Hegel H190 Amplifier Review

How much difference in performance do you really get when you upgrade something like a Hegel H95 (£1,500) to a Hegel H190 (£3,200)? Also, how much better is the H190 to the previous model, the H160 (£2,450 in 2016)? I find out...
Link to manufacturers webpage
www.hegel.com/products/integr...
Link to my Patreon
/ abritishaudiophile
Time stamps:
Start 0:00
Design &features 1:54
Technical insights 3:28
Sound quality 6:28
Setup & partnering equipment 10:02
Conclusion 12:19

[@cocko40]

Tarun is the gold standard of reviewers. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again, he’s the only reviewer I trust and his style of reviewing is perfectly genuine. Thanks for doing what you do Tarun. Stay well.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you. That is very much appreciated 😊👍

[@marantz7783]

Been into high end audio since 1974---- best channel on you tube in detailing the differences among our gear-Thank You

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you. Very kind and very much appreciated 😊👍👍

[@brown-eyedman4040]

Thank you Tarun for another informative and entertaining review. And everyone else, this guy provides so much information, clearly presented in an entertaining manner, do the Patreon thing. It's worth it.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you buddy. Always a pleasure to hear from you 😊👍👍

[@antonchigurh4125]

Thorough and comprehensive as always! I particularly enjoy your deep dives 'under the hood' as it were. Excellent.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Anton. Much appreciated 😊👍

[@PaulC-tu3ci]

Hi Tarun, really enjoyed that video, and your channel in general. Very interesting to see the comparison of the amp interiors too. Keep up the good work!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Paul. Much appreciated 😊👍

[@spark7516]

Once again, well done Tarun! Please continue with the comparisons. This sets you apart from many audio reviewers. I appreciate the fact that there is no “best” and the gives and takes then allow the consumer to make a judgement call on what’s most important to their system (or budget). Keep up the good work! While I do like to hear a several takes on products, I have found that I listen less to some channels and will keep those that challenge the product and me. Cheers!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you SP. Much appreciated 😊👍

[@fts81]

Hey Tarun, great videos recently. I haven’t been commenting much, but watching them thoroughly. I’ll be writing more soon. But you keep topping yourself, congrats!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Felipe. Great to hear from you 😊👍

[@steverees1936]

Hi Tarun. You stick to the way you do your reviews, as it is by far the best way so the likes of myself can get a better understanding of how something might perform. You are up there with the best of the reviewers. Interesting review and shows that Hegel are listening to their customers. I also like the way you recommend system matching. Keep up the great work my friend. 😁

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for all the support you have given me Steve. It is very much appreciated 😊👍👍

[@erichoehn8262]

Great review, friend. I love the detail and thoroughness!!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Eric. Much appreciated 😊👍

[@alexandrospavlakis1537]

Great review as always Tarun! Thank you:)

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching and commenting AP 😊👍

[@papapatriot]

As always so informative and clear.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you my friend 😊👍

[@HegelMusicSystem]

Thank you very much for this review. We really enjoy watching your videos and of course it is extra special when it is one of our own babies.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Hegel. I appreciate you watching and commenting 😊👍

[@russellbrikowski6139]

Hi I wanted to say I really enjoy your reviews and the way they are presented, Thank You.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Russell. Very kind of you to say 😊👍

[@brucecasas]

Well Done! I really enjoy your approach and opinion. Always offering a wealth of knowledge!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you kindly Bruce 😊👍

[@HPPG2017]

Great review and honest reliable opinion on products.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Paul 😊👍

[@BrapMan]

On Hegel products, anyway :D

[@frostycanada6404]

Love the comparison review, very insightful. 👍

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you FC 😊👍

[@keithdavis9476]

Terrific review! Very helpful to someone actually trying to make a purchase decision!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Keith. Very much appreciated 😊👍👍

[@richardherbert3519]

Please carry on with the comparisons. Another thought provoking video.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Richard 😊👍

[@filofilo8127]

Thorough review as always Tarun.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Filo 😊👍

[@san01yt]

Great review Tarun. You are spot on..(as always) Your style coupled with information and logical comparisons separate you from the rest (thousands others)

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Sandeep. I appreciate all the support you have given me 😊👍👍

[@avro66]

Thanks for another in depth review tarun. Very interesting amplifier.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Paul 😊👍

