Speakers for Hegel H95 that could use its full potential.

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by jak_juventus, Nov 24, 2021.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. jak_juventus

    jak_juventus Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Thailand
    Hello Guys,

    I'm in a search for a new set of speakers that could give me the full potential from my system.
    My current system consists of Hegel H95 and mostly plays the music via Airplay to Bluesound Node 2i and Coax out (Viard Audio Premium HD) to the Hegel H95 and NHT Classic 2.

    Currently I'm deciding between 3 speakers :
    1) Sonus faber Lumina I
    2) Sonus faber Sonetto I
    3) Kef LS50 meta

    Due to the pandemic, the audition before purchase is out of the question now. I'm not sure whether my H95 with 60Watts into 8ohm would be able to appropriately drive the Sonetto I and shows it full potential or should I go with a smaller speaker with Lumina I instead.

    I really want to pick the Sonetto I because from what I read the reviews, this could match with my taste as a more relaxed, warm and laid back sound.

    What would be your choice, does anyone have experience with any of the mentioned models?

    Many Thanks,
     
  2. Mr.Sign

    Mr.Sign Forum Resident

    Location:
    Germany
    Maybe You should add the KEF R3 to the list
     
    Ingenieur and jak_juventus like this.
  3. jak_juventus

    jak_juventus Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Thailand
    Also in my wishlist but not sure my H95 will be underpowered to drive it or not.

    Most of the time I play at around 30-40 level out of 99.
    The room is around 20sq.m.
     
  4. Mr.Sign

    Mr.Sign Forum Resident

    Location:
    Germany
    The R3 is easier to drive than the LS 50
     
    bhazen likes this.
  5. timind

    timind phorum rezident

    If your preference is "warm, laid back" sound, cross Kef off your list. Although I haven't heard the new Meta, I did own both the original LS50, and the R3. There is nothing warm or laid back about either. I also owned a pair of Sonus Faber Cremona Auditor M speakers, one of the most beautiful speakers I've owned. They easily fit in the warm, laid back column.
     
    bhazen likes this.
  6. jak_juventus

    jak_juventus Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Thailand
    Sonus faber seem to match my preference :)

    The question is will my H95 be underpower to drive the Sonetto I or should I go with a smaller Lumina I?
     
  7. Ilusndweller

    Ilusndweller S.H.M.F.=>Reely kewl.

    Location:
    Columbus, Ohio
    Here are specs for the Sonetto I. I would go with the smaller Lumina I. It also depends on how loud you like to listen, so the Sonetto I is still a possibility if you dont tend to listen to loud. Hegels are high damping factor/current so bass should be tight.


    SYSTEM
    2-way shelf loudspeaker system. Vented box design.

    LOUDSPEAKERS
    Tw: High Definition DAD™ driver. DKM dome diaphragm, Ø 29mm
    Mw: Custom diaphragm made with cellulose pulp and other natural fibers, Ø 150mm

    CROSSOVER
    2.500Hz

    FREQUENCY RESPONSE
    45 Hz – 25.000 Hz

    SENSITIVITY
    87 dB SPL (2.83 V/1m)

    NOMINAL IMPEDANCE
    4 ohm

    SUGGESTED AMPLIFIER POWER OUTPUT
    30W – 150W

    Do you feel the Hegel is doing a good job of powering your NHT Classic 2?

    If the answer is yes, then it will probably be fine for the Sonetto I. Ive got some NHT 1.5 (and SW2Si sub and SA-2 amp)and know that NHT in general like lots of power to sound their best. So if you are happy with how the Hegel powers those speakers then the H95 will probably (gut feeling without looking up the NHT specs) will be fine for the Sonetto I. But probably not if you like to listen loud,

    Hegel H95 - Technical Specifications
    Power output: 2 x 60 W into 8 Ω
    Minimum load: 2 Ω
    Analog Inputs: 2 x unbalanced (RCA)
    Digital Inputs: 1 x coaxial (RCA), 3 x optical, 1 x USB, 1 x Network
    Line level Output: 1 x unbalanced variable (RCA)
    Headphone Output: 6.3 mm Jack (front)
    Frequency response: 5 Hz - 100 kHz
    Signal-to-noise ratio: More than 100 dB
    Crosstalk: Less than -100 dB
    Distortion: Less than 0.01% @ 25 W/8 Ω/1 kHz
    Intermodulation: Less than 0.01% (19 kHz + 20 kHz)
    Damping factor: More than 2000 (main power output stage)

    Lunina I Specs (note the lower sensitivity and also lower recommended max amp power compared to the Sonetto I, and that they only go down to 65 Hz and not 45 Hz which no doubt you realize).

