After using a 90’s vintage Yamaha power amp (MX630) with my Chinese DAC (SMSL D300) for a spell, I got to thinking maybe I should upgrade to a new modern amplifier. I took home a demo unit from a local audio store. The amp was a Hegel H190. Retails for around $4500 Canadian. I used an optical cable splitter and fed it with the same signal as my SMSL DAC connected to the old Yamaha. The digital source was a WiiM pro streaming CD quality from TIDAL. I also had a three way amp/speaker switch so I could switch amps on the fly. I adjusted volume to the same level in both using an dB meter on my iPhone.
After extensive listening and switching back and forth, neither I, my wife nor my 24 year old son could hear any difference. If I wanted to guess, the Hegel may have been a bit fuller in the upper bass, but if it was it was marginal. Soundstage and imaging were indistinguishable.
For speakers I was using my DIY Seas Idunn two way bass reflex bookshelves. I have listened to these side by side with Focals and Martin Logan’s and they hold their own.
My amp system cost $600. $500 for the DAC, $100 for the used amp. Far cry from $4500. Needless to say I will not be keeping the Hegel.
Goes to show you they knew how to make excellent sounding amps back in the day, and the Chinese DACs that are flooding the market can be pretty good. In fact the best sound I got from the Hegel was when I fed the SMSL DAC into its analog input.
Cheers.
After extensive listening and switching back and forth, neither I, my wife nor my 24 year old son could hear any difference. If I wanted to guess, the Hegel may have been a bit fuller in the upper bass, but if it was it was marginal. Soundstage and imaging were indistinguishable.
For speakers I was using my DIY Seas Idunn two way bass reflex bookshelves. I have listened to these side by side with Focals and Martin Logan’s and they hold their own.
My amp system cost $600. $500 for the DAC, $100 for the used amp. Far cry from $4500. Needless to say I will not be keeping the Hegel.
Goes to show you they knew how to make excellent sounding amps back in the day, and the Chinese DACs that are flooding the market can be pretty good. In fact the best sound I got from the Hegel was when I fed the SMSL DAC into its analog input.
Cheers.
