Another excellent review, Adrian. One major problem, however. That musical background is a real irritant and distraction. Please do not include it in your future videos!
Yes, no need for any bells and whistles, or in this case, background music! The background music interferes with my ability to hear your voice clearly! ☮️🖖🏽
These reviews are so informative and interesting, that background music just annoys me...I choose to watch and listen to the information you're providing, not hearing music.
Hi Adrian, my hats off to you in making this video. I sincerely appreciate your honest opinion as I understand the difficulty in making such a comparison given that you are a dealer and you are comparing with the products that you sell. You professionalism and integrity deserve the utmost support. It will be fantastic if you could make another video on the Maria 350 in comparing it against the separates, such as the d'agostino momentum monoblocks. It will be wonderful if you could bring the Maria 350 to a few of your clients' homes and AB testing their reference amplifcation with the Maria, so we could get a better understanding as to where the amp is within the high-end market. Warmest regards.
Thank you for a sensitive well research review. I am sure it was difficult to walk the thin line between a candid review and not offending the supplier/manufacturer. Well done.
So a class D amp with proprietary chip bests high end A/B amps? They can probably tune this chip to have a wide soundstage, decay, etc. Makes you wonder what the future of hifi holds if all of the audiophile things that we seek can be captured in a chip, especially once someone can replicate the chip at a lower cost which is inevitable.
Another wonderful review. Your depth and your honesty is completely refreshing. Your knowledge of the products you sell and the fact that you are doing these reviews not to sell something but to inform us is refreshing. Keep up the great job.
second that. had a marantz top of line, everything receiver which I ran as a two channel bridged amplifier @ 125 watts a side, real nice. . it blew a thing billed as the golden transistor, which is no longer available, and custom made for the receiver. the built in oscilloscope tube was no longer obtainable, but without the critical transistor, the thing became useless to me.
@@richardelliott8352 I can understand . . . once burned twice shy ! But in THIS case the unique CAT chip inside the Maria wouldn't stop me from buying it. What WOULD stop me is that buying it now would consign me to a lifelong peanut butter / jam sandwich diet :-) I'm off to buy a few Lotto tickets - a win would definitely see a Maria around here LOL
Hi, Adrian! Thanks for this review. I watched it twice - full length - & I was really impressed. Not only with your knowledge of/for HiEnd but with your personal feelings about MUSIC! I've ordered a MARIA to test it & I'm quite curious... I've spoken to Mark Levinson for about 30 minutes on the iPhone - a very nice conversation. He seems to be a visionary, certainly he is a great salesman. The MARIA is to me the most beautiful amp I ever saw: Modest, honest and...timeless. I fell in love - well, that's easy: she's Italian. If you ever come to Germany & should want to see Bavaria (HiEnd Munich) come and see me! Kind regards Michael.
Can a customer exhange his HEGEL also when he states that his amplifier doesn't sound as musical as another brand ?????..........hmmm.... I think HEGEL makes a big mistake to interfere with an experienced dealers evaluation ...........any potential customer may now have a doubt if he has a good one........even the right to compare a second sample and keep the one he choses.
whether it was strategically or not by Anders from Hegel the second review will now be biased because of the assumption that there was something wrong with the first sample even if that was not the case
I agree it’s odd. I love Adrian but I don’t like this nor do I like how Adrian mentioned in his last video that he was suspicious that the Maria amp was possibly “dropped” and may account for one or two small negatives he said about the Maria amp. Really? That and now this Hegel thing are making me suspicious. Get ready for a new video from Adrian now proclaiming that all the negatives he heard in the Hegel 600 are miraculously gone.
In his review of the H390 against the McIntosh MA352 years ago, Adrian liked the Mac better for the same reasons he explained about the H600. His other 2 employees (no longer with AE) that also appeared in the review liked the Hegel better. Adrian just likes a softer amp that sounds good with bad recordings, for reasons he explained in this video. Would be nice to hear what Lewis and Mike (his current employees) think about these amps, but I guess we aren't going to get that. It is extremely unlikely that there is anything wrong with the first Hegel H600 that AE received.
I wouldn’t assume anything. Anders is obviously highly skilled since he is the one responsible for the sound of Hegel, and thus its success. If he thinks my sample is perhaps misadjusted, I’m happy to try. My conclusion will still be based on my own experience, nothing else. Why would I necessarily feel the need to suddenly change my opinion just because he sent me another unit? If I was prepared to speak my mind the first time, why not now?
@@sean_heislersee my answer above. What would motivate me to change my mind if I was prepared to speak it the first time.? Logical fallacy. Also, I postulated my suspicion re Maria for good reasons. Again I could have simply said it was perfect or as close as possible, and left it at that. What is the point or difference by postulating my suspicions of damage due to shipping? It already sounds amazing as it is.
@@adrianlow2114 Adrian, I agree, but Anders has no evidence to believe there is anything wrong the first unit, other than you didn't like it so much. But I believe your comments on the H600 are similar to the ones you made about the H390 3 years ago, even though your other employees (no longer with AE) absolutely loved the Hegel H390, and that is why I think it is highly unlikely there is actually a problem with the original H600 you evaluated. As I said before, it would useful IMO to hear opinions of your other store employees as you did in previous videos until fairly recently. But evaluating the Hegel amps with Wilson speakers is going to reveal a lot of details that many listeners don't want to hear, especially if they listen to anything other than the best recorded music. I know of at least 2 "Absolute Sound" reviewers whose refence speakers are Wilson's with Boulder amps (which are also extremely detailed) but they both use an Audio Research tube preamp to soften the sound.
Overall, I personally prefer the phenomenal sounding Hegel H590/600 integrated amps, not only for their incredible reference level sound quality, but also for their absolute grip, control, and brute power. The big Hegel integrated amps are some of the best value for the money integrated amps on the market. "Incredible!!!!"
Hi Adrian, I love the channel. Unfortunately I had a really hard time understanding what you said for the first four minutes of this video. The "background" music was around the same volume level as your voice. 😢 Its much easier to understand what youre saying throughout the rest of the video. 😊
Adrian's Audio WISDOM (if your hear between the lines :-) in one short sentence : If you want to buy something more "macho" that will "impress your friends" the Maria might not be your first choice. That kind of "impression" is SO ethereal because in reality, no one, including our friends!, gives a rat's rear end about what kind of car or amp we have!. We need to get the amp that WE are impressed with! The good news is that the Maria is a top tier piece of gear definitely worth auditioning! The BAD news IMHO is that even according to HEGEL itself, there might be something "off" about the H600 that Adrian has . . . which MAY mean that by HEGEL"S own admission, that its Quality Control is "off". How would one know that the HEGEL amp that one just bought was not "off" in some not so obvious way that for instance was the case in Adrian's H600? FANTASTIC review Adrian! Thank you!
