Hi - This response may be too late for you, please let me know if you've made a choice.
About a year ago, I was in a similar position and actually had both units in my system for comparison.
The speakers were Paradigm Prestige 95fs- large, very efficient, and detailed speakers.
My source was an inexpensive Marantz CD player feeding digital signals to both the coax and optical inputs of each amp for comparison.
The best price I found here in the US was $1760 (H-80) and $899 (IDA-8). So roughly twice as much for the Hegel. Both of these units were exceptional sounding, with plenty of power and dynamics. Both amps are strikingly detailed and open sounding. In fact in this regard, the Nuprime was slightly more detailed and open. The Hegel, though, seemed to have more body in the mids and was just a shade smoother, (in someways reminding me of my PrimaLuna tube amp).
Sonically, I doubt you would go wrong with either, the amps were more alike than different. Ultimately, Even with the price differential, I bought the Hegel.
I believe the Hegel sound was a little more forgiving with these particular speakers, ancillaries, and room.
The greater number of inputs/ connectedness was also a consideration
Digital
H-80 has 5 total; 2 coax, 2 toslink, 1 USB
IDA-8 has 3 total; 1 coax, 1 toslink, 1 USB
Analogue
H-80 has 3 total; 2 sets of single ended RCA, 1 set of balanced XLR, (I think this opens things up in particular)
IDA-8 has 1 set of single ended RCAs.
A scenario of connecting a turntable, (& phono preamp), to one set of RCAs, and a better DAC (as they continue to evolve) to the other set of RCAs, or the balanced XLR inputs, seems likely at some point.
Besides more flexible connectivity, for both digital and analogue, I am a little skittish about having so much packed into such a confined space in the Nuprime. The Hegel is, of course, larger, with a more open architecture for ventilation. Neither amp got very warm in my listening- it's just more reassuring to me to have air flow around internal components. This may be a speculative non-issue. The Nuprime is a digital amp, requiring less space & ventilation vs Hegel's unique approach to the AB amp. Undeniably, the IDA-8 is a more compact less expensive amp, from an innovative, well regarded company.
About a year ago, I was in a similar position and actually had both units in my system for comparison.
The speakers were Paradigm Prestige 95fs- large, very efficient, and detailed speakers.
My source was an inexpensive Marantz CD player feeding digital signals to both the coax and optical inputs of each amp for comparison.
The best price I found here in the US was $1760 (H-80) and $899 (IDA-8). So roughly twice as much for the Hegel. Both of these units were exceptional sounding, with plenty of power and dynamics. Both amps are strikingly detailed and open sounding. In fact in this regard, the Nuprime was slightly more detailed and open. The Hegel, though, seemed to have more body in the mids and was just a shade smoother, (in someways reminding me of my PrimaLuna tube amp).
Sonically, I doubt you would go wrong with either, the amps were more alike than different. Ultimately, Even with the price differential, I bought the Hegel.
I believe the Hegel sound was a little more forgiving with these particular speakers, ancillaries, and room.
The greater number of inputs/ connectedness was also a consideration
Digital
H-80 has 5 total; 2 coax, 2 toslink, 1 USB
IDA-8 has 3 total; 1 coax, 1 toslink, 1 USB
Analogue
H-80 has 3 total; 2 sets of single ended RCA, 1 set of balanced XLR, (I think this opens things up in particular)
IDA-8 has 1 set of single ended RCAs.
A scenario of connecting a turntable, (& phono preamp), to one set of RCAs, and a better DAC (as they continue to evolve) to the other set of RCAs, or the balanced XLR inputs, seems likely at some point.
Besides more flexible connectivity, for both digital and analogue, I am a little skittish about having so much packed into such a confined space in the Nuprime. The Hegel is, of course, larger, with a more open architecture for ventilation. Neither amp got very warm in my listening- it's just more reassuring to me to have air flow around internal components. This may be a speculative non-issue. The Nuprime is a digital amp, requiring less space & ventilation vs Hegel's unique approach to the AB amp. Undeniably, the IDA-8 is a more compact less expensive amp, from an innovative, well regarded company.