Hi! Today a high-level duel.
We are going to compare two audiohpile amplifiers:
NuPrime IDA-16 and Hegel Rost.
Both manufacturers has slightly different philosophy
about sound and build.
So what connects both amplifiers? Hegel and NuPrime
have a lot to offer for their owners
both in case of sound quality
and functionality.
Which of them is worth choosing? Let's check!
NuPrime IDA-16 is a device with characteristic,
unique look.
Front panel of the amplifier with subtle shapes
has buttons to power on the device,
regulate the volume or select the source.
At first glance it seems that the amplifier
does not have a display,
but after switching it on, we can see
LEDs indicating the volume level
and active source.
The housing is made entirely of thick aluminum.
Hegel is a norwegian manufacturer
known for its minimal design of his devices.
The same goes with Rost.
There are no buttons on the front panel.
Only two knobs are used for control.
One to controle the volume, second
for selecting source.In center there is OLED screen.
It only shows basic information
such as sound level or currently used input.
The housing is made of a material that is a combination
of steel and aluminum.
NuPrime IDA-16 is a D class amplifier.
This technique is getting more and more popular
and chosen by the biggest manufacturers on the market
such as Pioneer, NAD or Primare.
D class amplifiers offers
very high efficiency, exceeding 90%.
They do not emit much heat and take up
relatively little space.
NuPrime IDA-16 reaches impressive power of
200W per channel both with 8
and 4 Ohm load.
It's good to know that NuPrime doesn't use ready-made systems.
Proprietary preamplifier and power amplifier construction
eliminated most of the problems
affecting the first impulse constructions, such as
roughness of sound and high level of distortion.
Hegel Rost, unlike IDA-16,
works in AB class.
It is a solution often used in transistor amplifiers.
Beyond its undoubted advantages,
such constructions have some disadvantages.
The efficiency of amplifiers working in class AB is lower
and the devices emit more heat.
Whole architecture of the amplifiers curcuit
is taken from the H80 model.
In Rost, Hegel used the proprietary
Sound Engine 2 technology,
that is believed to assure much lower level of distortion.
Hegel Rost reaches the power of 75W
with 8 Ohm load. The manufacturer does not specify the power
at 4 Ohm load.
NuPrime IDA-16 is an integrated amplifier
with DAC
what is a big adventage from the user's point of view.
Thanks to this, we do not need to buy additional device
that would be responsible only for reproducing digital signal,
The user has two optical inputs,
two coaxial inputs and USB B connector available.
The amplifier has also 2xRCA analog inputs.
Functionality of the device
is extended by RS232 connector that allows to connect the amplifier
to the multiroom system.
For decodind digital system, there is
ESS 9012K2M module.
This DAC
is used in the most expensive constructions, because
it has impressive parameters: it decodes PCM files
with sampling frequency up to 384kHz
and DSD256.
Hegel Rost is an integrated amplifier
supplied with DAC and network card.
On the back panel there is rich digital section
3 optical inputs, one coaxial
and USB B. Analog inputs
consist of 2 pairs of RCA connectors and one XLR pair.
The manufacturer placed there also one 2xRCA output
with adjustable level. Except that, we can find there
LAN input, necessary to control the music.
There is AKM AK4396 DAC responsible for
decoding digital signal.
It decodes PCM signal in resolution of up to
24bit/192kHz.
Parameters of USB input are lower than in case of NuPrime.
Hegel accepts only files up to
24bit/96kHz.
Hegel Rost can be used as a source, becaouse its
network functionalites enable reading
files from local UPnP server
and playing music from streaming services or internet radio.
The amplifier is also supplied with AirPlay
what would please owners of Apple devices with iOS system.
Hegel does not have a dedicated application.
This is a big difficulty, as in the case of later updates
some of the currently available functions may stop working properly
or expire completely.
IDA-16 is an amplifier, that
lays its sound potenital on bass and midrange.
It can refine the lowest registers of a song
in a sophisticated way.
Clear midrange and sublime trebles
shows the high class of the device.
The sound is vivid and colorful, the sound stage's clarity
makes a huge impression. All these makes
music just nice after
connecting IDA-16 to the set.
Hegel Rost represents slightly different sound than IDA-16,
playing linear and cool sound.
In some songs, there may be a lack of bass.
As we can see, NuPrime IDA-16 and Hegel Rost
are amplifier with wide range of differences
both in construction, sound and functionality.
The strongest point of NuPrime is its sound
and ecellent DAC, capable of
decoding rich PCM and DSD files.
It's worth remembering the impressive power output
that outclasses the rival.
Hegel has a built-in network module
that eliminates the necessity of
buing additional streamer.
It is true that there is no dedicated application,
but this problem can be solved with
free applications
not recommended specificly for Hegel amplifier.
It is still difficult to predict if the producer is planning
on updating the network functions.
The device has much lower power output, and DAC
with weaker parameters.
An undoubted plus of hegel
is a richer set of connectors.
So which model is worth choosing?
Many depends on the sound source used by the user.
If we want to play mainly from computer
or previously owned streamer od CD player,
we would recommend NuPrime.
For those, who are planning to play music from streaming services
can consider buying Hegel.
But still make sure, if
you would like this specific sound of the amplifier.
Lower power output, can be a problem
when it comes to more demanding loudspeakers.