Hegel did a mistake here….they seem to be too proud of the H600 and cant believe that another amp at a similar price can outperform it…Admitting that QC can be faulty is not good
Exactly!!!! If you like those Voodoo lights, the McIntosh cult will defend their brand until death do them part, but Danel Hertz is getting the same reaction from other reviewers. Ardian is using his knowledge to give a subjective review and to take the time to evaluate the external pieces for better or for worse and to report back. I look forward to the HEGEL update and with Ardian continuing to evaluative the Brands he brings into his store. Bravo Ardian and continue your passion and to share your knowledge.
@@jorgevillegas6855 Yes that is a good observation . . . " too proud" . . . it is just that kind of misplaced pride that will "unsell" an amp to someone who comes across Adrian's video here.
@@joenovak6393 Like our fellow poster here, I think that Hegel did make a serious error in proposing that Adrian's H600 might have something a little "off"with it - Either way, Hegel loses: if the replacement is better, then Hegel's QC sucks and then if it ISN"T better then it doesn't say much for their sound quality LOL
Thanks all for the kind words and support. Re Hegel, I think they honestly believe that my unit may have been misadjusted. This does happen. Note that I thought the Hegel is very good indeed. Just that the midrange seemed to be a bit lacking in harmonics. Someone else may completely disagree and that’s perfectly fine. Hegel, I believe, was very kind to offer a replacement for me to compare. They made no demands at all. Simply wanted for me to see what I thought. I believe that’s admirable
Well done Adrian, just wish the cabling and conditioning gear used for this test had been all the same, those are important variables. Still the Maria seems the real deal and good value. One more thing - none of the speakers used were under $20K like the amps, and none are what I'd consider easy-ish loads. This comparison would have been even more useful having had one price appropriate speaker and one that's an easy load. I am admittedly nit-picking here only because I respect you so much for what you are doing and wish to contribute to making your channel even better, hope that comes across.
In the passed i had cello, conrad,krell i am now playing with the gato 400S and i can say it suprised me that the class D sounds so good. Daniel hertz, gato, aavik, jeff roland are using pascal modules. For me class a/ab becomes history.
Adrian, Thanks! Question: You noted the soundstage on the McIntosh was the widest “of the 3”. Could you comment on the soundstage properties of the Hertz and where it ranks among the 4?
Great review Adrian. Which speaker cables were you using? I suspect Ikigai cables would be an awesome match for the Maria 350. Also, which DAC did you use for the other amps given that you used the internal DAC with the Maria 350?
Maria’s volume control design offers transparency, dynamic range, and accuracy beyond anything else we tried, but is not suited to remote control. We chose not to compromise quality, especially because most sources have their own remote input selection and volume control. With DH C Wave, streaming with Qobuz can sound like pure analog tape, so there’s less reason to change sources. But you are right, some people will prefer an amplifier with a traditional remote control.
Hello Adrian, I have a request. If you have two H600s, check if there is any slight sound ( hum) in the midrange speakers after turning on the devices (cold ones). Several people already have this problem. After a few minutes the noise disappears -this is not a ground loop.
Absolutely TH-cam Retail Art. This is the sophisticated content checking all the boxes on consumer electronics lust and deep understanding of classical music.
Very nice review Adrian. One question, what speaker cable did you use when testing Maria ? The original DH speaker cable or something else ? The reason i asked is because i read somewhere that Maria perform best when using the original DH speaker cable. Can you confirm that please ?
Very good review Adrian. Thank you. I do think the Maria looks very elegant, but the fact that it is encased in black, shiny acrylic is a real issue for me. Homes have dust, which will show up easily on this unit necessitating frequent wiping; and acrylic (no matter how premium) scratches relatively easily. I’d much rather have a more durable, maintenance-free case even if it doesn’t look as nice and costs somewhat more. My 2 cents…
Dust is MUCH easier to "control" than resonances from a metal enclosure :-) Depends, as you say, on one's priorities but I would take the Maria's Perspex enclosure and do a little ultra light handed dusting once in a while with an ultra soft micro fibre cloth - that and the remote control is not an issue either - better sound along with more exercise LOL
@@davidbee8178 Hi David, I agree with you on the remote control. I just think that acrylic is too easy to scuff or scratch, and I think the main reason for using acrylic was to lower cost. Obviously many manufacturers are able to sufficiently control resonance while still using metal. It's that combo of gloss black + acrylic for me. It's also why I'd never buy a black car. You see any dirt, and any scratch sticks out. Maybe it's just me, but I think people are practical and are disinclined to spend this kind of money on a product encased in black plastic that will be a pain in the butt to keep looking nice and likely will look bad over the course of a few years (thereby decreasing resale value as well). Then you'd also have to worry about shipping it again and causing damage to the plastic. Not for me, even though I am intrigued by the sound.
@@johntucker5994 Not sure that Mark Levinson chose Perspex over metal for savings because metal is easier to work with and, as you say, keep clean and keep safe from damage in a manufacturing environment and shipping etc. Rather I"m guessing that the new high tech inside doesn't like metal all around it! It would be an interesting question for Adrian to address to Mark L on our behalf ! Happy listening ! BTW, I'd LOVE to "downsize" to the size and especially WEIGHT of the Maria because although my present integrated sounds absolutely delightful but weighs a ton LOL Cheers. BTW, I'm a Virgo - so I would put it in its place and BABY it for the rest of its life LOL
Hi Adrian, great video. Do miss the banter with the other 2. Any recommendations for integrated for Sopra 2? Mind you hear in Australia, the Accuphase is $7000 cheaper than the McIntosh.
Totaly agree ..............if the magic is in the music even if the recording is not the best possible............the music will shine and the inspiration will be feeled .....that's how it should be ! That's where for me the difference in hifi seperates itself from pure impressive performance versus musicality .....combining the two is only by the few ..........and I think some brands respect that ! I know what to choose if I had the money .......therefore I build/restore or rebuild amplifiers and players myself to enjoy and serve the music. Kind regards
As a Hegel 190 owner I fully agreed with Adrian assessment regarding H600. My H 190 is paired with Harbeth 's p3esr monitors and I feel the sound signature of Hegel 190 is somehow dull and short of engagement. I'm almost certain that unit is fine but that's their house sound signature. So neutral to the detriment of pleasure and excitement. Had Hegel 190 been a wife, she's full of virtues but lacks that sex appeal.
Ha! I have an H190, and yes, your analogy is good. Hegel is capable and virtuous but not very sexy. A Mcintosh MA352 and similar has tons of sexy. The Accuphase seems old-school sexy. The Daniel Hertz Maria 350 is modern sophisticated understated sexy.
