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Hegel H390 DAC

I hesitate to add yet another DAC related thread but I haven't seen this particular question asked before, so....

After owing an H390 for a year, I just got around to listening to it's onboard DAC. What?  Huh? Why? I was biased -- convinced I wouldn't like because it wasn't described by reviewers as overtly"warm", like my Aqua La Voce S2.

As someone who always advocates making buying decisions based on listening, I feel quite sheepish making this confession but as this is an audio forum, not group therapy, I'll move on to the main point.  

I was shocked to discover I actually prefer the Hegel's DAC to the Aqua. In my system, in my room, it is more transparent, smoother and more effortless. And, to my surprise, it conveys more emotion. 

The only downside is that the Hegel's DAC is somewhat leaner in the mids than I'd prefer.

Question: which outboard DACs have a similar but more fleshed-out sonic profile under 7K, new? 

 

 

 

 

stuartk
audphile1's avatar
audphile1
5,183 posts
 

DVD spinning a CD on repeat into Aqua via coax or toslink. Leave that on 24/7.

stuartk OP
2,890 posts
 

@audphile1 

I found a pair of Cullen xlr's I'd forgotten I had. Using  them in the dac loop, sibilance was just as pronounced as with the new A. Art cables, which suggests to me it's not a cable issue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

audphile1's avatar
audphile1
5,183 posts
 

Rule out the transport next. Connect your old dvd player to dac via coax or toslink. If sibilance persists, it’s the dac. Also, could be a recording. Is it every disc you play that you notice this? Or just certain disc(s). What are the songs? 

audphile1's avatar
audphile1
5,183 posts
 

If the transport is the root cause of the sibilance, you have to try a few things. 
1. get at least 200hrs of play time on the Jays. Not just on time but playing and passing the signal thru

2. try different digital cables. Doesn’t have to be expensive but must be either 75ohm coax or 110ohm AES. Using regular balanced or rca cable can cause sonic degradation. The impedance of the cable is critical. 
3. Assuming the transport is broken in with at least 200hrs of play and you’re using proper  digital cables, and you tried stock and upgraded power cords, and your old dvd player isn’t exhibiting the same issue, you need to contact Jays Audio and discuss this situation. 
 

If the sibilance is just as nasty with the DVD player as transport into the Aqua but there’s no sibilance with hegel inbuilt dac, your dac is the issue. 
 

Let us know. 

yage
400 posts
 

@stuartk

I ran across this little tidbit using Google (link)

This a response from Christian Bakken at Hegel when I asked him the same question about XLR and H390.
“Hi Rob,
Please note that there is absolutely no point in using XLR connectors unless the signal path is balanced, all our XLR outputs and inputs are balanced. "Fully balanced" is a pleonasm, a circuit is either balanced or not.
Best regards
Hegel Music System AS – Oslo, Norway
Christian “

The Aqua La Voce S2 specs note ’asymmetric’ XLR output. That seems to imply that it is not a balanced output but a voltage doubled single ended output using an XLR connection. So probably not an ideal situation for the amp’s balanced inputs from Hegel’s point of view.

Here's an article explaining the difference between balanced and unbalanced connections - link.

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