you can’t get the musicality and sound of a Naim SN3 from what you shown above
to begin with they use parallel transistors and the wiring is messy.
do they match components like Naim? Most probably not.
1 Like
It’s not the Naim sound but I don’t see why it can be poor built. Personally I have never heard Hegel but see it’s well considered in different press reviews and users.
1 Like
This is getting ridiculous. Some people seem to be ready to die for Naim.
There are other decent manufacturers out there - where I live, Hegel is cheaper and offers more for the same money. Who cares about the messy wiring? The difference will be minimal.
I have a Naim system, and have no wish to change, because I’ve had a Naim combo since 1978 (NAC22/NAP120), and I’m attached to the firm. But I wouldn’t die for Naim. And if Br.x.t makes it more difficult for me to get spares or have my amplifier serviced, I will happily switch for another manufacturer.
9 Likes
Quite. To say you cannot get the same musicality just because the wiring is scruffy is complete and utter bollocks. And to say it over and over and over and over is a sign of weird obsession. Conviction based on nothing. Drivel. Twaddle. Pointless nothingness.
9 Likes
Blimey, where did this silly argument come from?
Time to move on chaps…
8 Likes
I’d said I wasn’t going to participate in this thread anymore but I’m feeling a bit mischievous so I’m going to add this to the debate earlier on I connected my Auralic Aries Mini directly to the H190 via Coaxial bypassing it’s own Dac and using the one onboard the Hegel and am massively impressed with the sound produced.
I’d go so far as to say it’s the biggest, bassiest and ballsy sound I’ve ever had from a Tidal stream or internet Radio truly impressive.
3 Likes
maybe you, in particular don’t care about messy wiring, and maybe to your ears the difference is minimal.
However a number of audiophiles will spend big money on cables, even 4000 GBP for a Chord music ethernet, or 2200 GBP for a Superlumina interconnect.
if you think the difference is minimal, that’s your thinking, but to me every small improvement is heard and enjoyed and is part of the fun.
you pays your money and take your chances.
If I wanted to plonk down hi-fi and just press play, I would buy one of the many bluetooth speakers available.
2 Likes
Micro aggressions – or has Analogmusic already entered the stage of rather blunt aggression? Certainly, he is rather rude…
Biggest bassiest…, sounds like a Bose speaker ?
I think a lot of us are over the (recent?) trend of audiophile as social worker, ‘saving’ us from our purchases of ‘snake oil’ or perceived poor quality gear. We all have ears, brains, varying wallet sizes and needs. Leave that nonsense to the other forums.
I’ve only heard a Hegel once, and unfortunately the rest of my friend’s setup was so poor that it would be unfair of me to pass any judgement on what the amp was doing or not doing. Otherwise, they seem like a perfectly fine alternative to the usuals.
2 Likes
I sure hope messy wiring in somebody else’s gear isn’t what keeps you up at night…
2 Likes
That’s exactly how it sounded like a Bose speaker.
2 Likes
Wow, what started as a pretty standard thread that held some interest on genuine experiences has really got ugly, seriously why get so vexed about an opinion on an amp/manufacturer.
To get so personal is ridiculous, we all have different tastes, live and let live maybe.
Isn’t variety supposed to be the spice of life.
Interesting that the music room doesn’t hold the same vitriol.
4 Likes
Well all I know is my Aestheix Mimas is miles away better than my SN2-HCDR was. It does not sound like a Naim. It is not as colored or forward sounding. The Mimas is much more transparent to the source. Naim products sound like Naim, and that’s a wonderful thing! There’s a reason we don’t just have Vanilla 
1 Like
Out of interest, when you heard the Hegel, how did you think it sounded?
1 Like
Don’t think he needs to “hear”, he could tell the sound quality just by looking at the capacitor and cable arrangements?
2 Likes
I heard the h390
It’s just ok.
Sounded average to my ears
I. E Not particularly engaging
Source was a Naim streamer and Dynaudio contour
1 Like
Maybe look for a product wired differently than Naim? Right angle turns should be avoided with DC, but there’s a lot of them in Naim products. I doubt that’s audible, so don’t care but you seem to think differently. Could it be that Hegels way of wiring is better? And that your assesment of different sound quality comes from some other part of the design? 
If interested google “The Perils of Right-angle Turns at DC” from the Signal integrity journal. Other sources can be found.
Also, don’t you think equating messy wiring with poor build quality is a bit of an exaggeration?
2 Likes
This is surely getting off-topic but here goes. The issue with messy wiring or poor build quality is surely valid although it may not be applicable to most people. This does not only apply to Hegel but gear from other manufacturers as well.
I recall listening to the Nait XS and LFD Zero LEIII in my system about 11 years ago on my Harbeth SHL5 speakers. The LFD totally trounced the Nait XS and all my other amps which include Rega Elicit mk2 and Audio Research/Plinius separates. The LFD integrated belonged to a friend who brought it to my house. There are several people, mostly Harbeth users who attended the listening session. All confirmed that the LFD sounded exceptional with the SHL5. The Harbeth sounded dull with all other amps.
In the end, I didn’t pick the LFD but got the NAC202/NAP200 instead. The 202/200 is a different presentation but still great sound quality. I lived with this combination for 7 years before I upgraded both amp and speakers, still staying with Naim and Harbeth albeit upgraded models.
Why I didn’t choose the LFD? Long story short, apart from the lack of remote control, the photos below show the reasons why I went with Naim instead.
At least the Hegel looks better than this one.
1 Like