    2-way shelf loudspeaker system.
    Vented box design

    LOUDSPEAKERS
    Tw: Ø 29 mm high definition DAD™ driver
    Mw: Ø 120 mm paper cone driver

    CROSSOVER
    Optimized amplitude/phase response for optimal space/time performance. Crossover frequency: 2000 Hz.

    FREQUENCY RESPONSE
    65 Hz - 24.000 Hz

    SENSITIVITY
    84 dB SPL (2.83V/1m)

    NOMINAL IMPEDANCE
    4 ohm

    SUGGESTED AMPLIFIER POWER OUTPUT
    30W – 100W
     
    Last edited: Nov 24, 2021
    jak_juventus and timind like this.
  8. jak_juventus

    jak_juventus Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Thailand
    Before the Hegel H95, I was using NAD C320BEE with the NHT Classic 2. It sound warm and sweet, I could says without bass at all ;)

    Once I switches to the Hegel, it s like I got a new fuller bigger speaker with just a little bit of less sweet than the NAD. The bass is just about right for my taste. I guess the NHT now get a full power to drive them with Hegel.

    BTW the NHT Classic 2 is 6ohm 86db
     
  9. Ilusndweller

    Ilusndweller S.H.M.F.=>Reely kewl.

    Location:
    Columbus, Ohio
    So the 320BEE didnt have much bass(or are you being sarcastic?)? Ive got a 326 and feel it is bass heavy. I know NHT like power, my 1.5 are 85 dB sensitivity/6 ohm/150 W max recommend and they will take and work best with (especially at loud volumes) a lot of power(Ive hooked them up to Forte Model 3, Denon POA-2800, and Kyocera A-910). To me this decision depends on 1. how loud do you listen and 2. the difference of 65 Hz vs, 45 Hz on the low end is fairly significant to me. I dont know how much this matters to you(since you dont appear to have a sub, though you could always add one later), but I much prefer 45 Hz over 65 Hz.
     
  10. jak_juventus

    jak_juventus Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Thailand
    From what I know NHT is quite a power hungry speaker and it s a sealed speaker.

    I really mean it, C320BEE just dont have enough power to drive it out. But it still sound great just really cant compare to H95.

    So Im afraid the Sonetto I might not sound properly because of H95 is underpower.
     
    Ilusndweller likes this.
  11. Ilusndweller

    Ilusndweller S.H.M.F.=>Reely kewl.

    Location:
    Columbus, Ohio
    I tend to agree with you and I would go with your gut feeling on this(plus I feel the difference bw 60W and 150W is substantial enough to make a difference). Im thinking it would be fine for the smaller Lumina I though. I've never seen nor heard Hegel, but I like their offerings/philosophy.
     
  12. jak_juventus

    jak_juventus Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Thailand
    To get Lumina I, I’m afraid it will be only a sideway upgrade from NHT…
     
  13. Ilusndweller

    Ilusndweller S.H.M.F.=>Reely kewl.

    Location:
    Columbus, Ohio
    I was wondering about that, those NHT Classic 2 look like some really nice speakers!
     
  14. jak_juventus

    jak_juventus Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Thailand
    It sound nice since with the NAD and even better with the Hegel BUT you know LOL
    A new amp come a new itch…
     
    Noel Patterson and Ilusndweller like this.
  15. Andy Saunders

    Andy Saunders Always a pleasure never a chore

    Location:
    England
    Are Hegel amplifiers quite powerful a bit beyond their power ratings may suggest and a large damping factor?

    Sure l saw that somewhere.:hide:
     
  16. jak_juventus

    jak_juventus Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Thailand
    From what I experiences with NAD C320BEE 50W, Hegel H95 60W, and also Cyrus 8XP at 70W pc.

    When I switched from NAD into Cyrus, it only seem to be a sideway upgrade just sound a bit different in tone. I even like the sound from NAD more. But when upgraded to the Hegel it's totally in different league for me.
     
  17. Toneh

    Toneh Forum Resident

    Location:
    Middle Earth
    Apologies - I haven’t been following this thread closely from the beginning… but I will offer some questions/observations.

    Looking at the specs of these two speakers - with relatively little power on offer from the Hegel - wouldn’t the most obvious conclusion be to go for the speaker with the higher sensitivity figure? I.E - the Sonetto I. Because right off the bat it's the one that can do more with the Hegel's output?

    At a quoted sensitivity of 84dB those Lumina I’s sound miserably inefficient and from experience with tiny speakers like these, manufacturer quoted figures are often a little (shall we say) “optimistic”.

