Question about neutrality and transparency in an amp


I've just acquired a Hegel H160 integrated along with a pair of Dynaudio Focus 160 speakers and am breaking in this combination with a digital source. The amp is quite colorless and neutral, as are the speakers. I'm personally inclined toward a warmer sound. I don't have any analog sources at the moment, but I'm wondering... if I connected a turntable, cartridge, and phono stage combination that, taken together, presented a decidedly warm sonic signature, would this warmth be conveyed by the amp and speakers to my ears?
echobase

Showing 2 responses by jmcgrogan2

@echobase, I have owned a couple CDP's that I would say sounded rich and warm. My Marantz SA-11S1 with Ultimate Tube mod by pcX, and a BAT VK-D5SE. Yes, both had tubes in them, perhaps that is a common theme. Though I have heard other Marantz CDP's without tubes sound full bodied and smooth too.

I have also owned analog gear that was very neutral and revealing. Lyra cartridges, Walker Audio phono stages, and Basis turntables specifically.

You have to understand that neutral and colorless on it's own is not necessarily a bad thing. We all try to balance a system with enough neutrality and warmth to suit our own personal tastes. I have heard systems that were too revealing for my tastes, just as I have heard systems that were too warm for my tastes. It's just a matter of balance.
I’m curious as to how you determined that both your Hegel amp and Dynaudio speakers are both colorless and neutral sounding. Have you listened to them both with other amps and speakers?
I ask because though I have not heard the Dynaudio Focus 160 speakers, nor any Hegel amplifiers, I have heard quite a few Dynaudio speaker models, and I can’t say that I heard any of them sound colorless or neutral. The Dynaudio speakers I have heard, sound full bodied, vibrant and warm.

That said, I don’t know that analog would necessarily improve the warmth in your system. It certainly could, however, much of that would depend on the analog and digital sources that you select. I have heard, and currently own digital and analog gear. Some analog and digital gear sound neutral and colorless, some sound rich and warm.

I think at this point it is best to continue to let your amp and speakers continue to break in. Experiment with speaker placement and toe in. Experiment with room treatment.
If you still feel that the sound is too neutral or transparent for your tastes 2 or 3 months from now, then maybe you could consider trying a different source, either analog or digital.