This video helped me seal the deal and I just picked up the MF M6si for a steal! The MF is more honest, natural, open, and transparent. It's not even a contest. Thank you good sir.
George, thank you so much for sharing this experience with us. There are many videos on RUclips full of blah, blah, blah but I believe that what really interests everyone is the practical demonstration of what the device plays. Even if the mic conditions etc aren't favourable, we want to have a good idea of what we're spending our hard-earned money on. Congratulations
This displays a significant audible difference between these two units. The Hegel makes the MF sound smeared and veiled. Im no fan of bright electronics but the MF seems to have sacrificed clarity and resolution while attempting to accomplish warmth. Good video and thanx for posting it.
I had the Hegel H590 flagship at home for a week, and still chose the Musical Fidelity M8xi in the end, in the beginning it seems like that constantly detailed attack from the Hegel is nice... but after a half hour I just got totally fed up of it, it is constantly in your face in your face sound from Hegel (with Hegel you hear some details extremely well, while others are pushed backwords, no balance in the total imaging). When I listen to the M8xi, after 2 hours I am still listening. It seems like the trick they do with tv's in the shop, the one's they want to sell, they push up the contrast to te max, which looks in a full shop lighting amazing, untill you come hope and your eyes hurt with that setting.
@@Cestmoi50 I am really lost with this claim, do not understand me wrong please i respect your opinion but the only situation when i heart hegel in my face was totaly new h190 using its own dac. After break in the soun was comfortable. I finaly ckoosed h390 which is an absolut lush for me to listen even with its own dac and i am looking for way to make it sound sharper which is ok, so cables, dac.
MFi sounds a bit vague yet warmer and more forgiving. Like there is a blanket covering it despite having more powerful sound. could be different with other speakers but for the Evokes, the Hegel seems like the better matching amp. it could well be different in person too as well.
My previous comment not withstanding, listening again through headphones the Hegel desplays all of the common characteristics of a lower powered amp. The midrange is slightly forward and the bass is over emphasised in the upper bass. Makes the Hegel more "impressive" initially, but the MF has far better bass control and a more refined midrange. This is most apparent when listening to the metal song. The Hegel does ok when there's not much stress on it (i.e. very little mid/high frequency content with any power) but as the metal song shows the bass just all but disappears once the drums and guitar really get going with any power. This is because the Hegel just doesn't have the power supply or current reserves required to keep the speakers under control with full spectrum powerful music. The MF is clearly the superior amp here, with far more bass control and extension when it actually matters.
They are both great amps! Can't go wrong with either. Comparisons aren't necessarily an accurate assessment of gear, as a whole lot of factors should be taken into consideration; e.g synergy between components, the room, room correction/amp callibration, the device through which we're listening. Thus one cannot base their purchasing decision on such comparisons. Physical auditioning of gear is the best way to go about it.🤓👍
To me the Hegel sounded noticeably better handling the bass line of the percussive track. Listening on Focal Elegias via an iFi Go Bar DAC. This has me reconsidering the M6S PRX.. maybe I will look into a Hegel amp!
At first you prefer the Hegel, but after a while you notice the MF is more natural , space and dynamic are more stable, for me MF has better tonality too, neutral. MF is in another dimension, more high end.
Yes, that's right! I matched both levels, because the Hegel plays always louder. The frequency range between the two is nearly similar, but the transients (fast impulses) and resolution in the highs is more pronounced on the MF. The Hegel acts more more as a "effect" amp, than a true representation.
Musical fidelity all the way. My breakdown Nad M17 V2 master series processor Musical Fidelity M6 series 5 channel amp. Bowers n Wilkins speakers Front 702S2 Center 705S2 paired together for center channel Rear 705S2 For home theater SVS PB3000 subwoofers It sounds killer in stereo and home theater.
For me it's clear the Hegel got much more control and drive over bass, feeling more punchy. Overall I found the MF less 'present', maybe less dynamic, if thats a good way to describe it. The Ifi DAC is quite good, although the Hegel DAC seems to give more insight or finesse, imo. Props to Hegel for this pairing.
The Hegel impresses at first with its dynamic prowess and lively sound to the point of making the Musical Fidelity sound veiled. But as you really, reeaaaallly listen in and compare with the Musical Fidelity, you realise that while yes, the transient response is more impressive with the Hegel, its ability to sustain the notes in a calm manner is much less compared to Musical Fidelity. The Hegel sounds less organic, and almost nervous with its attack, too eager and cannot sustain the dynamic swing as well. I suspect the Musical Fidelity is not a particularly good pairing with Dynaudio as Dynaudio is a darker & warmer speaker brand and Musical Fidelity is already leaning warm while Hegel is closer to neutral. Furthermore, if Musical Fidelity was given a chance to show off its sound with its balanced connection, that would even the plane ever further and highlist its calm muscular controlled dispersion and note trailing even more. To conclude, I believe the Musical Fidelity here is showing a more mature and organic sound. The Musical Fidelity will most likely be the better choice in the long run and the Hegel will probably tire you out eventually, making you less hungry to go back to listen.
seriously? check 6 22 and than the beginning of the same song on m6si,...and plese if you can concretize where i can clearly set m6si above hegel,...no carefully, just clearly
Thanks for the excellent post. I have auditioned the Hegel H390 (AUD5900) vs the MF M6si (AUD5000) in the last week. Yes this is RUclips so it's informative but not instructive, but I heard very similar results as you've presented here. I was utterly unimpressed by the DAC in the Hegel (DAC and streamer are primarily what I'm looking to upgrade - I have a 17yo Benchmark DAC1 and a Blusound Node 2i), so we moved to a LAB 12 DAC1 (new to me) giving a far better result in the shop. As you've shown the Hegel has its edges far more sharply drawn, it's breathy and airy. Sibilance is vastly improved with the better DAC. Long term it's tiring to listen to, it would have you on the edge of your seat. It's not relaxed. The MF I found just disappeared. Each instrument was not as tightly drawn, but the soundstage was as wide, also taller, and more importantly deeper (which you can't hear in the recording here). Vocals we're far more naturally presented - in my audition (The Pretenders Hate For Sale album tracks The Buz, and You Can't Hurt a Fool), sounds less processed and more like the four musicians actually being in the room with me. It pulls out the rythms in the bass guitar, and Chrissy's vocals far more convincingly (for my ears). Similar to what you hear here. Thanks so much for the excellent post.
H95 owner here, used to have a Chord Qutest but ended up selling it because it just didn't deliver enough improvement to the sound to justify its price (1600€)... I think the Hegel DAC is more than decent and I'd rather pay for better higher end coaxial / ethernet cables with a good streamer + audiophile switch. This way my system stays simple and practical and sounds very natural and smooth
I am very surprised. I thought the Hegel would be more laid back. It turned out to be exactly the opposite. I expected more drive from the MF with its much more powerful rating. The M6si came across as even a bit recessed whereby in comparison the H95's presentation seems more forward. Overall, the Hegel just has more punch and is more open. I actually thought about the MF before I bought my current amp. I never got a chance to audition the M6si or the M6si500 and I was very concerned whether I might have got the wrong amp. But, based on this test I am much less worried now. Having said that, I have seen the M6si sound more punchy than in this test, so it could well be a factor of matching, is hard to say. I will include a link to a M6i (an older version) hooked up to a pair of KEF floorstanders which sounded very punchy. May be the M6si is different or the KEF is more forward than the Evoke 20 ( ruclips.net/video/cWN-2bNqegY/видео.html). In any case, I ended up going for the Roksan Blak. I would love to see a shootout with the Roksan Blak and see how it fares versus the M6si and some of the other amps you might have in mind in that price bracket.
