The title asked whether H600 was a worthy successor to H590 but that wasn’t addressed. Given your honesty, I am sure a lot of existing H590 owners would appreciate your insights. Also no mention of how the H600 streamer compared with the Lumin in your tests. Hope you can address that too. Love your reviews and looking forward to comparisons with other similarly priced integrated amps. Happy new year 🎉
Hi. The internal streamer didn’t make it any better. I only highlighted the findings to make the video watchable, otherwise it would be too long especially with my tendency towards verbosity. Happy new year
@@adrianlow2114 the presentation is part of the charm on your channel. 😀 Being a 590 owner, still want to know whether an upgrade to H600 is the right path or would it be better to invest in a better DAC/streamer?
Much respect for being honest, I think you are winning over all the audiophiles watching. I would personally much rather buy from a dealer who is honest about what they hear, than someone who says everything is fantastic and is clearly only after my money. I have had a similar experience with Hegel, got to try the H190 in my home and it wasn't for me. It sounded great but it didn't move me. I ended up going with with a Denon which stirs my emotions like the Hegel wasn't able to. This is of course about preference and not that Hegel is doing something wrong. Keep up the great work!
How do you know for a fact if he's being honest or not? Not saying that he is, but he could just as easily say something negative about an item that isn't true. Saying something negative about a product doesn't make you honest, saying something positive about a product doesn't make you dishonest. TH-cam commenters set the burden of proof extremely low. You could just be getting played. If all you have to do is to be consider honest is say something not flattering about a product, that's ridiculous
More I grap information everywhere I can… more and more I give you a high level of credibility… not because you bring negative points… but because you are able to justify and explain the pros and cons… and your experience over years is a gift to listener… thanks!
Your channel has slowly but for sure been winning me over, I prefer your kind of review , than some others that tend to make us think that doesn’t exist nothing better than the last product around , I like the simple honest down to earth reviews , and I like a lot when you talk about a product with the three of you changing opinions . Very nice channel, Thank you
I'm really liking the reviews lately. This is what reviews should be all about! Unbiased and honest without any reservations. Unfortunately, majority of reviews for HiFi on YT are vague with anything that may come across as a negative so all you hear is positive of best this and best that. It's really not doing anyone of any service. Ofcourse it's all very subjective but you get a real sense of what the reviewer's tastes are if they are honest in what they like or dislike which you can then get a feel for and apply to one's own individual taste. So major props to you Adrian for your excellent insight into your reviews. Being that you're a dealer of these brands and not be afraid to critique what you carry is a testament to your credibility. With your experience and knowledge, let alone, exposure to all levels of audio gear, your opinion wether positive or negative will only help your audience including the manufacturers of which can benefit from making their products that much better in the future. Props!!
I am not an ‘audiophile.’ I am a music producer, engineer, and composer, and just wanted to say I am very comfortable hearing you express emotional comments regarding the sound of a piece of music as heard through different products. They mean far more to me than soundstage, image, and pretty much any of the audiophile buzzwords. Spending time as I do making recordings I know very well that I can impart a more personal sound to a mix, and I know exactly how to do that so I can easily believe what you say. As a producer, I’m disappointed that an outrageously expensive amplifier can be the source of that failure. The power amplifier should be the easiest of all components to design ‘right.’ I don’t believe there should be room for such latitude in an amplifier’s sound, at any price.
Nice review. The problem with Hegel is that it “doesn’t connect” with me emotionally. The blackness you describe may be a positive and a negative at the same time. The negative is a feeling of missing air. Well… some might like this. Thank you for the honest review🙂. Best wishes for 2024🙏
Dear Mister Excellence, What you do is FANTASTIC!!!!! Respect!! Great to hear that you help people in need! And great reviews!! I keep watching them!! Please keep it up!! Kind regards, Vincent from the Netherlands.
Love this honest straightforward approach. Hegel integrateds are good for the money, but only the separates are truly high-end sonically speaking. As others have mentioned this review would have been more useful if you'd have just used the P1 as a source with all 3 integrateds, that way you eliminate the Hegel's internal DAC as a variable so your viewers know your comparisons are based purely on the sonics of the volume controls and amp sections. Also sharing the details of the whole chain including cabling is an additional way to improve your next review videos. I will end by repeating what others here have said - taking a balanced stand in a review of an amp from a manufacturer you represent is the surest way to get and retain new customers! 👏
Yes I did use Hegel’s internal streamer and Dac separately. Results were similar. I didn’t go into all the details as the video would have been too long. Nothing material changed.
I think this channel is only going to grow because of your honest opinions. Very nice of you to donate your YT earnings over the holidays! I haven't heard the Hegel so would not want to pass judgement on it. One comment I might have is that when attending any live performances the background is anything but black, there is always some sort of background ambience.
Happy New Year To All: Adrian, Thank you for part 2 of your series / review of the Hegel H 600 Amp. Your opening remarks on hiw quiet this amp is. My translation you are speaking about is the outstanding NOISE FLOOR which would contribute to the spectacular DYNAMIC RANGE & EXPANSIVE SOUND STAGE. IMHO you should be able to close your eyes, feel & taste the music, & pick the location of each instrument within the sound stage. Adrian, you said you were not as involved with some music with this amp cause certain notes or instruments were not as pronounced while other amps of different manufacturers gave a clear pronounced & true reproduction. Adrian, I love your honesty, & your tell it like it is format. Over the years & on the tube I've read & seen many aleged audio professionals review a piece of equipment or turntable & they can't seem to find one flaw with anything. In some cases I would drive hours one way just to find an audio store that carried the line & what a disappointment. Talk about muddy sound with extensive coloration, high frequency breakup, flabby low end & distorted bass response, & a noise floor that was so high Steve Wonder could have heard it standing on the shore in the Gulf Of Mexico. The bottom line I've heard & seen a lot of crap that costs a lot & gives the consumer little to no value for what they paid for. ADRIAN, I personally find you, your crew, your channel, & your store to be extremely honest, knowledgeable, as well as classy. Here in the US it's not an enjoyable experience to find, locate, & find knowledgeable people that tell the truth + they have little to no product knowledge of what they are doing. You speak to some of these people & I could have a more intelligent conversation with a Cocker Spanial. I wish I lived closer to you & thank you again & God Bless, TMP from N.J.