[@BSabbath]

Awesome review and comparison. I liked the audio quality of your recording more in previous videos. It showed more enthusiasm.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Shahid. Noted. I am trying to be as relaxed and natural in front of the camera as possible but without coming across as boring and unenthusiastic. I am not a fan of the over blown presentations that seem to be quite popular these days. They come across as a little contrived. To my ears at least 😊👍

[@weewee1518]

Great video! Very articulated and informative.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you weewee 😊👍

[@lights80088]

Great video, very professionally done. You were one of about 3 reviewers who convinced me to buy the H190 and so happy I did. The Hegel DAC made a large improvement to my otherwise great sounding Marantz CD player. Didn't think it could sound any better but the improvement was very noticeable. I'm using the coaxial cable. When I did an A/B comparison for my wife who does not care about sound quality, she picked the Hegel's DAC every time. I'm using the Hegel on Arendal 1723 Monitors and what a great match indeed. On a side note, I really like your listening room, very elegant looking.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Tom. Great to learn about your experiences 😊👍

[@jockojockoson9995]

Excellent as per usual!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Jocko 😊👍

[@kriswhitman8027]

Thank you Tarun for your detailed review. I am looking to upgrade my entire system that I have had since 2002. It was good gear for early 2000's but technology has moved on. It is amazing the number of choices in the integrated world. Today a lot of talk about the purify amps that some manufacturers are deploying in their gear like NAD. As an engineer I tend to have analysis paralysis and tend to over research things. One thing I notice is I wind up seeing and hearing a lot about Hegel. I am not familiar personally and have never had the opportunity to audition their gear. No local dealer so it would be a leap of faith. I have watched many Hagel reviews online, yours being very good, and they all have very positive things to say. What I have not heard is a negative review of any Hagel which tends to make me feel better about considering them without being able to hear them. I am looking at the H190, which is how I found your channel, and the H390. My new speakers are a fairly easy load at 8 ohms and 87db sensitivity. Looking forward to your review of the H390. Thank you for your in depth review of the Hagel line.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Kris. I think the popularity of Hegel is because work well with a wide variety of speakers. This is in part because they have good driving capability and the current range has very little colouration, always the characteristics of the speaker to be evident 😊👍

[@GrindCityGuitars]

I always look forward to and appreciate your reviews, Tarun. I'd love to hear your take on the H390 or the H590!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Mike. I hope to get to them in time 😊👍

[@elbebe1000]

As usual great review.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you elbebe1000😊👍

[@mosfet500]

I do enjoy your reviews.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you buddy 😊👍

[@pechnik01]

Highly informative review, thanks

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Vadim 😊👍

[@sdemosi]

Great review. Very comprehensive thanks.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you my friend 😊👍

[@paznewis107]

Deferred gratification. Sir, my respect and regard for you grows.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Paz 😊👍

[@leonjones7120]

You explain in more technical terms than U.S. audio enthusiasts. This is better for me.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Leon 😊👍

[@martinjn2920]

I am liking the Hegel range very much, I have picked up the H95 and am running this with an Audiolab 6000CDT, Rega RP3 and soon to arrive some ATC SCM 7's, currently using the dealers pair - thanks guys. There was an opportunity to audition the H120 but I couldn't get enough of a difference to justify the extra expense, in all honesty I couldn't hear any difference. The remote that comes with all the Hegel Amps above the 95 is a beast, but in all honesty there isn't much you need to do once you have set the music playing other than increase or decrease volume, if I change sources it is easy to do this on the plastic remote that comes with the H95. Great review, keep them coming, a brilliant channel with good honest advice, thank you.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Martin. Very much appreciated 😊👍

[@andreasmoller9798]

Very nice, this review i waiting to hear as i had my h190 for a year, got mine at very good price €2800, i really like this amp and the perfomence it has, thanks again for anoother good review

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences Andreas 😊👍

[@shane6326]

Great review yet again Tarun! 👏👏👏 Your no BS no buttering up views are what makes your channel so very highly regarded I’m certain! You are spot on always and your command over the English language is enviable not that it should matter to most on an audiophile platform but your choice of words and precision diction is the icing on the cake! “To the Manor Born “ kind of polished approach to everything ‘sound’😉…( But hey that’s Y it’s called a British Audiophile right!)besides your in-depth and thorough views it brings that extra to the table…A learning experience nonetheless in so many ways! One can see this channel going only one way … 👍👍👍 Awesome stuff Tarun! Truly 🍻🍻🍻 Keep growing Sir! Best Regards