I have listened to many amps; class D amps have always sounded fake and cheap; a class A amps have always sounded a lot better. Class D may be OK for subs or computer speakers. Thanks to Adrian for the very informative videos!
You seem to be very impressed with this amp. This Daniel Hertz Maria 350 sounds like a fantastic upgrade to my Hegel H190. It's also in another league (price-wise as well). I have B&W 705s with a B&W sub. I don't really want to get into a Diderot spiral (continual upgrading) and I would like to keep my speaker setup if it would still match. No remote, though, is strange.
I am really looking forward to you reviewing the larger Daniel Hertz systems like the Maria 800 and the M1 and M4 speakers. Are you aware of any European dealers where one could listen to Daniel Hertz, other than at their facility in Venice?
Hello Adrian, Thank you for your own opinions & professional review of this Maria amp. If I may interject one thing sir. It appears that you were walking on egg shells Thu out this entire video. It appears that you were always hunting for the correct words for this particular product. I always have the upmost respect for you and your channel. Ease stay wsrm & healthy, TMP from N.J.
Hi. I don’t think I was consciously trying to be politically correct especially re the manufacturers. I sometimes have a difficult time with words to describe my feelings and thoughts.
At the end of the day, it comes down to what we as individuals enjoy when listening to music. Each amp will have its own characteristics, and may or may not pair well with Brand X speaker etc.Remember what sounds good in the store may sound terrible in your listening space at home. Room treatment is 50% of any listening experience. I always say start where you are gong to end up. Good audio gear costs money, don't get caught up in the mid level loop of gear making lateral side purchases trying to improve sound in the same price range with different gear. When you have money you can make choices, when you have no money, your choices are made for you.
Hi Adrian :) When do you expect to receive the new Dan D Agostino MxV integreated? I`m looking forward to hearing your honest and nice way explaining what you hear. Thank you very much for your great reports on these integreated amlifiers. Regards Espen
Hello! Please make a review about the headphone amplifier output! There is no information to be found anywhere in the reviews ! what are the parameters of the output voltage , is the sound quality comparable to the main output ?????
Great review. Mcintosh to me is safe buy . Always sounds good. Had few and missed them . Accuphase is beautiful but personally I don’t have experience with them. Maria , sounds good but for this kind of money I want a wow factor ( look wise) like a Mac or Accu brings , unfortunately Maria looks … well like a Maria. Hegel - I loved them at all shows etc till… I bought one and brought home . H30 to be specific. Great bass, power , control- yes Rolled off highs , no sparkle on top , non engaging, small soundstage , big black blah box- yes . Thank God I bought it cheap. For sale soon lol
Depends on what you like. The Acora seems to be very neutral and transparent. The Sasha V has more voluptuous and energetic bass. The Sonus faber has gorgeous sweet mids but I haven’t had the chance to fully explore its capabilities yet
About your impression of the H600. I listened to Argerich's piano recording on Hegel H390 and Naim Uniti Atom and got the same impression. The sound of the grand piano reminds me a little of a harpsichord. Maybe the recording lacks something and the other two amps just add that little extra and colour the sound to a more likeable way?
Thanks ! Very good video. I'm just surprise that you did not wait the new Hegel unit before making finals conclusions. Maria have no optical or HDMI input, so no way to put your TV source in your Hi-Fi stereo system. For me in my Living Room having ONE box and One remote and one power cable giving high quality audiophile sound AND streaming Hi-Res with Apple Airplay, Tidal, Roon , playing 2.1 home theater quality movies and TV shows, playing CD. The auto switch between those input when they are ON....for less money of the 4, no brainer simplicity, and superbe look...the H 600 that is mostly on part with the other and better in some area is the BIG deal here ! ....but I'm not that kind of listener trying always to get emotional feeling or crying with music, I just want to have Audiophile yet realistic and true to the recording music. That emotional feeling you can have it with a good speakers matching with the H600.
Hi. As I said in my conclusion the Hegel is superb for features. If you require such connectivity, the Hegel or Mcintosh are the obvious choices. I didn’t wait for the new Hegel because I’d already done a few videos with the current one as part of the test. The new one will come as soon as I have time to listen
It's starting to get pretty weird that no other reviews are coming in. I've seen this one and Huff's. Are they not sending samples out for review? Then I would get the dearth of reviews as few have $14K sitting around. Still, it's kind of stinky.
@Hattemand . . Yeah REALLY good question - to me it raises a red flag about Hegel's Q C ! Much less important of course is how it looks: BOOOORING ! LOL Out of the four amps it's easily the most plain Jane of the lot LOL
As much as I like Steve Huff's really good TH-cam productions and his reviews, he seems to be "all over the place" with his "favourite flavour of the month" But DO think he's on to something with the Maria as is Adrian.
If the comparison was done with a standart pc on the María…then it wasnt fair…with the right one it should clearly outperform the others integrated amps
Thanks for the video, always good. My only constructive feedback would be is to get ride of the music that’s playing while you’re talking in the beginning of the video, irritating as hell trying to listen to you while that music is playing, very distracting and almost caused me to stop watching … who thinks it’s a good idea to have your commentary compete with background music?!
If you were listening to predominately Rock (70’s, 80’s, 90’s grunge), EDM, ambient electronic, and modern pop country, which would fit these genres more?
Like my conclusion , if you want a neutral amp, the Maria. If you want something more laid back and relaxed, the McIntosh. The Accuphase is somewhat similar to the McIntosh with more energy in the midrange. I’m with holding my final thoughts about the Hegel until I hear the replacement. However as it stands the Hegel has superb bass power and dynamics. And dead quiet
Is it not a significant omission not to place a strong emphasis on the preamp stage, for obvious reason. Difficult therefore to view this as an objective comparative review.
All the amps are integrated . . . Adrian did a great summation of the resulting sound from each one. I don't see how anyone could question his objectivity when all that really counts is how each one sounds - how it got there in an integrated amplifier is geek territory and I don't think that Adrian's audience is all that keen to go into those kinds of details ! LOL
There isn't anything wrong with the first H600. Adrian just likes amps with a little bit of color to make bad and dry recordings sound better. Adrian said the same kinds of negative things about the H390, even though his other employees at the time (3 years ago) raved about the H390, Adrian just doesn't like the Hegel sound. For some undisclosed reason, he is no longer including his other employees (Lewis and Mike) in his videos.
@@Mark-rw3kw Mmmm . . .. it is not Adrian who thought the Hegel was "off" . . . it's the Hegel mogul that said so LOL IF it turns out that there IS something "off" about the H 600, what does that mean about Hegel's Quality Control? Just hearing that from HEGEL itself is enough for me never to consider one. Why? because I'd never know that the unit I just bought is not "off" in some way that is not readily obvious! Cheers and happy listening !
