Hegel H590 integrated amp!!! The extremely high current, high damping factor, beastly, superb sounding, Hegel H590 drives my inefficient Revel Salon 2 speakers beautifully at low, quiet, midnight listening levels with authority.
Best amplifier for low to moderate listening levels
My system consists of Martin Logan 11A's, Conrad Johnson Classic 62 (60 watt per channel), Rogue Preamp, Lumin U2 mini streamer, and a Chord Qutest DAC. I realize that a high sensitivity speaker in the mid 90's for example would allow the use of a lower powered amplifier. I just purchased the Martin Logans 11A's one year ago and am not looking to get rid of them so quickly, not to mention the financial loss. Is anybody from the school that more power will bring a speaker to life even at low to moderate listening levels. I typically listen at 65dbs with 70DB peaks. I have listened at low levels and do not get the dynamics until the volume is turned too high for my ears. Any amps recommended that will mate well with the Martin Logans and maximize their sound. I know the speaker is a tough load to drive as the impedance drops below 2 ohms. I was thinking a high current amplifier (where power doubles when you drop from 8 ohms to 4 ohms. This only applies to solid state. My budget would be up to $10,000.00, but I would have to have a home audition before to avoid another mistake. Would a better DAC help in this regard? In short, I am trying to get this right, but its almost like I am operating in a vacuum. Difficult to obtain unbiased advice. Thank you.
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to this comment above, the h590 is simply superb... and their relative value will increase (meaning their used prices on the used market will fall some) in the coming months as hegel is introducing its replacement, which they will call the h600... by what is reported, the improvements are very very incremental ...sonic differences should be minimal (but of course, tbd) |
The H600 just won an EISA award with Hegel claiming a substantial improvement whilst potentially desecrating the 590 from an apparently not too bright marketing manager https://www.lbtechreviews.com/news/hi-fi/hegel-h600-long-awaited-powerhouse “The key word is sound quality. Personally, I think the H600 is a massive improvement over the H590. So much so that I no longer find the H590 particularly pleasant to listen to,” says Marketing Manager Anders Ertzeid confidently in a mail.
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The right choice of amplifier will certainly deliver what the OP is seeking. Most electrostats and planars, including the ML 11A, have very low impedance in the high frequencies. When an amplifier is not powerful enough to control the speakers, the first thing that goes is detail and clarity. On the flip side, the bass is usually very high impedance, so less capable amplifiers will make the speaker sound muffled or boomy. There is good advice above from steakster on the Voltage vs Power paradigm. But more than anything, you’ll want an amplifier that is stable down to 2 Ohm so that it can handle the wilder than typical impedance curves of the ML 11A. Class D amps could be a good direction to go performance-wise, but tonal balance may be a shocking difference coming from the OP’s CJ amp. The digital chain is also on the leaner/cleaner side, so most Class D may not be the perfect fit. Class A / AB amps may be a better fit. McIntosh has long been a good partner to Martin Logan. There are many other great options from other manufacturers as well. If space isn’t an issue, I would consider the Cambridge EDGE M monoblocks. They have a wonderfully natural tone, deliver great detail at low volumes, and can drive tougher loads like the ML 11A without breaking a sweat. I am an authorized Cambridge Audio dealer and am smitten for their EDGE line of electronics. In the right setting, the EDGE product line can be endgame. |
I just got a Sanders Sound System MagTech amp (used $4k from Sanders) for my Magnepan LRS+ panels. I have tried a few powerful amps with the LRS+, but the MagTech is the best. Low volume is great too. Not harsh or grainy, with the sound seemingly bigger in my room. Not sure if the ML are similar to the hard to drive Magenpans in terms of power demands. |
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