Makes not much sense to compare two tests. The one you linked has three major differences to mine: - the room is much louder and untreated. The amp is therefore not only punchier but has an annoying high frequency sizzle in the highhats that made me turn it off after 30 seconds. - the demo is much louder, at least 5-8 decibels more than mine. Higher volume will bring more punch, every time. - they use a floorstander that will give you more body but worse imaging (will not disappear as well) as a bookshelf. There are a lot of factors you need to take into consideration when building your own system. All in all, I liked the H95 more than the M6Si but not only on sound quality but on construction, too. The MF's volume pot was wobbly, had a play of almost 1 cm, and in addition, regardless of the price difference felt just not more substantial than the Hegel.
Thanks George, that was a nice comparison. In response to James comment, We clearly understand that this isn’t the absolute best way to do an AB comparison, Via RUclips. But we appreciate the video for what it is. It was meant to be entertaining. and fun. And it was. As an audio file we also clearly understand that the best way to evaluate equipment in your home. But this is about fun and enjoyment. Keep having fun and thanks again. 😊
To be honest, these videos were never meant to be informative in any way, to anybody. It was merely for me to document some impressions on my way to find the best hifi system - for myself. Which ended in completely abandoning this hobby, but that's a story for another day.
Thank You for the test, for the depth of 3D sound boundary/wall Hegel seems shorter then MF, and MF is more deep and play all instrument more natural and more detail and with distance.
Absolutely. MF was more natural, the sound left the speakers much more freely and the soundstage was more 3-dimensional. Hegel had better bass control and clarity, better defined edges around the notes.
Unless the two amps were volume matched (with a 1khz tone) to exactly the same dbA (and I mean less than 0.1dbA difference in volume) level then this comparison is pointless. It sounds very much like the Hegel is just playing louder than the MF in this compairson.
They were volume matched, as this is the case in all of my videos. What you hear is the cumulated effect of two things: 1: the Hegel is much, much tighter than the MF 2: the Hegel has more pronounced mids, giving it a more "cutting" tone, especially guitars and vocals that are living in that EQ range will be more audible at the same volume level. See, volume isn't everything. This was a thign I learned in my first decade of playing guitar in a band.
Hegel звучит не громче, а динамичнее. И он лучше контролирует спикеры, не размазывает звук . Hegel does not sound louder, but more dynamic. And it has better control over the speakers and does not blur the sound.
Hegel - for professionals. Studio, neutral, clear sound. MF - for music lovers. The sound is melodic and comfortable. That's why there are two amplifiers and two pairs of speakers in my house 😊
Between those 2 i would go with mf, but if it would be Hegel h190 vs mf m6si i would take Hegel all day, h190 is the sweetspot in the Hegel linup in m opinion, i bought h190 for €2700, h120 was just €300 cheaper at the time, and h190 is much stronger amp and for tyst small price difference it was a no brainer.h190 has twice the power more grunt and grip over speakers. That makes me wounder how h390 and h590 performs😊
You should listen to what Hegel does to sort of bake the music , it’s not good and they loose a ridiculous amount of details in the music . Its a waste
@@r.c.714 I can totally agree with that, I had the the flagship H590 at home for a week, after a few days I was totally done with it, hearing fatique within a 20 mins to half hour.
The Musical Fidelity amp is clearly the winner here ( as it should be, being much more expensive than the Hegel ). Although the Hegel has a slightly more natural midrange & a more controlled bass it lacked the expressiveness and openness of the MF. The Hegel bass was over damped & it wasn't as good as the MF in allowing the music's dynamic swings to be heard convincingly. Although I appreciate the hifi aspects of the Hegel I found it to be a little boring on some of the tracks used, whereby the MF always sounded involving to me.
Evoke 20 is not reference speaker and I strongly belive it is better match with MF because of MF slightly boosted upper trebble and dynoudio treblle roll of. However thank you for video, is helpfull. Which one would you choose?
Per me Hegel più materico e plastico rispetto a MF. Comunque due grandi amplificatori. Ma non dimentichiamo una cosa fondamentale. I Dynaudio. Un diffusore incredibile, dove convivono senso realistico, dettaglio, matericità e plasticità, scena. Con Hegel un set meraviglioso. Un saluto
I liked hegel better! fidelity did not have enough study of the edges of the range. Hegel in more detail! Although most likely Fidelity has a warmer live sound than Hegel's?
Hegel presented the music parts as it was played together and MF made the parts sound a bit more separated in time and space. Very small deference's but it gave the Hegel a bit more groove and feel.
Thank you for this excellent test. I have the MF M6si and I have a question to you please. Have you noticed any issue with the volume control from the remote controller? I have my M6si since less than a month and many times, not all the times, when I push the buttom for up or low the volume from the remote I can listen the mechanism inside working but the knob not move. You had have experience that too sometime? Kind regards.
No, I have not had that with any of my MF amps (M2si, M3i, M3si, M5si and M6si). The remote is quite sensitive though, it is not easy to set the right volume, which you especially notice at night when you want to make small steps.
Actually the MF seems to me clearer while fuller, notably on the bass and medium bass range and softer on the high medium. These differences apply pleasantly on every song of your test. So to my taste, i'd go with it rather than the other. But it's all dependent on the system I guess. Kudos for the video!
Sorry, no idea, I never listened to the 1028be. If it is power hungry, leaning to be strong in its high frequencies and need some support down below, then yes, maybe. If it has a lot of lows and needs bass control, then no.
Hello. I wonder if Hegel's theory is that the higher the better. it's better to buy h95 or h120 for bookshelf speakers. Will there be a difference in sound or just power? I've never listened to the basic Hegel models, but I can see that a lot of people are satisfied. I'm thinking about the Kef LS50 Meta or R3 Meta because apparently it will sound very good with the Hegel. Dynaudio evoke 20 and special 40 are also beautiful.
The H120 is different. The H95 and the H190 are similar, of course the H190 is just better - the H120 is a bit 'colder', more detailed, more analytical, while the H95 is a bit warmer, friendlier.
@@georgedomse Thank you for your answer. I use Hegel H390 with Focal Aria 948 every day. I have never compared it with lower models, so I don't know what I gained and what I lost. however, I like how my h390 plays. Perhaps if I bought a cheaper model, I might also be satisfied. I'll probably want to buy some stand-mount speakers because I'm moving to a smaller room. that's why I'm considering kef or dynaudio.
Thanks for this presentation. I own th eH95 and do like it a lot for it's sound and its connectivity w/ streaming and networking. However I am ver interested in exploring the MF as well as the Atoll sound. Do you think the the lesser MF models such as M2 or M3 series would still carry the character? Thanks.