    I understand that SPL isn’t the goal here and the OP’s concern regards the “quality” of the pairing - but it’s my understanding that Hegel’s sound quite refined.
    I understand that the internals of their amps get better as you move up the line and that the H95 is their entry level model, but entry level high end is still high end no? Meaning the Hegel will probably do a perfectly decent job of driving the (slightly) pricier speaker.

    After all, we’re comparing Sonus Fabers entry level lines here - not something from their Reference Line? :)
    So we aren’t doing anything “reckless” from a system matching P.O.V.

    Besides a better speaker can see the OP through a few upstream upgrades and grow with the system.
    In fact I’d flip the question and wonder - which of these speakers can actually maximize the potential of the Hegel… I’d say that was the Sonetto?

    P.S (Edit) - a quick Google search came up with a bench test report from UK Mag “HIFI News” that measured the H95's “actual” output at 2 x 73w @ 8 ohms and 2 x 106w @ 4 ohms continuous with enough current to peak at 108w and 196w at 8 & 4 ohms respectively (<1% THD)

    Sounds like a perfectly capable amplifier to me despite being the “baby” of the line up. If you have the budget I see no reason not to get the Sonetto?
     
    Last edited: Nov 25, 2021
    jak_juventus, Ilusndweller and timind like this.
  18. Musicphil

    Musicphil Forum Resident

    Location:
    West mids uk
    KEF is the logical answer as they are used for testing the Hegel in house.
     
    ls35a likes this.
  19. jak_juventus

    jak_juventus Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Thailand
    @Toneh Thank you very much forsuch a long and informative answer.

    I might go with the Sonetto I vs Amphion Argon 3s now.
    Already crossed the KEF out because I dont think I like those sound characteristic from the KEF, also I heard that it s quite picky about the placement of speaker.

    I find Sonetto with its front hole to be better suit to the room. Heard the Amphion Argon also good at this point also.
     
  20. yunie_

    yunie_ Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Singapore
    I find it weird that you try to find speakers for your amp rather than the other way round.

    Speakers for me is the most important thing and accounts largely for the overall sound that you hear.

    But if anything, warm and laid back just meant BBC monitors. I strongly suggest Graham Ls5/9 or harbeth 30.2. Both of which matches very well with hegel
     
    jak_juventus likes this.
  21. jeffmackwood

    jeffmackwood Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ottawa
    To the thread's title: none.

    Based solely on this review it appears that there's a chance that the H95 won't sound all that great with any speaker!

    Jeff

    ps. Surely the item that was tested must have been faulty in multiple ways - not design related. I can't imagine any manufacturer releasing a product that tests that badly - and especially not one that costs as much as the H95. I'm sure Hegel is looking into it.
     
    avanti1960 likes this.
  22. Toneh

    Toneh Forum Resident

    Location:
    Middle Earth
    Whilst I appreciate the efforts of the “science guys” and I agree that measurements have their relevance, our ears aren’t laboratory instruments are they? Also I weight measurements as having different importance depending on the particular component being scrutinized – for example, I tend to pay much more attention to how speakers measure because I believe that anomalies here will be more readily audible than minor “deviations” in the upstream electronics unless they are catastrophically severe? Also sometimes certain deviations from “perfection” (when they are even audible) can be perceived as pleasant to some listeners?

    Our appreciation of audio components is entirely subjective. Not everyone ascribes value to components that “measure” the best. In fact perhaps measurements don’t even enter into the minds of the vast majority of end users and quite frankly why should they? If you’ve spent time researching and auditioning a particular product that you’ve satisfied yourself is the right thing for you and it works reliably and isn’t frustrating to use what harm is there in enjoying it for what it is?

    Besides – the OP already owns the amplifier. I doubt he will suddenly decide to throw it out because of a single test when the Hegel brand appears to be quite universally enjoyed and generally reviews quite well both in the press and by those who own it?
     
    AndyCC72, jak_juventus and CoryG85 like this.
  23. ls35a

    ls35a Forum Resident

    Location:
    Eagle, Idaho
    KEF + Hegel = great combination.
     
    jak_juventus likes this.
  24. Mr.Sign

    Mr.Sign Forum Resident

    Location:
    Germany
    Yes, it is!
     
    jak_juventus likes this.
  25. Toneh

    Toneh Forum Resident

    Location:
    Middle Earth
    Lol! How many times does the OP have to point out that he's aware of this but has other preferences and doesn't believe that the KEF sound is for him? He's already said it a few times above :laugh:
     
    jak_juventus likes this.
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine