Arcam A19 vs Hegel H80

[Krunenes]

Hi

Im using B & W 685 speakers and using Rega RP1 as turntable. I use my computer as source as well and im considering bying a CD-player also

What i wondered is: Witch amplifier is best suited for my speakers and turntable? I read that the Arcam A19 is very good with my speakers, but i recently discovered the Hegel H80 and i wondered if that amplifier could be even better with my set-up

 

[CnoEvil]

Can you bring your speakers round to the dealer and try them on the end of each....it's the only way to know for sure. It's better than going on the guess of a third party.

FWIW. The Arcam A39 is more in the same price range as the Hegel, so would be a better comparison.

 

[BigH]

I have read Arcam and B&W are not a good combination, form my experience The A19 and CM1s did not work for me. Many suggest Rotel and B&W. As for Hegel H80 that is about 2x the price of the Arcam so it should be better but you need to try it with your speakers.

 

[Reijer]

To my ears the Arcam wasn't the best match with the 685 s2. I use a TEAC that doesn't come with phono-ins.

NAD and Roksan are also great amps. What is yoyr budget?

For the best result, grab your speakers and cd's and go to your hifi-shop for an audition.

 

[BigH]

I would be looking at upgrading the speakers as well.

 

[rainsoothe]

I have read Arcam and B&W are not a good combination, form my experience The A19 and CM1s did not work for me. Many suggest Rotel and B&W. As for Hegel H80 that is about 2x the price of the Arcam so it should be better but you need to try it with your speakers.

Well it's not necessarilly so, as the Hegel can also act as a DAC. If you add, let's say, Arcam iRdac to the A19, then the price gets close, if not almost identical. Also, the CM series (the first gen) are rather smooth sounding speakers (used to own CM5), and they require a more detailed amp. The 685s are more open, and, at least, the open 685 s2 partner the warm A19 rather well.

But, ofc, not everyone will like the same presentation, therefore it's imperial that the OP listens to both. For what it's worth, I think a DAC is the first thing you should consider, OP, which will also elliminate the need for a separate CD player - it will be a huge improvement over the audio out from your laptop. Imo, if you intend to keep the 685 (or upgrade to KEF LS50), the Arcam A19 + Arcam iRdac (or Nad D1050 if you want a more agile sound) should be enough. If you like the sollution Hegel more, you should look at speakers like Focal Aria 906, Martin Logan XT35, Kef R300 or Harbeth P3ESR. Small niggle though, I don't think the Hegel has a phonostage, so you need to keep that in mind if it doesn't - Graham Slee Gram Amp 2 Se (this is in case you wanna upgrade your turntable at some point in the future), or the Gram Communicator - or even Rega's own Mini A2D, or whatever it's called, are worth considering.

 

[matthewpiano]

In my experience Arcam and B&W aren't a great match. I had an A18 with a pair of 686 and the amp just couldn't grip the speakers properly. The A18 was much better with KEF Q300s than it was with the B&Ws. The 686 sounded far nicer driven by a Rotel RA-04SE. Rotel and B&W is a great match,

Can't help with the Hegel as I haven't heard it.

 

[Andrewjvt]

Ive only heard the 160 and it is such a good amp. If it were me id get the hegel over the arcam anyday. In my opinon hegel products are very good quality and value so sound more expensive than the cost plus with the dac included is great. But this is only my thoughts and not what you might think after listening so try and demo with the speakers first. To give you something to go on i have a roksan kandy k2 and i brought my kandy with me to test against the hegel. Well the hegel won in every way . Bass control much better top end more clear and detailed nd loads more power and volume.

 

[SteveR750]

FWIW I have listened to the H160 and an A39 driving a pair of ProAc D18. You can guess the result from my signature, but I found the latter amp to be even more boring sounding than the NAD C390DD. At the time, I chose the Caspian M2 over them both. Not heard the H80, it's sure to be proficient, but an H160 is a much bigger step beyond, particularly the DAC implementation, which is on par with their stand alone H12 unit. If you believe the hype, it's also better than the current flagship H300 (that is double the power at 8 and 4 ohms).

I also found there to be a significant difference between the Roksan K2 and the Caspian M2. I don't know whether Hegel is more consistent than Roksan, as the 160 is the only product I have heard.

 

[Andrewjvt]

Steve 1979 wrote>FWIW I have listened to the H160 and an A39 driving a pair of ProAc D18. You can guess the result from my signature, but I found the latter amp to be even more boring sounding than the NAD C390DD.

Do you mean the hegel sounded more boring than the nad?

 

[CnoEvil]

FWIW I have listened to the H160 and an A39 driving a pair of ProAc D18. You can guess the result from my signature, but I found the latter amp to be even more boring sounding than the NAD C390DD. At the time, I chose the Caspian M2 over them both. Not heard the H80, it's sure to be proficient, but an H160 is a much bigger step beyond, particularly the DAC implementation, which is on par with their stand alone H12 unit. If you believe the hype, it's also better than the current flagship H300 (that is double the power at 8 and 4 ohms).