Well, they do have a similar muscular sound but aren't that effortless, have a somewhat narrower soundstage and will be more picky with what speakers to drive.
@@georgedomse In your sound presentation the H95 sounded "brighter" than MF, while most reviews I've read indicated that MF sound is "bright". I used my ATH-M50x headphones thru a Hegel Super headphone amp, so I did get quite good quality of rendition. I own B&W CM9 (old version) floor speakers, so far they are a great combination with the H95. In your comparison recordings do you use 1 or 2 microphones and are they directional type such as Behringer ECM8000? Thanks.
@@utube321piotr for recording I use nothing else than my iPhone. The H95 is indeed brighter than the MF, but none of the two classifies as "bright". Having said that, I would not pair any of them to entry level BnW's or similar.
Interesting I noticed difference more with Eric Clapton song. That guitar and piano was brighter on the hegel, but the MF wins for me, sounds more grown up and mature.
Couldn't really tell. I live in a fairly small (53 sqm) apartment, anyithing above 85 dB is already pretty audacious, 90 dB is outright an attack on the neighbors. But up to 90 dB, the Hegel held up fine.
Same source, same speakers and both of this periferias very-very good. No one can decide wich amplifier is better. Let's try them simple with rca-s from simple mp3-s, with simple speakers... then may be we can hear a bigger different between them. Thisway the different not enough to decide. Because both of these amplifier so good. But we have a new question: commercial amplifier with hi-end periferias, would be same? (There was a video somewhere in the yt. Blue nodesound dac (I think) Sonus F. speakers and Denon PMA 700ae... and we know the D PMA 700 AE has a lightyear from Hi-End quality but this video shows us an excellent sound... maybe, if the periferias good, is enuogh )
Dynaudio for me it’s on the warm side, Hegel is warmer compared to musical fidelity, so vocal sounds more involved with Hegel however musical fidelity is more neutral, instruments are more accurate. If you listen to classical then I would go for Hegel but obviously it’s not demo here so other genres like techno or metal I prefer instruments being cleaner and tight. For me I go for musical fidelity, the bass is tidier too. I have Spendor and I was auditioning Spendor vs Dynaudio, they are both capable of warm presentation something that’s leans towards neutral for me brings good balance. On the day I tried Naim and Vitus amp, very interested in Hegel 390. I like the dual mono design.
hey Tsao, I also have Spendor (D7) driven by MF M6i :) preferred Genres are Metal / Psytrance / Blues Rock. What is your amplifier? Have you tried other amplifiers with them and if yes, which and what was your opinion? To my ears Dynaudios sound fuller but more laid back compared to Spendors. Spendor D7 offers clarity and punch which you cannot omit in the named above genres. Have not tried that many speakers when decided for D7s, but when tried the Spendors - bought them after 5 seconds of listening. Never was so persuaded as by these speakers. as to Video, Hegel sounded cleaner und a bit bity, dryer than MF. Was maybe even a better match for Dynaudio for those who like clarity and more forward sound and especially for the metal piece in this video. But I think this might be to fatigue on longer sessions. Hegel might be an overkill for Spendors. What do you think?
@@antond8947 hey Anton, thanks for the reply. At the I’m driving Spendor SP2/3R big bookshelf with Naim Supernait 3. SN3 is a decent amp forget about sound stage etc, it controls Spendor with ease with a good balance of treble, mid and bass, I think it excels in percussive sound, so things like rock and electronic music sounds pretty good. However the Spendor classic series are quite mellow sounding so from the audition I was comparing Spendor A7 vs Dynaudio contour 20i, I’m a classical trained violinist but I listen to different genres like rock and jazz etc so Spendor is quite a good all rounder but like you said D7 is more neutral and modern sounding I’ll have to audition that as well. As for the amp comparison, before Naim I had Plinius and Moon they’re all very good amp, I really like Moon but the higher end is quite pricey but I can say the same about Hegel which is another brand I really want to audition, but curious as you go higher level does it carry the same house sound? Quite interested in H390, people said H590 is too analytical. Weird, from my headphone I felt musical fidelity sounds dryer, I really like dual mono design, so would like to listen to musics fidelity M8Xi
@@tsaoandy9732 my choice of Spendor D7 was narrowed based on several but numerous reviews on the Internet. Therefore I have heard only one Spendor model, D7, and do not have an idea how other Spendor speakers sound as by the time of purchase we had almost no their retailers here in Germany. I could find some dealers around 300-400 km away from me. but this was not my purpose. I was lucky to find a local dealer who was ready to provide the D7 for audition and I could compare it to some other much pricier speakers. I remember it was driven by the Moon Amp and these were the first speakers which I mentally bought after just the first seconds of playing. This was just right the right sound for me. Extremely open and emotional, yet not jumping on you even loud. Clear and upfront sound what I like. Not even one speaker in a much higher league could impress me that much as Spendors. Since then we're married :) Driven by MF m6i it gives in my room an open and muscular sound, it goes in clarity and sharpness up to the point when it is on the fun side but not hurting. to my taste this is also very good for jazz and blues compositions as it makes the music sounding sparkling up to a certain level what I personally highly appreciate. And MF provides solid basswaves shaking the sofa if you let the metal shred. What I noticed in this video, Hegel sounds cleaner and as if edgier than the MF. MF is softer, a bit rounded, but still punchy. I know the Dynaudio house sound and Hegel gives them those clarity and attack which I always missed in Dynaudios. the other way around, MF softens the sharpness of D7s in my system- the biggest point in the whole story - how my room sounds :)
If you want to really hear a difference, compare the Hegel to the MF A1. The Hegel sounds “electronic,” in comparison. Of course, there’s always a caveat, which is the big difference in power.
I think people may find the Hegel sounds better here, purely on the damping factor . Overall the MF has my vote, yeah a bit more control on them woofers would be nice . Both very good .
On the first half of the session, the Hegel is the winner for me. On the second half (from pop till the end), the MF is the winner for me. Why is this? Maybe just maybe, the Hegel sounds better with natural instument while the MF sounds better with electric/ electronic instruments. Maybe just maybe.
@@bardust It may be that the high damping factor of Hegel gels well with Dynaudio which is a warm speaker brand. High damping factor produces tighter, more taunt bass. And then the Musical Fidelity was run with RCA in this test which is quite a bit worse than XLR for Musical Fidelity amps. But mostly, I think the Hegel is a better match with already warm Dynaudios while Musical Fidelity offers a warm playback already.
Musical fidelity all the way. My breakdown Nad M17 V2 master series processor Musical Fidelity M6 series 5 channel amp. Bowers n Wilkins speakers Front 702S2 Center 705S2 paired together for center channel Rear 705S2 For home theater SVS PB3000 subwoofers It sounds killer in stereo and home theater.
Compared Hegel H190 with Rotel a11 tribute. Hegel played jazz with texture and detail. When it came to displaying midrange “presence” the little Rotel slayed it. Reviewers should stop pushing Hegel, the one trick pony.