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Shane. It is getting feedback like that which makes it so worthwhile. I appreciate you watching and all the support you continue to show me 😊👍👍

[@johnvoogd7092]

very nice clear review!!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you John 😊👍

[@photoipster]

I love your reviews. After finding your channel, i have made my way thru all of your videos and have learned a lot. I find myself waiting for your next review, a bit anxiously! Thank you so much for your posts. Have you ever dealt with any headphones, headphone amps? For the first time in my life, I am in an environment where I need to be sensitive to others, and require a quieter way to listen to music, particularly at night!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Jim. I appreciate all your support. I am not much of a headphone listener. I tend to use them when I can’t listen to 2 channel speakers. I probably should dive into headphone and headphone amps at some point 😊👍

[@2010aloy]

Wow....hot & fresh from the oven....thanks Tarun, been waiting for this for quite sometime. Happy to finally hear your expert viewpoint on the H190 vs some of its younger siblings!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Well done buddy. First in. Hope you enjoy the review 😊👍

[@2010aloy]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thanks Tarun. Would you be able to comment on how the 190 compares to Naim XS3 or SN3? Might considering replacing H80 with 190 or Naim XS3 to pair with KEF R series & Dynaudio S40 standmounts. Only thing that bugs me about some of these companies is the frequency of releasing newer models. I bought the H80 2.5 to 3 years back, then came the H90 & then the H95 and probably another one will follow in another 1 to 2 years - thankfully they're not as frequent as new mobile phone model releases.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@2010aloy it is the DAC and streaming side that makes them date quicker than is usually the case. I hope I can get some Naim gear in to review at some point 😊👍

[@2010aloy]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 great to hear that buddy. Will be on the lookout for it :) Take care!

[@josemartin2557]

I just started following you and it call my attention your description of Hegel. I just purchased a used H360. You are completely right. I also saw you review of the triangle genese trio ( I already owned those) Im enjoying it very very much. Thank you,

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Jose. Very much appreciated and great to have your support 😊👍

[@rytismucinskas727]

Very good review.I also bought used h360.Paired with quad s5.Very powerful and beutifull sound.Will you ever do h360 review?

[@gavinnewport7796]

Hi Tarun, recently got into your reviews which are excellent. Its great getting practical comparisons and good technical explanations. Just starting on my quest to replace my hifi that I bought in the 1990s and really enjoyed. I always advocated that the best investment was more music but having great equipment can really enhance the music and the emotional response. Really deliberating on whether to go new retro, Hegel 190 with Amphion Argon 3S or plunge into valve amps. I have not even started to think about turntables to replace my old Rega planar2. I guess I have a lot of videos to watch! Any advice always welcome and thank you for doing this.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Gavin. I appreciate you watching and your support. You may be surprised as to how good some of that 90s gear is. My advice would be to take your time, do your homework and evaluate each new component against what you have to see if it is worth it 😊👍

[@poetryonplastic]

Strongly considering one of these with some Harbeth monitors. Thanks for the review!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching 😊👍

[@buttonman1831]

Best reviewer on youtube

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Hung. Very kind and much appreciated 😊👍👍

[@FeelBetterGetWell]

Master Tarun, concise and a pleasure to watch. Thank you.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you. Much appreciated 😊👍

[@FeelBetterGetWell]

Hi Tarun, I never tried a Hegel amp. I can buy a used H190 for the same price as a new H95. Would you recommend that? What speakers would be a good match? I prefer 3 way floor speakers believing they give me the full audio spectrum, is this a correct assumption? I have 8m×3m wide room with lots of windows and furniture. I was thinking of an Audiolab 6000cdt transport. What do you think? How would you compare Audiolab 6000a with Hegel 95 and 190? Thank you for your amazing work.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@FeelBetterGetWell the Hegel H95 is better than the Audiolab 6000A and the H190 will take things to another level again. I would start with picking a pair of speakers that you like and think will work well in your room first. Then choose an amp to get the most out of them. Good luck 😊

