Aesthetix Mimas vs Hegel H590 Int's

Hegel vs Aesthetics vs Gryphon is a personal sonic choice.

The Hegel mates well to Harbeth speakers. The optional DAC is good, but much improved in the H600. If I had an extra room that needed a system, I’d likely get this combo.

Aesthetix is a very long established company, and the Mimas garnered many very favorable reviews. The optional phono and DAC cards are “exceptionally great” for an integrated. A fantastic looking deal for used Mimas with both cards at Echo Audio here

The Aesthetix Mimas and the Krell K300i were on my short list for my main system, but I greatly blew my budget on Constellation Inspiration pre + stereo.  Same thing happened when I purchased my speakers. Oh oh, I see a pattern….

I am ALWAYS late to the party, but since I’m here...

I, too, find the Hegel amps to be clean, clear and pure, but they lack the soulfulness of other amps (especially tubes). The Hegel reminded me of my super amp, the Goldmund Mimesis 9 (circa 1990). A damn fine amp, with high frequencies far past anything I’d heard up until then.

For all that, the Goldmund lacked a sense of "weightiness" to the sound, almost as though the midbass, upper bass and lower midrange were slightly bleached out (as was the Goldmund, although BARELY so).

I admire the Hegel, but it’s not my cup of tea. In a contest with a current era NAD (the 399, which I am getting, and the 3050, which I had for 60 days, but then returned it (the fact that it had no second outlet for a pair of subs was a dealbreaker), I suspect the NAD would not be quite as "pure" as a Hegel, but it certainly has the "breath of life" that makes voices and instruments come alive.

Not sure if you are still looking into this but I own the Aesthetix Mimas with Vandersteen Treo CT's. I will be receiving my DAC card on Thursday. I find the Mimas to be the best integrated I have heard.

I am not a fan of the Hegel Integrated amps as I find all of their amps to sound very bland and cold. It sounds like you enjoy the Hegel sound so my advice may be irrelevant. Admittedly I have only tried the 160 & 360 in my system and the issue may be with the internal DAC. Also, The Mimas with the DAC is $8,200. The 590 is around $12K.

The Mimas is extremely musical and plays very well at low volume as well as cranked, in my system. I listen mostly to classical, folk and rock music. Aesthetix also offers great service and support as well.

With that said, you should listen to them in your system and see which is a better sound to you. I know quite a few people who own and love Hegel amps so it's a matter of listening priorities and taste. I understand that the DAC in the 390 & 590 are substantially better than the previous generation. You didn't mention the speakers you will be using and that will impact the outcome for you.

Good Luck!