I'm convinced that the ridiculously high damping factor is the reason why Hegel amps do not 'breathe', as well as their price-comparable competitors. Therefore, having auditioned Hegel myself, I can concur with the comments made.
As a owner of Hegel 190 I can confirm that Adrian's description is highly accurate. My opinion of 190 is that's somehow sterile and dry. Paired with a Harbeth p3esr lacks the involvement and personal touch. I'm shocked to find out that I actually I get more emotional when listening to my Magnat Transpuls 1500 paired with Denon by 2500 avr that cost me only 225€. Hegel amps are like a wife full of virtues but lack exiting. So you're not eager to go to bedroom rather prefer to sleep on the couch in living room.
I’ll mirror what others have said. Above all other things I appreciate the real honesty here. In no way did you call it trash, but rather you pointed out just a couple things that really mattered to you at this price point and I believe that is what people who watch reviews should really want. Well done and thank you.
Great honest take and video Adrian! Heard the H600 @ Toronto Audio fest in a room with 3.7i Maggies. This was the first time I actually connected with a Magnepan demo. Very happy with the H390 and H190 you sold me. Perhaps I've become a Hegel fanboy now but that's what puts a big smile on my face. It gets even larger when using an external DAC. Looking forward to your comparison and happy new year Adrian! 🍻
I haven't heard the Hegel H600 yet, but I've heard other proposals from the brand, namely the previous flagships H390 and 590 and with these my opinion is very similar to yours regarding a harmony without the involvement of other integrated competitors in the same price range. Thank you very much for the review and for being so honest
The reason why the Hegel sounds different than other amps is the SoundEngine 2 which is a proprietary system to remove distortion. Here is Hegel's description of it: "The SoundEngine Technology will cancel crossover distortion found in all types of class-AB amplifiers. The human ear is very sensitive to high-frequency distortion components in the music signal. The Hegel SoundEngine technology will cancel high-frequency distortion components found in normal types of audio amplifiers. The Hegel SoundEngine technology is not using any kind of global negative feedback, it is using local and adaptive feedforward technology if there should ever be any need for cancellation of distortion within the audio amplifier stages." Many people like the sound of tube amps precisely because of the increase in harmonic distortion compared to most solid-state amps. So it is not surprising that a solid state amp with even lower harmonic distortion than other solid-state amps will sound different.
From what I could gather about this H600 does is that it is capable to tell you if the speakers you hook them up is good or not? Especially for Orchestra concerto pieces, some amps don't reveal all instruments clarity enough but this H600 does effortlessly. I concur with the rest here that Hegel's magic is where it tackles with wave distortion, in which they patent the tech. To me, its the streaming and home theatre hook up capabilities are the ones that stood out. This unit really demands good speaker cables
First review of Hegel that has caught my attention. I own the H390, it does everything you said but for the big orchestral pieces, like film scores, or big rock tracks, it lacks this full bodied meaty drive. It sounds beautiful with everything else, but it’s got me looking to see if there are alternatives. I wondered if the H600 was the answer but clearly not!
Being familiar with both the lumin p1 and the hegel h590 and having considered( but not heard ) the h600 = I was very interested to hear your comparison between the lumin p1 with the h600 vs the h600 on its own (utilising the h600 internal streamer and dac) . Aside from touching on the soundstage width for a few seconds this didnt happen. When you highlighted your shortcomings with the h600 was this just when using the internal streaming functionality of the h600? Or was it still there with the p1 / external dac? You mentioned the piano issue wasnt there with the 'other' amps you tried. It would have been interested to see you dig a little deeper on this.. you could have investigated if these issues disappeared with using the P1 or the dac you mentioned at the beginning (i dont think the dac was mentioned at the start was mentioned atall in the video?)...like with the 'other' amps. An attempt to isolate your perceived short comings with the hegal by highlighting/removing some of its internal components along the chain would have been interesting/useful me thinks 😊
Funny, the Hegel remote is my favorite of all time. It is appropriately heavy (metal!) and perfectly sized/shaped to fit in the hand and it changes volume without requiring directional pointing. I would change nothing about the remote!
Thank you Adrian and happy new year!! It would be helpful if you could give us some insight regarding the fact that you really liked H390 and H590 while now have reserves about H600, please provide some comparison with the other 2 models, thanks
I love your channel, I am considering upgrading certain components to my sound system, I would like to request what you are actually looking for when you listen to certain recordings. I personally enjoy classical guitar and piano. Im just trying to return to the hobby, and am trying to decide on my sources for music amongst other things 👍 keep up the good work
I had the 590 and I bought the 600. I found the DAC much more detailed and clearer on the H600. I am waiting to be ne able to use it as roon endpoint to draw définitive conclusions
Awesome!👍 Enjoy your system man. Don't allow negative TH-cam reviews to influence you or change your mind. I go with what sounds great to my own ears, not some audiophile's remarks on the product. I'm here because I'm looking for a good (intergrated) power Amp, and Hegel is on my radar.
@@igorszavaruevs8189 😂You're absolutely correct. Not having the budget for a high-end amplifier, I opted for the Hegel H600 and now I'm stuck with it. Since this review, the H600's price has dropped by 40% in Europe.😢
I bought second hand Pass Labs XA30.8 with xp-12 preamp for basicly the same amount of money!! I absolutely love its class A smooth sound, but also fast and dynamic like a solid state with the big 3d soundstage!! I paired them successfully with the 91db sensitive Sopra 3 and they handled them well!! My sound improved further with higher quality sources and also when I added two Rel 812S subwoofers.😄 Firstly, I got an Electrocompaniet MKV cd player which I think sounds amazing and now I bought the dCS Lina DAC with the Master Clock. Lina might’ve destroyed my wallet,🫣 but it sounds absolutely INCREDIBLE with Sopras berillium tweeters and my Pass Labs amplification. Now I can honestly say that I finally achieved the sonic nirvana and I'm completely content with the sound of my system. Highly recommend Pass Labs amplifiers, they are built like tanks and their sound is very natural, spacious and "emotionally engaging"!!! I wonder if Hegels very high focus on black background, doesn't sacrifice its naturalness and an emotional sound qualities!?!🤔
May it be that the Hegel Soundengine also removes second and third order harmonics which is not a part of the music, but still sounds nice to our ears? I cannot think that the soundengine can distinguish between different harmonic distortions made by the electronics. The reason why you heard less harmonics with the Hegel.
I was looking an amp to match my Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G speakers. I demoed the H600 and it was a good amp. But It was not convincing. However, Hegel's H20 power amp matched with a Cambridge Audio NQ Pre/DAC or a Benchmark's LA4 preamp and a good DAC (Gustard X26 pro) were both sublime. I actually was testing many amps for two straight days with a friend an also with my son. All tree agreed that the best that Hegel currently has (save for their H30A of course that is extremely expensive) was the H20. The H600 was no match to it.
Very nice review........High end for sure but not the amplifier for me! Involving is the key word...........besides I also don't like the looks of Hegel....... Thanks for sharing your listening experience. Happy new year to you and your team.
According to the Hegal website and the photo of the rear of the unit it does say H600 Reference Integrated Amplifier Oslo Norway. Its printed in big bold lettering underneath the righthand speaker taps. And that appears to be the case on all of the integrated amps, not always underneath the speaker taps and that is according to the website.
Adrian doesn't want to (and sometimes cannot if all the wires are connected to it) turn the amp around to see the model number every time a customer asks what that amp is. But as Adrian noted, this is only HIS problem, and no customer should care about it because they only have one Hegel in their rack (at least in that room) and they know what it is. For Adrian in the store, it is a bit more confusing with all the Hegel amps he has on display. Since this issue only affects audio salespeople, Adrian should probably stop mentioning it. But he did clearly state that no customer should have a problem because they know what they purchased. Also, the H600 is clearly larger than the other Hegel's so not even a problem with this model (some Hegel amps are almost exactly the same size for different models). Personally, I really like minimalist design of Hegel, and it is has been widely copied (or Hegel copied it from someone else). I personally don't like the way McIntosh, Accuphase, or D'Agostino amps look, and I would actually prefer the amp be installed in a room behind the listening area if possible.
It seems to me the SoundEngine in this H600 is removing harmonics from the midrange. That is too bad, they (Hegel) have reached their engineering limits, it seems. I can not say I hear this phenomenon on my H390, though. My guess is that the Maria 350 is going to do very well in comparison.
I heard the same thing from the H600 at a audioshow presented by Anders Ertzeid. Could it be that it is in fact the ESS sound signature or did you also miss the harmonics using external streamers/Dac’s?
Not likely that AE will compare it to brands they don't carry based on their stated policy of not reviewing other brands (but OK for pre-owned models being sold in the store or models that Adrian has owned in the past). The reason for not reviewing other brands is that if AE said anything negative about those brands they don't carry, it would be perceived as biased because they don't sell that brand. Obviously, the choice of which brands they carry has been influenced by which ones they think sound best (along with some other factors such as economic viability of stocking and selling a particular brand).
@@roybatty6368 The build quality on the higher quality 4 digit Yamaha amplifiers is really quite good at the price point. If the sound is to someone’s liking I’m not sure why you wouldn’t consider a used one. Perhaps there just isint the margins there because of the price point? Not sure
Superb presentation. I was going to by Macintosh MA8950, but now a bit confused. The Hegel H600 sounds like a good proposition. I have SF Olympics Nova ll. please advise. Much appreciated l.
Yes, you never answer the question posed in the title. Is it a worthy successor to the 590, or not? I have a 590 and was hoping you’d compare the two. Very disappointed that you didn’t. :( Happy New Year!!!
The Hegel H600 makes Martha Argerich's Bach sound like it being played on a clavichord or harpsichord(???). Something is seriously wrong with that amp. Adrian, one problem I have with most audio reviews is that they exclude classical music-especially the huge choral works-Verdi's Requiem, Mahler 8, Beethoven's Missa Solemnis etc... Even now these are not easy to record, and their reproduction on most equipment is not satisfactory. This is music you don't turn down, but turn up. I want to hear top-to-bottom clarity without any distortion (assuming the distortion isn't on the recording to begin with.._
I have a hard time to believe that the piano in the album you mentioned doesn't sound like a real grand piano. I just listenend to that same album with the Hegel H390 paired with Dynaudio Evoke 50. And it sounded like a real grand clearly for me. But it is clean and clear sounding. It sounds like I had been in the same room as the grand when I listenend to the album. So I am a little puzzled by your assessment. I have not heard the H600 though. But it would be strange if the H390 beats the H600 in respect to accurately present the piano sound.
adrian, plz, plz compare it with a rotel michi X5 if possible (both are highly regarded and 350 wpc) 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 that would be awfully interesting and i will be keenly waiting for the showdown ...
AE's stated policy is to not review products they don't carry (new or used). But I noticed that McIntosh Group is now the US and Latin America distributor for Rotel (and Michi). Not sure about Canada. AE carries several McIntosh Group brands (McIntosh, Sonus faber, Sumiko). So maybe Adrian should look into carrying Michi, but he just added another amp recently so may not have any more room (or money) to add more brands.
@@ajs-qv5fe I think there are already 4 retailers in Toronto area that are Michi dealers. AE doesn't have room (for demos and for inventory) to carry every brand. There are 6 different Michi models of integrated amps, pre-amps, and amps.
Can you record a video on amplifier power and damping factor? The why of them… exemple… Macintosh promote some damping of 17… other about 300-400 and more (and higher suppose to be better!)… and power… Macintosh promote the same watts in 2-4-8 ohms, as it « supposed » to double from 8 to 4 (or at least higher)… it may helps to better understand many of the explanations you give to us… thanks!
I had the exact opossite experience. I had a hegel h390, and bought a diablo 120. I compared both with my wharfedale elysian 4 and prefered the h390 overall . It lacked the detail of the diablo, but sounded less harsh, with more bass and more natural sound overall. I ended up selling both for h600.
I can’t tell as I have never listened to TT2 and Mscaler. But I have listened to Dave. Anyway TT2+ Mscaler is in the same price range as H600. So it’s not comparable
PRC. It is completely engineered and designed in Norway, but manufactured and assembled in China according to Hegel specifications, including the use of all Hegel specified parts.
I'm Taiwanese, and I have never seen anything manufactured in Taiwan. labelled Made in China ROC, it always says made in Taiwan. Especially that angers China if Taiwan does that. In fact Taiwan is following Japan's footstep the last couple decades, going towards quality manufacturing.
For this kind of money it should AT LEAST be build in a Danish factory - by hand! But then of course their margin wouldn’t be as high. Ridiculous in my book. It’s almost like a Burberry Trenchcoat for € 1.500.- …and then you look on the manufacturer badge inside and read: manufactured in the Philippines. Hello ??! Get real, Hegel guys. I‘d never buy your stuff before even giving a listening to it.
@@razisn Not necessarily … United States (Canada as well ?), Germany, Denmark, Sweden …and yes Japan are fine. Norwegians are good in building dog sleds though 🦮.. Wuff wuff… For a secondary system I‘d much rather choose a ‚genuin‘ Chinese amp manufacturer…like Cayin. At least they don’t try to pretend to be something they aren’t. And they’re supposed to be pretty good sounding.
The title asked whether H600 was a worthy successor to H590 but that wasn’t addressed. Given your honesty, I am sure a lot of existing H590 owners would appreciate your insights. Also no mention of how the H600 streamer compared with the Lumin in your tests. Hope you can address that too. Love your reviews and looking forward to comparisons with other similarly priced integrated amps. Happy new year 🎉
Hi. The internal streamer didn’t make it any better. I only highlighted the findings to make the video watchable, otherwise it would be too long especially with my tendency towards verbosity. Happy new year
@@adrianlow2114 the presentation is part of the charm on your channel. 😀
Being a 590 owner, still want to know whether an upgrade to H600 is the right path or would it be better to invest in a better DAC/streamer?
@@ziabukh Kind of you, thanks. Unfortunately the H590 was sold quite a while ago and I didn't get a chance to compare.
Much respect for being honest, I think you are winning over all the audiophiles watching. I would personally much rather buy from a dealer who is honest about what they hear, than someone who says everything is fantastic and is clearly only after my money. I have had a similar experience with Hegel, got to try the H190 in my home and it wasn't for me. It sounded great but it didn't move me. I ended up going with with a Denon which stirs my emotions like the Hegel wasn't able to. This is of course about preference and not that Hegel is doing something wrong. Keep up the great work!
Thanks for the kind words
How do you know for a fact if he's being honest or not? Not saying that he is, but he could just as easily say something negative about an item that isn't true. Saying something negative about a product doesn't make you honest, saying something positive about a product doesn't make you dishonest. TH-cam commenters set the burden of proof extremely low. You could just be getting played. If all you have to do is to be consider honest is say something not flattering about a product, that's ridiculous
@@Pete.across.the.streethi Pete. Why would I lie? I sell and own the H600, and Hegel is one of our very popular lines
More I grap information everywhere I can… more and more I give you a high level of credibility… not because you bring negative points… but because you are able to justify and explain the pros and cons… and your experience over years is a gift to listener… thanks!
@@Skye_the_toller Thank you
Currently use h390 the best amp i ever owned
Your channel has slowly but for sure been winning me over,
I prefer your kind of review , than some others that tend to make us think that doesn’t exist nothing better than the last product around ,
I like the simple honest down to earth reviews , and I like a lot when you talk about a product with the three of you changing opinions .
Very nice channel,
Thank you
Great video. You are quickly becoming the best audiophile youtuber. Personally, I find the contents here much more informative vs some channels.
I'm really liking the reviews lately. This is what reviews should be all about! Unbiased and honest without any reservations. Unfortunately, majority of reviews for HiFi on YT are vague with anything that may come across as a negative so all you hear is positive of best this and best that. It's really not doing anyone of any service. Ofcourse it's all very subjective but you get a real sense of what the reviewer's tastes are if they are honest in what they like or dislike which you can then get a feel for and apply to one's own individual taste. So major props to you Adrian for your excellent insight into your reviews. Being that you're a dealer of these brands and not be afraid to critique what you carry is a testament to your credibility. With your experience and knowledge, let alone, exposure to all levels of audio gear, your opinion wether positive or negative will only help your audience including the manufacturers of which can benefit from making their products that much better in the future. Props!!
