Hegel 390 or the 590

I’ve owned both, and now use and love the Hegel H590 in my current audio system.  Based on extensive experience, I can tell you this, the H590 offers a more powerful, refined, detailed, transparent and resolving sound  presentation over the H390 (as it should).  The H590 also offers tighter bass control and greater dynamics over H390 (as it should).  The H390 was still extremely impressive, offering a slightly warmer presentation, which I could have happily lived with if I wasn’t in need of the extra horsepower of the H590.  The H590 is by no means cold or sterile sounding, as it offers the perfect (and more desirable for me) degree/combination of warmth, detail, transparency and musicality.  The H590 is a true reference quality sounding piece of gear, as far as the amp/preamp section is concerned.  I used an outboard DAC with both the H390 and the H590, so I can’t speak on their internal DAC’s sound quality.   In conclusion, if you don’t think you’ll be needing the extra power that the H590 offers, I wouldn’t hesitate to run with the H390, which I think you’d be extremely happy with.  As for me, I love my Hegel H590 so much, it’s become end-game for me.  Happy listening.           

IIRC many felt that the small increase in 590 performance vs the 390 was not worth the extra cost.  Both included DACs were good/decent, aka not an afterthought, but could be beaten by external DAC upgrades.  The new H400/H600 have significant internal DAC sonic upgrades.

Great feedback...Thank You