[@FeelBetterGetWell]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thank you for your prompt answer. Could you please recommend some speakers to start with? I have no idea what criteria to use. Thank you again for your kind support.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@FeelBetterGetWell lost of great choices out there ant the right one for you depends on many factors. Here is a video I created to help people get started. If you really get stuck, check out some of the services I offer on my Patreon. I would be happy to help. kzbin.info/www/bejne/f4qVepiedtuqn9E www.patreon.com/abritishaudiophile

[@frankygoossens955]

I'm always been a big Hegel fan, i went from H160 to H360 and now H590 with Focal Kanta 2, sounds awesome!👍

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Cool 😎😊👍

[@twenty4seven368]

Love your channel! Delayed gratification!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you buddy 😊👍

[@filipviljamaasvensson]

Early thumbs up to show my appreciation for your opening statement, thank you!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Cool. I hope the video lives up to expectations 😊👍

[@filipviljamaasvensson]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Certainly! I have wondered about Hegel's value proposition as of late, and this video gave me some clarity. Much appreciated, keep up the great work :)

[@spektrograf]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 I love it! Reviews are only valuable in relative comparison... Whether relative to a common reference other like products, or even a trend of well articulated preferences. Thank you for making an Impossible job of understanding a reviewer's POV possible. 🍻

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@spektrograf thank you my friend. Very much appreciated 😊👍

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@filipviljamaasvensson thank you Filip. Very kind of you to say 😊👍

[@reinhartfrais8549]

Thank you Tarun!!!!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Most welcome RF 😊👍

[@peterruler48]

Deferred gratification, those were the days. Excellent video!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Indeed. Thank you Peter 😊👍

[@jked7463]

Wouldn't mind listening to this one. your description of the high end is intriguing. The extra bass current and control sounds like it makes it worth a try.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Indeed. Thank you for watching JK 😊👍

[@jked7463]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Of course, look forward to every video.

[@CamelotRecords]

Excellent review. The thumbs up comes easily, especially after the delayed gratification comment, spot on.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Bob 😊👍

[@rwldebruijn1979]

What a great review! It's the first time I stumbled upon your channel. Thank you very much. I'm thinking of buying a Hegel amp and was looking at the 190. I'm using Dutch built MC M1.3 speakers (4 Ohm and sensitivity 94 db). You probably don't know them. Anyhoo, thanks again for your review.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you my friend. Much appreciated. You are right. I am not familiar with those speakers 😊👍

[@nickp4872]

Great review! And good advice. I'm still a proud owner of a Hegel H100 and having heard some demo's from the newer gen Hegel amps I don't feel the need to upgrade yet. That says something about the qualities of these amplifiers. I've heard my amp combined with far more expensive speakers than what I own, like in the 7-8k range. And the result was incredible! (I believe it was the PMC's twenty5.24i, might even have been the 26i's) I'll change my speakers before my amp. And if I do change from the H100 I would go for a H360, H390 if funds permit.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing Nick 😊

[@labalo5]

Good review Tarun. Hegels are great performers.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Lowell 😊👍

[@goodboid]

I wish you'd have spoken about the headphone outs as well. You'll of course need two sets of headphones to do that. A low impedance phone like the Focal Clears and a high impedance pair like say a Hifiman Arya or a He1000se. A lot of people are ditching headphone amps for these more powerful setups. The headphone world deserves your crystal clear reviews!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Good point. I just don’t tend to listen to headphones much. I need to get into it going forward 😊👍

[@jeremylynnchagaspereira3926]

Another great review! And a rating consistent with it. I’d probably be sceptical if you kept handing out Outstanding. Keep up the straight shooting.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Jeremy. I intend to 😊👍

[@constantin58]

My experience with a Hegel Rost (predecessor of H120) in comparison to Marantz receiver with KEF speakers was that Hegel completely removed the 9 to 3 o'clock imaging around and above each speaker, but in it's place it created a dead center powerful soundstage focused on vocal frequencies while leaving bass notes out of soundstage. It's like listening to a 5.1 setup Dolby movie where almost everything is in center but some effects come out of left and right speakers.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences 👍

[@aceofspades6667]

