Speakers to match with a Hegel

[unsleepable]

Just read the H160 review in the February issue of Hi-Fi Choice. And in the picture they publish of the Hegel guy that answers questions for the article, you can see that he's wearing Kef headphones.

That's a sign!

 

[SteveR750]

Just read the H160 review in the February issue of Hi-Fi Choice. And in the picture they publish of the Hegel guy that answers questions for the article, you can see that he's wearing Kef headphones.

That's a sign!

You'll be pleased when you see what they are using in Bristol then, if my crystal ball is correct!

 

[MUSICRAFT]

Hi Rick, I'm auditioning some Harbeths soon. Any ideas how they work with the Hegel?

Hi Barnaby

I've not heard Harbeth speakers with Hegel electronics. What are you looking for from a different pair of speakers?

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[hybridauth_Twitter_34354971]

Just ordered the h160. Current system is Nait 5si + Spendor s3/5r2.
What do you guys think of the h160 + s3/5r2 combination?

 

[SteveR750]

Just ordered the h160. Current system is Nait 5si + Spendor s3/5r2.What do you guys think of the h160 + s3/5r2 combination?

I've not heard Heg with Spendor, but I suspect they will come alive a bit more. Tighter bass, which might innitially sound less deep and leave you wondering where it's gone - the answer is where is should be! Smoother, clearer treble? Certainly more detail over the 5si, as good as that is.

Did you audition the Hegel?

Let us know what you find....

Meanwhile, this is an interesting article when thinking about the low distortion route (as specifically part of Hegel's design philosophy)

 

[MUSICRAFT]

I am here in the Hegel room at the show. The room looks great

If you're down here then check it out

Thanks

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[CnoEvil]

I am here in the Hegel room at the show. The room looks great If you're down here then check it out

Thanks

Rick @ Musicraft

Rick, what speakers are they using?

 

[SteveR750]

I am here in the Hegel room at the show. The room looks great If you're down here then check it out

Thanks

Rick @ Musicraft

Rick, what speakers are they using?

LS50s I think.

 

[MUSICRAFT]

Hi Cno and Steve

Yes, LS50's (like Cno didn't already know this) *biggrin*

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[CnoEvil]

Hi Cno and Steve

Yes, LS50's (like Cno didn't already know this) *biggrin*

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

As it happened - I didn't. *blum3*

 

[audylubis]

I've both ATC SCM40 MK2 and the old Harbeth SHL5, and my preference goes to ATC SCM40 MK2, which I think has a more neutral sound and is more suitable for wide range of music. However, for vocal oriented music, the Harbeth SHL wins slightly due to its better midrange. I usually switch to Harbeth SHL5 for vocals.

If I could only keep one speaker, definitely I would choose ATC SCM40 MK2. I hope I could listen to the new SHL+ soon for comparison.

 

[SteveR750]

Unfortunately didn't make it to Bristol today, not that I would have had the chance do any serious listening.

 

[Macspur]

I've both ATC SCM40 MK2 and the old Harbeth SHL5, and my preference goes to ATC SCM40 MK2, which I think has a more neutral sound and is more suitable for wide range of music. However, for vocal oriented music, the Harbeth SHL wins slightly due to its better midrange. I usually switch to Harbeth SHL5 for vocals.

If I could only keep one speaker, definitely I would choose ATC SCM40 MK2. I hope I could listen to the new SHL+ soon for comparison.

Interesting... all I can say is that the new SCM40's must be a big improvement on the prev model... I owned the original model and after six months found I couldn't live with them anymore... it was such a relief when I changed to the SHL5.

Mac

www.macsmusic.blogbubble.net

 

[SteveR750]

I've both ATC SCM40 MK2 and the old Harbeth SHL5, and my preference goes to ATC SCM40 MK2, which I think has a more neutral sound and is more suitable for wide range of music. However, for vocal oriented music, the Harbeth SHL wins slightly due to its better midrange. I usually switch to Harbeth SHL5 for vocals.

If I could only keep one speaker, definitely I would choose ATC SCM40 MK2. I hope I could listen to the new SHL+ soon for comparison.

Interesting... all I can say is that the new SCM40's must be a big improvement on the prev model... I owned the original model and after six months found I couldn't live with them anymore... it was such a relief when I changed to the SHL5.

