

Taller racks are more expensive and if there's a TV there, you have a height limit.

 

[Vini darko]

Meh a 125cc scooter would beat it cross town.

 

[phoenixdogfan]

I would like to see one of these too. The way things work here is usually that someone has to buy the product and ship it in for testing. For big, heavy, expensive items like Hegel electronics, shipping costs would be significant and whoever sent it wouldn’t get to use it for a while. Then there’s the potential for the psychological trauma that comes from spending several thousand dollars on something you like and finding out it really isn’t very good. If I owned one, I wouldn’t want to know.

What could the Hegel possibly offer that was worth $5 or $6k more the the Benchmark AHB2 or the Purifi? I think ultra expensive power amps will prove to be as poor a value as ultra expensive DACS, and it would be nice to bring the Hegels in to begin process of proving that point.

 

[Alexanderc]

What could the Hegel possibly offer that was worth $5 or $6k more the the Benchmark AHB2 or the Purifi? I think ultra expensive power amps will prove to be as poor a value as ultra expensive DACS, and it would be nice to bring the Hegels in to begin process of proving that point.

Exactly. Even if it’s a fantastic, SOTA dac and amp, it can’t be any better than those or others like them for far less money. I can understand buying something that provides a better, or more “luxury” user experience, but having the specs published and ranked will be of no value to a company like this.

 

[phoenixdogfan]

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

I think they do it to prevent the wife from lifting it and throwing it at your head when she finds out how much you paid for it.

 

[Matias]

Hegel H590. Bottom lines are THD on 8 and 4 ohms. About 0.003% at 200W.

Mola Mola Kaluga, based on a modified Hypex NCore NC1200 module. Also 0.003% at 200W, but lower noise floor in low power.

Or in standardized ASR SINAD 5W at 4 ohms, H590 is 86 (0.005%) while NC1200 is 100 (0.001%).

Now a stereo amp based on NC1200 can be had from 2,295 pounds on Nord. Hard to beat that.
https://www.nordacoustics.co.uk/nc1200

Add a streamer DAC like Matrix Element X or Octo dac8 stereo and features are similar, measured performance equal or better, for a lot less than the 11k USD of the Hegel H590. Plus smaller, lighter, runs cooler, etc.

(Measurements by Soundstage Network
https://www.soundstagenetwork.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=17&Itemid=19)

 

[nemanja_t]

So, Elon Musk is selling a way for a nerds to excite hot girls I was always thinking it was about environment

 

[Mosfet]

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

It looks so Emotivaish.

 

[Digi]

It is nice to see some manufacturers have sent equipment for testing. It will likely always be a small group, as most high end manufacturers are selling a story, not good measurements. When you don’t get to have someone push your story and your measurements don’t justify the price, sending in your product only serves to potentially harm your sales.

Hello & How? Could you say if these Hegel H390 or H590 are any good, value price to performance and could you recommend a good pre and power amplifier. Thanks.

 

[watchnerd]

Hegel H590. Bottom lines are THD on 8 and 4 ohms. About 0.003% at 200W.
View attachment 76188

Mola Mola Kaluga, based on a modified Hypex NCore NC1200 module. Also 0.003% at 200W, but lower noise floor in low power.
View attachment 76189

Or in standardized ASR SINAD 5W at 4 ohms, H590 is 86 (0.005%) while NC1200 is 100 (0.001%).

Now a stereo amp based on NC1200 can be had from 2,295 pounds on Nord. Hard to beat that.
https://www.nordacoustics.co.uk/nc1200

Add a streamer DAC like Matrix Element X or Octo dac8 stereo and features are similar, measured performance equal or better, for a lot less than the 11k USD of the Hegel H590. Plus smaller, lighter, runs cooler, etc.

(Measurements by Soundstage Network
https://www.soundstagenetwork.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=17&Itemid=19)

I wouldn't have a problem with those Hegel measurements if I liked the styling and features.

Once an amp is transparent, it's "good enough".

At that point, one might as well buy on features and styling -- just like cars.

 

[Helicopter]

I wouldn't have a problem with those Hegel measurements if I liked the styling and features.

Once an amp is transparent, it's "good enough".

At that point, one might as well buy on features and styling -- just like cars.

I am more likely to buy something Amir has measured, regardless of whether performance meets or exceeds my expectations. If he started measuring a bunch of tube integrated amps, I would be way more likely to buy them.

I am not alone. We all know AHB2 and Bruno P. Amps, Topping, RME and Okto DACs, etc., perform best, but we still buy lots of other stuff as long as we know it does what it is supposed to do.

 

[watchnerd]

I am more likely to buy something Amir has measured, regardless of whether performance meets or exceeds my expectations. If he started measuring a bunch of tube integrated amps, I would be way more likely to buy them.

I am not alone. We all know AHB2 and Bruno P. Amps, Topping, RME and Okto DACs, etc., perform best, but we still buy lots of other stuff as long as we know it does what it is supposed to do.

Oh, sure.

But I'm okay with other people measuring, too, especially amps. I don't care whether it's HFN, Stereophile, Amir, or one of the German magazines.

Klippel measuring rigs are still rare among reviewers, but AP measurements are common enough.

FWIW, I love the way my RME ADI-2 Pro performs, but hate its usability. I like it at my DAW, but wouldn't want it in my living room.

 

[Matias]

I wouldn't have a problem with those Hegel measurements if I liked the styling and features.

Once an amp is transparent, it's "good enough".

At that point, one might as well buy on features and styling -- just like cars.

Yes, that is more or less what I said in the end: better measurements even if they are good enough, price, weight and heat are better elsewhere.

 

[watchnerd]

Yes, that is more or less what I said in the end: better measurements even if they are good enough, price, weight and heat are better elsewhere.

If having small and light is important.

But some people want big and impressive looking.

 

[Helicopter]

If having small and light is important.

But some people want big and impressive looking.

For about 8 months, I really don't mind the heat either.

 

[DSJR]

I've only used the Hegel 120 which is a £2200 small fry job in these circles, but I have to say I liked it a lot and the latest models from the 'speaker brand' it's often mentioned with in these parts, DO work supremely well with it, the lean-n-clean tones from the amp partnering the last remaining vestiges of 'organic warmth' from these speakers. Having said that, the speaker company also recommends the sub £1k Yamaha 100WPC integrated models, but 'audiophiles' with money to buy said speakers wouldn't normally stoop so low on amp choices.

The benchmark amp is all very well, but it needs a multi-input (analogue and digital) traditional preamp of sourts to go with it (to go with older fans of audio gear with many 'legacy' sources) and then it starts to cost a lot of money I feel. Just my vibe of course - and in terms of 'eye-fi,' the AHB2 looks too much like the old Quad 405 (OK, I'm squinting ) to look really 'serious' to lovers of acres of massive casework from other amps out there.