Hegel or Oddessy for Mag 1.7i?

Lynxo · « **on:** 3 Feb 2022, 03:57 pm »

Hi,

Has anyone gone through Hegel and Oddessy driving their Maggi’s?

I’m looking at:

Hegel H190 Integrated

or

Oddessy Candela and Stratos Stereo

This is for a future set up. Just would like to hear from others.

I do have the very old initial Khartago stereo amp. Unfortunately,
I’m not able to set up due to simply no space and don’t have a pre amp at this time,

I see some positive reviews with Hegel/Maggie pairing.

/mp · « **Reply #1 on:** 3 Feb 2022, 04:53 pm »

Suggest asking in Odessy circle:
https://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?board=10.0

mr_bill · « **Reply #2 on:** 3 Feb 2022, 05:05 pm »

I just heard the new Audio Research i/50 with a pair of 1.7i speakers this past weekend in MPLS at Audio Perfection - Wow

dolsey01 · « **Reply #3 on:** 3 Feb 2022, 08:05 pm »

Quote from: mr_bill on 3 Feb 2022, 05:05 pm

I just heard the new Audio Research i/50 with a pair of 1.7i speakers this past weekend in MPLS at Audio Perfection - Wow

Hmmm, wonder if my VSI-60 could handle them, I'm willing to bet it's not that much different on the inside.

Lynxo · « **Reply #4 on:** 3 Feb 2022, 09:48 pm »

Quote from: mr_bill on 3 Feb 2022, 05:05 pm

I just heard the new Audio Research i/50 with a pair of 1.7i speakers this past weekend in MPLS at Audio Perfection - Wow

Not Entry level price tag for i/50

I heard Audio Research with Vandersteen in the past. Pretty fine.

Did the i/50 drive the 1.7i pretty to decent levels?

jjss49 · « **Reply #5 on:** 3 Feb 2022, 10:27 pm »

op

i have both hegel and odyssey (stratos plus), have used them both w my 1.7i's

both are excellent, sonically very balanced, capable of delivering the current and drive the 1.7i's like

odyssey is a pure power amp, whereas h190 is a multi-featured integrated w remote, so the upstream set up would be different if using a vs b

mr_bill · « **Reply #6 on:** 4 Feb 2022, 01:47 am »

The i50 drove the 1.7i really well. A great match. Very cool and great sound.

Lynxo · « **Reply #7 on:** 4 Feb 2022, 03:43 pm »

Quote from: jjss49 on 3 Feb 2022, 10:27 pm

op

i have both hegel and odyssey (stratos plus), have used them both w my 1.7i's

both are excellent, sonically very balanced, capable of delivering the current and drive the 1.7i's like

odyssey is a pure power amp, whereas h190 is a multi-featured integrated w remote, so the upstream set up would be different if using a vs b

Thanks!

Is the Hegel a warm sounding amp or more clinical?

I probably will try the Candela with the Khartago first.

Lynxo · « **Reply #8 on:** 4 Feb 2022, 03:44 pm »

Quote from: mr_bill on 4 Feb 2022, 01:47 am

The i50 drove the 1.7i really well. A great match. Very cool and great sound.

Audio Research has always been great. Too bad the prices are way up there.

jjss49 · « **Reply #9 on:** 4 Feb 2022, 04:27 pm »

Quote from: Lynxo on 4 Feb 2022, 03:43 pm

Thanks!

Is the Hegel a warm sounding amp or more clinical?

I probably will try the Candela with the Khartago first.

Hegels are neutral not at all forward, perhaps a small touch of midrange warmth, but not much, nowhere near a Pass Labs, and it has excellent bass depth and control. My Odyssey sounds a touch more lively in the treble but the Hegel has a blacker background and images slightly better. Both are excellent, sonically they are very very close...can't do wrong with either.

Jeff_From_Michigan · « **Reply #10 on:** 4 Feb 2022, 04:30 pm »

Hearing each driving those speakers, any way you can do it, would of course be the best option.

That being said, it is very hard for people to do that especially with the direct sales model that Odyssey uses.

My expectations were exceeded when I got my Kismets that now power my LRS's.

An added bonus on the Odyssey side is that when you talk to Klaus about ordering your amps, he asks about what speakers you'll be driving, and what your voltage is where you will be plugging the amps in. What you end up getting is an amp or amps that are tailor-made for your specific situation.

