Rega Mira 3 vs Heed Obelisk Si

Gold Member

Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon
USA

Post Number: 7896
Registered: Feb-05

Posted on Friday, October 17, 2008 - 07:42 pm:

As early as next week I may have an opportunity to do a head-to-head between these two fine integrateds.

http://eugenehifi.com/

Scroll down on the web page I provided and you'll find info on the Heed. Online details seem pretty sketchy on it so I'm looking forward to listening to it in my space.

Been having more fun with the cheap speakers in my office than with the main system. Lovin' the little Epos ELS 3's and now I'm breakin' in a pair of Atom Monitor V5's for use as rears in HT. For now they're gettin' heavy use in the office. Great little speaker!

It will remain to be seen what the Heed will be able to drive with it's 40 watts per channel...certainly my Creek 4330 does a fine job driving most anything I throw at it.

Like Naim and Cyrus the Heed has an option to connect an external power supply for extended power and performance. If I like it and buy it that would be something to consider in the future.

Anyone experienced the Heed and have a comment, or just a comment?

Gold Member

Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire
UK

Post Number: 3264
Registered: Sep-04

Posted on Tuesday, October 21, 2008 - 01:14 pm:

Well???????

The Heed looks an awful lot like the Ion Obelisk. I believe the man in charge at Heed is related to the original Ion people somehow. Ion was a Naim competitor in the late 80s. I believe the Heed has a similar approach to music making as the flat earth Naim and Rega crews, but the Czech manufacture should keep prices honest.

Gold Member

Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon
USA

Post Number: 7921
Registered: Feb-05

Posted on Tuesday, October 21, 2008 - 03:50 pm:

"but the Czech manufacture should keep prices honest."

Please elaborate if you will.

Gold Member

Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire
UK

Post Number: 3278
Registered: Sep-04

Posted on Friday, October 24, 2008 - 01:43 pm:

My apologies, Heed is actually made in Hungary. For more info:

http://www.heedaudio.hu/en/about.html

Platinum Member

Username: Nuck

Post Number: 11017
Registered: Dec-04

Posted on Friday, October 24, 2008 - 04:09 pm:

Will that have a similar effect on pricing, Frank?

Nick K

Gold Member

Username: Nickelbut10

Post Number: 2043
Registered: Jun-07

Posted on Sunday, October 26, 2008 - 12:05 am:

Ha Now Rega Ha NOW!!!! Pitch it in there Rega come on NOW!!

Im cheering for the Mira 3.lol Kidding. Let the best amp win. When is the comp. going to happen? The Mira 3 is such a good INT amp. I hope it smashes this HEED. Hail Britain, leaders of PRAT! lol. Lets have a group hug. Art I am coming down to Oregon just to hear them both.lol How far is Oregon from Kingston Ontario?

Gold Member

Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon
USA

Post Number: 7951
Registered: Feb-05

Posted on Monday, October 27, 2008 - 09:34 pm:

Canada has Mapquest eh...lol!

I talked with the boys today and they only a couple more listens to do and then it'll be headin' my way. They are pretty impressed with it and they have good ears so I'm looking forward to the opportunity.

Gold Member

Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire
UK

Post Number: 3288
Registered: Sep-04

Posted on Tuesday, October 28, 2008 - 02:32 pm:

Well, it should. East European manufacturing costs are a lot lower than South England. I doubt that the Mira will SMASH the Heed. From what I saw when I looked at the innards, the Heed looked nicely put together, and don't foget that many of the principles of the Heed come from the original Ion and Nytech designs.

I think they'll just have different presentations and one will be preferred over the other, but a bet would be won on a coin toss.

Nick K

Gold Member

Username: Nickelbut10

Post Number: 2054
Registered: Jun-07

Posted on Wednesday, October 29, 2008 - 02:34 pm:

lol we do indeed Art.