@@davidbee8178 Yes, if there is something wrong with the first sample then it doesn’t look good for their quality control. But I don’t believe that because Adrian had the same concerns about the H390 3 years ago, even though his other 2 employees loved it. Some people just don’t like the Hegel sound. I would have liked to hear what Lewis and Mike think about the H600.
@@Mark-rw3kw Agreed . . .but Adrian has said that he likes to carry equipment that he admires and is proud to represent. Go figure :-) I suppose if he doesn't like the HEGEL sound he should drop the line! LOL As for his other employees, I liked it when Jay was there because he was funny and I enjoyed the banter between him and the larger fellow who's name I can't remember who always looked like he was coming back from a baseball game with his friends LOL Adrian let him go a couple of years ago because I'm guessing that he got a little too "big for his boots" (my guess!) And Lewis . . . mmmm . . . do you know if he even WORKS there anymore? On occasion, I felt that Lewis didn't have the proper experience to comment properly on gear . . . actually, I kind of like Adrian's solo format now. Plus it IS Adrian's boutique :-) And I must say that he is REALLY good at it. BUT I often wonder how the MANUFACTURERS feel about his Good Bad and Ugly reviews about THEIR products LOL His reviews don't SEEM to have hurt his business . . . IMHO his approach actually builds trust which is one of the first influences on a potential client's willingness to walk into his store in the first place.
I hope the Daniel Hertz amps are a true and honest product that was made in house and not the Red Rose amplifiers from 20 years ago. They were just chinese Dussun amps with the Mark Levinson brand on it and then went to sell it for 6 times more.
Just wondering how many more different names for his company M.L. is going to launch in the future… After many of us found that Red Rose Music was more or less a scam with which he damaged his good name for good in my book! I think he made the best amps under his real name back in the day…and now should eventually retire!
I have owned ML from the 70s, 90’s, 2010’s and 2020’s. I have a Madrigal Audio Labs series ML amp. It’s an amazing sounding amp. I had it serviced twice and both times the technician were in love with the build and design quality. They didn’t like the wrestling with the 104 lbs however. 😂 ML should never retire. He made some mistakes however the guy is all about music and audio. Note: Daniel Hertz is a combo of his parents name, a tribute.
it is said that it is best to find a reviewer you trust and has somewhat the same sensibilities of judgement. We were getting along fine here, I was enjoying the reviews, trying to like the very dated Mcintosh styling in case I finally upgrade my electronics, when out of the blue, the presenter drops the info that he heard an improvement by changing the power cord to the wall. How am I supposed to trust this guys judgement and hearing after that? bummer about the Hegel. I appreciate that quality control costs money, but had that unit been shipped to me, who could ascertain the performance was a little off.
So you are saying that because Adrian heard an improvement with a better power cord you no longer trust his judgment ? Did you know that GOOD quality after market power cords shed EMI (Electro Magnetic Interference) better than the ordinary generic power cords that are shipped with most equipment ? That DOES help with sound in subtle ways if you have the ears to hear it - like the background behind the music is blacker - I think his judgement is just fine. But yours? Mmmm . . . it's up for review LOL
This video makes me nauseous. He needs to do real reviews without heaping praise on manufacturers. He’s paying with lip service. My last time watching this.
I guess you haven't seen his Good Bad and Ugly reviews ? - sure, praise when't it is deserved because they ARE good products (not MY choice mind you :-) but he's pretty straight about the reality that products are never PERFECT . . . like you and me LOL. Keep on listening . . . the mind is like a parachute : works best when open :-)
Nice to see manufacturers are paying attention to your opinion Adrian. You’re definitely doing something right when they are tuning in. 👏
Another excellent review, Adrian. One major problem, however. That musical background is a real irritant and distraction. Please do not include it in your future videos!
Agree, arrghhh turn it off Adrian! 😹
I agree too. I actually love the sound of Adrian’s voice and enjoy listening to him in silence. So yeah, please, no music.
Yes, no need for any bells and whistles, or in this case, background music! The background music interferes with my ability to hear your voice clearly! ☮️🖖🏽
These reviews are so informative and interesting, that background music just annoys me...I choose to watch and listen to the information you're providing, not hearing music.
Hi Adrian, my hats off to you in making this video. I sincerely appreciate your honest opinion as I understand the difficulty in making such a comparison given that you are a dealer and you are comparing with the products that you sell. You professionalism and integrity deserve the utmost support.
It will be fantastic if you could make another video on the Maria 350 in comparing it against the separates, such as the d'agostino momentum monoblocks. It will be wonderful if you could bring the Maria 350 to a few of your clients' homes and AB testing their reference amplifcation with the Maria, so we could get a better understanding as to where the amp is within the high-end market. Warmest regards.
yes please, something like C2700 + MC1.25KW. Thanks
Stay tuned. Thanks
Thank you for a sensitive well research review. I am sure it was difficult to walk the thin line between a candid review and not offending the supplier/manufacturer. Well done.
Thank you. To their credit, none of the manufacturers have said anything bad about my reviews. And I try to be fair
So a class D amp with proprietary chip bests high end A/B amps? They can probably tune this chip to have a wide soundstage, decay, etc. Makes you wonder what the future of hifi holds if all of the audiophile things that we seek can be captured in a chip, especially once someone can replicate the chip at a lower cost which is inevitable.
Nonsense
Exactly
Another wonderful review. Your depth and your honesty is completely refreshing. Your knowledge of the products you sell and the fact that you are doing these reviews not to sell something but to inform us is refreshing. Keep up the great job.
Thanks!
Great review Adrian, it left me with more questions than answers though!
So what happened with the Hegel H600 replacement? The same or worse than predecessor?😂
The idea of a proprietary chip running my amp fills me with foreboding. Servicing this unit down the line could be challenging.
Good point.
second that. had a marantz top of line, everything receiver which I ran as a two channel bridged amplifier @ 125 watts a side, real nice. . it blew a thing billed as the golden transistor, which is no longer available, and custom made for the receiver. the built in oscilloscope tube was no longer obtainable, but without the critical transistor, the thing became useless to me.
@@richardelliott8352 I can understand . . . once burned twice shy ! But in THIS case the unique CAT chip inside the Maria wouldn't stop me from buying it. What WOULD stop me is that buying it now would consign me to a lifelong peanut butter / jam sandwich diet :-) I'm off to buy a few Lotto tickets - a win would definitely see a Maria around here LOL
True but it wouldn't stop me from buying the Maria :-)
@@richardelliott8352So true and all those vintage stuff with brute power.
