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All-in-one: $1k Marantz or $2k Hegel?

Considering upgrading from Bluesound Powernode 2 for office system. Looking for better sound quality from one-box amplified digital streamer box. Only Tidal streaming will be used for this system.
Intrigued by marantz pm7000n at $1k, and also considering Hegel h90 at $2k. Both 60 Wpc and I believe both use AK4490EQ as dac chip (though hard to confirm for Hegel - but h190 is reported to use 4490 and I think I read h90 uses same, wish I knew for sure).
I know Heos stream interface for marantz is solid because I have a marantz AVR in my main HT system and streaming works well there. Little unsure about the Hegel stream interface.
Anyone heard both units and can compare and contrast?

speakers not purchased yet but likely Kef LS50 with Kef kube 10b sub. I understand Kef and Hegel pair well and each uses other at shows. 

I am going to try to audition both first before deciding just seeking advance opinions
kren0006
kren0006 OP
1,859 posts
 
Thanks for the nice words and for the anticipation of a further review. 
The reason I didn’t just have it shipped to me was that I ordered a bunch of other stuff too and only put a down payment down so far, expecting the shutdown to be just two weeks and preferring anyway to delay charges to subsequent billing cycle. 
Well now the shutdown just got extended another three weeks so I’m going to try and get this expedited because I’m itching to start breaking the new amp in. 
kren0006 OP
1,859 posts
 
Completed the marantz purchase today so the pm7000n is on its way. When it gets here and after I get it broken in I’ll post my comparative impressions vs the Powernode 2. 

icecreamkraft
1 posts
 

I'm also thinking same question. I already bought Marantz PM7000N, but I have return policy in place which is not surpassed. Local dealer just dropped Hegel H90 price from 1500 to 1200 euros so the difference between the prices of the amplifiers is non existential.


Which one would you choose? I have KEF R3's.


I like the features and GUI in Marantz more, but in A/B testing I was leaning towards Hegel. BUT, was the tiny difference I could hear (or did I just imagined, that's a good question also..) really worth to not take features like wi-fi and bluetooth. I don't know.

kren0006 OP
1,859 posts
 
Wow. Sorry I am no help because I never had chance to do an A/B comparison between the two because the dealership where I was planning to do so has been temporarily closed due to virus for couple months. 
I eventually just went with the 7000n because it was half as expensive as h90 here. 

What differences did you hear when you did compare them?  I always assumed that maybe the Hegel would sound little better (just a guess tho) but I knew I’d be comfortable with marantz Heos streaming interface but wasn’t sure about Hegel stream interface. Those were the two issues I’d have been really scrutinizing if I’d have had chance to demo. 
kren0006 OP
1,859 posts
 
If you can run Ethernet to it than probably no need for WiFi because you’ll get better stream performance with Ethernet, right?  Assuming h90 can do streaming right over Ethernet without needing another device to be involved- that’s what I could never figure out with Hegel. 
As to Bluetooth, that different. If you need Bluetooth to stream from phone or computer (I don’t) then that is something you have to decide how much you need. 
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