Speakers to match with a Hegel

[CnoEvil]

No. I think good kit makes all aspects of the music; tonality, timing etc.

Here is a hi fi+ review, make what you will of it, but I really do think it's a league above the supernait.

Having read that review, I have two comments:

- Due to the high damping factor and a suggestion to pair with speakers with a lot of bass, you should hear the Kef R700/900s on the end of it.

- Don't rule out the Ref 1s, which I suspect will surprise with the scale they will produce....in room response of 30 Hz is far from shabby.

 

[Romulus]

Thank you SteveR750 for your response which makes it alot more interesting, I have read most of the reviews on the Hegel H160 (HiFi Plus, 6 Moons, Stereo Life are just a few together with others with help of Google Translate) and now you as an actual owner confirm the qualities of the sound of the amp. I now have to decide wether to travel to Kent or Derby for an audition...

 

[SteveR750]

Thank you SteveR750 for your response which makes it alot more interesting, I have read most of the reviews on the Hegel H160 (HiFi Plus, 6 Moons, Stereo Life are just a few together with others with help of Google Translate) and now you as an actual owner confirm the qualities of the sound of the amp. I now have to decide wether to travel to Kent or Derby for an audition...

I'd suggest you ring both, they might be able to help you with the travel concerns with a solution that works better. However, If you do go and demo it, make sure you have some known reference as the room will be completely different. You might want to take your own speakers, or use something very similar. I don't think you'll be able to listen to Naim and Hegel in the same (shop) room.

Just a thought, where do you live? Welcome to come and listen to mine, but I'm in West wales...

 

[SteveR750]

No. I think good kit makes all aspects of the music; tonality, timing etc.

Here is a hi fi+ review, make what you will of it, but I really do think it's a league above the supernait.

Having read that review, I have two comments:

- Due to the high damping factor and a suggestion to pair with speakers with a lot of bass, you should hear the Kef R700/900s on the end of it.

- Don't rule out the Ref 1s, which I suspect will surprise with the scale they will produce....in room response of 30 Hz is far from shabby.

Cno, I don't want *lots* of bass, just extended. I guess that's what you meant! I am contemplayting the R3, they look stunning too. The R700 and R900 are not on my radar, and I'm intrigued why? The 700 isn't an expensive speaker, so where is the compromise? They look a bit Monitor Audio Silver to me, which may be unfair. I'll admit though that i have never auditioned any Kef speakers ever!

 

[Romulus]

Thank you SteveR750 for your response which makes it alot more interesting, I have read most of the reviews on the Hegel H160 (HiFi Plus, 6 Moons, Stereo Life are just a few together with others with help of Google Translate) and now you as an actual owner confirm the qualities of the sound of the amp. I now have to decide wether to travel to Kent or Derby for an audition...

I'd suggest you ring both, they might be able to help you with the travel concerns with a solution that works better. However, If you do go and demo it, make sure you have some known reference as the room will be completely different. You might want to take your own speakers, or use something very similar. I don't think you'll be able to listen to Naim and Hegel in the same (shop) room.

Just a thought, where do you live? Welcome to come and listen to mine, but I'm in West wales...

I live in Devon and thank you for your kind offer.

 

[Romulus]

Thank you SteveR750 for your response which makes it alot more interesting, I have read most of the reviews on the Hegel H160 (HiFi Plus, 6 Moons, Stereo Life are just a few together with others with help of Google Translate) and now you as an actual owner confirm the qualities of the sound of the amp. I now have to decide wether to travel to Kent or Derby for an audition...

I'd suggest you ring both, they might be able to help you with the travel concerns with a solution that works better. However, If you do go and demo it, make sure you have some known reference as the room will be completely different. You might want to take your own speakers, or use something very similar. I don't think you'll be able to listen to Naim and Hegel in the same (shop) room.

Just a thought, where do you live? Welcome to come and listen to mine, but I'm in West wales...

I live in Devon and thank you for your kind offer.