Very few were ever made including parts.
Hi, Adrian! Thanks for this review. I watched it twice - full length - & I was really impressed. Not only with your knowledge of/for HiEnd but with your personal feelings about MUSIC! I've ordered a MARIA to test it & I'm quite curious... I've spoken to Mark Levinson for about 30 minutes on the iPhone - a very nice conversation. He seems to be a visionary, certainly he is a great salesman. The MARIA is to me the most beautiful amp I ever saw: Modest, honest and...timeless. I fell in love - well, that's easy: she's Italian.
If you ever come to Germany & should want to see Bavaria (HiEnd Munich) come and see me! Kind regards Michael.
Can a customer exhange his HEGEL also when he states that his amplifier doesn't sound as musical as another brand ?????..........hmmm....
I think HEGEL makes a big mistake to interfere with an experienced dealers evaluation ...........any potential customer may now have a doubt if he has a good one........even the right to compare a second sample and keep the one he choses.
Thanks for the interesting comparisons and your honesty Adrian.
Thank you
Thank you
whether it was strategically or not by Anders from Hegel the second review will now be biased because of the assumption that there was something wrong with the first sample even if that was not the case
I agree it’s odd. I love Adrian but I don’t like this nor do I like how Adrian mentioned in his last video that he was suspicious that the Maria amp was possibly “dropped” and may account for one or two small negatives he said about the Maria amp. Really? That and now this Hegel thing are making me suspicious. Get ready for a new video from Adrian now proclaiming that all the negatives he heard in the Hegel 600 are miraculously gone.
In his review of the H390 against the McIntosh MA352 years ago, Adrian liked the Mac better for the same reasons he explained about the H600. His other 2 employees (no longer with AE) that also appeared in the review liked the Hegel better. Adrian just likes a softer amp that sounds good with bad recordings, for reasons he explained in this video. Would be nice to hear what Lewis and Mike (his current employees) think about these amps, but I guess we aren't going to get that. It is extremely unlikely that there is anything wrong with the first Hegel H600 that AE received.
I wouldn’t assume anything. Anders is obviously highly skilled since he is the one responsible for the sound of Hegel, and thus its success. If he thinks my sample is perhaps misadjusted, I’m happy to try. My conclusion will still be based on my own experience, nothing else.
Why would I necessarily feel the need to suddenly change my opinion just because he sent me another unit? If I was prepared to speak my mind the first time, why not now?
@@sean_heislersee my answer above. What would motivate me to change my mind if I was prepared to speak it the first time.? Logical fallacy. Also, I postulated my suspicion re Maria for good reasons. Again I could have simply said it was perfect or as close as possible, and left it at that. What is the point or difference by postulating my suspicions of damage due to shipping? It already sounds amazing as it is.
@@adrianlow2114 Adrian, I agree, but Anders has no evidence to believe there is anything wrong the first unit, other than you didn't like it so much. But I believe your comments on the H600 are similar to the ones you made about the H390 3 years ago, even though your other employees (no longer with AE) absolutely loved the Hegel H390, and that is why I think it is highly unlikely there is actually a problem with the original H600 you evaluated. As I said before, it would useful IMO to hear opinions of your other store employees as you did in previous videos until fairly recently. But evaluating the Hegel amps with Wilson speakers is going to reveal a lot of details that many listeners don't want to hear, especially if they listen to anything other than the best recorded music. I know of at least 2 "Absolute Sound" reviewers whose refence speakers are Wilson's with Boulder amps (which are also extremely detailed) but they both use an Audio Research tube preamp to soften the sound.
Those biceps deserve their own video👍
LOL - yeah . . . must be from moving all those amps around at 3 in the morning :-)
😂😂
Will turn to fat if you don't cut down on all those ESS chips.
Overall, I personally prefer the phenomenal sounding Hegel H590/600 integrated amps, not only for their incredible reference level sound quality, but also for their absolute grip, control, and brute power. The big Hegel integrated amps are some of the best value for the money integrated amps on the market. "Incredible!!!!"
I have 600 with Monitor Audio Platinium 500 II....and I agree
Hi Adrian,
I love the channel.
Unfortunately I had a really hard time understanding what you said for the first four minutes of this video.
The "background" music was around the same volume level as your voice. 😢
Its much easier to understand what youre saying throughout the rest of the video. 😊
Great stuff Adrian. Really appreciate this in depth series of reviews and comparisons between these 4 integrated amps. Bravo!
Thank you
I love your honesty
Adrian's Audio WISDOM (if your hear between the lines :-) in one short sentence : If you want to buy something more "macho" that will "impress your friends" the Maria might not be your first choice. That kind of "impression" is SO ethereal because in reality, no one, including our friends!, gives a rat's rear end about what kind of car or amp we have!. We need to get the amp that WE are impressed with! The good news is that the Maria is a top tier piece of gear definitely worth auditioning! The BAD news IMHO is that even according to HEGEL itself, there might be something "off" about the H600 that Adrian has . . . which MAY mean that by HEGEL"S own admission, that its Quality Control is "off". How would one know that the HEGEL amp that one just bought was not "off" in some not so obvious way that for instance was the case in Adrian's H600? FANTASTIC review Adrian! Thank you!
Hegel did a mistake here….they seem to be too proud of the H600 and cant believe that another amp at a similar price can outperform it…Admitting that QC can be faulty is not good
Exactly!!!! If you like those Voodoo lights, the McIntosh cult will defend their brand until death do them part, but Danel Hertz is getting the same reaction from other reviewers. Ardian is using his knowledge to give a subjective review and to take the time to evaluate the external pieces for better or for worse and to report back. I look forward to the HEGEL update and with Ardian continuing to evaluative the Brands he brings into his store. Bravo Ardian and continue your passion and to share your knowledge.
@@jorgevillegas6855 Yes that is a good observation . . . " too proud" . . . it is just that kind of misplaced pride that will "unsell" an amp to someone who comes across Adrian's video here.
@@joenovak6393 Like our fellow poster here, I think that Hegel did make a serious error in proposing that Adrian's H600 might have something a little "off"with it - Either way, Hegel loses: if the replacement is better, then Hegel's QC sucks and then if it ISN"T better then it doesn't say much for their sound quality LOL
Thanks all for the kind words and support.