Frank- I agree. Which will Art prefer?hmmmmmmm

Gold Member

Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon
USA

Post Number: 7956
Registered: Feb-05

Posted on Wednesday, October 29, 2008 - 03:51 pm:

The Boys told me today that the Heed could be on it's way next week.

They sent a set of van den Hul "The Waterfall" cable for me to audition this weekend...looking forward to it.

Gold Member

Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire
UK

Post Number: 3296
Registered: Sep-04

Posted on Thursday, October 30, 2008 - 02:32 pm:

Is dey de Boyz 'N' De Hood, bro'? You watch dem Hungaro Type Man. Dey Be like Da Mafia, only worse. :-)

Hey Art, I thought you couldn't afford any outlay due to familial commitments??

Gold Member

Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon
USA

Post Number: 7957
Registered: Feb-05

Posted on Thursday, October 30, 2008 - 03:36 pm:

No outlay involved my friend, just auditioning. If I were to want any of what I audition these fella's will work with me...best in the biz.

I call them the boys because they are young business owners and they are brothers. Actually I have nicknames for everyone I know....for Dale and Chris it's "The Boys". No one provides better service in the industry...period.

Gold Member

Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire
UK

Post Number: 3300
Registered: Sep-04

Posted on Friday, October 31, 2008 - 01:13 pm:

Nice of them to give you a run with their kit... :-)

Gold Member

Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon
USA

Post Number: 7960
Registered: Feb-05

Posted on Friday, October 31, 2008 - 01:34 pm:

Listening to "The Waterfall"...best interconnect I've ever heard in my system. Absolute knockout! Van den Hul scored big with this one. All the detail and color of The Well (and more) with the 3 dimensional soundstage and imaging of The Wave...a complete winner.

Platinum Member

Username: Nuck

Post Number: 11038
Registered: Dec-04

Posted on Friday, October 31, 2008 - 02:07 pm:

But it's gonna cost ya, huh Art?

Gold Member

Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon
USA

Post Number: 7961
Registered: Feb-05

Posted on Friday, October 31, 2008 - 02:52 pm:

Well yaaa......

George

Silver Member

Username: Soundgame

Richmond Hill Toronto ..., Ontario
Canada

Post Number: 258
Registered: Jun-08

Posted on Friday, October 31, 2008 - 10:59 pm:

Art, I hope less that two big one's eh?

http://cgi.ebay.com/VAN-DEN-HUL-THE-WATERFALL-HYBRID-INTERLINK-INTERCONNECT_W0QQ itemZ330277701668QQihZ014QQcategoryZ295QQcmdZViewItem

Gold Member

Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire
UK

Post Number: 3305
Registered: Sep-04

Posted on Wednesday, November 05, 2008 - 12:23 pm:

So what about that Heed then Art?

Gold Member

Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon
USA

Post Number: 8009
Registered: Feb-05

Posted on Wednesday, November 05, 2008 - 09:47 pm:

Well yeah George...perhaps.

Still waiting Frank...supposed to be here this week. I've got a long weekend this week so I'm hoping...

Gold Member

Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon
USA

Post Number: 8041
Registered: Feb-05

Posted on Friday, November 07, 2008 - 07:14 pm:

Mutual decision on the part of the boys and I not to demo the Heed. They tried it with R5's last night and felt that it does not have the drive for the R5's. They had been running it with Devore Fidelity speakers (FABULOUS SPEAKERS!) and it really performed well. The Rega R5's and ofcourse the Totem's would be too difficult a load for it to perform at it's best especially without the external power supply. That said we both decided to not go forward with the demo. They told me I could have it for demo anytime.

The sound I'm getting out of my system is nothing short of spectacular so I'm not looking to make changes (or even mess with it...jinx!).

So for now no Heed...just joyous sounds coming from the Mira 3..

Gold Member

Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire
UK

Post Number: 3321
Registered: Sep-04

Posted on Monday, November 10, 2008 - 10:50 am:

Shucks - I was looking forward to your analysis. Oh well, keep enjoying the music!

