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Anyone here running Hegel amplifiers?


Audible Nectar

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  • 4 weeks later...

Producer from Norway.

Pretty popular in Europe.

They have been around for some time. They have a reputation for a clean accurate sound with plenty of power for most home applications.

I never had a chance to listen a system with all Hegel components. But for a short listening session I used one integrated, actually just a pre-section of Hegel integrated when buying a Kenwwod combo Pre+amp. Wanted to make sure that Kenwood preamp is in a good condition.

Hegel produced just a bit cleaner sound with a bit more instrument separation, but that could be expected as Kenwood is 35 years old. 🙂

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They seem to have a reputation for being "tubey" with pinpoint imaging/spatial characteristics yet with high damping factor. Seemed an amp right in a Klipschers wheelhouse and as such was curious if they had any representation in here. I hadn't heard anything much until a few years ago but as stated primarily a European popularity.

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Chandz, I've not heard a Hagel yet. Have you ever compared it to tubes? Curious if you know about that. The First Watt amps are the only solid state amps I've heard so far that are literally indistinguisble from tubes in many cases. I struggle with solid state because of their muffled sound signature. Muffled in the sense that they don't produce any spatial separation compared to tubes. The Yamaha AS1200 for example was a big disappointment. Nice looking! lots of tight bass and power but no separation compared to tubes. Had that typical muffled sound I can't stand with jazz. It reminds me of a sock stuffed in a horn. It's like there's no airy openness as if the music can't breath. Half of my audiophile buddies are all into solid state but they haven't compared many things and they also listen to the types of music that tubes don't benefit with IMO. 

 

My friends hate that I love tubes. They tease me about having 3 watt single ended amps with old technology that don't measure well. I say until one sits down and listens to how well an amp can play at low volume, they'll never understand. They play their music so F.... loud, that's half their misunderstanding. My approach is how well it plays at low volume. High volume brings out more by a listeners perception. 

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