Mac

www.macsmusic.blogbubble.net

Mac, what was it about them that you couldn't get on with? I was expecting to have my head ripped off by half my CD collection, or perhaps all sound like they were recorded in a shed. The experience us quite the opposite, there is so little harshness in the treble at all, but they are very dynamic. I thought they were a bit bass shy till I played dark side of the moon. The heartbeats are immense, it sounds light in the way my DT880s do, simply because it's not overblown.

 

[MUSICRAFT]

Hi Steve

Try and also have a listen to the blissful vocals of Swati Natekar singing Nadia (Nitin Sawhney - Beyond Skin). I think you'll like it.

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[Macspur]

Hi Steve,

It was a really strange experience owning the ATC's... with electronic music I've never heard anything quite like it, it was almost physical, but as the majority of my listening is acoustic based, I found them to be way too dry for my taste.

One caviat to what I've just said, this is when I owned a Naim CDP and Sugden amp... it would be interesting to hear the new model with my current amp and cdp.

Mac

www.macsmusic.blogbubble.net

I've both ATC SCM40 MK2 and the old Harbeth SHL5, and my preference goes to ATC SCM40 MK2, which I think has a more neutral sound and is more suitable for wide range of music. However, for vocal oriented music, the Harbeth SHL wins slightly due to its better midrange. I usually switch to Harbeth SHL5 for vocals.

If I could only keep one speaker, definitely I would choose ATC SCM40 MK2. I hope I could listen to the new SHL+ soon for comparison.

Interesting... all I can say is that the new SCM40's must be a big improvement on the prev model... I owned the original model and after six months found I couldn't live with them anymore... it was such a relief when I changed to the SHL5.

Mac

www.macsmusic.blogbubble.net

Mac, what was it about them that you couldn't get on with? I was expecting to have my head ripped off by half my CD collection, or perhaps all sound like they were recorded in a shed. The experience us quite the opposite, there is so little harshness in the treble at all, but they are very dynamic. I thought they were a bit bass shy till I played dark side of the moon. The heartbeats are immense, it sounds light in the way my DT880s do, simply because it's not overblown.

 

[Thompsonuxb]

One question SteveR750 when the amp is set to '70' on the volume dial, how loud is that?

 

[SteveR750]

One question SteveR750 when the amp is set to '70' on the volume dial, how loud is that?

Not sure, never looked. Loud probably, why?

I've had the system playing too loud, both amp and speakers were fine, having seen Martin Lilly on YouTube driving the smaller bass mid driver to ridiculous levels without damage, then I'm not worried about their fragility. The Heg (as it shall henceforth be called in my house) was only slightly warm.

 

[Thompsonuxb]

That's how high the fella turned the amp up at the show.

The LS50's did the amp no favours.

The display was pretty big. Just curious to know if that was 'loud'

One question SteveR750 when the amp is set to '70' on the volume dial, how loud is that?

Not  sure, never looked. Loud probably, why??

I've had the system playing too loud, both amp and speakers were fine,  having seen Martin Lilly on YouTube driving the smaller bass mid driver to ridiculous levels without damage,  then I'm not worried about their fragility. The Heg (as it shall henceforth be called in my house) was only slightly warm. 

 

[JoelSim]

Maybe it doesn't go with accuracy is everything camp but they also don't sound to 'hifi'.

I know what you mean. This is the least hi fi sounding system I've owned / listened to. You could almost argue it's ever so slightly underwhelming, but it's a bit like climbing into the speakers.with the music just simply being there. The only irritating distraction is that of the band or musicians themselves, it's not going to make you like music you didn't before, whereas I think a lot of Hi-Fi seems to encourage that. This system isn't going to make you suddenly want to play stuff you don't really like.

From what I understand, the new SCM40s have added a "musicality" to the previous model, without losing the insight/detail...not an easy thing to pull off.

IMO. Even though you should try to hear as many speakers as you can, I suspect that you are looking at the New Ref range rather than the R Series.

It looks like you enjoy a very clean, detailed, revealing and acurate sound, that isn't dry, sterile or over-analytical....not always easy to achieve.

Nice review btw.