Musical Fidelity is better by far. More precise in all stiles. Hegel sounds like old Hifi sistems with “Loudness”. Mighty bass and trevel but no detail at all. No doubt
Hm, hard to say, MF the highs more rolled off. Seems you played the DYNAUDIOS without foam plugs in the back hole which nearly always lead to unclean bass (boom) with these speakers. With foam plugs it would have been more precise an so easier to judge (I do listen with DAC and high quality neutral headphones on my PC)
El Hegel le da a la música una presencia mayor; da la sensación de sonar ligerísimamente más alto y al principio me ha gustado más. El MF tienen un sonido más relajado y aparentemente menos dinámico pero me suena algo más elegante y refinado. Para escuchas prolongadas me quedaría con el MF, aunque el Hegel es sorprendente de entrada.
First off, thanks for the video! So I had an M2si and ended up selling it because I couldn't successfully pair it with two of my universal remotes. I don't know if anyone has had success with this, but if you did, please share your experience with me, because I did love the sound of the amp. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
I don't know about universal remotes, but the remote of my Marantz CD player (Marantz RC002CD) controlled 90% of all my gear, including the Musical Fidelity amps.
The TV is the streamer, basically. I am running the Spotify or the Tidal app on the TV, which then goes via optical cable into a DAC and then to the amp. So the TV apps play the music and show the info.
The MF6 got me in the last one, hearing Clapton. I had a live comp with Hegel, MF, Atoll and others a few months ago with an Hendrink’s CD and it was as if the Hegel was willing to put hits hand on and put its way of reproducing it. Not my taste. Long live to the MF.
Well the Musical Fidelity has more than triple the rated power than the Hegel. 220 wpc @ 8Ω for the Musical Fidelity compared to 60 wpc @ 8Ω for the Hegel. When it comes to amplifiers, regardless of manufacturer, you pay for power.
For Apples to Apples comparison you probably connected both via rca. Mf rca Integration on the m6si is very poor, it is a must to Use it via xlr. It then will crush the hegel!
Maybe. Then again, for a unit that costs three times as much as the other one it is not acceptable to have a poor RCA implementation - especially as a lot of great DACs do not use XLR.
@@georgedomse Agreed, however, you should have tested both amps at their best. MF decided to put their best towards the XLR. The hegel only has RCA and they didn't have to choose which output to focus on. I find that most very serious high-end DACs often include XLR and most often they sound better through XLR. More resolute, direct, controlled. Plenty of "boutique" DACs omit the XLR to only include RCA because some HiFi purists only have valve/tube amp/preamplifiers which almost never include XLR.
@@phetmoz To my ears, Chord DAC's are the best I have ever heard and they do not rely on XLR. Yes, there are better ones out there, and most use XLR, but in a price appropriate range, the Qutest would be a great pairing to the M6Si, but it doesn't have XLR, so... there's that.
@@georgedomse I understand your point but I think my point still stands. In your example I think Chord are amiss for not including XLR/balanced in their products. Something about balanced can many times be preferable imo.
With a microphone and an app at 100Hz, same levels. There is no such thing as "level matching" per say, since the sound has a different characteristic. If one has more mids, it will be perceived as louder. Simple as that.
For me the MF wins in every genre. Tighter less colouration and much more accurate sound in all instruments! Of course like all music and all equipment it’s what the listener prefers NOT price or expert conclusion
блин, music fidelity упорол мадонну ваще на дно опустил 😮 , а металл оба не вытянули - похоже аккустика уже не справляется. Либо запись с микрика лажает.
Then post your comments about the Evoke 10 VS Evoke 20 VS LS50 Meta. About DAC. I have an IFI Zen DAC and it took about 300 hours to burn to 100%. To me it's the most natural and analog sounding DAC I've ever heard. Only the SMSL D300 can compete with it in terms of naturalness and musicality. The middle region is very natural and analog. The voices are lovely and very realistic. For me it's clearly superior and more musical and natural than Hegel's internal DAC. Regarding the comparison of this video. Hegel has a greater clarity and liveliness in sound. The middle region is lighter and brighter. If you have the opportunity, I recommend you test a Marantz Model 30 and Cambridge Evo 150. And if you want a DAc with more dynamics and brightness, try the SMSL M500 MKII
"Then post yor comments..." what, dude, who are you to give me orders? I upload videos for free that take me over 8-10 hours to produce (organizing stuff, picking it up, shooting the video, editing, uploadig, watching comments etc).... You don't pay me, do you. This is not even a channel that has been created for people to watch these comparisons. This is MY ARCHIVE of stuff. Go and give orders elsewhere. Thank you.
@@georgedomse But did you burn in for 300 hours George? Just kidding, I'll show myself out 😄 Anyway, I think the majority appreciates your efforts and read the disclosure. 🙃
This video helped me seal the deal and I just picked up the MF M6si for a steal! The MF is more honest, natural, open, and transparent. It's not even a contest. Thank you good sir.
George, thank you so much for sharing this experience with us. There are many videos on RUclips full of blah, blah, blah but I believe that what really interests everyone is the practical demonstration of what the device plays.
Even if the mic conditions etc aren't favourable, we want to have a good idea of what we're spending our hard-earned money on.
Congratulations
Thanks!
This displays a significant audible difference between these two units. The Hegel makes the MF sound smeared and veiled. Im no fan of bright electronics but the MF seems to have sacrificed clarity and resolution while attempting to accomplish warmth. Good video and thanx for posting it.
I had the Hegel H590 flagship at home for a week, and still chose the Musical Fidelity M8xi in the end, in the beginning it seems like that constantly detailed attack from the Hegel is nice... but after a half hour I just got totally fed up of it, it is constantly in your face in your face sound from Hegel (with Hegel you hear some details extremely well, while others are pushed backwords, no balance in the total imaging). When I listen to the M8xi, after 2 hours I am still listening. It seems like the trick they do with tv's in the shop, the one's they want to sell, they push up the contrast to te max, which looks in a full shop lighting amazing, untill you come hope and your eyes hurt with that setting.
Hello, and what speakers are you using?
@@janulik9535 esl e13 martin logan
@@Cestmoi50 I am really lost with this claim, do not understand me wrong please i respect your opinion but the only situation when i heart hegel in my face was totaly new h190 using its own dac. After break in the soun was comfortable. I finaly ckoosed h390 which is an absolut lush for me to listen even with its own dac and i am looking for way to make it sound sharper which is ok, so cables, dac.
MFi sounds a bit vague yet warmer and more forgiving. Like there is a blanket covering it despite having more powerful sound. could be different with other speakers but for the Evokes, the Hegel seems like the better matching amp. it could well be different in person too as well.
My previous comment not withstanding, listening again through headphones the Hegel desplays all of the common characteristics of a lower powered amp. The midrange is slightly forward and the bass is over emphasised in the upper bass. Makes the Hegel more "impressive" initially, but the MF has far better bass control and a more refined midrange. This is most apparent when listening to the metal song. The Hegel does ok when there's not much stress on it (i.e. very little mid/high frequency content with any power) but as the metal song shows the bass just all but disappears once the drums and guitar really get going with any power. This is because the Hegel just doesn't have the power supply or current reserves required to keep the speakers under control with full spectrum powerful music. The MF is clearly the superior amp here, with far more bass control and extension when it actually matters.
