17-May-2017, 20:41
I've always enjoyed Hanz's reviews. I was surprised by two things; one, that he found the D130 Pro and the D200 Expert to be so close in sound quality, and second, that he found the Hegel preferable for the reasons he stated.
My take on the Expert vs. Pro series is that there is a real and apparent difference in the quality of the presentation that is not just power. Detail, space, etc; all the oddball things we talk about. An Expert 400 and a Pro440 are very similar in power, but by most accounts, they do not sound the same.
I was also a bit surprised to read about his preference for the Hegel, as it is one of the few other brands I've been able to listen to, attentively, on more than one occasion (in the same dealer space). The Hegels always sound somewhat mechanical, or industrial (?) to me. I'm totally fine with his preference for the Hegel; it just surprises me, as I, and others I know here, feel the same about the Hegel sonic character. My local dealer, who sells both, also feels the Devialet is a better amp in terms of sound quality.
It does also seem odd, or inconsistent, that about a year ago Hanz declared the D120 to be the best amp he'd heard, and the one he would buy if he was selling his Hegel and moving on. But no matter. It is still interesting to read the comments and opinions of others, esp. those who do seem open and honest in their approach to writing reviews.
My take on the Expert vs. Pro series is that there is a real and apparent difference in the quality of the presentation that is not just power. Detail, space, etc; all the oddball things we talk about. An Expert 400 and a Pro440 are very similar in power, but by most accounts, they do not sound the same.
I was also a bit surprised to read about his preference for the Hegel, as it is one of the few other brands I've been able to listen to, attentively, on more than one occasion (in the same dealer space). The Hegels always sound somewhat mechanical, or industrial (?) to me. I'm totally fine with his preference for the Hegel; it just surprises me, as I, and others I know here, feel the same about the Hegel sonic character. My local dealer, who sells both, also feels the Devialet is a better amp in terms of sound quality.
It does also seem odd, or inconsistent, that about a year ago Hanz declared the D120 to be the best amp he'd heard, and the one he would buy if he was selling his Hegel and moving on. But no matter. It is still interesting to read the comments and opinions of others, esp. those who do seem open and honest in their approach to writing reviews.
Damon
Powernode, NAD M32, Cambridge CD transport, Analysis Plus, Nordost, iFi Nova, CSS Criton 1TDX, KEF C62
Vancouver, Canada
