Hegel H360 - fire

[wizard]

Here's a H360 integrated on fire in a shop in Norway.

[Vapor1]

I know that stink! Few things are more pungent than the fried capacitor smell.

[Mike]

Uh oh!

[wizard]

It had heavy sparks and open flames so it was removed by the firefighters.

Yes the Chinese took some shortcuts when building it.

[mep]

It had heavy sparks and open flames so it was removed by the firefighters.

Yes the Chinese took some shortcuts when building it.

That was my first thought, blame the Chinese. They probably substituted some counterfeit underrated parts.

[Vapor1]

That was my first thought, blame the Chinese. They probably substituted some counterfeit underrated parts.

That's an obvious knee-jerk reaction, but I've seen plenty of USA and European made electronics go up in flames too.

[joeinid]

I heard it was a hot product for a short while. Oh well.

[MDP]

That's an obvious knee-jerk reaction, but I've seen plenty of USA and European made electronics go up in flames too.

I couldn't agree more.

[MDP]

It had heavy sparks and open flames so it was removed by the firefighters.

Yes the Chinese took some shortcuts when building it.

Wizard, I appreciate your contributions on our forum. But that last sentence is total crap.

[BruceLet]

I love my H30 and it sounds great.

[BayStBroker]

To be fair, nobody doubted that the Hegel SOUNDS great. The problem was the "heavy sparks and open flames."

[joeinid]

I love my H30 and it sounds great.

I love Bruce's H30 too, it really does sound great.

[mep]

That's an obvious knee-jerk reaction, but I've seen plenty of USA and European made electronics go up in flames too.

Really?? I have never seen a piece of audio electronics go up in flames and I have been around this hobby for a long time. It would be great if they did an autopsy and figure out the cause of death.

[dlb2]

The Chinese are to blame! LMFAO!!!!

[tunes]

Had the same reaction. In 32 years in the hobby, i have never seen a single unit go up in flames. A tube pop and die, yes, but nothing beyond that.

That's an obvious knee-jerk reaction, but I've seen plenty of USA and European made electronics go up in flames too.

Really?? I have never seen a piece of audio electronics go up in flames and I have been around this hobby for a long time. It would be great if they did an autopsy and figure out the cause of death.

[jdandy]

Might want to consider the Hegel accessory package.









Just kidding Hegel fans.

[Paul]

The Chinese are to blame! LMFAO!!!!

It was built by Mr Sum Ting Wong and inspected by Mr Ho Lee Fuk.

[joeinid]

It was built by Mr Sum Ting Wong and inspected by Mr Ho Lee Fuk.

[volks]

Hopefully the Mcintosh was not hurt in this "CHI-Fi Bonfire" LOL

[XV-1]

it had heavy sparks and open flames so it was removed by the firefighters.

Yes the chinese took some shortcuts when building it.

LMFAO !!!

normally they are engineered to that after warranty expires

[wizard]

The inside don't look good at all - like at rat nest!






Outside!

[Shadowfax]

Here is a video of an Audio Source amp on fire


And here is Jimi channeling Hegel

[nicoludio]

That tarpaulin plastic sheet at the left speaker input does not look good - if it melts or is displaced, then poof!

A lot of insulation tape on the out leads from the transformer - is that normal?

[Dizzie]

Does anybody know if the Hegel was operating or on standby when the fire started? It is amazing that with all the audio equipment left on or partially on 24/7 we don't have more catastrophic failures. Catastrophe = fire.

[MarinJim]

That's an obvious knee-jerk reaction, but I've seen plenty of USA and European made electronics go up in flames too.

Yes, very true. But Hegel prides itself and markets that they use only hand selected,hand matching transistors and low tolerance parts.

[MarinJim]

Really?? I have never seen a piece of audio electronics go up in flames and I have been around this hobby for a long time. It would be great if they did an autopsy and figure out the cause of death.

My bet is on defective capacitor.

[jdandy]

In the pre-Internet days this would have just been an incident at a dealer showroom that practically no one would have ever heard a word about. Now a days you can't fart in the grocery store without someone video recording it and plastering it on YouTube for the world to see.

[Shadowfax]

Dan cuts a fart in the grocery store



Sorry Dan, couldn't help myself

[Mike]

Here's the $64 million question: would this one isolated incident prevent you from purchasing a Hegel product?

For me, I owned the H30 and it was excellent. In fact, I can tell you, a friend of mine who is a die hard tube fanatic was over and he heard the Hegel H30 and he said to me, "I hate solid state, but this, this Hegel is really really good." I would happily own the H30 again. I would also love to try the H4SE. Something about that amp has me very curious.

What about you guys?

[the professor]

It wouldn't stop me from buying one.

[Shadowfax]

There is a bad apple in every bunch. It would not deter me as long as they honored the warranty when it smokes.

It doesn't have to catch on fire to be a dud, just a bit more exciting.

[cmalak]

Here's the $64 million question: would this one isolated incident prevent you from purchasing a Hegel product?

For me, I owned the H30 and it was excellent. In fact, I can tell you, a friend of mine who is a die hard tube fanatic was over and he heard the Hegel H30 and he said to me, "I hate solid state, but this, this Hegel is really really good." I would happily own the H30 again. I would also love to try the H4SE. Something about that amp has me very curious.

What about you guys?

I have been toying with idea of downsizing from my ARC Ref 3 and Ref 110 combo and will be demoing an H300 at home. Picking up the demo unit from Goodwins tomorrow after a Linn digital demo at the shop and will have it for a few days at home. Just curious.

[mep]

Here's the $64 million question: would this one isolated incident prevent you from purchasing a Hegel product?