They are both great amps! Can't go wrong with either. Comparisons aren't necessarily an accurate assessment of gear, as a whole lot of factors should be taken into consideration; e.g synergy between components, the room, room correction/amp callibration, the device through which we're listening. Thus one cannot base their purchasing decision on such comparisons. Physical auditioning of gear is the best way to go about it.🤓👍
I don’t know if this reply is for me or not but thank you for taking the time to write it
I don’t know if this reply is for me or not but thank you for taking the time to write it
To me the Hegel sounded noticeably better handling the bass line of the percussive track. Listening on Focal Elegias via an iFi Go Bar DAC. This has me reconsidering the M6S PRX.. maybe I will look into a Hegel amp!
At first you prefer the Hegel, but after a while you notice the MF is more natural , space and dynamic are more stable, for me MF has better tonality too, neutral.
MF is in another dimension, more high end.
Yes, that's right! I matched both levels, because the Hegel plays always louder. The frequency range between the two is nearly similar, but the transients (fast impulses) and resolution in the highs is more pronounced on the MF. The Hegel acts more more as a "effect" amp, than a true representation.
I had the m2si quite a bit lower down than the m6si, even the 2 had beautiful natural tone.
Musical fidelity all the way.
My breakdown
Nad M17 V2 master series processor
Musical Fidelity M6 series 5 channel amp.
Bowers n Wilkins speakers
Front 702S2
Center 705S2 paired together for center channel
Rear 705S2
For home theater SVS PB3000 subwoofers
It sounds killer in stereo and home theater.
For me it's clear the Hegel got much more control and drive over bass, feeling more punchy. Overall I found the MF less 'present', maybe less dynamic, if thats a good way to describe it. The Ifi DAC is quite good, although the Hegel DAC seems to give more insight or finesse, imo. Props to Hegel for this pairing.
You may want to peek into the description.
@@georgedomse
Yes, I always do, but we all hear different things. 😄
😂😂😂
The Hegel impresses at first with its dynamic prowess and lively sound to the point of making the Musical Fidelity sound veiled. But as you really, reeaaaallly listen in and compare with the Musical Fidelity, you realise that while yes, the transient response is more impressive with the Hegel, its ability to sustain the notes in a calm manner is much less compared to Musical Fidelity. The Hegel sounds less organic, and almost nervous with its attack, too eager and cannot sustain the dynamic swing as well. I suspect the Musical Fidelity is not a particularly good pairing with Dynaudio as Dynaudio is a darker & warmer speaker brand and Musical Fidelity is already leaning warm while Hegel is closer to neutral. Furthermore, if Musical Fidelity was given a chance to show off its sound with its balanced connection, that would even the plane ever further and highlist its calm muscular controlled dispersion and note trailing even more.
To conclude, I believe the Musical Fidelity here is showing a more mature and organic sound. The Musical Fidelity will most likely be the better choice in the long run and the Hegel will probably tire you out eventually, making you less hungry to go back to listen.
seriously? check 6 22 and than the beginning of the same song on m6si,...and plese if you can concretize where i can clearly set m6si above hegel,...no carefully, just clearly
what would you pair the m6si with? it has worm sound with boosted trable...
Thanks for the excellent post. I have auditioned the Hegel H390 (AUD5900) vs the MF M6si (AUD5000) in the last week. Yes this is RUclips so it's informative but not instructive, but I heard very similar results as you've presented here. I was utterly unimpressed by the DAC in the Hegel (DAC and streamer are primarily what I'm looking to upgrade - I have a 17yo Benchmark DAC1 and a Blusound Node 2i), so we moved to a LAB 12 DAC1 (new to me) giving a far better result in the shop. As you've shown the Hegel has its edges far more sharply drawn, it's breathy and airy. Sibilance is vastly improved with the better DAC. Long term it's tiring to listen to, it would have you on the edge of your seat. It's not relaxed. The MF I found just disappeared. Each instrument was not as tightly drawn, but the soundstage was as wide, also taller, and more importantly deeper (which you can't hear in the recording here). Vocals we're far more naturally presented - in my audition (The Pretenders Hate For Sale album tracks The Buz, and You Can't Hurt a Fool), sounds less processed and more like the four musicians actually being in the room with me. It pulls out the rythms in the bass guitar, and Chrissy's vocals far more convincingly (for my ears). Similar to what you hear here. Thanks so much for the excellent post.
H95 owner here, used to have a Chord Qutest but ended up selling it because it just didn't deliver enough improvement to the sound to justify its price (1600€)... I think the Hegel DAC is more than decent and I'd rather pay for better higher end coaxial / ethernet cables with a good streamer + audiophile switch. This way my system stays simple and practical and sounds very natural and smooth
Damn, if I hear the difference on YT using my cheap in ear buds, hearing that setup live would be staggering. Thank you! And +1 for Hegel.
I am very surprised. I thought the Hegel would be more laid back. It turned out to be exactly the opposite. I expected more drive from the MF with its much more powerful rating. The M6si came across as even a bit recessed whereby in comparison the H95's presentation seems more forward. Overall, the Hegel just has more punch and is more open. I actually thought about the MF before I bought my current amp. I never got a chance to audition the M6si or the M6si500 and I was very concerned whether I might have got the wrong amp. But, based on this test I am much less worried now. Having said that, I have seen the M6si sound more punchy than in this test, so it could well be a factor of matching, is hard to say. I will include a link to a M6i (an older version) hooked up to a pair of KEF floorstanders which sounded very punchy. May be the M6si is different or the KEF is more forward than the Evoke 20 ( ruclips.net/video/cWN-2bNqegY/видео.html). In any case, I ended up going for the Roksan Blak. I would love to see a shootout with the Roksan Blak and see how it fares versus the M6si and some of the other amps you might have in mind in that price bracket.
Makes not much sense to compare two tests. The one you linked has three major differences to mine:
- the room is much louder and untreated. The amp is therefore not only punchier but has an annoying high frequency sizzle in the highhats that made me turn it off after 30 seconds.
- the demo is much louder, at least 5-8 decibels more than mine. Higher volume will bring more punch, every time.
- they use a floorstander that will give you more body but worse imaging (will not disappear as well) as a bookshelf.
There are a lot of factors you need to take into consideration when building your own system.
All in all, I liked the H95 more than the M6Si but not only on sound quality but on construction, too. The MF's volume pot was wobbly, had a play of almost 1 cm, and in addition, regardless of the price difference felt just not more substantial than the Hegel.
It doesn't even sound like you hitting 10 watts. Personally my speakers don't even wake up till around 100 watts. Down side of having big speakers
Thanks George, that was a nice comparison. In response to James comment, We clearly understand that this isn’t the absolute best way to do an AB comparison, Via RUclips. But we appreciate the video for what it is. It was meant to be entertaining. and fun. And it was. As an audio file we also clearly understand that the best way to evaluate equipment in your home. But this is about fun and enjoyment. Keep having fun and thanks again. 😊
To be honest, these videos were never meant to be informative in any way, to anybody. It was merely for me to document some impressions on my way to find the best hifi system - for myself. Which ended in completely abandoning this hobby, but that's a story for another day.
My choice is definitely the MF because on the MF I can't hear that colouring and the stretching, scrapy highs.
Thank You for the test, for the depth of 3D sound boundary/wall Hegel seems shorter then MF, and MF is more deep and play all instrument more natural and more detail and with distance.