Thanks for the content Tarun... I have the H160 that I feed from a Holo Spring KTE r2r dac and pair them with Magnepan LRS speakers. I thought about upgrading to the H390 + Maggie 1.7i but have been hesitant to spend a ton of $$$ chasing a 1% improvement.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching. It does get pricey as we started chasing small improvements. We all have to draw the line somewhere. It is just that only you can determine where that line is for yourself 😊👍

[@oldgoat8861]

Back in the 70's and early 80's, (In the military) I bought a Yamaha M-80 Amp, Preamp & Tuner. Back then it was under $800. The rest of my system is all mix matched high quality.It all still works and only upgraded my Speakers and Woofer.I did buy NADS & a Surround Reciever in the 90's. My passion is complete for me.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

That is great. Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences 😊

[@doctorbritain9632]

Love the "deferred gratification" quip at the end...

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you David 😊👍

[@nicholasrigg8999]

I did too. If you can't afford it, save up till you can!

[@doctorbritain9632]

@@nicholasrigg8999 the funny thing is that even though I can now pretty much afford anything I want I still don't buy. I have a wife..... 😂

[@GR8Tmate]

‘Deferred gratification’ is almost my middle name and is almost impacting every facet of my existence at the moment 😂 Great review!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you 👍

[@vintageprinciples]

Great review thanks for putting it together! I have the H95 myself. I’ve tried the h120 and some higher end Yamaha amps but for my speakers (KLH 5s at 90db sensitivity - filling a pretty big room at 55% volume hitting 85db) there is no different in sound quality to my ears. I think you’re right you’d need some pretty intense / resolving speakers to utilize the extra power and cost of the H190

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you J. I haven’t tried the KLH 5 but have listened to similar speaker designs. I would expect that is a very sound conclusion 😊👍

[@erikmartin63]

What was your listening impression of the Yamaha versus Hegel sound when paired with the KLH model 5?

[@vintageprinciples]

@@erikmartin63 Yamaha had more forward detail, and Hegel sounded more rich/organic. KLH are detailed speakers naturally so the Hegel balance them out nicely while Yamaha was just more in your face. More "live" sounding maybe? But wife and I found Yamaha gave a touch of listening fatigue. Both amps have great bass control which the closed box KLH design needs!!

[@alexherceg9496]

Thanks Tarun! Interestingly I did an H120 vs. H190 test a few weeks ago. I found the same conclusions as you... I was expected to be blown away but the soundstage expansiveness was maybe 5-7% different (it was there but very slight), but indeed the bass was tighter and more dynamic. I think as you get into these power levels with quality amplification it’s about system matching. Many speakers can deal with an H95 and sound just fine. Many floorstanders need an H190 minimum. It’s really about how much power you need. The digital section of these amps is excellent - hard to beat unless you’re spending north of 1,000 EUR/GBP/etc. on an external DAC. It’s all about knowing your speakers (current and future) and matching the input. Manufacturers love to sell us much more power than we need, but having enough is important.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences Alex. Very well said 😊👍

[@hclandscapes]

What speakers did you listen to on the H120 and H190?

[@lonniefarmer7067]

Fun to hear a good Comparison of the tier on this company. The only time I got to hear a similar comparison was up the road at PS Audio. Those speakers however are beasts, being nearly the biggest Arnie N. (Infinity) ever disigned.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Lonnie. I would love to get a factory tour someday and hear those IR5s for myself 😊👍

[@vesnavoss2673]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 yes also considering Copland 150 vs H390 - Dynaudio just needs so much current...

[@robertnelson3179]

Thanks to rich for my blood but I do like how you give it a review helps in determining what will work for me. Keep up your style I think it is a plus.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Robert 😊👍

[@rec0n1]

Might be the most “complete” review regarding the H190 in KZbin. Great job! As far as I know, Hegels and especially 190 is one of the recommended amps for the new Kef LS50 metas. I have already ordered the speakers and now trying to decide between the H190 and Luxman L505UX II to use with my Gold Note DS-10. Decisions… Decisions…

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you my friend. Much appreciated. Kef regularly use Hegel amps to demo their gear so they should work very well together. I haven’t the Luxman so can’t comment on that. Thank you for watching and your kind words of support 😊👍

[@benjaminqilafku5714]

Great Tarun for letting us to peek inside of those black boxes. By the way your reviews are similar to the Hegel sound signature, uncolored

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Benjamin 😊👍

[@gt4viking789]