Platinum Member

Username: Nuck

Post Number: 11079
Registered: Dec-04

Posted on Monday, November 10, 2008 - 05:40 pm:

My guess is that the boys came up with the same results that Art would have, although a 'sweetness' detail would have been nice.

Gold Member

Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon
USA

Post Number: 8066
Registered: Feb-05

Posted on Monday, November 10, 2008 - 06:46 pm:

I believe that they were expecting the amp to be a $3000 amp killer and that would be unrealistic. Talked with them again today and they told me that they would still like my impressions and that they will send it up anyway. No timeline...I will resurrect this thread when it happens.

I'm bettin' it's a great amp but the fella's have gotten a bit spoiled listening to Mastersound and Sonneteer...I had the impression that they would concur with that.

Gold Member

Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire
UK

Post Number: 3339
Registered: Sep-04

Posted on Monday, November 17, 2008 - 12:46 pm:

Sonneteer, schmoneteer. We had a customer's Sonneteer CD player in at the weekend and it was the most garbled sounding mess of nicely made product I've heard in a long time. Depressing...

I'm surprised that the Heed wasn't considered man enough to drive R5s - they're not a difficult load.

Gold Member

Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon
USA

Post Number: 8144
Registered: Feb-05

Posted on Monday, November 17, 2008 - 03:55 pm:

Sorry to hear that Frank...I'm guessing from your comments on this forum and the sound I've heard at the boys place that you all value different things in hifi..not making either of you wrong or right, just at opposite ends of the continuum. I could be wrong...

Platinum Member

Username: Nuck

Post Number: 11099
Registered: Dec-04

Posted on Monday, November 17, 2008 - 05:07 pm:

Sonneteer, schmoneteer.....shvincter?

Not a glowing appraisal, Frank.

Gold Member

Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon
USA

Post Number: 8145
Registered: Feb-05

Posted on Monday, November 17, 2008 - 06:15 pm:

Again Frank has different values in audio than the fella's here who sell the Sonneteer. I would leave it to the folks, and there are a few here at ecoustics, to evaluate the type of service and quality of sound that the boys value.

I'm quite sure that Frank has discriminating taste as well but again I think that we have Frank being a bit snobbish about gear he doesn't like.

You won't find me bashing Chord Company cables in such descriptive (lol!) terms as I know that there are folks here who like them.

I have not listened to that Sonneteer piece that Frank discussed but I will ask for an audition when I go to pick up my P3-24. I do however trust the boys judgement about gear...that doesn't mean that we will always agree and indeed we don't, but it does mean that I don't believe that they would sell junk to anyone...period.

Gold Member

Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire
UK

Post Number: 3351
Registered: Sep-04

Posted on Tuesday, November 18, 2008 - 02:20 pm:

I'll be the first to admit that 80% of the time I have no clue what on earth people are hearing when they give glowing reviews to certain products. Also, it was in the context of our shop so it's perfectly possible that our combinations of interconnects and kit acted as a mismatch to the Sonneteer CD player - it's very possible, indeed likely.

My apologies for my forthright description! It was remiss of me.

But Chord cables are the best Art, you know that, even if you won't admit it... :-)

Gold Member

Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon
USA

Post Number: 8148
Registered: Feb-05

Posted on Tuesday, November 18, 2008 - 03:33 pm:

Thanks for the clarification Frank. I spoke to the fella's today and they clarified a few things for me. First they do not carry or recommend every piece from every manufacturer that they represent. They only recommend the products that they have listened to and like.

To understand where they are coming from it's important to understand that their priority is analog. that is the sound that works best for them and they carry turntables, cartridges and phono amps that show their dedication to analog.

For those of us with significant CD collections they recommend the Rega CD players...

Relative to Sonneteer they really love their amps and highly recommend them. If you aren't buying tubes then they recommend Sonneteer, Rega or Heed. They are still listening to the Heed stuff and are trying to determine it's best application.