I also found there to be a significant difference between the Roksan K2 and the Caspian M2. I don't know whether Hegel is more consistent than Roksan, as the 160 is the only product I have heard.

Was it definitely the A39 you heard, rather than the previous A38?

 

[SteveR750]

Steve 1979 wrote>FWIW I have listened to the H160 and an A39 driving a pair of ProAc D18. You can guess the result from my signature, but I found the latter amp to be even more boring sounding than the NAD C390DD.

Do you mean the hegel sounded more boring than the nad?

No, the latter is the Arcam. It lasted 2 weeks in my system at the time. When I bought the M2, I changed to the proacs soon after, but it all got a bit shouty, a bit too bright. The Caspian isn't great when you turn it up, and the tweeter on the D18s can be a bit on the sibilant side of natural, so I bought a used A39 to see if that was a better match. It wasn't, so the NAD was next up after glowing reviews. That was OK, but it added nothing that the M2 had, and of course the D18s had bedded in somewhat by now, and since the NAD was a lot more expensive it didn't stay either. The Hegel is much better than any of them; I certainly would not recommend the Roksan to drive the ATCs for sure, I suspect it wouldn't be a great match.

 

[CnoEvil]

No, the latter is the Arcam. It lasted 2 weeks in my system at the time. When I bought the M2, I changed to the proacs soon after, but it all got a bit shouty, a bit too bright. The Caspian isn't great when you turn it up, and the tweeter on the D18s can be a bit on the sibilant side of natural, so I bought a used A39 to see if that was a better match. It wasn't, so the NAD was next up after glowing reviews. That was OK, but it added nothing that the M2 had, and of course the D18s had bedded in somewhat by now, and since the NAD was a lot more expensive it didn't stay either. The Hegel is much better than any of them; I certainly would not recommend the Roksan to drive the ATCs for sure, I suspect it wouldn't be a great match.

If it's the thread that I was involved in, it was definitely the A38 (if you recall, I predicted you wouldn't like it), as the A39 has only been available fairly recently (it's Class G and a very different animal).

Edit. This is the thread I was thinking about: http://www.whathifi.com/forum/hi-fi/proac-d18-and-which-amp?page=2

 

[Krunenes]

Thanks alot for the response

Im living in Norway and the Hegel H80 and the Arcam A19 with rBlink or irDac is in close to the same price(with rBlink its excactly the same, with irDac the Arcam is more expensive)

Im happy with my speakers for the moment, but my impression is that the Hegel H80 could be a bigger improvement than the Arcam A19, but thanks alot for the tips and recomendations

 

[Electro]

Thanks alot for the response

Im living in Norway and the Hegel H80 and the Arcam A19 with rBlink or irDac is in close to the same price(with rBlink its excactly the same, with irDac the Arcam is more expensive)

Im happy with my speakers for the moment, but my impression is that the Hegel H80 could be a bigger improvement than the Arcam A19, but thanks alot for the tips and recomendations

Hi Krunenes ,

As you live in Norway it would be definitely be worth trying an amplifier from Abrahamsen Audio , the V20 UP integrated amp should be ideal for your needs and a very good alternative to the Hegel for a lot less money, about 7000 Nok , they are very heavy and well built with a massive power supply and very high current delivery .

It does not have a built in DAC but for the difference in price you could buy a very good separate dac

http://abrahamsenaudio.no/produkter.asp#p41

http://abrahamsenaudio.no/

An excellent alternative to the amps you mention !

 

[radiorog]

Thanks alot for the response

Im living in Norway and the Hegel H80 and the Arcam A19 with rBlink or irDac is in close to the same price(with rBlink its excactly the same, with irDac the Arcam is more expensive)

Im happy with my speakers for the moment, but my impression is that the Hegel H80 could be a bigger improvement than the Arcam A19, but thanks alot for the tips and recomendations

Hi Krunenes ,

As you live in Norway it would be definitely be worth trying an amplifier from Abrahamsen Audio , the V20 UP integrated amp should be ideal for your needs and a very good alternative to the Hegel for a lot less money, about 7000 Nok , they are very heavy and well built with a massive power supply and very high current delivery .

It does not have a built in DAC but for the difference in price you could buy a very good separate dac

http://abrahamsenaudio.no/produkter.asp#p41

http://abrahamsenaudio.no/

An excellent alternative to the amps you mention !

+1

There is a lot of positive discussion on this forum for the abrahamsen v2up, if you can audition one, its highly advisable.

 

[SteveR750]

No, the latter is the Arcam. It lasted 2 weeks in my system at the time. When I bought the M2, I changed to the proacs soon after, but it all got a bit shouty, a bit too bright. The Caspian isn't great when you turn it up, and the tweeter on the D18s can be a bit on the sibilant side of natural, so I bought a used A39 to see if that was a better match. It wasn't, so the NAD was next up after glowing reviews. That was OK, but it added nothing that the M2 had, and of course the D18s had bedded in somewhat by now, and since the NAD was a lot more expensive it didn't stay either. The Hegel is much better than any of them; I certainly would not recommend the Roksan to drive the ATCs for sure, I suspect it wouldn't be a great match.

If it's the thread that I was involved in, it was definitely the A38 (if you recall, I predicted you wouldn't like it), as the A39 has only been available fairly recently (it's Class G and a very different animal).

Edit. This is the thread I was thinking about: http://www.whathifi.com/forum/hi-fi/proac-d18-and-which-amp?page=2

Aye, that's the one! I knew it had an A in it.....

 

[Fiore]

I have read Arcam and B&W are not a good combination, form my experience The A19 and CM1s did not work for me. Many suggest Rotel and B&W. As for Hegel H80 that is about 2x the price of the Arcam so it should be better but you need to try it with your speakers.

Well it's not necessarilly so, as the Hegel can also act as a DAC. If you add, let's say, Arcam iRdac to the A19, then the price gets close, if not almost identical. Also, the CM series (the first gen) are rather smooth sounding speakers (used to own CM5), and they require a more detailed amp. The 685s are more open, and, at least, the open 685 s2 partner the warm A19 rather well.

But, ofc, not everyone will like the same presentation, therefore it's imperial that the OP listens to both. For what it's worth, I think a DAC is the first thing you should consider, OP, which will also elliminate the need for a separate CD player - it will be a huge improvement over the audio out from your laptop. Imo, if you intend to keep the 685 (or upgrade to KEF LS50), the Arcam A19 + Arcam iRdac (or Nad D1050 if you want a more agile sound) should be enough. If you like the sollution Hegel more, you should look at speakers like Focal Aria 906, Martin Logan XT35, Kef R300 or Harbeth P3ESR. Small niggle though, I don't think the Hegel has a phonostage, so you need to keep that in mind if it doesn't - Graham Slee Gram Amp 2 Se (this is in case you wanna upgrade your turntable at some point in the future), or the Gram Communicator - or even Rega's own Mini A2D, or whatever it's called, are worth considering.

I`d like to ask about Martin Logan 35xt, since I own it now and the sound being beautiful is sometimes really bright & forward with uncomfortable top end. Did you or anyone else try this with Arcam or Hegel amps with these and what are the results?

 

[rainsoothe]

I have read Arcam and B&W are not a good combination, form my experience The A19 and CM1s did not work for me. Many suggest Rotel and B&W. As for Hegel H80 that is about 2x the price of the Arcam so it should be better but you need to try it with your speakers.

Well it's not necessarilly so, as the Hegel can also act as a DAC. If you add, let's say, Arcam iRdac to the A19, then the price gets close, if not almost identical. Also, the CM series (the first gen) are rather smooth sounding speakers (used to own CM5), and they require a more detailed amp. The 685s are more open, and, at least, the open 685 s2 partner the warm A19 rather well.

But, ofc, not everyone will like the same presentation, therefore it's imperial that the OP listens to both. For what it's worth, I think a DAC is the first thing you should consider, OP, which will also elliminate the need for a separate CD player - it will be a huge improvement over the audio out from your laptop. Imo, if you intend to keep the 685 (or upgrade to KEF LS50), the Arcam A19 + Arcam iRdac (or Nad D1050 if you want a more agile sound) should be enough. If you like the sollution Hegel more, you should look at speakers like Focal Aria 906, Martin Logan XT35, Kef R300 or Harbeth P3ESR. Small niggle though, I don't think the Hegel has a phonostage, so you need to keep that in mind if it doesn't - Graham Slee Gram Amp 2 Se (this is in case you wanna upgrade your turntable at some point in the future), or the Gram Communicator - or even Rega's own Mini A2D, or whatever it's called, are worth considering.

I`d like to ask about Martin Logan 35xt, since I own it now and the sound being beautiful is sometimes really bright & forward with uncomfortable top end. Did you or anyone else try this with Arcam or Hegel amps with these and what are the results?

actually the Hegel might not be such a good match for the XT35, it needs warmer sounding speakers - my dealer is offering the XT35 with Arcam A19 as a stereo package (although I think they might be better suited for A39), so they oughtta be paired with wamer stuff - Croft Phono Integrated, Naim Nait XS/Supernait/Supernait 2, and maybe Roksan Kandy K2 and Rega Elex-R.

 

[Fiore]

I have read Arcam and B&W are not a good combination, form my experience The A19 and CM1s did not work for me. Many suggest Rotel and B&W. As for Hegel H80 that is about 2x the price of the Arcam so it should be better but you need to try it with your speakers.