Hi Tarun, would be great with a Hegel 190 vs Naim Supernait 3 review please 👍🏼 Thank you for a great review as always. All the best Peter

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching and the suggestion Peter. I am hoping to get a contact at Focal/Naim 😊👍

[@Luke-sk8ic]

Just perfect review! You just miss to review the Hegel H120 and the job is done 😉😉👍

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Luke. I would expect the H120 to perform right in the middle of the H95 and H190. I would like to review the H390 next 😊👍

[@simianinc]

I have an AV receiver that I wanted to replace with a new stereo amp. I had just started saving for a Hegel H190. But I came across a used NAD m10 that was such a good price that I got it instead. It arrived on Friday. It might seem a strange alternative to some, but I was replacing the amp hooked up to my TV, and the NAD is TV-friendly, and despite being Class D, it isn’t as dry as I thought it would be. It doesn’t seem that loud, despite being a 100W amp - the Cambridge Audio CXA81 in my bedroom seems much louder. I think I will get a Hegel one day, but it’s probably wise to be happy with what I have for a while. Thanks for your review - it only reinforces the gear lust I have for Hegel

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you buddy. You should check out my review of the NAD M10 where I compared it to my H160 if I recall. You may want to consider the H390 as the next upgrade if the rest of the system is going to be at a similar level 😊👍

[@andreasmoller9798]

The h190 to me played a lot better on my floorstanders than nad m10, the nad didin’t quite have the soundstage and the depth of the Hegel

[@himhal4821]

I own the H95 (for near field on a desk in an office bedroom) and the H190 (for the loft). Typically, I play music from my iPhone (alac lossless format) which goes thru the home network via wifi from the iPhone's airplay feature into the Hegel via its ethernet jack. One of the characteristics that attracted me to Hegel integrated amps was the effort that Hegel put into fine-tuning the iPhone airplay codec in the Hegel. A Hegel employee during an interview commented that Hegel took Apple's 1500 page document on airplay to thoroughly understand how airplay works, and then Hegel designed its own airplay protocol to optimize airplay performance. When I compare a CD being played thru the H190 with the same song from an iPhone being played thru the H190, there is barely any difference, and I can't tell that one source is better than the other. Tarun, it would be great if you're able to perform a similar comparison to see how your result compares to mine.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi HimHal. I also heard that Hegel put a lot of work into to optimising playback with Airplay. You are right I should run that exercise 😊

[@wavesnowaves]

Great review as always. I also think the H190 and KEF LS50 meta's would be a cracking combo. And the LS50's would even probably benefit from a H390.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Evan 😊👍

[@hugobloemers4425]

Very good comparison and clear explanations. Amazing BTW how demanding those little ProAc speakers are. I would be almost worried to blow them up with the Hegel 190.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Hugo. I know, the impedance curves of a speaker reveal a lot 😊👍

[@zindahoon]

Thanks Tarun .

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching Atri 😊👍

[@jeremiahchamberlin4499]

I really appreciated the amplifier comparisons, particularly with the speakers. Once again, you have explained WHY some speakers require more power (current) available. I just wish impedance curves were available for speakers, both current generations and vintage units. I managed to blow the front surround channels on my Yamaha HTR-5730 Home Theater Receiver by hooking up some Acoustic Research AR-2 speakers to it and streaming Stevie Ray Vaughn on KZbin (too) loudly. The speakers were rated with 8 Ohm impedance, but certainly must have dropped lower playing the bass notes on ‘Voodoo Chile.’ There needs to be a better way to match speakers to amps than just stamping “4 to 16 Ohms” at the output jacks. Detailed specifications help, but until I hear someone like Taurn ( did I spell your name right this time?) tell me, “I’ve played your speakers with the amp you’re contemplating the purchase of” (or vida-versa), I’m very leery of making the investment. The lessons learned in this area (matching speakers to amps) can be quite expensive, and, I believe, have cut short the career of many an aspiring audiophile. Please keep making your significant contributions to the audiophile community’s continuing conversation about the gear and the sound. I seem to learn something from each of your posts. Thanks!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences JC. I agree all manufacturers should publish basic measurement such as impedance plots, frequency response and a waterfall plot 😊👍

[@mgsboedmisodpc2]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 have you invested in your own personal lab to confirm said data?