Thanks Cno, I was loosely gathering my somewhat obtuse thoughts, no doubt aided by some of Joel's red medicine! Upon further reflection, I'm struck by how difficult and cliched it is to try to review music full stop, in that most of the reviews use phrases like "not sugaring the pill", "ripping into your CDs" "ruthlessly revealing", which all add up to something to be perhaps afraid of; these large ungainly boxes that are going to kick your ears into submission. Well, they don't. Nothing like it, the new tweeter is simply better than the PMC, the midrange is just clearer, louder when it's loud, and not when it's not. I had envisaged "poor" recordings to rip my head off, the way that my old Gibson SG with the 490T and R pups did played through a 30W blues combo I had, no matter what I did it was ear piercingly shrill, and I got rid of both eventually in search of something more pleasant. I've not found anything yet that sounds remotely harsh in my music collection, though no doubt that SG would have hurt as much as it did in reality; but I'd be as bold to say that in fact the ATC sound is the opposite of most reviewers comments are usually interpreted

Spotify, with its allegedly inferior low bit rate compressed files should sound splashy, vague and a bit, well harsh and grainy. Guess what, it doesn't, and most of the new music I listen to sounds as fantastic as any of my FLACS, in fact a lot better than many of them. So, it is most certainly not fatiguing in the slightest bit, and every now and again a track pops up with some pretty special mixing and simply makes you grin stupidly.

I don't for one minute think that they are the best boxes on the planet, but from my experience so far you've got to spend a fair bit to better them, if you want vanilla music, especially loud, vanilla music. I'd expect the new KEFs to be better, noticeably better, but then they are more than twice the price, and to be honest, even money no object, the laws of diminishing returns means it's started to become a box obession, for very little gain, and I'd much rather spend the money on a new Derek Trucks signature SG for my fast-becoming-better-than-his-Dad son!

Sometimes you have to realise that the field you're in is a pretty nice shade of pastel after all, and think about helping the grass grow in someones else's field instead.

My red medicine...the cheek of it!!!

To be fair...

I agree with this Steve, the enjoyment of music is all about how into it you get, it's not about detail as such although that's obviously is a benefit. The key thing for me is switching it off at night. If switching it off is something you really don't want to do, but have to, then that is a very good situation to be in.

 

[SteveR750]

That's how high the fella turned the amp up at the show.

The LS50's did the amp no favours.

The display was pretty big. Just curious to know if that was 'loud'

One question SteveR750 when the amp is set to '70' on the volume dial, how loud is that?

Not sure, never looked. Loud probably, why?

I've had the system playing too loud, both amp and speakers were fine, having seen Martin Lilly on YouTube driving the smaller bass mid driver to ridiculous levels without damage, then I'm not worried about their fragility. The Heg (as it shall henceforth be called in my house) was only slightly warm.

How do you mean?

They are 85dB sensitivity, same as the ATCs. They both need some volts to generate a high sound pressure level, more than your average box. I've probably had volume set in the 80s, SPL is not a problem. I'll bet the ATC's are far less troubled at high volumes too.

 

[shafesk]

Hi Steve, I am a bit late to the party but I've had a home demo of Hegel's flagship integrated with my Mordaunt Short Mezzo 6s. It's a great amp but I reckon it's cleanliness requires a careful match. I'd pair it with something like a PMC 22 or Harber SHL5

 

[MUSICRAFT]

Hi shafesk

Glad you like the H300 however the H160 is not the H300.

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[shafesk]

ofcourse it isn't from what I've heard it's in the same direction and my recommendations are based on that. Don't get me wrong, the h300 is a great amplifier but I'd spend my money on an Electro or a Cayin anyday over it.

 

[SteveR750]

Hi Steve, I am a bit late to the party but I've had a home demo of Hegel's flagship integrated with my Mordaunt Short Mezzo 6s. It's a great amp but I reckon it's cleanliness requires a careful match. I'd pair it with something like a PMC 22 or Harber SHL5

Unofficially hegel would admit the H160 is better than the H300. Like I said, refreshingly honest if you speak directly to them.
I interpret clean as low distortion, and will simply reveal any tonal deficiencies with the speakers perhaps. In the real world you're right, and I wouldn't pair them with a cheaper B&W or MA set if boxes, they would probably rip your head off.