Thanks for your kind words
I am not an ‘audiophile.’ I am a music producer, engineer, and composer, and just wanted to say I am very comfortable hearing you express emotional comments regarding the sound of a piece of music as heard through different products. They mean far more to me than soundstage, image, and pretty much any of the audiophile buzzwords.
Spending time as I do making recordings I know very well that I can impart a more personal sound to a mix, and I know exactly how to do that so I can easily believe what you say. As a producer, I’m disappointed that an outrageously expensive amplifier can be the source of that failure. The power amplifier should be the easiest of all components to design ‘right.’ I don’t believe there should be room for such latitude in an amplifier’s sound, at any price.
Nice review. The problem with Hegel is that it “doesn’t connect” with me emotionally. The blackness you describe may be a positive and a negative at the same time. The negative is a feeling of missing air. Well… some might like this. Thank you for the honest review🙂. Best wishes for 2024🙏
Happy New Year!
Dear Mister Excellence,
What you do is FANTASTIC!!!!! Respect!! Great to hear that you help people in need!
And great reviews!! I keep watching them!! Please keep it up!!
Kind regards, Vincent from the Netherlands.
Love this honest straightforward approach. Hegel integrateds are good for the money, but only the separates are truly high-end sonically speaking. As others have mentioned this review would have been more useful if you'd have just used the P1 as a source with all 3 integrateds, that way you eliminate the Hegel's internal DAC as a variable so your viewers know your comparisons are based purely on the sonics of the volume controls and amp sections. Also sharing the details of the whole chain including cabling is an additional way to improve your next review videos. I will end by repeating what others here have said - taking a balanced stand in a review of an amp from a manufacturer you represent is the surest way to get and retain new customers! 👏
Yes I did use Hegel’s internal streamer and Dac separately. Results were similar. I didn’t go into all the details as the video would have been too long. Nothing material changed.
I think this channel is only going to grow because of your honest opinions. Very nice of you to donate your YT earnings over the holidays! I haven't heard the Hegel so would not want to pass judgement on it. One comment I might have is that when attending any live performances the background is anything but black, there is always some sort of background ambience.
Thanks for the kind words
Love my H590!!! Brilliant piece!!!
Happy New Year To All: Adrian, Thank you for part 2 of your series / review of the Hegel H 600 Amp. Your opening remarks on hiw quiet this amp is. My translation you are speaking about is the outstanding NOISE FLOOR which would contribute to the spectacular DYNAMIC RANGE & EXPANSIVE SOUND STAGE. IMHO you should be able to close your eyes, feel & taste the music, & pick the location of each instrument within the sound stage. Adrian, you said you were not as involved with some music with this amp cause certain notes or instruments were not as pronounced while other amps of different manufacturers gave a clear pronounced & true reproduction. Adrian, I love your honesty, & your tell it like it is format. Over the years & on the tube I've read & seen many aleged audio professionals review a piece of equipment or turntable & they can't seem to find one flaw with anything. In some cases I would drive hours one way just to find an audio store that carried the line & what a disappointment. Talk about muddy sound with extensive coloration, high frequency breakup, flabby low end & distorted bass response, & a noise floor that was so high Steve Wonder could have heard it standing on the shore in the Gulf Of Mexico. The bottom line I've heard & seen a lot of crap that costs a lot & gives the consumer little to no value for what they paid for. ADRIAN, I personally find you, your crew, your channel, & your store to be extremely honest, knowledgeable, as well as classy. Here in the US it's not an enjoyable experience to find, locate, & find knowledgeable people that tell the truth + they have little to no product knowledge of what they are doing. You speak to some of these people & I could have a more intelligent conversation with a Cocker Spanial. I wish I lived closer to you & thank you again & God Bless, TMP from N.J.
Thanks for the kind words
Thanks for this review! The absence of some after-sounds due to deep feedback is inevitable.
I'm convinced that the ridiculously high damping factor is the reason why Hegel amps do not 'breathe', as well as their price-comparable competitors. Therefore, having auditioned Hegel myself, I can concur with the comments made.
I think it is likely the SoundEngine 2 technology they use.
As a owner of Hegel 190 I can confirm that Adrian's description is highly accurate. My opinion of 190 is that's somehow sterile and dry. Paired with a Harbeth p3esr lacks the involvement and personal touch. I'm shocked to find out that I actually I get more emotional when listening to my Magnat Transpuls 1500 paired with Denon by 2500 avr that cost me only 225€. Hegel amps are like a wife full of virtues but lack exiting. So you're not eager to go to bedroom rather prefer to sleep on the couch in living room.
@@benjaminqilafku5714I’m looking something involving for my P3 (XD) did you tested anything new with them?
@@is3commander Don't touch any Amp with lass then 150w at 8ohm. More power the better. A sub is a must.
I’ll mirror what others have said. Above all other things I appreciate the real honesty here. In no way did you call it trash, but rather you pointed out just a couple things that really mattered to you at this price point and I believe that is what people who watch reviews should really want. Well done and thank you.
Great honest take and video Adrian! Heard the H600 @ Toronto Audio fest in a room with 3.7i Maggies. This was the first time I actually connected with a Magnepan demo. Very happy with the H390 and H190 you sold me. Perhaps I've become a Hegel fanboy now but that's what puts a big smile on my face. It gets even larger when using an external DAC. Looking forward to your comparison and happy new year Adrian! 🍻
I haven't heard the Hegel H600 yet, but I've heard other proposals from the brand, namely the previous flagships H390 and 590 and with these my opinion is very similar to yours regarding a harmony without the involvement of other integrated competitors in the same price range. Thank you very much for the review and for being so honest
The reason why the Hegel sounds different than other amps is the SoundEngine 2 which is a proprietary system to remove distortion. Here is Hegel's description of it:
"The SoundEngine Technology will cancel crossover distortion found in all types of class-AB amplifiers. The human ear is very sensitive to high-frequency distortion components in the music signal. The Hegel SoundEngine technology will cancel high-frequency distortion components found in normal types of audio amplifiers. The Hegel SoundEngine technology is not using any kind of global negative feedback, it is using local and adaptive feedforward technology if there should ever be any need for cancellation of distortion within the audio amplifier stages."