For me, I owned the H30 and it was excellent. In fact, I can tell you, a friend of mine who is a die hard tube fanatic was over and he heard the Hegel H30 and he said to me, "I hate solid state, but this, this Hegel is really really good." I would happily own the H30 again. I would also love to try the H4SE. Something about that amp has me very curious.

What about you guys?

Here is the real $64 million dollar question: How do you know this is "one" isolated incident? Lots of SS preamps and phono sections are designed to stay powered on at all times. My Krell KBL, KRC-HR and KPE Reference had no on/off switch. Once you plug them in, they are powered on 24/7. Stereo gear isn't supposed to be able to go up in flames. That's why we have fuses at critical junctures so if something does go wrong, power is removed. If I found out that a piece of SS gear that I happen to also own and always left powered on 24/7 caught on fire somewhere in the world, I would be scared to death because how would I know if the manufacturer had a design flaw in the circuit or if it was made in China that the Chinese hadn't substituted some counterfeit parts that didn't have the voltage rating of the original 'real' part?

[Mike]

I have been toying with idea of downsizing from my ARC Ref 3 and Ref 110 combo and will be demoing an H300 at home. Picking up the demo unit from Goodwins tomorrow after a Linn digital demo at the shop and will have it for a few days at home. Just curious.

Going from tubes to solid state? You may have to turn in your audiophile card.

[mep]

Going from tubes to solid state? You may have to turn in your audiophile card.

Cyril should be demoing the ARC 5SE and Ref 75SE against his Ref 3 and Ref 110.

[cmalak]

I know gents...I am just exploring the downsizing option...likely outcome, I will stick with the ARC separates and pony up $2K to retube all three components (if order tubes from ARC...if not, about $1K from the Tube Store).

[joeinid]

Cyril needs a VAC Sigma 160i SE whenever he's ready.

[Mike]

Cyril needs a VAC Sigma 160i SE whenever he's ready.

You're just mean! I want that!

[mep]

I know gents...I am just exploring the downsizing option...likely outcome, I will stick with the ARC separates and pony up $2K to retube all three components (if order tubes from ARC...if not, about $1K from the Tube Store).

Every time I hear the word "downsizing," I find it depressing usually. Most times it means someone is too old and/or no longer has the money to enjoy the things they used to. I hope by the time I fell ready to "downsize" that I'm around 110 years old.

[joeinid]

You're just mean! I want that!

We can talk, hit me up. Maybe a trade ?

[joeinid]

Mark,

I'd like to think "downsizing" just means someone wants a new toy and does not want to give a specific reason for a sale. It's like thinning the herd when I want something else.

[mep]

Mark,

I'd like to think "downsizing" just means someone wants a new toy and does not want to give a specific reason for a sale. It's like thinning the herd when I want something else.

When older people use that term, it usually means moving into a smaller home. Then comes a condo quickly followed by "assisted living" followed by a nursing home. If you make it out of the nursing home alive, they ship you off to hospice. As you move into smaller and smaller places, your stereo system has to shrink accordingly because you will no longer have a place big enough to have your own stereo room anymore. Eventually, you hope that your wife doesn't become bigger than your stereo system because otherwise she will take up all the space in the room and you will be left with a Bose Wave Radio. If you end up in a nursing home, they will steal your Bose Wave Radio. And if you complain, the 300lb nursing assistant who makes minimum wage who already beats you every time you crap your diapers will give you an extra beating for mentioning your Bose Wave Radio is missing. Ah, the Golden Years.

[joeinid]

So sad but yes, I see your point

[jdandy]

Dan cuts a fart in the grocery store

Sorry Dan, couldn't help myself

Brian.......Pretty funny. Thank goodness that isn't me but the video certainly supports the point I made. Information, photos, and videos fly around the world instantly with a mouse click. In this "sound bite" world we live in people can be immediately influenced with a single view. That one Hegel fire video can quite easily alter a purchase decision for some people.

[apdoc2004]

Granted this (catching fire) may be a rare event, but if I owned a Hegel amp (which I do not plan to), I would be very nervous about leaving it on unattended.

[dlb2]

Mike, no it wouldn't deter me from owning a piece of Hegel gear. The lack of tubes however, would.

[dlb2]

Might want to consider the Hegel accessory package.









Just kidding Hegel fans.

That's funny Dan. I believe you meant to post this in the Lampizator forum though.

[MarinJim]

When older people use that term, it usually means moving into a smaller home. Then comes a condo quickly followed by "assisted living" followed by a nursing home. If you make it out of the nursing home alive, they ship you off to hospice. As you move into smaller and smaller places, your stereo system has to shrink accordingly because you will no longer have a place big enough to have your own stereo room anymore. Eventually, you hope that your wife doesn't become bigger than your stereo system because otherwise she will take up all the space in the room and you will be left with a Bose Wave Radio. If you end up in a nursing home, they will steal your Bose Wave Radio. And if you complain, the 300lb nursing assistant who makes minimum wage who already beats you every time you crap your diapers will give you an extra beating for mentioning your Bose Wave Radio is missing. Ah, the Golden Years.

Pretty soon I will be using earbuds and those glasses with tv monitors built in.
I would like to know what caused the melt down.

[BruceLet]

Lots of speculation…no specifics.

"According to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), there are 28,600 electrical fires per year. These fires cause $1.1 billion in property damage and loss and are responsible for 310 deaths and 1,100 injuries each year."

[apdoc2004]

Lots of speculation…no specifics.

"According to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), there are 28,600 electrical fires per year. These fires cause $1.1 billion in property damage and loss and are responsible for 310 deaths and 1,100 injuries each year."

What does this statistic have to do with the Hegel amp catching fire??