Absolutely. MF was more natural, the sound left the speakers much more freely and the soundstage was more 3-dimensional. Hegel had better bass control and clarity, better defined edges around the notes.
@@georgedomse That's why I choose Hegel
Unless the two amps were volume matched (with a 1khz tone) to exactly the same dbA (and I mean less than 0.1dbA difference in volume) level then this comparison is pointless. It sounds very much like the Hegel is just playing louder than the MF in this compairson.
absulutly agree
They were volume matched, as this is the case in all of my videos. What you hear is the cumulated effect of two things:
1: the Hegel is much, much tighter than the MF
2: the Hegel has more pronounced mids, giving it a more "cutting" tone, especially guitars and vocals that are living in that EQ range will be more audible at the same volume level.
See, volume isn't everything. This was a thign I learned in my first decade of playing guitar in a band.
Hegel звучит не громче, а динамичнее. И он лучше контролирует спикеры, не размазывает звук .
Hegel does not sound louder, but more dynamic. And it has better control over the speakers and does not blur the sound.
Hegel - for professionals. Studio, neutral, clear sound. MF - for music lovers. The sound is melodic and comfortable. That's why there are two amplifiers and two pairs of speakers in my house 😊
Between those 2 i would go with mf, but if it would be Hegel h190 vs mf m6si i would take Hegel all day, h190 is the sweetspot in the Hegel linup in m opinion, i bought h190 for €2700, h120 was just €300 cheaper at the time, and h190 is much stronger amp and for tyst small price difference it was a no brainer.h190 has twice the power more grunt and grip over speakers. That makes me wounder how h390 and h590 performs😊
One more for the Hegel. It is surprising how much clearer and more detailed it sounds.
You should listen to what Hegel does to sort of bake the music , it’s not good and they loose a ridiculous amount of details in the music . Its a waste
@@r.c.714 I can totally agree with that, I had the the flagship H590 at home for a week, after a few days I was totally done with it, hearing fatique within a 20 mins to half hour.
The sound of Hegel is very aggressive, sharp! on the other hand, the M6 is more relaxed without being fatiguing and warmer
Hegel is for sure more dynamic, but I prefer the neutral and natural sound of the M6si this time, thanks for the video :)
For me Hegel is more accurate, dynamic, detailed. I do not know if that is while sitting in the room.
The Musical Fidelity amp is clearly the winner here ( as it should be, being much more expensive than the Hegel ). Although the Hegel has a slightly more natural midrange & a more controlled bass it lacked the expressiveness and openness of the MF. The Hegel bass was over damped & it wasn't as good as the MF in allowing the music's dynamic swings to be heard convincingly. Although I appreciate the hifi aspects of the Hegel I found it to be a little boring on some of the tracks used, whereby the MF always sounded involving to me.
You say redicoulus but it's one of the best comparisons. For me it's hegel. That doesn't mean i wouldn't be happy with the musical fidelity
Evoke 20 is not reference speaker and I strongly belive it is better match with MF because of MF slightly boosted upper trebble and dynoudio treblle roll of. However thank you for video, is helpfull. Which one would you choose?
Per me Hegel più materico e plastico rispetto a MF. Comunque due grandi amplificatori. Ma non dimentichiamo una cosa fondamentale. I Dynaudio. Un diffusore incredibile, dove convivono senso realistico, dettaglio, matericità e plasticità, scena. Con Hegel un set meraviglioso. Un saluto
Thanks for this presentation 👍
Hegel is the best. MF sounds restricted compared to the Hegel. I listened on M Audio studio monitors.
I liked hegel better! fidelity did not have enough study of the edges of the range. Hegel in more detail!
Although most likely Fidelity has a warmer live sound than Hegel's?
Hegel presented the music parts as it was played together and MF made the parts sound a bit more separated in time and space. Very small deference's but it gave the Hegel a bit more groove and feel.
Great test, thanks.
Hegel: Vizsgára készülő zenészek tűpontosan játszák a darabot. MF: zenészek összeálltak jam-melni, örömzenélnek. Nekem az MF zeneibb, folyékonyabb, a Hegel meg katonás rendben játszik.
Ennyi ! 👌
Thank you for this excellent test.
I have the MF M6si and I have a question to you please. Have you noticed any issue with the volume control from the remote controller? I have my M6si since less than a month and many times, not all the times, when I push the buttom for up or low the volume from the remote I can listen the mechanism inside working but the knob not move. You had have experience that too sometime? Kind regards.
No, I have not had that with any of my MF amps (M2si, M3i, M3si, M5si and M6si). The remote is quite sensitive though, it is not easy to set the right volume, which you especially notice at night when you want to make small steps.
Musical fidelity is much more better and detailed. Pls listen last 2 tracks (time starts from 9.56)
Zestawienie Hegel H95 z MF M6si jest nietrafione. Hegel H95 to MF M3Si
Actually the MF seems to me clearer while fuller, notably on the bass and medium bass range and softer on the high medium. These differences apply pleasantly on every song of your test. So to my taste, i'd go with it rather than the other. But it's all dependent on the system I guess. Kudos for the video!
If I was buying based on this audition I would choose the Hegel. The difference is not subtle.
Hi, do you think that the M6si would pair well with the Focal Electra 1028be? Thanks I'm advance bud.
Sorry, no idea, I never listened to the 1028be. If it is power hungry, leaning to be strong in its high frequencies and need some support down below, then yes, maybe. If it has a lot of lows and needs bass control, then no.
I can’t figure out which is which but i like the sound of the amp on the left side. Whatever that is.
Maybe you should check the chapter titles? Or the brand logos on the amps? i don't know, it seems there are a lot of clues?
Musical fidelity a bit more forgiving. Hegel pairs better with these speakers..
Hegel, it's both warmer and more detailed at the same time. Smooth and revealing.
Hello. I wonder if Hegel's theory is that the higher the better. it's better to buy h95 or h120 for bookshelf speakers. Will there be a difference in sound or just power? I've never listened to the basic Hegel models, but I can see that a lot of people are satisfied. I'm thinking about the Kef LS50 Meta or R3 Meta because apparently it will sound very good with the Hegel. Dynaudio evoke 20 and special 40 are also beautiful.
The H120 is different. The H95 and the H190 are similar, of course the H190 is just better - the H120 is a bit 'colder', more detailed, more analytical, while the H95 is a bit warmer, friendlier.
@@georgedomse Thank you for your answer. I use Hegel H390 with Focal Aria 948 every day. I have never compared it with lower models, so I don't know what I gained and what I lost. however, I like how my h390 plays. Perhaps if I bought a cheaper model, I might also be satisfied. I'll probably want to buy some stand-mount speakers because I'm moving to a smaller room. that's why I'm considering kef or dynaudio.
thank you..wonderful video.
Hegel sounds way better to me. Very surprising.
Thanks for this presentation. I own th eH95 and do like it a lot for it's sound and its connectivity w/ streaming and networking. However I am ver interested in exploring the MF as well as the Atoll sound. Do you think the the lesser MF models such as M2 or M3 series would still carry the character? Thanks.
