I would like to use a Roon Nucleus as a core and streamer into a Hegel H95 USB DAC. Is this a good idea? Will it work ok?
A quick bit of web reading suggests that the H95 won’t work as a Roon endpoint. It’s not clear if there’s a workaround.
That’s surprising, I’d have assumed that the USB connection would have been ok for the OP as it mentions Linux support. If not, the easiest workaround would be to use a networked RPi with Ropieee and a USB connection to the DAC, or one of the many RPi streamer solutions (e.g. Allo DigiOne) if it’s also not supported by Ropieee.
It should absolutely be fine - the Nucleus is acting as the endpoint here, rather than the Hegel. I do the same into a H190 with an Innuos Zen mini Mk2 as a Core.
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Yep that seems to be the consensus, thanks for your expertise. Hopefully a lift in SQ over Airplay, which I am also experiencing with the Audiolab 6000CDT inputed via coaxial.
Some impressive measurements of the Hegel H95 here. Confirming what most of us knew anyway.
Not sure what your post means. He panned it, and some of the measurements were awful.
I was a tad sarcastic indeed. I was speculating a few posts above that Hegel will significantly redesign their digital section as it’s significantly sub-par to the pre- and amplification sections. This measurements based review proves that indeed the DAC is quite inferior.
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Hi…Big of a trawl but I am in the same sort of boat but I will be using a intel NUC Rock instead of a Roon Nucleus…Quick question… Did you connect the Roon to Nucleus by a USB cable or by some other means?
That review is a testimony of the fact that ASR is a mob targetting specific hifi brands. It’s a flawed review and i doubt anyone of the countless people who posted on that thread have actually heard the H95. I owned one at the time when the review came out and just couldn’t believe it. It is a great sounding amp and the digital section is just fine. So, it should work fine with a nucleus unless there’s some sort of problem with the USB connection that I’m not aware of. I liked the H95 so much that I traded it for a H120 (same digital section) because of it being Roon Ready. It works flawlessly as a roon endpoint and the sound is excellent. Who cares about what ASR says?
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People who prefer to hear something closer to what was recorded, rather than something quite different. Which is just one of the possible audio preferences.
Having said that, a lot of kerfuffle about measurements at ASR is about things that are so far beyond the limits of human hearing that it does not matter anyway.
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So, we have something in common. Listen to the H95 (or any other amp from the brand). You won’t regret it. Very natural sound, with instruments sounding as they should. As someone who listens to a very wide range of music genres, with a strong preference for real instruments and values the correct timber of voices and acoustic music, as well as the feeling of a real music presentation, I strongly recommend the brand.
I believe the original question of this thread has been answered (“yes, you can connect the Nucleus directly to any amp with a USB input - not just the H95”), so no need for another useless and uncivil thread about measurements. Enjoy the music, no matter what gear you’re using.
Cheers
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Completely agree with you. Hegel responded to their review. The vitriol from some of those on that forum was astonishing and was hugely biased. I trust my ears and many of the reviewers who have given the H95 high praise.
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ASR reviews are only based on measurements, if something measures well doesn’t mean it sounds good.
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Other reviewers, and Hegel, showed different measurements and claimed that the way ASR had done it was misleading. He never responded but let a huge mob of “loud enraged” followers, who had never heard the amp, post all sorts of messages (hundreds?), which, in my view, border the criminal offense against the company. I find it disgusting. Anyway, that’s how social media works.
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I just tested my NUC directly to the H120 (shares the same DAC with the H95) and it works and sounds fine (as good as using the H120 as the Roon End Point). Roon identified it as “NUC Roon Server”. The USB port is limited to 96/24.
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