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

The other day, I visited my local Magnolia Home Theater at Best Buy.  At the far  end of a large room, was a very simplified audio system, which consisted of only one component and a pair of speakers.  The speakers were KEF Blade One Meta, and the lone component was the newer Hegel H600 integrated amp.  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.  But now, I got the chance to hear the H600 (as an all-in-one using it’s internal DAC) with a pair of the world-class, IMHO, KEF Blade One Meta speakers, and I was extremely excited about it.  The source was Roon/Tidal.  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, and I've heard quite a few in my day!!!!  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!!!  I could’ve sat there all day long and listened to that incredible system.  I was absolutely blown away by that simple (but expensive) audio system!!!!  Happy listening.                    

kennymacc
jjss49's avatar
jjss49
6,920 posts
 

op

there are a few vocal hegel haters on this forum

the hobby is a big pond there are plenty of fish in it, many people with different tastes... i just ignore the detractors

i’ve mentioned this in other discussions about hegel amongst top ss amplification contenders -- it’s my sense that folks who don’t like the ’sound’ of hegel amps actually want their amps to bring some sympathetic distortion into their setups... this is not what hegel does, bent holter and his crew aren’t selling that to you ... if you think hegel doesn’t offer adequate detail or sparkle, it is because your system doesn’t have it, look elsewhere in the chain ... if you think hegel doesn’t bring voices to life its because your source or speakers otherwise lack that capability... and so on... 

kennymacc OP
723 posts
 

I really enjoyed sharing one of my truly positive listening adventures with the forum.  As usual, there will be detractors, which is just a part of the territory Lol!!!.  No audio component is universally liked, and that includes the components mentioned in my OP.  Happy listening.   

parkergetdean
1,041 posts
 

my apologies for posting about my experience with Hegel amps. I wasn't aware that critical thinking and not being a die hard fan was frowned upon here.

mark200mph
842 posts
 

Those who don't think hegel is not up to par need only read the reviews on hegel h 30 a as there are many. To each thier own and sound is perceived differently around our brains the cochlear the ossicles and the vestibular cochlear nerve as I have been doing it and working on all of that physiology for 40 plus years. Enjoy the music they way you like it and how you like it. Not everyone has an open mind to country music or classical or rock ect.stay healthy

dayglow
2,439 posts
 

Hegel has survived even flourished due to a need in the industry to drive difficult speaker louds at an affordable cost. Most importantly the clever marketing has convinced some that it’s a better product/value than what is factual. This is the true definition of selling "Snake Oil" that so many value conscious Audiophiles fear!

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