Streaming with the Hegel H390

@verdantaudio 

scott, i think they just released the firmware update for 390 & 590 for roon readiness... (i don't have either anymore so i can't be 100% certain myself, but i have read this on the fb groups for hegel) --- so one doesn't need to fuss with airplay garbage streaming straight into the big hegels

@jjss49 That would be great.  I know the 190 was Roon ready earlier in the year but couldn't find an update on 390 and 590.  I hope you are right. I am experimenting with two DACs right now (Jadis JS1 MKV and the Playback MPS-6) and am curious how the Hegel will handle these elite DACs vs. the other amps I have around.  Will probably get my 590 out tomorrow for testing.   

The 120 and 190 got the Roon ready update early March, but unfortunately nothing yet for the 390 or 590. Hopefully soon. 

I had and enjoyed the H390, and currently have Wilson Tunetots, though not both at the same time.  If I had put to a $ figure on the performance of the DAC and streamer sections of the H390 I'd say about $1k and $500, respectively.  They are pretty good as part of an all-in-one solution but you can certainly do better.  The nice thing about the H390/590 is the DAC loop feature, so you can upgrade just the DAC for now and feed it from the H390's streamer via BNC, then have the option to upgrade to an external streamer later.  Don't skimp on the digital cable though.

It's a wide world of digital out there.  On the "lower" end of upgrades for the H390 I like the MHDT Orchid DAC and SOtM sMS-200ultra streamer.  I also used it with a dCS Paganini DAC and Network Bridge, which was better overall to my ears, though not as rich sounding.  I think your speakers can really take advantage of what a higher end DAC has to offer, namely soundstage depth and inner detail, and the H390 will deliver those attributes.

I'm currently streaming Tidal via UPnP.

Thanks for the input folks.