Re Hegel, I think they honestly believe that my unit may have been misadjusted. This does happen. Note that I thought the Hegel is very good indeed. Just that the midrange seemed to be a bit lacking in harmonics. Someone else may completely disagree and that’s perfectly fine. Hegel,
I believe, was very kind to offer a replacement for me to compare. They made no demands at all. Simply wanted for me to see what I thought. I believe that’s admirable
Well done Adrian, just wish the cabling and conditioning gear used for this test had been all the same, those are important variables. Still the Maria seems the real deal and good value. One more thing - none of the speakers used were under $20K like the amps, and none are what I'd consider easy-ish loads. This comparison would have been even more useful having had one price appropriate speaker and one that's an easy load. I am admittedly nit-picking here only because I respect you so much for what you are doing and wish to contribute to making your channel even better, hope that comes across.
Thanks for the feedback!
In the passed i had cello, conrad,krell i am now playing with the gato 400S and i can say it suprised me that the class D sounds so good. Daniel hertz, gato, aavik, jeff roland are using pascal modules. For me class a/ab becomes history.
Adrian, Thanks! Question: You noted the soundstage on the McIntosh was the widest “of the 3”. Could you comment on the soundstage properties of the Hertz and where it ranks among the 4?
Thank you for these great comparisons, Adrian. If you can, would please consider reviewing the Unico Due integrated a/b amp? Many thanks in advance.
Great review Adrian. Which speaker cables were you using? I suspect Ikigai cables would be an awesome match for the Maria 350. Also, which DAC did you use for the other amps given that you used the internal DAC with the Maria 350?
The Maria sounds like it’s incredible. Seems silly to not have a remote control on something at this price that’s otherwise so well-equipped.
Maria’s volume control design offers transparency, dynamic range, and accuracy beyond anything else we tried, but is not suited to remote control. We chose not to compromise quality, especially because most sources have their own remote input selection and volume control. With DH C Wave, streaming with Qobuz can sound like pure analog tape, so there’s less reason to change sources. But you are right, some people will prefer an amplifier with a traditional remote control.
Hello Adrian, I have a request. If you have two H600s, check if there is any slight sound ( hum) in the midrange speakers after turning on the devices (cold ones). Several people already have this problem. After a few minutes the noise disappears -this is not a ground loop.
Hegel H600 is dead or its the same?
Absolutely TH-cam Retail Art.
This is the sophisticated content checking all the boxes on consumer electronics lust and deep understanding of classical music.
Very nice review Adrian.
One question, what speaker cable did you use when testing Maria ? The original DH speaker cable or something else ?
The reason i asked is because i read somewhere that Maria perform best when using the original DH speaker cable.
Can you confirm that please ?
So when the Maria Amp was tuned to the Maria speakers, how did you turn off that „tuning“ when listening to Wilson and Sonus Faber?
The Maria was tuned to flat for all speakers in this test
Anders is SO great =) Always love to see him / talk with him at shows. =)
That's wonderful.
Thanks for these most informative comparisons. I'd love to see one of the McIntosh MA 5300 compared to others at its price point.
Very good review Adrian. Thank you. I do think the Maria looks very elegant, but the fact that it is encased in black, shiny acrylic is a real issue for me. Homes have dust, which will show up easily on this unit necessitating frequent wiping; and acrylic (no matter how premium) scratches relatively easily. I’d much rather have a more durable, maintenance-free case even if it doesn’t look as nice and costs somewhat more. My 2 cents…
Dust is MUCH easier to "control" than resonances from a metal enclosure :-) Depends, as you say, on one's priorities but I would take the Maria's Perspex enclosure and do a little ultra light handed dusting once in a while with an ultra soft micro fibre cloth - that and the remote control is not an issue either - better sound along with more exercise LOL
@@davidbee8178 Hi David, I agree with you on the remote control. I just think that acrylic is too easy to scuff or scratch, and I think the main reason for using acrylic was to lower cost. Obviously many manufacturers are able to sufficiently control resonance while still using metal. It's that combo of gloss black + acrylic for me. It's also why I'd never buy a black car. You see any dirt, and any scratch sticks out. Maybe it's just me, but I think people are practical and are disinclined to spend this kind of money on a product encased in black plastic that will be a pain in the butt to keep looking nice and likely will look bad over the course of a few years (thereby decreasing resale value as well). Then you'd also have to worry about shipping it again and causing damage to the plastic. Not for me, even though I am intrigued by the sound.
@@johntucker5994 Not sure that Mark Levinson chose Perspex over metal for savings because metal is easier to work with and, as you say, keep clean and keep safe from damage in a manufacturing environment and shipping etc. Rather I"m guessing that the new high tech inside doesn't like metal all around it! It would be an interesting question for Adrian to address to Mark L on our behalf ! Happy listening ! BTW, I'd LOVE to "downsize" to the size and especially WEIGHT of the Maria because although my present integrated sounds absolutely delightful but weighs a ton LOL Cheers. BTW, I'm a Virgo - so I would put it in its place and BABY it for the rest of its life LOL
This for me is an awesome review! I see it as a kind of redemption for that interview with Daryl Wilson from last year ;-)
Hi Adrian, great video. Do miss the banter with the other 2. Any recommendations for integrated for Sopra 2? Mind you hear in Australia, the Accuphase is $7000 cheaper than the McIntosh.
Unfortunately I don’t know your taste so I can’t really say. Best to try and hear for yourself
Great review Adrian thank you.
interesting content you are making on your channel these days thx
very informative in the complexity of all things audio
Thanks
How is the amp broken in?
Adrian, I had been waiting for this review, thank you for your thoughts as well.
Thanks Ennio
Totaly agree ..............if the magic is in the music even if the recording is not the best possible............the music will shine and the inspiration will be feeled .....that's how it should be !
That's where for me the difference in hifi seperates itself from pure impressive performance versus musicality .....combining the two is only by the few ..........and I think some brands respect that !
I know what to choose if I had the money .......therefore I build/restore or rebuild amplifiers and players myself to enjoy and serve the music.
Kind regards
Thanks for your feedback
Adrian, what is your honest opinion about NAD M23? How would you rate it against Class A/B rivals?
As a Hegel 190 owner I fully agreed with Adrian assessment regarding H600. My H 190 is paired with Harbeth 's p3esr monitors and I feel the sound signature of Hegel 190 is somehow dull and short of engagement. I'm almost certain that unit is fine but that's their house sound signature. So neutral to the detriment of pleasure and excitement. Had Hegel 190 been a wife, she's full of virtues but lacks that sex appeal.
Ha! I have an H190, and yes, your analogy is good. Hegel is capable and virtuous but not very sexy. A Mcintosh MA352 and similar has tons of sexy. The Accuphase seems old-school sexy. The Daniel Hertz Maria 350 is modern sophisticated understated sexy.
I have listened to many amps; class D amps have always sounded fake and cheap; a class A amps have always sounded a lot better. Class D may be OK for subs or computer speakers. Thanks to Adrian for the very informative videos!
This time is gone thats what i wrote before. The only thing is you must like the sound it is very natural,clean,fast,open and staged.
