A whole load of new gear!

[Ammonite Audio]

I seem to have been on a bit of an audio spending splurge!

First came a new pair of KEF LS50s, which have really surprised and bewitched me by being every bit as good as my Quad 57s, but with bass (quite a lot of really nicely defined and controlled bass, considering the small cabinets). There is clearly a lot of clever thinking in the LS50s; and unlike a lot of clever thinking in the audio world, it all works very well here. I still regret that they're made in China, but at least the clever thinking is British.

Next, a Hegel H160 amplifier, courtesy of the classifieds on another forum. I've been wanting to try one of these for ages, since it has all the conveniences that I could ask for (bar a phono stage) in a neat package that promises a really nice musical sound. Will it finally displace my venerable old Lyngdorf TDA2200? We shall see, or rather hear!

Next, an itch that's been with me for sometime, namely the Shure V15 Mk4 cartridge. The one on its way to me has a new Jico HE stylus and the whole thing has been cryo treated. Whether cryo treatment is a good thing with cartridges remains to be proved, but I'm sure that it can't do any harm. I might have to use a bit of arm damping to make it work properly.

All good, harmless fun!

[Tarzan]

Let us know what the Hegel sounds like Hugo.:)

[Ammonite Audio]

Let us know what the Hegel sounds like Hugo.:)

I will, of course. It's got tough competition in the Lyngdorf (which has effortlessly seen off various pretenders, including Leben CS600 and Sony TA-F770ES) but I have a good feeling about this one. If it all works out, I can eliminate one DAC, one headphone amp and one USB converter from the system, and a whole bunch of ugly wires.

[Rothchild]

Love my v15 4, even on a slightly too heavy rega arm! Infact I think I just quite like the Shure house sound (I have a couple of other budgety oldschool mms) they just sound American!

[walpurgis]

Love my v15 4, even on a slightly too heavy rega arm! Infact I think I just quite like the Shure house sound (I have a couple of other budgety oldschool mms) they just sound American!

Try a good ADC! :)

[DSJR]

I'm mixed about the V15 IV. I hated it over the III and ADC XLM III's when it was launched, but ended up with a good one a few years later. Shure tried to make the thing immune to loading by tinkering with the coils, unlike previous and later models, but I'm not certain it works.

Good - tremendous basic neutrality, stability with or without damper (the thing even works with damper in my Lab 80mk2).

Not so good - Can sound small. Everything seems to be there, but you have to fight to get *in* to the mix. The V15 IIIHE (and possibly MR which I never got the chance to hear) is 'sweeter and airier' somehow - awful words, sorry -

The V15 VMR is on another plane. Still a Shure, but the music is far more accessible to me (and I've compared them directly). My ADC's are slightly softer in the bass, but with a glorious, spacious midband. The ADC Phase IV and ZLM close the gap somewhat and no, I haven't heard the Jico styli for these...

If anyone has a Shure itch to scratch, I'd have suggested an Me97XE, but possibly with the Jico SAS stylus, which does seem to measure better, even before listening to records through it.

[Tarzan]

I will, of course. It's got tough competition in the Lyngdorf (which has effortlessly seen off various pretenders, including Leben CS600 and Sony TA-F770ES) but I have a good feeling about this one. If it all works out, I can eliminate one DAC, one headphone amp and one USB converter from the system, and a whole bunch of ugly wires.


Heard ALOT of good things about these amps.:eek:

[Ammonite Audio]

I collected the Hegel from London today. A drive through central London is occasionally good medicine - coming home to Norwich is such a pleasure after that!

Too knackered to listen until tomorrow.