Many people like the sound of tube amps precisely because of the increase in harmonic distortion compared to most solid-state amps. So it is not surprising that a solid state amp with even lower harmonic distortion than other solid-state amps will sound different.
Thank you for The Music, Adrian. ❤👍🏼
From what I could gather about this H600 does is that it is capable to tell you if the speakers you hook them up is good or not? Especially for Orchestra concerto pieces, some amps don't reveal all instruments clarity enough but this H600 does effortlessly. I concur with the rest here that Hegel's magic is where it tackles with wave distortion, in which they patent the tech. To me, its the streaming and home theatre hook up capabilities are the ones that stood out. This unit really demands good speaker cables
I use AQ Redwood cables. I will say one thing; magic
@@Zulus22 AQ? ok I"ll check it out,tq
Thank for given us the current update planning to buy the product
Thank you for these honest videos again. you are gaining so much trust from the community by sharing your reactions frankly.
Thank you for supporting causes you believe in. Appreciate your take on the H600.
Thank you
First review of Hegel that has caught my attention. I own the H390, it does everything you said but for the big orchestral pieces, like film scores, or big rock tracks, it lacks this full bodied meaty drive. It sounds beautiful with everything else, but it’s got me looking to see if there are alternatives. I wondered if the H600 was the answer but clearly not!
Being familiar with both the lumin p1 and the hegel h590 and having considered( but not heard ) the h600 = I was very interested to hear your comparison between the lumin p1 with the h600 vs the h600 on its own (utilising the h600 internal streamer and dac) . Aside from touching on the soundstage width for a few seconds this didnt happen.
When you highlighted your shortcomings with the h600 was this just when using the internal streaming functionality of the h600? Or was it still there with the p1 / external dac?
You mentioned the piano issue wasnt there with the 'other' amps you tried. It would have been interested to see you dig a little deeper on this.. you could have investigated if these issues disappeared with using the P1 or the dac you mentioned at the beginning (i dont think the dac was mentioned at the start was mentioned atall in the video?)...like with the 'other' amps.
An attempt to isolate your perceived short comings with the hegal by highlighting/removing some of its internal components along the chain would have been interesting/useful me thinks 😊
I used the internal dac and streamer. The results were the same
Funny, the Hegel remote is my favorite of all time. It is appropriately heavy (metal!) and perfectly sized/shaped to fit in the hand and it changes volume without requiring directional pointing. I would change nothing about the remote!
Bought a fantastic pair of Dunlavy Athenas from Adrian many years ago. His donation to the Salvation Army tells you everything about his character
Thanks very much!
Thank you Adrian and happy new year!! It would be helpful if you could give us some insight regarding the fact that you really liked H390 and H590 while now have reserves about H600, please provide some comparison with the other 2 models, thanks
Terrific review
I love your channel, I am considering upgrading certain components to my sound system, I would like to request what you are actually looking for when you listen to certain recordings. I personally enjoy classical guitar and piano. Im just trying to return to the hobby, and am trying to decide on my sources for music amongst other things 👍 keep up the good work
I had the 590 and I bought the 600. I found the DAC much more detailed and clearer on the H600. I am waiting to be ne able to use it as roon endpoint to draw définitive conclusions
Awesome!👍 Enjoy your system man. Don't allow negative TH-cam reviews to influence you or change your mind. I go with what sounds great to my own ears, not some audiophile's remarks on the product. I'm here because I'm looking for a good (intergrated) power Amp, and Hegel is on my radar.
Would you say the h600 would be worth the upgrade from the h590? Using a chord tt2+mscaler as
Dac? I actually never use dacs from integrated
Anyway as always the best is to listen and make his own opinion
Whatever happened to the follow up review of the H600 once you got a replacement for the original faulty one that didn't sound right??
Exactly the same overpriced chinese crap as the first one. That's why there is no new review
@@andyg3356денег нет у тебя?
@@igorszavaruevs8189 😂You're absolutely correct. Not having the budget for a high-end amplifier, I opted for the Hegel H600 and now I'm stuck with it. Since this review, the H600's price has dropped by 40% in Europe.😢
@@andyg3356 You're talking nonsense. The official prices are still the same
@Zulus22 Read my comment, please. I already purchased the amplifier- reselling value dropped drastically
I bought second hand Pass Labs XA30.8 with xp-12 preamp for basicly the same amount of money!!
I absolutely love its class A smooth sound, but also fast and dynamic like a solid state with the big 3d soundstage!! I paired them successfully with the 91db sensitive Sopra 3 and they handled them well!! My sound improved further with higher quality sources and also when I added two Rel 812S subwoofers.😄
Firstly, I got an Electrocompaniet MKV cd player which I think sounds amazing and now I bought the dCS Lina DAC with the Master Clock. Lina might’ve destroyed my wallet,🫣 but it sounds absolutely INCREDIBLE with Sopras berillium tweeters and my Pass Labs amplification. Now I can honestly say that I finally achieved the sonic nirvana and I'm completely content with the sound of my system. Highly recommend Pass Labs amplifiers, they are built like tanks and their sound is very natural, spacious and "emotionally engaging"!!!
I wonder if Hegels very high focus on black background, doesn't sacrifice its naturalness and an emotional sound qualities!?!🤔
May it be that the Hegel Soundengine also removes second and third order harmonics which is not a part of the music, but still sounds nice to our ears? I cannot think that the soundengine can distinguish between different harmonic distortions made by the electronics. The reason why you heard less harmonics with the Hegel.
