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  1. December 3, 2022, 09:36 PM #1
    wbt0927
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    Need advice. New to Hegel and new to high end audio

    Recently my 1980's Marantz receiver died. I've always been interested audio and love to have music playing all day and so I decided to spend a little money on an intermediate system: I bought a new Hegel 190 and a Bluesound Node 2i. I got a pair of used Dynaudio 34's and a used NAD C546BEE cd player. I've been streaming with the BluOs app: Tunein, Radio Paradise, Calm Radio, iHeartRadio etc. I've also ripped a few hundred of my CDs using the XLD software and added a NAS to my network. The sound is great and the variety and convenience of computer audio is amazing compared to what I was used to. However, my reading on the subject of computer audio and high resolution music have convinced me that I am still in the moron stage regarding this hobby (think of a caveman loose in a nuclear power plant). This revelation came when an old friend of mine gave me a Mytek Liberty DAC for free. I began wondering if the Mytek DAC would sound better than the Hegel (built in DAC) or the DAC in the Node 2i when it occurred to me that I did not know how to connect it! I spent time reading as much as I could about A/B testing (most of it way over my head) when I realized that I don't even know what DAC I'm using now (Hegel or Node 2i). I have the Node 2i coaxial out connected to the Hegel coaxial 1 input. Which DAC am I using? Which DAC am I bypassing? I have no idea. I can't even begin to imagine how to connect and test the Mytek. Which in or out. What cable optical/usb/coaxial? My ignorance is profound. I'm not afraid to read. I taught English on the high school and college level for 25 years and I've noticed that most of the literature on high res computer audio assumes a base knowledge that I simply don't have. I need advice and direction on this subject and my system connections. Sorry that this post is so long but I've been away from this subject for so long that a concise description of my ignorance is impossible. Thanks for your time. Bill
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  2. December 4, 2022, 12:02 AM #2
    Jack
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    Re: Need advice. New to Hegel and new to high end audio

    If your outputting from the Node via Coax to the Hegel then you're using the Hegel's built in DAC. You are only using the Node's DAC if your outputting from the Analog outputs. Only way to know if the Mytek is better to your ears is to try it. To do so you would need to connect the he Node to the Mytek via Coax and the Mytek to the Hegel via it's Analog(RCA) outputs.
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  3. December 4, 2022, 07:19 AM #3
    Hear Here
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    Re: Need advice. New to Hegel and new to high end audio

    > I don't even know what DAC I'm using now (Hegel or Node 2i). I have the Node 2i coaxial out connected to the Hegel coaxial 1 input. Which DAC am I using? Which DAC am I bypassing?

    This is an easy one. You are connecting the digital Out (marked COAX) from the Node to the digital In on the Hegel. You are therefore using the Hegel's DAC, as the signal remains entirely digital until it gets into the Hegel

    Now, leave that digital link in place but add a fresh link (2 x interconnect cables) from the Node's analogue Out (marked AUDIO OUT) to the Hegel's analogue In (but not one marked Phono). Then use your Hegel's remote control to switch between its digital source and the analoue source. The former is using the Hegel's DAC, the latter the Node's DAC.

    You will almost certainly find that the sound using the Hegel's DAC will be better, but see what you think.

    If you want to try the Mytek DAC, connect the digital Out from the Node to the Mytak digital In, Then connect the Mytek analogue Out to the Hegel analogue In. Select analogue source using the Hegel's RC and you will be listening to the Mytek's DAC.

    Let us know what you find please! Happy listening. Peter
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  4. December 6, 2022, 04:11 PM #4
    steve59
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    Re: Need advice. New to Hegel and new to high end audio

    If you're plugged into the single dig in then you're listening to the dac in the hegel. also if you read the manual, I think the hegel is reclocking your mytek, I don't know what that even means, but I bought an outboard dac for my H360 that was MQA compatible and ended up using the analog outputs of the fixed output CAREFULLY of the hegel and the volume control on the dac. I needed the only analog variable input for my tuner so didn't see another option. The H190 came out as I was shopping int's and I really liked the h190 even better than the h360, and with smooth speakers like dyn's I expect the 190 dac would be complimentary.
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  5. December 8, 2022, 09:16 PM #5
    wbt0927
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    Re: Need advice. New to Hegel and new to high end audio

    Thank you, Peter. I like the way you explain things. I made the connections as you advised and you're right- the Hegel DAC sounds much better. It's fuller and more musical to my ears. I think I will be adding a REL T/7x (Christmas) so I will be changing and moving some things around. I'll plug in the Mytek the way you suggested and see if it is better than the Hegel. I'll let you know what hear. Thanks again, Bill
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  6. December 8, 2022, 09:21 PM #6
    wbt0927
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    Re: Need advice. New to Hegel and new to high end audio

    Thank you for the response and the connection information. Bill
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