Well, they do have a similar muscular sound but aren't that effortless, have a somewhat narrower soundstage and will be more picky with what speakers to drive.
@@georgedomse In your sound presentation the H95 sounded "brighter" than MF, while most reviews I've read indicated that MF sound is "bright". I used my ATH-M50x headphones thru a Hegel Super headphone amp, so I did get quite good quality of rendition. I own B&W CM9 (old version) floor speakers, so far they are a great combination with the H95.
In your comparison recordings do you use 1 or 2 microphones and are they directional type such as Behringer ECM8000? Thanks.
@@utube321piotr for recording I use nothing else than my iPhone.
The H95 is indeed brighter than the MF, but none of the two classifies as "bright". Having said that, I would not pair any of them to entry level BnW's or similar.
Interesting I noticed difference more with Eric Clapton song. That guitar and piano was brighter on the hegel, but the MF wins for me, sounds more grown up and mature.
Hegel does not sound louder, but more dynamic. And it has better control over the speakers and does not blur the sound.
For me personally, Hegel is better. Compared to Musical fidelity, the Norwegian sings with the purest sound, like spring water. This is my sound.
Szuper kis videók, Gratula. A Hegel+Dyno kombó=LOVE és itt egyértelműen jobb.. Szerintem egy izmos angol dobozzal már más volna a helyzet.
Wow, the Hegel really shines here. Was the Hegel able to stay in control of the Evokes at elevated (loud lol) listening volumes?!?
Couldn't really tell. I live in a fairly small (53 sqm) apartment, anyithing above 85 dB is already pretty audacious, 90 dB is outright an attack on the neighbors. But up to 90 dB, the Hegel held up fine.
When an amp is as smooth as the M6si and dynamic as the H95 it is called ... High End.
Same source, same speakers and both of this periferias very-very good. No one can decide wich amplifier is better. Let's try them simple with rca-s from simple mp3-s, with simple speakers... then may be we can hear a bigger different between them. Thisway the different not enough to decide. Because both of these amplifier so good. But we have a new question: commercial amplifier with hi-end periferias, would be same?
(There was a video somewhere in the yt. Blue nodesound dac (I think) Sonus F. speakers and Denon PMA 700ae... and we know the D PMA 700 AE has a lightyear from Hi-End quality but this video shows us an excellent sound... maybe, if the periferias good, is enuogh )
Thank you very much for the comparison ❤
Dynaudio for me it’s on the warm side, Hegel is warmer compared to musical fidelity, so vocal sounds more involved with Hegel however musical fidelity is more neutral, instruments are more accurate. If you listen to classical then I would go for Hegel but obviously it’s not demo here so other genres like techno or metal I prefer instruments being cleaner and tight. For me I go for musical fidelity, the bass is tidier too. I have Spendor and I was auditioning Spendor vs Dynaudio, they are both capable of warm presentation something that’s leans towards neutral for me brings good balance. On the day I tried Naim and Vitus amp, very interested in Hegel 390. I like the dual mono design.
hey Tsao, I also have Spendor (D7) driven by MF M6i :) preferred Genres are Metal / Psytrance / Blues Rock. What is your amplifier? Have you tried other amplifiers with them and if yes, which and what was your opinion?
To my ears Dynaudios sound fuller but more laid back compared to Spendors. Spendor D7 offers clarity and punch which you cannot omit in the named above genres. Have not tried that many speakers when decided for D7s, but when tried the Spendors - bought them after 5 seconds of listening. Never was so persuaded as by these speakers.
as to Video, Hegel sounded cleaner und a bit bity, dryer than MF. Was maybe even a better match for Dynaudio for those who like clarity and more forward sound and especially for the metal piece in this video. But I think this might be to fatigue on longer sessions. Hegel might be an overkill for Spendors. What do you think?
@@antond8947 hey Anton, thanks for the reply. At the I’m driving Spendor SP2/3R big bookshelf with Naim Supernait 3. SN3 is a decent amp forget about sound stage etc, it controls Spendor with ease with a good balance of treble, mid and bass, I think it excels in percussive sound, so things like rock and electronic music sounds pretty good. However the Spendor classic series are quite mellow sounding so from the audition I was comparing Spendor A7 vs Dynaudio contour 20i, I’m a classical trained violinist but I listen to different genres like rock and jazz etc so Spendor is quite a good all rounder but like you said D7 is more neutral and modern sounding I’ll have to audition that as well.
As for the amp comparison, before Naim I had Plinius and Moon they’re all very good amp, I really like Moon but the higher end is quite pricey but I can say the same about Hegel which is another brand I really want to audition, but curious as you go higher level does it carry the same house sound? Quite interested in H390, people said H590 is too analytical. Weird, from my headphone I felt musical fidelity sounds dryer, I really like dual mono design, so would like to listen to musics fidelity M8Xi
@@tsaoandy9732 my choice of Spendor D7 was narrowed based on several but numerous reviews on the Internet. Therefore I have heard only one Spendor model, D7, and do not have an idea how other Spendor speakers sound as by the time of purchase we had almost no their retailers here in Germany. I could find some dealers around 300-400 km away from me. but this was not my purpose. I was lucky to find a local dealer who was ready to provide the D7 for audition and I could compare it to some other much pricier speakers. I remember it was driven by the Moon Amp and these were the first speakers which I mentally bought after just the first seconds of playing. This was just right the right sound for me. Extremely open and emotional, yet not jumping on you even loud. Clear and upfront sound what I like. Not even one speaker in a much higher league could impress me that much as Spendors. Since then we're married :)
Driven by MF m6i it gives in my room an open and muscular sound, it goes in clarity and sharpness up to the point when it is on the fun side but not hurting. to my taste this is also very good for jazz and blues compositions as it makes the music sounding sparkling up to a certain level what I personally highly appreciate. And MF provides solid basswaves shaking the sofa if you let the metal shred.
What I noticed in this video, Hegel sounds cleaner and as if edgier than the MF. MF is softer, a bit rounded, but still punchy. I know the Dynaudio house sound and Hegel gives them those clarity and attack which I always missed in Dynaudios. the other way around, MF softens the sharpness of D7s in my system- the biggest point in the whole story - how my room sounds :)
like the Hegel better, maybe the pairing with the dynaudios works better.
If you want to really hear a difference, compare the Hegel to the MF A1. The Hegel sounds “electronic,” in comparison. Of course, there’s always a caveat, which is the big difference in power.
M6si❤
I think people may find the Hegel sounds better here, purely on the damping factor . Overall the MF has my vote, yeah a bit more control on them woofers would be nice . Both very good .
Hegel H95 👍
Hegel is the best. Warm sound and more balanced
On the first half of the session, the Hegel is the winner for me. On the second half (from pop till the end), the MF is the winner for me. Why is this? Maybe just maybe, the Hegel sounds better with natural instument while the MF sounds better with electric/ electronic instruments. Maybe just maybe.
One theory here is that the Hegel in its transparency exposes poorer recordings (like pop and electronic music tend to be) more so than the MF.
@@bardust It may be that the high damping factor of Hegel gels well with Dynaudio which is a warm speaker brand. High damping factor produces tighter, more taunt bass. And then the Musical Fidelity was run with RCA in this test which is quite a bit worse than XLR for Musical Fidelity amps. But mostly, I think the Hegel is a better match with already warm Dynaudios while Musical Fidelity offers a warm playback already.