Did you ever listen to the 2nd H600 Hegel sent? Was it any different?
I was looking an amp to match my Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G speakers. I demoed the H600 and it was a good amp. But It was not convincing. However, Hegel's H20 power amp matched with a Cambridge Audio NQ Pre/DAC or a Benchmark's LA4 preamp and a good DAC (Gustard X26 pro) were both sublime. I actually was testing many amps for two straight days with a friend an also with my son. All tree agreed that the best that Hegel currently has (save for their H30A of course that is extremely expensive) was the H20. The H600 was no match to it.
Thanks for your comment. I'm considering buying the H20 and plan to pair with Lumin P1 (very expensive) or EverSolo DMP A-8.
Very nice review........High end for sure but not the amplifier for me!
Involving is the key word...........besides I also don't like the looks of Hegel.......
Thanks for sharing your listening experience.
Happy new year to you and your team.
According to the Hegal website and the photo
of the rear of the unit it does say H600 Reference
Integrated Amplifier Oslo Norway. Its printed in
big bold lettering underneath the righthand speaker
taps. And that appears to be the case on all of the
integrated amps, not always underneath the speaker
taps and that is according to the website.
Adrian doesn't want to (and sometimes cannot if all the wires are connected to it) turn the amp around to see the model number every time a customer asks what that amp is. But as Adrian noted, this is only HIS problem, and no customer should care about it because they only have one Hegel in their rack (at least in that room) and they know what it is. For Adrian in the store, it is a bit more confusing with all the Hegel amps he has on display. Since this issue only affects audio salespeople, Adrian should probably stop mentioning it. But he did clearly state that no customer should have a problem because they know what they purchased. Also, the H600 is clearly larger than the other Hegel's so not even a problem with this model (some Hegel amps are almost exactly the same size for different models). Personally, I really like minimalist design of Hegel, and it is has been widely copied (or Hegel copied it from someone else). I personally don't like the way McIntosh, Accuphase, or D'Agostino amps look, and I would actually prefer the amp be installed in a room behind the listening area if possible.
Like your reviews a lot!
BTW, are you trying to give us a hint by placing an Accuphase in the studio? ;-)
Cheers!
Hi , from Spain , you are absolutely right , much better Accuphase , Luxmann , Mcintosh , i am happy somebody does say it !!!
It seems to me the SoundEngine in this H600 is removing harmonics from the midrange. That is too bad, they (Hegel) have reached their engineering limits, it seems.
I can not say I hear this phenomenon on my H390, though. My guess is that the Maria 350 is going to do very well in comparison.
I heard the same thing from the H600 at a audioshow presented by Anders Ertzeid.
Could it be that it is in fact the ESS sound signature or did you also miss the harmonics using external streamers/Dac’s?
Ps, im a Hegel owner and fan.
The results were similar with the internal dac and streamer
@@adrianlow2114...with the *_external_* DAC and Streamer you mean?
@@Turtleback8024 I only missed the harmonics with the internal DAC and streamer
What’s missing for me? Comparison wit amps like Rotel Michi series or PassLabs for sound. Let’s see…
Not likely that AE will compare it to brands they don't carry based on their stated policy of not reviewing other brands (but OK for pre-owned models being sold in the store or models that Adrian has owned in the past). The reason for not reviewing other brands is that if AE said anything negative about those brands they don't carry, it would be perceived as biased because they don't sell that brand. Obviously, the choice of which brands they carry has been influenced by which ones they think sound best (along with some other factors such as economic viability of stocking and selling a particular brand).
I honestly think the new Yamaha NR2000a is a gem for $4700 CD. Compared to some of the integrateds that are two and three times the price.
Terrible re sale
@@roybatty6368
Really? I didn’t realize that
Many dealers won't even consider it
@@roybatty6368
The build quality on the higher quality 4 digit Yamaha amplifiers is really quite good at the price point. If the sound is to someone’s liking I’m not sure why you wouldn’t consider a used one. Perhaps there just isint the margins there because of the price point? Not sure
Finally, a video where Adrian says something about him sleeping with our wives.
Speakin' about harmonics 😅
Superb presentation. I was going to by Macintosh MA8950, but now a bit confused. The Hegel H600 sounds like a good proposition. I have SF Olympics Nova ll. please advise. Much appreciated l.
Sorry Grand Master, but missing the punchline, does it be a H590 Successor? THX and have a grat next year, Sammy
Yes, you never answer the question posed in the title. Is it a worthy successor to the 590, or not? I have a 590 and was hoping you’d compare the two. Very disappointed that you didn’t. :(
Happy New Year!!!
Superior alternatives without dac and streamer? For same or not much more money....
At first there was my wife in your room and after that was Paul. Where was I??? Probably listening to Hegel!
Were you comparing the piano with different DAC's between the other amps and the Hegal?
Yes and also the internal dac and streamer
Do you think tone controls would add any benefit to Hegel amplifiers?
The Hegel H600 makes Martha Argerich's Bach sound like it being played on a clavichord or harpsichord(???). Something is seriously wrong with that amp. Adrian, one problem I have with most audio reviews is that they exclude classical music-especially the huge choral works-Verdi's Requiem, Mahler 8, Beethoven's Missa Solemnis etc... Even now these are not easy to record, and their reproduction on most equipment is not satisfactory. This is music you don't turn down, but turn up. I want to hear top-to-bottom clarity without any distortion (assuming the distortion isn't on the recording to begin with.._
I’m still waiting for the JC5+P6 vs H390 comparison 😅. Since the JC5 is now $7500 USD, it would have to be compared to the H590.
Weird.
Usually it's High End audio's downfall of too much detail that can be perceived as 'harsh'/'dry'/'fatiguing'.