[@korling99]

Nice point regarding upgrading and deferred gratification. Young or old, it’s something we should all think about.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Very true. Thank you for watching 😊

[@stro_photography]

Thank You!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you 😊

[@stro_photography]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 I have bought it these days.. after a journey thru other amps over years.. The H190 is an amazing amp!

[@milagroscaviglia5034]

Another excelent review Tarun! But if you like so much Hegel products, I think it´s time to review Dynaudio´s speakers, because like Amphion´s, they are great matching combos!! Thanks and cheers from Argentina!!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you. I plan to do that 👍

[@willmac5642]

Video and sound set up is great now

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Will 😊👍

[@rlowes]

Great review Tarun. I’ve been hoping you’d do a Hegel comparison- this was super informative, thank you. By the way, are those Elac Vela floorstanders in the background? 407 or 408? They’re a bit blurry and difficult to see. If so, VERY interested to hear your thought on those - they are on my potential list of compact floorstanders to possibly replace my Graham LS6 bookies.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Rick. Always great to hear from you 😊👍 Not Vela’s but good guess. I won’t keep you guessing for too much longer, I promise 😉

[@rlowes]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 I knew the outriggers didn’t look quite right. I see they have a new range called the Solano, which look to be these - fs287. Sweet!

[@ericlarochelle8180]

Thanks for the very useful and well done review. We have some Dynaudio Evoke 30 hooked to a Atoll IN200 signature. You did a good review on that one also. We always found I little something missing in richness and bass performance. Do you think the Hegel H190 can bring more presence and punch to our Evoke with it’s different design and greater power ? Thanks a lot

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

I think I may have got a IN200 that wasn’t running as it should have been. I am hoping to listen to another one. More presence from a H190? Not really 😊

[@quentendeclercq9165]

I still have an h80. I don't feel the need to upgrade, yet. Lovely amp.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Cool 😎

[@paulwg2112]

Another great video! And my take away is H95 punches up darn close. Close enough.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Paul. With many speakers below circa £1,500 I would say so too 😊👍

[@thepuma2012]

when the opportunity came, I recently bought the H80 second hand. I really am enjoying the sound (big upgrade coming from audiolab 8000a) and I find that it plays well on low volumes. I even play at lower volumes then before most of the time.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thx for sharing 😊

[@bruceandt]

I liked what you mentioned about capacitor size even though they possess the microfarads in quantity. This is a logical piece of information for those who try to dive into capacitance in amplifiers from other countries. In the case of the CHoco Sound Emei, you find far less in 6800 x 2 per side.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you 😊

[@mgsboedmisodpc2]

finally a future review of a loud speaker having a non dome based driver. When will you review a dipole speaker you know the type of speaker having the best imaging of all loud speaker types

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Cool 😎

[@kulhos00]

Great review.. This was really helpful for me. I wasnt sure wich amp to buy but this was a decider. Since this i ve been saving for this amp for a looong time and now i finally get it. I pair it with Audiovector R1 Signature.. What is your opinion on this combo/speakers? Thank you again very much and keep doing an amazing work!!!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Karel. Very kind and much appreciated. I haven’t tried the A1s but the Hegel H190 has remarkably low colouration and very good driving capability. It should allow the character of your speakers to come through 😊👍👍

[@EfferalganUpsa]

I had Audiovectors Si1 Avantgarde with Hegel Rost and it was not a very good combo. Both are very detailed and fast and the combo produced razor-sharp, uncomfortable sound. I suppose it might be different with R1 Signature, but for Audiovectors I would rather consider something like Unison Research or Marantz

[@hemantishwaran5741]

Comparison based is the way to go👍👍👍👍

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you buddy 😊👍

[@connorduke4619]

Excellent review yet again Tarun! I wonder it the Hegel H120 would set a cat amongst the pigeons? What I pick up from various other reviews is that the H120 has a more dynamic bass than the H95, but also a clearer midrange than the H190 which supposedly has a degree of bleed through from an 'overactive' bass into the midrange. Jay's Iyagi has rated the H120 very highly Studio Incar rates the H120 as sonically superior to H190, with the bass of the H190 being "too bombastic". In sound demos the H120 comes across as being very proficient across the full frequency range to my ears as well.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you. I probably will take a look at the H120 at some point 👍