[Ammonite Audio]

I've been listening to the Hegel H160 today. The session started off with the venerable Lyngdorf TDA-2200, fed via AES/EBU digital cable from a Gustard U12 USB converter. Sounded pretty good. So, in went the Hegel, connected directly to the music PC via USB. Initial impressions were not good - a rather flat, uninvolving sound. So, the Gustard U12 came back in, feeding digits to the H160 via an MIT Shotgun coaxial digital cable. Immediately, much better sound, with space, depth, colour. At this point I wasn't sure that the Hegel was better than the Lyngdorf, but a quick swap back told me that the Hegel is better, painting tonal colours and details in a rather lovely way. The Lyngdorf is good too, but after 10 years I think it has met its match in the Hegel. The Hegel's headphone amp seems to be pretty good too, but further listening tonight will confirm that.

So, I'm happy with the Hegel overall, but disappointed that its USB input is so indifferent. The Gustard U12 USB converter has had a stay of execution, but I reckon the Hegel might make the Naim DAC-V1 and NVA AP10H redundant for digital and analogue headphone listening respectively. Both these are truly excellent products (the NVA AP10H is just stunning, even before considering its modest price) but there's no point in hanging onto stuff and boxes if they're not needed.

[Tarzan]

Thanks Hugo do us keep posted.:)

[Rothchild]

Try a good ADC! :)

Thanks for the tip, if I'm a bit more flush anytime in the near future I'll check them out - any in particular to watch for or avoid?

[DSJR]

ADC VLM and XLM, preferably mkIII. The 10E IV, 25 and 26 were extremely high compliance and wobble all over in most arms. Tracing of sibilants can be poor too, maybe because of the instability. Now, the ADC 27 stylus fits all three and being later and looking at odd pictures, the suspension looks like the XLM/VLM III (a brown colour) and should be more stable - I don't have spare funds for projects like this when I think about them, but a 26 set up in a Transcriptors Fluid Arm could sing very well.

I don't know the earlier models underneath the 25 and 26, but these were more durable, as well as having solid bodies. Jico styli should be fine for all of them I think (and Jico made some if not all the XLM III and possibly ZLM styli too for ADC).

The VLM didn't have such a low mass diamond, but the extra sparkle it has could sound great with music.

Later on, in the UK, we had the 'Phase' models, from 1 to 4. I have the Phase 4 (IV) and it's the best yet in the bass, although the treble is a touch too smooth on occasion. There was also the Astrion model. Clear plastic surround to body and stylus and a grafted on (a la some of Northwest Analogue re-do's) fancy cantilever and tip. I think I'd love it, but Colloms found it a bit 'scratchy' - back then, a heavy tone was preferred, rather than a livelier one.

[walpurgis]

I've used ADCs since the early seventies. the 25, 26 and 27 are certainly too compliant for the average arm.

I've used the 10E Mk.IV in arms that might not be regarded as appropriate without problems. Obviously high really mass arms are out, but I had one working happily in an Acos Lustre arm with lightweight headshell. Not a combination that would normally spring to mind.

Of the XLMs the XLM III is the one I'd have (again). I've owned three if these. Very nice!

I found the VLM pleasant but not as satisfyingly open sounding.

Not tried a ZLM or any of the 'Phase' models.


I still keep a handful of ADCs. They're rather good.

[Tarzan]

Any further thoughts on the Hegel Hugo?

[Ammonite Audio]

Any further thoughts on the Hegel Hugo?

Yes.

The H160 is the amplifier to finally displace my old Lyngdorf TDA-2200. It produces a beautifully balanced, sweet and musically coherent sound (ironically this is very apparent on some of the Grieg piano music that I like to listen to - a bit of Norwegian synergy perhaps?). Vinyl sounds very fine indeed through the H160, so much so that I'm still reeling a bit at what I've been missing.

It's not all great, though. After much listening, I have concluded that it's USB input is workable but ordinary sounding. Not special at all, and no way to hear what this amp is capable of, irrespective of whether using WASAPI, Direct or Kernel Streaming. The bizarre specification of one coaxial digital input and 3 optical is annoying and limiting. The (fairly pants) USB input means that I am still using a Gustard U12 USB/SPDIF converter, so that one coaxial digital input is taken up. The Rega Planet that I bought from Shane is a very decent transport but I have to swap coaxial digital cables over to use it. Hooking the Gustard U12 up to the H160 via Lifatec glass optical cable did not yield a good sound, so coaxial cable swapping remains a fact of life.

