"Blown away by KEF/Hegel combo!!!!"

I’m not surprised that the combination of gear sounded great, but I am surprised that you heard a great sounding combo at Magnolia. Any time I’ve walked in there for fun while shopping for something else, I’ve been surprised at how they can take really quality gear and make it sound not so great. Glad there are exceptions!

I’ve heard the Blades - and they are very good. Not to everyone’s taste, but I think they’re fantastic. I haven’t heard the Hegel unit, but I have a small one in a TV system and the difference in sound quality over the Marantz unit it replaced (same price class) was significant. The Hegel is vastly better in every way.

kef and hegel have used each other’s gear at hifi shows for many years ... those blokes are not deaf... 

You seem to be incredibly happy with a lot of things:

 " I have owned a Hegel H590 integrated for several years now (I us an outboard DAC with it), which drives an incredible pair of Revel Salon 2 speakers, with phenomenal effect, so I was fully aware of how wonderful Hegel products are capable of sounding."

'" As I sat there and the music of  my choosing began to play, all I can tell you is that this was one of the most incredible sounding audio systems I’ve ever heard,"

" The sound was super dynamic, wonderfully detailed and transparent, the bass was phenomenal, the soundstage was tall and wide with much depth and separation and coherency, beautifully natural, smooth, lush and full sounding, and it was also easy on the ears, and not in any way bright sounding.  For me, it was pure heaven!!! "

@rick_n   I hear ya!  But, the last thing in my mind when listening to that level of excellence was, "I wonder what this would sound like if the KEF’s were being driven by the top Hegel separates, which is a reflection of the Hegel H600 integrated amp’s sheer brilliance, including it’s internal DAC, IMHO.  I was extremely impressed.  Over the past few years, I’ve heard the same speakers, in the same room, driven by McIntosh top mono blocks (separates), and I wasn’t nearly as impressed.  Personally, I would be exceedingly happy and satisfied to live with the exact same set-up I was listing to at the store, for the foreseeable future.  Also,  Audioquest cables were being used, but not even their higher-end cables.  Happy listening!!!  

@sounds_real_audio 

 Yes I am!!!  Isn’t everyone Lol?!!!  Happy listening.