WGH · « **Reply #11 on:** 4 Feb 2022, 08:17 pm »

Quote from: jjss49 on 4 Feb 2022, 04:27 pm

My Odyssey sounds a touch more lively in the treble ...

Our audiophile club noticed the liveliness when we compared my AVA Vision SET 400 to an Odyssey Kismet on a pair of Zu Dirty Weekends. The Kismet was more exciting with more prominent highs which one member initially preferred but we eventually all agreed this Kismet's sound was tuned a hair too bright for these speakers.

Note that the Kismet sound can be adjusted by changing the bias. Klaus has so many options that can fine tune the sound to compliment your preference, electronics and speakers.

"On a scale running from -10 for very cold to +10 for very warm, my observation—and Klaus confirms it—is that the Kismets are set at the factory to be slightly on the warm side of neutral and that’s a good place to start for most listeners. The initial voicing of the amps is around +0.5, half a unit to the warm side. If you describe your speakers and cabling beforehand, Klaus can dial in an appropriate setting for you at the factory."

"Higher bias makes the Kismets warmer; lower bias cooler. A couple of millivolts make a noticeable difference."
https://6moons.com/audioreviews/odyssey2/4.html

Lynxo · « **Reply #12 on:** 4 Feb 2022, 09:34 pm »

Quote from: WGH on 4 Feb 2022, 08:17 pm

Our audiophile club noticed the liveliness when we compared my AVA Vision SET 400 to an Odyssey Kismet on a pair of Zu Dirty Weekends. The Kismet was more exciting with more prominent highs which one member initially preferred but we eventually all agreed this Kismet's sound was tuned a hair too bright for these speakers.

Note that the Kismet sound can be adjusted by changing the bias. Klaus has so many options that can fine tune the sound to compliment your preference, electronics and speakers.

"On a scale running from -10 for very cold to +10 for very warm, my observation—and Klaus confirms it—is that the Kismets are set at the factory to be slightly on the warm side of neutral and that’s a good place to start for most listeners. The initial voicing of the amps is around +0.5, half a unit to the warm side. If you describe your speakers and cabling beforehand, Klaus can dial in an appropriate setting for you at the factory."

"Higher bias makes the Kismets warmer; lower bias cooler. A couple of millivolts make a noticeable difference."
https://6moons.com/audioreviews/odyssey2/4.html

It does make sense if you buy a complete new system, pre and amp. Shipping fees are crazy these days. I’m not sure I want to burn over $200 to send back the Khartago Stereo for biasing but he would certainly adjust it to match correctly with the Candela.

WGH · « **Reply #13 on:** 4 Feb 2022, 10:09 pm »

Give Klaus a call and he will explain how to bias the amp yourself, evenings work best.

And after talking to Klaus you will be sending the amp to him for an upgrade anyway because he is the best salesman in the world.

SteveFord · « **Reply #14 on:** 19 Feb 2022, 11:35 pm »

I wasn't sure what to expect about Odyssey amps but a lot of the members here are very enthusiastic and they guys here are pretty knowlegeable.
I went from no Odyssey amps to three, they're excellent and will have no trouble driving 1.7s.
I'd say mate them with a tube preamp and you'd be in business.

vintage9594 · « **Reply #15 on:** 20 Feb 2022, 03:12 am »

I run a Krell FPB-300cx with mine and they sound superb.

GeneS · « **Reply #16 on:** 20 Feb 2022, 01:43 pm »

I bought a pair of Stratos monos specifically for my Magnepan 1.6’s. Klaus knew this and built and biased them for that purpose. It was an amazing combination.
I no longer have the Maggies (sold them to a friend who ended up getting an Odyssey Cyclops to drive them), but I still have the Stratos and my latest addition is the Candela. It’s all that much more amazing!
I can say that the Odyssey/ Magnepan combination offers excellent synergy.

Jeff_From_Michigan · « **Reply #17 on:** 21 Feb 2022, 01:19 pm »

+1 on the Odyssey/Magnepan synergy. I have a Candela and Kismets driving a pair of LRS's and I've never been happier with any system that I've owned in over four decades.

Craig B · « **Reply #18 on:** 21 Feb 2022, 03:01 pm »

I'd strongly suggest throwing a PS Audio Strata into the mix. Plus they have a 30-day in-home audition period.

lazydays · « **Reply #19 on:** 28 Apr 2022, 07:12 am »

I have the Stratos mono blocs with the glass ceiling option. They'll drive any pair of Maggies effortlessly! They are very stable in very low Ohm loads.
gary