You seem to be very impressed with this amp. This Daniel Hertz Maria 350 sounds like a fantastic upgrade to my Hegel H190. It's also in another league (price-wise as well). I have B&W 705s with a B&W sub. I don't really want to get into a Diderot spiral (continual upgrading) and I would like to keep my speaker setup if it would still match. No remote, though, is strange.
have you ever tried a PMA 720 from 89? if so how do you think it compared if the amps in the video are 90% perfection how big would the upgrade be?
I am really looking forward to you reviewing the larger Daniel Hertz systems like the Maria 800 and the M1 and M4 speakers.
Are you aware of any European dealers where one could listen to Daniel Hertz, other than at their facility in Venice?
Hello Adrian, Thank you for your own opinions & professional review of this Maria amp. If I may interject one thing sir. It appears that you were walking on egg shells Thu out this entire video. It appears that you were always hunting for the correct words for this particular product. I always have the upmost respect for you and your channel. Ease stay wsrm & healthy, TMP from N.J.
Hi. I don’t think I was consciously trying to be politically correct especially re the manufacturers. I sometimes have a difficult time with words to describe my feelings and thoughts.
At the end of the day, it comes down to what we as individuals enjoy when listening to music. Each amp will have its own characteristics, and may or may not pair well with Brand X speaker etc.Remember what sounds good in the store may sound terrible in your listening space at home. Room treatment is 50% of any listening experience. I always say start where you are gong to end up. Good audio gear costs money, don't get caught up in the mid level loop of gear making lateral side purchases trying to improve sound in the same price range with different gear.
When you have money you can make choices, when you have no money, your choices are made for you.
Take a listen to the Axxess Forte amplifiers from Audio Group Denmark.
Hi Adrian :) When do you expect to receive the new Dan D Agostino MxV integreated? I`m looking forward to hearing your honest and nice way explaining what you hear. Thank you very much for your great reports on these integreated amlifiers. Regards Espen
Which version of the venom hc power cord did you try newer version or version before?
Hello! Please make a review about the headphone amplifier output! There is no information to be found anywhere in the reviews ! what are the parameters of the output voltage , is the sound quality comparable to the main output ?????
I’d like to see how the Maria performs with the Ambers and I’m comparison to your other speakers and what tuning was required for each speaker
Great review.
Mcintosh to me is safe buy . Always sounds good. Had few and missed them .
Accuphase is beautiful but personally I don’t have experience with them.
Maria , sounds good but for this kind of money I want a wow factor ( look wise) like a Mac or Accu brings , unfortunately Maria looks … well like a Maria.
Hegel - I loved them at all shows etc till… I bought one and brought home .
H30 to be specific.
Great bass, power , control- yes
Rolled off highs , no sparkle on top , non engaging, small soundstage , big black blah box- yes .
Thank God I bought it cheap. For sale soon lol
Adrian, you said you compared the amps using 3 different speakers. Which speaker sounded best for each of these amps?
Depends on what you like. The Acora seems to be very neutral and transparent. The Sasha V has more voluptuous and energetic bass. The Sonus faber has gorgeous sweet mids but I haven’t had the chance to fully explore its capabilities yet
Great review. Thanks. Can you provide the name of the Chinese instrument and some good examples of its recording. Thanks
Would love to hear the review with the Amber Speaker.. I want simple all in one forever system that works with my TH-cam.
About your impression of the H600. I listened to Argerich's piano recording on Hegel H390 and Naim Uniti Atom and got the same impression. The sound of the grand piano reminds me a little of a harpsichord. Maybe the recording lacks something and the other two amps just add that little extra and colour the sound to a more likeable way?
Perhaps.
Excellent review Adrian 💯🎶👌 keep up the wonderful work 🙏
Thanks
Nice review lots of info.
Thanks
NO MSG ..............means NO HEADACHES...........
Thank you for the superb review.....
Thanks
Brilliant!
Thank you
do i need to make additional payment for the tuning software?
Something to discuss with your dealer
Thanks ! Very good video. I'm just surprise that you did not wait the new Hegel unit before making finals conclusions. Maria have no optical or HDMI input, so no way to put your TV source in your Hi-Fi stereo system. For me in my Living Room having ONE box and One remote and one power cable giving high quality audiophile sound AND streaming Hi-Res with Apple Airplay, Tidal, Roon , playing 2.1 home theater quality movies and TV shows, playing CD. The auto switch between those input when they are ON....for less money of the 4, no brainer simplicity, and superbe look...the H 600 that is mostly on part with the other and better in some area is the BIG deal here ! ....but I'm not that kind of listener trying always to get emotional feeling or crying with music, I just want to have Audiophile yet realistic and true to the recording music. That emotional feeling you can have it with a good speakers matching with the H600.
Hi. As I said in my conclusion the Hegel is superb for features. If you require such connectivity, the Hegel or Mcintosh are the obvious choices.
I didn’t wait for the new Hegel because I’d already done a few videos with the current one as part of the test. The new one will come as soon as I have time to listen
What about the Luxman L509Z?
How do you chose which brands or models to battle?
Whatever we represent
Maria seems to be a full digital amplifier.
Just remember……if it breaks,,, will the company be there to fix it!?! Another reason to just buy Accuphase or McIntosh.
It's starting to get pretty weird that no other reviews are coming in. I've seen this one and Huff's. Are they not sending samples out for review? Then I would get the dearth of reviews as few have $14K sitting around. Still, it's kind of stinky.
I Agree! It's almost like no one wants to say how mediocre it is.
Class D? Switch mode power supply?
well done
Thanks
So what did Hegel think was “off” with the first review?
@Hattemand . . Yeah REALLY good question - to me it raises a red flag about Hegel's Q C ! Much less important of course is how it looks: BOOOORING ! LOL Out of the four amps it's easily the most plain Jane of the lot LOL
Bias
In other words the bias of the transistors
Steve Huff likes the Hertz, but Steve claims he can talk to the dead through an old handheld radio, so....😳
As much as I like Steve Huff's really good TH-cam productions and his reviews, he seems to be "all over the place" with his "favourite flavour of the month" But DO think he's on to something with the Maria as is Adrian.
@@davidbee8178
What do you think of his paranormal channel?
Excellent review.
Thank you very much🙌
My pleasure
If the comparison was done with a standart pc on the María…then it wasnt fair…with the right one it should clearly outperform the others integrated amps
Had you got the Accuphase with the DAC board option you would not need to say it has no DAC.
Misses the point. I tested all the items as they are sold
What is has to brake in in a amplifier ?.the electrolyte in the caps???🤔🤔😂
It's nipply in here!
Oh that background music not a great idea!?!