Thanks for the review.
I have a hard time to believe that the piano in the album you mentioned doesn't sound like a real grand piano. I just listenend to that same album with the Hegel H390 paired with Dynaudio Evoke 50. And it sounded like a real grand clearly for me. But it is clean and clear sounding. It sounds like I had been in the same room as the grand when I listenend to the album. So I am a little puzzled by your assessment. I have not heard the H600 though. But it would be strange if the H390 beats the H600 in respect to accurately present the piano sound.
adrian, plz, plz compare it with a rotel michi X5 if possible (both are highly regarded and 350 wpc) 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 that would be awfully interesting and i will be keenly waiting for the showdown ...
@@manny2230 and the x3 is not even a fully balance design
AE's stated policy is to not review products they don't carry (new or used). But I noticed that McIntosh Group is now the US and Latin America distributor for Rotel (and Michi). Not sure about Canada. AE carries several McIntosh Group brands (McIntosh, Sonus faber, Sumiko). So maybe Adrian should look into carrying Michi, but he just added another amp recently so may not have any more room (or money) to add more brands.
@@Mark-rw3kw oic, rotel michi is definitely a rising brand with great performance and value ratio, AE really should consider carry this brand ...
@@ajs-qv5fe I think there are already 4 retailers in Toronto area that are Michi dealers. AE doesn't have room (for demos and for inventory) to carry every brand. There are 6 different Michi models of integrated amps, pre-amps, and amps.
@@Mark-rw3kw me from the uk, living in bkk, dont know toronto well 😅😅😅 thx for telling me, mate
Can you record a video on amplifier power and damping factor? The why of them… exemple… Macintosh promote some damping of 17… other about 300-400 and more (and higher suppose to be better!)… and power… Macintosh promote the same watts in 2-4-8 ohms, as it « supposed » to double from 8 to 4 (or at least higher)… it may helps to better understand many of the explanations you give to us… thanks!
Adrian, every time you prefer the McIntosh midrange boldness to the Hegel openness. 😅
Before i bought my Gryphon Diablo 120 i also listened to Hegel. It's strange, but music through the Hegel did not connect with me on emotional level
Good choice, Gryphon is on an entirely different level.
I had the exact opossite experience. I had a hegel h390, and bought a diablo 120. I compared both with my wharfedale elysian 4 and prefered the h390 overall . It lacked the detail of the diablo, but sounded less harsh, with more bass and more natural sound overall. I ended up selling both for h600.
@@Petrakeas The Hegel are not on the same level as the Gryphon
@@henriksrensen3220 🤷hegel sounded better on my system on most songs. Internally the gryphon looks better but that doesn't influence my opinion
@@Petrakeas it's ok. But it's the first time i have heard that anyone prefer Hegel over Gryphon sound. Im just surprised, that's all.🙂
I can’t tell as I have never listened to TT2 and Mscaler. But I have listened to Dave. Anyway TT2+ Mscaler is in the same price range as H600. So it’s not comparable
You don't say which amps you compared it to as you sit next to an Accuphase in the video. Let me guess.
my goodness, my irish humour didn't go well
anyway, i wish I could afford this kit, but it is what it is
If it's made in china I would like it to beat every 20000 dollars amp on the market. Other wise i would buy something else
You guys do okay videos, but you should really try and keep them around 15-20mins.
Excellent job on your view👍,. Thank you for giving back to your community. I can't imagine how many hours you invest in a year doing videos.
Thank you
When you say made in CHINA, is that PRC or ROC (TAIWAN)?
PRC. It is completely engineered and designed in Norway, but manufactured and assembled in China according to Hegel specifications, including the use of all Hegel specified parts.
I'm Taiwanese, and I have never seen anything manufactured in Taiwan. labelled Made in China ROC, it always says made in Taiwan. Especially that angers China if Taiwan does that. In fact Taiwan is following Japan's footstep the last couple decades, going towards quality manufacturing.
Hehe put on some rock, contry, jazz, blues ..and the Hegel smokes all the amps you mention. Couldent disagree more.
mcntosch... you are kiddin me😂😂
🐄
For this kind of money it should AT LEAST be build in a Danish factory - by hand! But then of course their margin wouldn’t be as high. Ridiculous in my book. It’s almost like a Burberry Trenchcoat for € 1.500.- …and then you look on the manufacturer badge inside and read: manufactured in the Philippines. Hello ??! Get real, Hegel guys. I‘d never buy your stuff before even giving a listening to it.
Why should it be built in a Danish factory when the company is Norwegian?
@@razisnbecause the Danish - as Scandinavians - have a much better reputation for making good Hifi … than the Norvegians.
@@bikemike1118 If manufacturing quality reputation is your criterion then it should be built in Japan.. Jeez..
@@razisn Not necessarily … United States (Canada as well ?), Germany, Denmark, Sweden …and yes Japan are fine. Norwegians are good in building dog sleds though 🦮.. Wuff wuff…
For a secondary system I‘d much rather choose a ‚genuin‘ Chinese amp manufacturer…like Cayin.
At least they don’t try to pretend to be something they aren’t. And they’re supposed to be pretty good sounding.
What’s wrong with the phillipines?
What a joke, 15,000.00 Canadian bucks and not "involving" . Harmonics are also problematic.
The GOOD+BAD+UGLY=WASTED MONEY!
$12,500 made in china. Internal wiring is sloppy. Overall construction is OK for a $10K+ amp. SoundEngine 2 = DSP.
it sounds kind of sterile , cold ...
I would suggest cleaning Your ears first and stop selling Hegel 👍
hahahah.... why?
In your bed with misses yang lol
Whatever happened to the follow up review of the H600 once you got a replacement for the original faulty one that didn't sound right??