I own a Hegel H600 - how to upgrade? D50 dac maybe?


so I have this piece now a couple months and think its spectacular, just using it as a one box solution streaming Tidal connect

this is the first front end piece I've owned that makes me feel like I'm hearing "hifi"

at the moment I own nothing else so I'm judging the combined simultaneous capabilities of amp dac and streamer against past memories

I want more of this sound and am considering their new D50 dac

of course at that price point im not sure if I need to be looking at either a different dac or a streamer upgrade

one minor point, the bass appears to be a bit weak relative to some other amps Ive had, Parasound JC5 and Musical Fidelity M6S00 seemed to hit a fair bit harder but going just by memory here

I suspected initially  this may have been related to the potentially weak link built in  streamer, to my surprise, I tried a lumin u2 mini and not much changed in either bass or overall sq, matter of fact there seemed to be a bit of a loss of that hegel magic and but the lumin seemed more detailed and a bit louder maybe 3 dbs and I could not level match

conclusion...bass is not the greatest from the amp but built in streamer is pretty good?

so im thinking does this new Hegel 5k dac do more for me than something like a 5k streamer with proper power supply and/or 5k dac from another brand?

or am i at the point of diminishing returns with this piece where in i need to get into 10-15k dac / streamer upgrades to hear a noticeable difference?

I'm also finding that not many people have not heard this amp

all input is appreciated and I'll be happy to answer anything I can around this amp if you are seeking info

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

audiocanada

Yeah I would look at room treatment and maybe the addition of Subs depending on the speakers you have.  

sorry the bass thing was just an observation, the bass comparison against the two amps i mentioned was same speakers same room

either way not too concerned about that

really seeking advice on if the 5k hegel dac could be a good upgrade and best use of 5k  as far as electronics

Perhaps try reaching out to Audio Excellence in Toronto. They seem quite understanding and would be able to assist you in trying different dac options, and/or share their experiences in this regard. They carry Hegel products, and a wide range of others (including the Lumin you referred to).

@audiocanada  Before spending 5K trying to improve the already pretty darn good DAC in the Hegel H600, I would strongly suggest in-home trials on anything you are considering.  IMHO, the same money spent on subs and/or room treatments, will likely render better sound than a new DAC.  Cheers.

@audiocanada

Although the DAC sections in most very high-end integrated amps can be very, very good, they seldom are able to out perform outboard, stand-alone high-end DACs.  So I would strongly recommend you explore the possibility of acquiring an outboard, stand-alone DAC.  That's where I would start.  For about 4 years now, I've been using and loving my Hegel H590 integrated amp, but I've never used it's internal DAC.  I have an Ayre Acoustic QX-5 Twenty Streaming DAC, which has and excellent steamer inside, driving a pair of Revel Salon 2 speakers, and the combination is just absolutely incredible!!!  No bass issues here.  Happy listening