Love your videos but you lost me on the $400 power cable making that much of a difference.
I know it sounds crazy. Pun intended but it’s true.
Thanks for the video, always good. My only constructive feedback would be is to get ride of the music that’s playing while you’re talking in the beginning of the video, irritating as hell trying to listen to you while that music is playing, very distracting and almost caused me to stop watching … who thinks it’s a good idea to have your commentary compete with background music?!
Thanks for the feedback
If you were listening to predominately Rock (70’s, 80’s, 90’s grunge), EDM, ambient electronic, and modern pop country, which would fit these genres more?
Like my conclusion , if you want a neutral amp, the Maria. If you want something more laid back and relaxed, the McIntosh. The Accuphase is somewhat similar to the McIntosh with more energy in the midrange. I’m with holding my final thoughts about the Hegel until I hear the replacement. However as it stands the Hegel has superb bass power and dynamics. And dead quiet
90's and grunge with this smplifiers😮
Is it not a significant omission not to place a strong emphasis on the preamp stage, for obvious reason. Difficult therefore to view this as an objective comparative review.
The criteria used to define objectivity is very subjective😂
All the amps are integrated . . . Adrian did a great summation of the resulting sound from each one. I don't see how anyone could question his objectivity when all that really counts is how each one sounds - how it got there in an integrated amplifier is geek territory and I don't think that Adrian's audience is all that keen to go into those kinds of details ! LOL
No quality control for your vid nor Hegel, huh?!?!
q.c. for his video (free of charge) isn’t nearly as important as q.c. at overpriced Hegel 600!
There isn't anything wrong with the first H600. Adrian just likes amps with a little bit of color to make bad and dry recordings sound better. Adrian said the same kinds of negative things about the H390, even though his other employees at the time (3 years ago) raved about the H390, Adrian just doesn't like the Hegel sound. For some undisclosed reason, he is no longer including his other employees (Lewis and Mike) in his videos.
@@Mark-rw3kw Mmmm . . .. it is not Adrian who thought the Hegel was "off" . . . it's the Hegel mogul that said so LOL IF it turns out that there IS something "off" about the H 600, what does that mean about Hegel's Quality Control? Just hearing that from HEGEL itself is enough for me never to consider one. Why? because I'd never know that the unit I just bought is not "off" in some way that is not readily obvious! Cheers and happy listening !
@@davidbee8178 Yes, if there is something wrong with the first sample then it doesn’t look good for their quality control. But I don’t believe that because Adrian had the same concerns about the H390 3 years ago, even though his other 2 employees loved it. Some people just don’t like the Hegel sound. I would have liked to hear what Lewis and Mike think about the H600.
@@Mark-rw3kw Agreed . . .but Adrian has said that he likes to carry equipment that he admires and is proud to represent. Go figure :-) I suppose if he doesn't like the HEGEL sound he should drop the line! LOL As for his other employees, I liked it when Jay was there because he was funny and I enjoyed the banter between him and the larger fellow who's name I can't remember who always looked like he was coming back from a baseball game with his friends LOL Adrian let him go a couple of years ago because I'm guessing that he got a little too "big for his boots" (my guess!) And Lewis . . . mmmm . . . do you know if he even WORKS there anymore? On occasion, I felt that Lewis didn't have the proper experience to comment properly on gear . . . actually, I kind of like Adrian's solo format now. Plus it IS Adrian's boutique :-) And I must say that he is REALLY good at it. BUT I often wonder how the MANUFACTURERS feel about his Good Bad and Ugly reviews about THEIR products LOL His reviews don't SEEM to have hurt his business . . . IMHO his approach actually builds trust which is one of the first influences on a potential client's willingness to walk into his store in the first place.
I hope the Daniel Hertz amps are a true and honest product that was made in house and not the Red Rose amplifiers from 20 years ago. They were just chinese Dussun amps with the Mark Levinson brand on it and then went to sell it for 6 times more.
Don't these manufacturers know how their products spec out compared to listening evaluations? They're all not perfect.
Pls turn down the music background a bit or .. ..
Just wondering how many more different names for his company M.L. is going to launch in the future… After many of us found that Red Rose Music was more or less a scam with which he damaged his good name for good in my book! I think he made the best amps under his real name back in the day…and now should eventually retire!
I have owned ML from the 70s, 90’s, 2010’s and 2020’s. I have a Madrigal Audio Labs series ML amp. It’s an amazing sounding amp. I had it serviced twice and both times the technician were in love with the build and design quality. They didn’t like the wrestling with the 104 lbs however. 😂 ML should never retire. He made some mistakes however the guy is all about music and audio. Note: Daniel Hertz is a combo of his parents name, a tribute.
@@epi2045 …fair enough! I don’t know his age but he must be around 80 if I‘m not mistaken. Time to retire 🥹
Its Mcintosh for me
Next time try to include proper highend integrated amps like Audio Note Oto Silver Signature or Meishu.
Unfortunately those won’t drive speakers other than AN speakers well.
@@adrianlow2114but they drive DH speakers very well.
yes, no music
Can barely hear anything
it is said that it is best to find a reviewer you trust and has somewhat the same sensibilities of judgement. We were getting along fine here, I was enjoying the reviews, trying to like the very dated Mcintosh styling in case I finally upgrade my electronics, when out of the blue, the presenter drops the info that he heard an improvement by changing the power cord to the wall.
How am I supposed to trust this guys judgement and hearing after that?
bummer about the Hegel. I appreciate that quality control costs money, but had that unit been shipped to me, who could ascertain the performance was a little off.
So you are saying that because Adrian heard an improvement with a better power cord you no longer trust his judgment ? Did you know that GOOD quality after market power cords shed EMI (Electro Magnetic Interference) better than the ordinary generic power cords that are shipped with most equipment ? That DOES help with sound in subtle ways if you have the ears to hear it - like the background behind the music is blacker - I think his judgement is just fine. But yours? Mmmm . . . it's up for review LOL
I pray after time has passed that your nephew would choose to want the Lord in him and with him🙏
Too expensive
This video makes me nauseous. He needs to do real reviews without heaping praise on manufacturers. He’s paying with lip service. My last time watching this.
I guess you haven't seen his Good Bad and Ugly reviews ? - sure, praise when't it is deserved because they ARE good products (not MY choice mind you :-) but he's pretty straight about the reality that products are never PERFECT . . . like you and me LOL. Keep on listening . . . the mind is like a parachute : works best when open :-)
Too late for an upgrade? LOLOL kidding.
Let’s see what this overpriced lump of Perspex can do….
As your screen name says, open your heart. You just might be surprised
7 minutes still not yet into the topic. Forget it. Go somewhere else. Good luck.