Intg Amps: Hegel 590 vs NAD M33 Masters vs Gryphon Diablo 120

word to the wise -- savvy buyers would snap up well-cared-for, used h590... now that hegel has introduced the h600

improvements are in the dac section, the amp section is the same (bent holter’s revised thinking on amp design was installed in the h590 when it was introduced, and now carried forth into the 600 without material change)

at the prices that h590’s are trading at, one can obtain truly ’highest tier’ quality of solid state amplification for a silly low price (as such things go... in the sphere megabuck/nosebleed amps like d’agostino, boulder, dartzeel, gryphon et al)...

I think everyone steering you away from the NAD is good advice. Not a bad amp but not in the same class. 

People seem generally happy with Hegel so it seems like a solid choice. I haven't done direct comparisons, but Gryphon will give you a very different sound quality. Not necessarily better, but different. As a manufacturer it is in a very different class from Hegel, and if such things matters to you, it is still handmade in Denmark (vs. having a lot of Chinese-sourced components like most other manufacturers, including Hegel). Personally I have found Hegels rather plain-sounding and not particularly engaging. Different Gryphon models vary in character, and I have not heard the 120, but I understand it is the most "warm and cozy" model in the lineup. One thing all Gryphons have is an incredible solidity and dimensionality to their midrange and bass - not tube-like, but with a comparable density of tone and none of the thinness or grain of most solid state. Somewhat like Pass Labs, but with even more depth. Hegel is good, but still sounds more akin to typical SS to me.  

My journey started as a vintage/listening to vinyl rig and I’ve slowly been updating as my usage/wants have changed. I started with a completely restored Yamaha CT-810/CA-810 amplifier streaming music from a Node n130 through a Denefrips DAC. My vinyl source was a Music Hall 9.3 with a MC cart with a Vincent PHO-701 phono amp. I decided to try to upgrade the amplifier and possibly simplify my setup with the NAD M33 as an all in one. I started streaming some high res music and I was disappointed with the NAD. It truly didn’t sound nearly as good as my vintage Yamaha integrated amplifier. I thought maybe the Denefrips DAC was making the difference but even plumbing the node directly into my old Yamaha it was still way better. I then went to the Hegel 390 and this was clearly better than the NAD for my ears anyway. Funny thing is that in the end both the Hegel and NAD were returned and I ended up with another Yamaha. An A-S2200 now holds down my shelf.🤷🏻‍♂️

This was a long way to go to say I didn’t like the NAD right from the start.

@marcyun I met Rune Skov of Gryphon at a demo, he said that all Gryphon amps are very neutral, except for the Antileon and Diablo 120 which are warmer, rounder and a bit colored.

@bigtwin how much of a difference did going from the H590 to H30 make exactly? I see that you have them monoblock configuration in your picture?