 

[CnoEvil]

Cno, I don't want *lots* of bass, just extended. I guess that's what you meant! I am contemplayting the R3, they look stunning too. The R700 and R900 are not on my radar, and I'm intrigued why? The 700 isn't an expensive speaker, so where is the compromise? They look a bit Monitor Audio Silver to me, which may be unfair. I'll admit though that i have never auditioned any Kef speakers ever!

The point I'm tring to make is that the R Series have excellent bass which can get boomy if not kept under control....and control is what the Hegel seems to have in spades.

The R700s are so good, that if they had existed when I bought the Refs, I wouldn't have been able to justify the differnce (my Refs are better, just not 3 times better).

IMO. The R700s have raised the bar in respect of what can be expected of a £2k pair of speakers....you may not agree, but you will have to listen to find out.

 

[SteveR750]

Cno, do you think the 700s are a better value, or plain better than the 900? How do the Reference 3 compare (the new ones)

It's an interesting analysis, because the Hegel keeps getting compared to a pure Class A design, of which I know you are a fan.

 

[MUSICRAFT]

control is what the Hegel seems to have in spades.

Hi CnE

Rest assured the Hegel does have control in spades

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[CnoEvil]

Cno, do you think the 700s are a better value, or plain better than the 900? How do the Reference 3 compare (the new ones)

It's an interesting analysis, because the Hegel keeps getting compared to a pure Class A design, of which I know you are a fan.

I think the R700s are better value than the R900s (and "more suitable" in rooms up to a certain size).....but in a big enough room, the R900s would be the ones to go for...they are very big.

Though I have heard the Blades, the New Refs had not made it to NI the last time I asked. IMO. The R Series (sound quite different to the old XQ series, which I didn't like), considerably closed the gap to the older Refs. From what I've read (and gleaned from those that have got to hear them), that gap has now been restored.

Being descended from the Blade, R Series/LS50s/New Refs, sound completely different to anything they were producing prior to that....which is for the better (imo), as they are now much less fussy about the tonal characteristics of the amp they are matched to. As I said before, what they do need, is an amp that keeps the bass in check.

 

[BenLaw]

So have you got a demo of the SCM40s lined up?

 

[SteveR750]

So have you got a demo of the SCM40s lined up?

Yes, at home. Next week. Nothing else will happen until then.

 

[SteveR750]

So have you got a demo of the SCM40s lined up?

Yes, at home. Next week. Nothing else will happen until then.

 

[Barnaby]

I have owned Naim electronics for around 27 years. In all that time, while I loved the slam and drama it can give I realised that for some types of music ( orchestral and some other accoustic stuff ) it didn't make me happy. I decided a little while ago to branch out, and ended up trying the Hegel. I'm using the same gear as with my Supernait/Hicap2 - even down to the NACA5 cable! This Hegel has plenty enough slam and clarity but with sweeter high notes and without glare or harshness. The bass is tight and powerful and very clear.

I really like this amplifier, and this is only after 3 days playing. It's supposed to take 200+ hours to settle in ! It can rock, can do classical and all the rest. It has detail, good treble and great bass. It doesn't tire me in any way. I'm listening to some stuff I had left alone because it sounded pretty awful on my older gear

I also had a Naim Headline amp+PSU and I'm not missing this at all. As Steve said, headphones with the Hegel are incredibly good. I'm having some lenghty sessions with them, which is unusual for me.

I didn't audition it and got it on a 14 day return so I could compare with my own set up at home.

 

[SteveR750]

Barnaby, what is the rest of your system? Are you using the DAC inputs at all? I'd be keen to hear whether you thought the USB or the optical was the better, I cannot make my mind up. I know which sounds "nicer", but that might not be the more accurate!

I'm amazed at how holographic the D18s have become, even with spotify the sense of 3D space is so much more prevalent; which must be the low level detail being allowed through without distortion that causes the aural equivalent of a slight fuzziness or out of focus

 

[SteveR750]

Barnaby, what is the rest of your system? Are you using the DAC inputs at all? I'd be keen to hear whether you thought the USB or the optical was the better, I cannot make my mind up. I know which sounds "nicer", but that might not be the more accurate!