[@gardarmc]

Love your reviews Tarun, would appreciate your comments related to the H190 compared to the Atoll in200se with a Lumin D2

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Gary. Much appreciated. The Atoll IN200 Signature that I reviewed had similar detail and control to the H190 but less refinement and a more forward tonal balance. I believe that has changed in the since revised version. Lumin have a very good reputation for making streamers but I haven’t reviewed them 😊👍

[@andddlay]

Love your videos! Thank you so much for what you do. Which did you enjoy more: Willsenton R8 or H190? I've got a pair of Salk Song 3 BeATS (supposedly sound similar to Dynaudio) at 86dB If it matters, I'd like to use this alongside a TV, so it may be turned on/off relatively often (might imact the tubes?)

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you my friend. Both are very good amps. The H190 has more refinement than the R8 with stock tubes 😊👍

[@andddlay]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 thank you :)

[@RazorFRF]

Hegel needs to show that they can deliver on their roon ready promise, and that their upgradable software is more than a marketing gimmick. That is currently the main complain against otherwise very good amps (I have one). Though I understand the purpose of the video was not to compare with competition or point out where Hegel prop is a bit lacking. Great review BTW.

[@razvanvedel4102]

Hi Tarun, love your reviews as they add the right amount of technical insight lacking in others. Love the hegel amps that i auditioned with kef r11 (h390) but i ended up buying the speakers and delaying the amp decision for later ... budget ... Now i am going to buy also an amp but also for budget reasons i am left chosing between h190 and rotel 1592 mkii which is cheaper but couldn't audition paired with the kefs. As i am understanding, the rotel is similar with hegel in terms of neutrality, details and dynamics. Wondering if you heard this rotel and if you can give some advice. Thanks

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you my friend. Unfortunately, I haven’t heard the current Rotel range 😊

[@QoraxAudio]

I like that you opened them up for a closer look inside! Looks pretty crowded in there. So in short, the difference between the two are some added connections and more power headroom?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Qorax. That is right 😊👍

[@AndrewS-et2jx]

Hi Tarun. Thanks for doing all that you do. It's been a great resource for me and no doubt many others. Re the H190, I have a pair of SCM 19s on the way. You say you consider the H190 the minimum to make your Proacs sing. The H190 is sufficient according to ATC's guidance but I have read posts saying the ATCs come alive with even more 'juice'. Without asking you about how they may sound together (unless you've tried them?) do you think the H190 is sufficient for the SCM19s? Also, is the lack of MQA decoding on the H190 a material downside or very secondary compared to the hardware? Thanks.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Andrew. Very kind. I tested the ATC SCM19s with my Hegel H160. It has the same power amp section as the current H190. The Hegel has plenty of watts on tap but doesn’t have a muscular musical presentation. It is more polite in it’s delivery. Many people may be happy to pair the H190 with the ATC SCM19s but I would prefer to drive them with something with a more authority. My Exposure XXI pre and XVIII monoblocks faired better. I would have loved to have tried something like a Musical Fidelity M6SI 500 😊👍

[@marianrevus4603]

I had bought H190 month ago but it is without second small toroid. They had to redisgn it reacently.

[@raajkovinthan4663]

Thanks for this timely (at least for me) review. Great work as usual. What did the H190 miss that would have earned it an 'outstanding' recommendation?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Raaj. The H190 is a very good one box solution. It won’t sound as good as the best pre/power combos at circa £3k. Hence, the rating 😊👍

[@raajkovinthan4663]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thank you, Tarun. That is valuable feedback. I think I will expand my search.

[@bennie6785]

Hi Tarun, great review as always, my speakers are Dynaudio special fortys, would a Hegel 390 be too powerful, they are rated at 200 watts and the 390 is 250, thanks in advance.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you. Not too powerful. I have heard them together and it is a very good match 😊👍

[@Z-u-m-a]

Great review, and fully agree re needing comparisons. They seem all a bit pointless otherwise.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Rob 😊👍

[@pistopit7142]

Thank You for this great review. I did not realised the sound quality from such small box like Mojo 2 can compete with internal DAC of a big amplifier. I have Mojo 2 and I will be soon in posession of Marantz 40n. I am now very curious how Marantz internal DAC will compare to Mojo 2.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thx. That will be an interesting comparison 😊