Next small criticism (it is a small one) is that the headphone output does not have quite the same fluid, musical feeling as the main loudspeaker outputs. This is odd because Hegel state that the headphone bits hang off the main amplifier. Whatever additional circuitry is involved here, Hegel have managed to subtract a bit of what makes the H160 special as an amplifier. For digital headphone listening, I will be keeping the Naim DAC-V1, which in this role leaves the Hegel for dead. For analogue, which is a secondary source for me nowadays, I'm happy to use the Hegel's headphone output, even though it does not quite have the vibrancy and sheer musical impetus as the NVA AP10H.

I was going to complain about the H160 only having one set of analogue RCA inputs, but a glance at the updated user manual on Hegel's website showed me how to re-assign the Home Theatre input as plain Analogue2. I shall try hooking the Naim DAC-V1 to this analogue input sometime.

So, overall, this is one very special amplifier, but if anyone from Hegel is reading this - please ditch your indifferent
USB interface and use something like the latest XMOS one instead. Yes, it necessitates separate drivers but that brings ASIO streaming which, to my ears, is by far the best thing in USB audio. And provide an extra coaxial digital input in place of one of the optical ones.

[DSJR]

You know it's possible to make the NVA AP10H even better, don't you ;) Might mean extra boxes though...

[Ammonite Audio]

You know it's possible to make the NVA AP10H even better, don't you ;) Might mean extra boxes though...

I need fewer boxes!

[Tarzan]

Thanks Hugo.:)

[Ammonite Audio]

On further reflection, the Hegel's headphone amp facility is so far behind my NVA AP10H in terms of tonal colour, vibrancy and general musical satisfaction that I will have to keep the NVA. So, the Hegel will displace my old Lyngdorf TDA2200, but the Gustard U12 USB/SPDIF converter, Naim DAC-V1 and the NVA AP10H will be staying put. If only the Hegel's USB input and headphone facility matched it's very lovely main amplifier bits!

The NVA AP10H will be making an appearance on my stand at the National Audio Show, serving vinyl headphone sounds to (hopefully) interested show visitors. Digits can be heard via the Naim DAC-V1. Phones will be either Beyerdynamic T1 or AKG K550.

[Ammonite Audio]

The V15 Mk4 has arrived from the States with a new HE stylus (but not a Jico). Interestingly, the package has an HMRC label indicating that VAT, duty and the usual £8 handling charge is due, but it was delivered without a bill.

Anyway, it will be going on the PL-71 later, when I have time. I had a chap over yesterday to audition the PL-71 with a view to buying it, and it did rather well. So well that I do wonder if I'm doing the right thing selling it, but I do need to thin out the record player collection. I could very happily live with the PL-71 or the Kenwood KD-990; however the PL-71 is by far the better looking machine.

The Hegel H160 continues to impress. Its headphone section might be improving with use, so it may yet displace the AP10H, but its USB input is still pants. The Hegel and KEF LS50s may well have been made for each other.

[marvi]

As the 'chap' in question I agree that the PL-71 performed very well indeed. It certainly held it's own with the Kenwood - a certain 'rightness' with both, albeit with rather different presentations. Most people would be more than happy with either deck, not to mention the Thorens 124 which didn't appear. I can see why selling might be a rather tough decision - especially as you hadn't really played with it before. I guess it would be interesting at least to experiment with your new Shure in each before deciding. After all, you do have 2 others you could offload first!

Thanks once again for your hospitality, & a thoroughly enjoyable couple of hours, Hugo.

Cheers,

Mark

PS. 'Swinging Safari' just sort of rocks!