Musical fidelity all the way.
My breakdown
Nad M17 V2 master series processor
Musical Fidelity M6 series 5 channel amp.
Bowers n Wilkins speakers
Front 702S2
Center 705S2 paired together for center channel
Rear 705S2
For home theater SVS PB3000 subwoofers
It sounds killer in stereo and home theater.
of course, the MF has FAR more power if that is a requirement.
MF sounds more dynamic and natural.
hegel: techno & metal
Compared Hegel H190 with Rotel a11 tribute. Hegel played jazz with texture and detail. When it came to displaying midrange “presence” the little Rotel slayed it. Reviewers should stop pushing Hegel, the one trick pony.
There is no contest here. Hegel is the better one for my taste!
I'm interested in what you think ...
Hi George, Great video! How many db were you playing the music at?
When reviewing gear I always set the loudness to around 73-75 dB average with 81 dB peak.
Musical Fidelity is better by far. More precise in all stiles. Hegel sounds like old Hifi sistems with “Loudness”. Mighty bass and trevel but no detail at all. No doubt
No contest. Musical Fidelity all the way.
Hm, hard to say, MF the highs more rolled off. Seems you played the DYNAUDIOS without foam plugs in the back hole which nearly always lead to unclean bass (boom) with these speakers. With foam plugs it would have been more precise an so easier to judge (I do listen with DAC and high quality neutral headphones on my PC)
El Hegel le da a la música una presencia mayor; da la sensación de sonar ligerísimamente más alto y al principio me ha gustado más. El MF tienen un sonido más relajado y aparentemente menos dinámico pero me suena algo más elegante y refinado. Para escuchas prolongadas me quedaría con el MF, aunque el Hegel es sorprendente de entrada.
MF more details, but less for voices in classic music range.
For Rock, pop and Blues, MF is better for me.
Thanks for this compare.
Seb (🇫🇷)
First off, thanks for the video! So I had an M2si and ended up selling it because I couldn't successfully pair it with two of my universal remotes. I don't know if anyone has had success with this, but if you did, please share your experience with me, because I did love the sound of the amp. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
I don't know about universal remotes, but the remote of my Marantz CD player (Marantz RC002CD) controlled 90% of all my gear, including the Musical Fidelity amps.
@@georgedomse thanks for the reply. I had no freakin luck. The remote that I use is the Sofabaton. Damn!
Hegel all day everyda.
I apologize, I am new to the hifi world, how did you connect the tv to show now playing information?
The TV is the streamer, basically. I am running the Spotify or the Tidal app on the TV, which then goes via optical cable into a DAC and then to the amp. So the TV apps play the music and show the info.
@@georgedomse ok thank you
My choice is Hegel
Hegel win.
Great comparison.
The MF6 got me in the last one, hearing Clapton. I had a live comp with Hegel, MF, Atoll and others a few months ago with an Hendrink’s CD and it was as if the Hegel was willing to put hits hand on and put its way of reproducing it. Not my taste. Long live to the MF.
Can't believe the MF costs twice as much as the Hegel 😮
Well the Musical Fidelity has more than triple the rated power than the Hegel. 220 wpc @ 8Ω for the Musical Fidelity compared to 60 wpc @ 8Ω for the Hegel. When it comes to amplifiers, regardless of manufacturer, you pay for power.
@@bburkie55 Put the MF with a bigger speaker and the MF will pull away from this Hegel.
For Apples to Apples comparison you probably connected both via rca. Mf rca Integration on the m6si is very poor, it is a must to Use it via xlr. It then will crush the hegel!
Maybe. Then again, for a unit that costs three times as much as the other one it is not acceptable to have a poor RCA implementation - especially as a lot of great DACs do not use XLR.
@@georgedomse Agreed, however, you should have tested both amps at their best. MF decided to put their best towards the XLR. The hegel only has RCA and they didn't have to choose which output to focus on. I find that most very serious high-end DACs often include XLR and most often they sound better through XLR. More resolute, direct, controlled. Plenty of "boutique" DACs omit the XLR to only include RCA because some HiFi purists only have valve/tube amp/preamplifiers which almost never include XLR.
@@phetmoz To my ears, Chord DAC's are the best I have ever heard and they do not rely on XLR. Yes, there are better ones out there, and most use XLR, but in a price appropriate range, the Qutest would be a great pairing to the M6Si, but it doesn't have XLR, so... there's that.
@@georgedomse I understand your point but I think my point still stands. In your example I think Chord are amiss for not including XLR/balanced in their products. Something about balanced can many times be preferable imo.
I prefer the sound of MF M6si. Is more natural, doesn't want to proof anything, is just music.
They are clearly not level mached.
How do you do level maching?
Hegel is louder
With a microphone and an app at 100Hz, same levels.
There is no such thing as "level matching" per say, since the sound has a different characteristic. If one has more mids, it will be perceived as louder. Simple as that.
Hegel 👍
Hegel and Yamaha 2200 would be a great battle
For me the MF wins in every genre. Tighter less colouration and much more accurate sound in all instruments!
Of course like all music and all equipment it’s what the listener prefers NOT price or expert conclusion
hegel is high and a bit flat,m6 is smooth and a bit more definition
Hegel, more detailed
Hegel volume is higher , so it's difficult
It's not, but I have discussed this in various comments and many of my video descriptions.
Hegel wins 🎉
блин, music fidelity упорол мадонну ваще на дно опустил 😮 , а металл оба не вытянули - похоже аккустика уже не справляется. Либо запись с микрика лажает.
MF has tighter bass, more detail and is just a more lively sound. I'm buyin'
Hegel
They sound the same. If you have to choose get the cheaper one.
Musical Fidelity sings
Then post your comments about the Evoke 10 VS Evoke 20 VS LS50 Meta.
About DAC. I have an IFI Zen DAC and it took about 300 hours to burn to 100%. To me it's the most natural and analog sounding DAC I've ever heard. Only the SMSL D300 can compete with it in terms of naturalness and musicality. The middle region is very natural and analog. The voices are lovely and very realistic. For me it's clearly superior and more musical and natural than Hegel's internal DAC.
Regarding the comparison of this video. Hegel has a greater clarity and liveliness in sound. The middle region is lighter and brighter.
If you have the opportunity, I recommend you test a Marantz Model 30 and Cambridge Evo 150.
And if you want a DAc with more dynamics and brightness, try the SMSL M500 MKII
"Then post yor comments..." what, dude, who are you to give me orders? I upload videos for free that take me over 8-10 hours to produce (organizing stuff, picking it up, shooting the video, editing, uploadig, watching comments etc).... You don't pay me, do you.
This is not even a channel that has been created for people to watch these comparisons. This is MY ARCHIVE of stuff.
Go and give orders elsewhere. Thank you.
@@georgedomse
But did you burn in for 300 hours George?
Just kidding, I'll show myself out 😄
Anyway, I think the majority appreciates your efforts and read the disclosure. 🙃
M6 Si
The MF is far less sibilant. The Hegel is ear piercing at the start. Don’t like it.