I'm amazed at how holographic the D18s have become, even with spotify the sense of 3D space is so much more prevalent; which must be the low level detail being allowed through without distortion that causes the aural equivalent of a slight fuzziness or out of focus

 

[SteveR750]

Barnaby, what is the rest of your system? Are you using the DAC inputs at all? I'd be keen to hear whether you thought the USB or the optical was the better, I cannot make my mind up. I know which sounds "nicer", but that might not be the more accurate!

I'm amazed at how holographic the D18s have become, even with spotify the sense of 3D space is so much more prevalent; which must be the low level detail being allowed through without distortion that causes the aural equivalent of a slight fuzziness or out of focus

 

[Barnaby]

Hi Steve,

I have a mac mini and have only tried the optical output using Wireworld Supernova 6 cable. I found this to be the best way to feed my Supernait though I will try USB on the Hegel at some point.

My speakers are Neat Mystique 2 ( elderly, insexpensive but good ) and I'm wondering if the Momentum SX5i might be the way to go for upgrades. The other speaker I'm interested inis the Harbeth SHL5+I'm also using NACA5 cable which will be upgraded soon.

As I say, it's early days but the Hegel is doing well

EDIT: I tried the USB today and I have to say I much prefer the optical. It gave me a more full bass and to my ears a much more fluid sound. Maybe cables come into play ( I have a very good optical cable ad a cheap as chips USB ) but I'm not conviced. What were your findings?

 

[SteveR750]

The digital cable makes no difference to me, but I find USB better set to WASAPI, optical is less detail and harsher top end!

Did you get the driver upload when connecting your computer? I'm guessing not if using apple, but I'm surprised if sonically that much different.

 

[Barnaby]

Hi Steve,

I don't have experience of WASAPI and didn't have to download any drivers, and I suspect the difference is in the computing side of things. I recall having a bit of a discussion about this some time ago and AFAIK the Mac Mini ( from 2012 onwards, unlke previous models ) has an exceptionally good optical out. I remember trying a Stello U3 to enhance things via USB and it made no difference at all. I returned it and the explanation I was given was the low jitter from the mini.

At that time, a few people on the Naim forums were reporting their experiences and the concensus was that for mac the optical solution was better with the proviso a good cable was used. USB was not so good and most said the cables didn't matter in using that option. There were some guys using mega expensive gear with that combo who reckoned it sounded better than if using top flight Naim CD players as source

I will give the USB another go later in the week and see how it goes though

 

[SteveR750]

I posted a comment on the interact forum of J River with same question, but no replies as yet.

 

[SteveR750]

So, the ATCs arrive tomorrow. This could be interesting, maybe a watershed moment..

 

[Womaz]

So, the ATCs arrive tomorrow. This could be interesting, maybe a watershed moment..

Exciting times. A lovely looking speaker

 

[SteveR750]

More brute than butterfly perhaps, but I find a certain appeal in that anyway....

 

[SteveR750]

Cno, I don't want *lots* of bass, just extended. I guess that's what you meant! I am contemplayting the R3, they look stunning too. The R700 and R900 are not on my radar, and I'm intrigued why? The 700 isn't an expensive speaker, so where is the compromise? They look a bit Monitor Audio Silver to me, which may be unfair. I'll admit though that i have never auditioned any Kef speakers ever!

The point I'm tring to make is that the R Series have excellent bass which can get boomy if not kept under control....and control is what the Hegel seems to have in spades.

The R700s are so good, that if they had existed when I bought the Refs, I wouldn't have been able to justify the differnce (my Refs are better, just not 3 times better).

IMO. The R700s have raised the bar in respect of what can be expected of a £2k pair of speakers....you may not agree, but you will have to listen to find out.

Coming back to this, are the 700s the sweet spot of the range, or do the 900s offer something significant extra?