Well it's not necessarilly so, as the Hegel can also act as a DAC. If you add, let's say, Arcam iRdac to the A19, then the price gets close, if not almost identical. Also, the CM series (the first gen) are rather smooth sounding speakers (used to own CM5), and they require a more detailed amp. The 685s are more open, and, at least, the open 685 s2 partner the warm A19 rather well.

But, ofc, not everyone will like the same presentation, therefore it's imperial that the OP listens to both. For what it's worth, I think a DAC is the first thing you should consider, OP, which will also elliminate the need for a separate CD player - it will be a huge improvement over the audio out from your laptop. Imo, if you intend to keep the 685 (or upgrade to KEF LS50), the Arcam A19 + Arcam iRdac (or Nad D1050 if you want a more agile sound) should be enough. If you like the sollution Hegel more, you should look at speakers like Focal Aria 906, Martin Logan XT35, Kef R300 or Harbeth P3ESR. Small niggle though, I don't think the Hegel has a phonostage, so you need to keep that in mind if it doesn't - Graham Slee Gram Amp 2 Se (this is in case you wanna upgrade your turntable at some point in the future), or the Gram Communicator - or even Rega's own Mini A2D, or whatever it's called, are worth considering.

I`d like to ask about Martin Logan 35xt, since I own it now and the sound being beautiful is sometimes really bright & forward with uncomfortable top end. Did you or anyone else try this with Arcam or Hegel amps with these and what are the results?

actually the Hegel might not be such a good match for the XT35, it needs warmer sounding speakers - my dealer is offering the XT35 with Arcam A19 as a stereo package (although I think they might be better suited for A39), so they oughtta be paired with wamer stuff - Croft Phono Integrated, Naim Nait XS/Supernait/Supernait 2, and maybe Roksan Kandy K2 and Rega Elex-R.

Thank you so much for your reply. I hope I didn`t a wrong purchase, because I was trying to find Focal Aria 906s locally but couldn`t ( i owned Chorus and really liked them). Did you have a chance to compare Martin Logan 35xt vs Focal Aria 906s?

 

[iQ Speakers]

Yeee alowed to coment as he is Norway, the Abrahamsen V2.0UP at 7000 NOK is in a different leauge to the Arcam go for the UP version as it is far superior, and alot less than the Hegal.

 

[rainsoothe]

Thank you so much for your reply. I hope I didn`t a wrong purchase, because I was trying to find Focal Aria 906s locally but couldn`t ( i owned Chorus and really liked them). Did you have a chance to compare Martin Logan 35xt vs Focal Aria 906s?

what's the rest of your system?

 

[Fiore]

Thank you so much for your reply. I hope I didn`t a wrong purchase, because I was trying to find Focal Aria 906s locally but couldn`t ( i owned Chorus and really liked them). Did you have a chance to compare Martin Logan 35xt vs Focal Aria 906s?

what's the rest of your system?

The rest of my system is not so good, I believe: Harman/Kardon HK3490 amp, Harman HD 970 CD player. So I need to match a much better amplifier first, maybe Roksan K2....

 

[rainsoothe]

hm... The MLs are indeed great speakers, but reading around on your HK amp says that it can be a bit bright. Combine that with the ribbon tweeters, and you might get some harshness. I've seen a review of a guy that uses the HK only as a preamp into a tube amp - i forget the brand - so if you know your way around tubes or know someone who can help, this might be a sollution. Another is to look at 1k-ish amps that can handle 4ohm loads. The Roksan K2 is not a bad idea actually, AND it has great power. Another suggestion would be a 2nd hand Naim Nait XS (the first model, not the XS2). Peachtree, used Creek Destiny 2 and Marantz PM8005 might be worth looking into as well. You should try and audition these (if you wanna upgrade), otherwise I don't think there's another sollution to your problem except for changing the speakers to some Q Acoustics maybe (which, of course, will be cheaper, but soundquality might not be enough for you after running the MLs). I, for one, would save up for a used Naim Nait XS or a Marantz PM8005/Creek Destiny 2 (for a more relaxing, but still awesome sound).

Another suggestion would be Croft Phono Integrated, but I don't know if it has the juice for 4 ohm speakers.

 

[Electro]

Yeee alowed to coment as he is Norway, the Abrahamsen V2.0UP at 7000 NOK is in a different leauge to the Arcam go for the UP version as it is far superior, and alot less than the Hegal.

I agree , the Abrahamsen V20UP is a much stronger amp than the Arcam or the even the Hegel, it drives low impedance loads far better that either with 140 wpc into 4 ohms and very high current delivery not to mention the 1000va transformer !

The Abrahamsen will drive a 4 ohm load and much lower easily so the ML's will not be a problem for the Abrahamsen at all .