The comparison of Hegel H190 and Yamaha Audio A-S2200SL is a very interesting amplifier showdown that I have in store for you today my hard rocking amigos! These are two fantastic amplifiers that are also pretty damn pricey too. Hopefully, after reading this you will have a better idea of what the Hegel H190 and the Yamaha Audio A-S2200SL are all about. Which will ultimately help you decide if either one of these are worthy of bringing your music collection to life. I have looked at many Yamaha products here on the site, but I am pretty sure (I am getting old and forgetful so I could be wrong) this is the first time I have had the pleasure of looking at something from Hegel.
The Price
The only place that is right to start this battle off is by looking at how much money you can expect to throw down on one of these things. These are both going to cost you a lot of money so you may have to save up for a while. Or, you could always sell one of the kids, perhaps grow some magic beans and find treasure at a beanstalk or ask Santa at the mall for one!
Hegel H190:
The RRP for the Hegel H190 is around the $4,000 mark. To be fair, this is the price that amplifiers of this quality tend to go for so I cannot be too down on it for being this expensive. I have scoured Amazon, but could find no trace of this on here so you will have to shop around and you can find deals here and there so be patient and do your homework. On eBay, there is a ton of these things from Italy and if you are ok with a pre-owned unit you can find one in the 3 to 3 and a half grand price range.
Yamaha Audio A-S2200SL:
When it comes to making audio equipment that is well designed, high end, and awesome, Yamaha always brings it! They also usually manage to keep their products at a price I always think is fair. The Yamaha Audio A-S2200SL has an RRP that is very close to the $4,5000 mark! I did have a look on eBay for you guys and there was a brand new one on there and they wanted for this was a very reasonable $3,495.00. this is a fantastic price for an amplifier of this quality! There are some used ones on there too, but the prices for them is all over the place, but there are certainly deals to be found for this.
The Verdict:
I have to say that for the most part, these are very close in terms of their pricing. There are certainly deals to be found for both of these amplifiers so I would highly recommend that you be patient, shop around, and do not rush into a sale! As I have to pick a winner here, I think I am going to have to give this one to the Hegel H190. I just feel that you are getting more bang for your buck with that.
The Design
I really do like the way that both of these amplifiers look. Looking at the design of these things is something I was excited about when I started to put together this comparison article. Yamaha always tends to make audio equipment that I like and I can tell you that I am certainly liking the cut of Hegel’s jib from what I have seen so far.
Hegel H190:
The Hegel H190 is available in both black and white, but it is the black version I am specifically talking about here. If you want to see this close up and also what the white version is like check out this Hegel H190 Review and comparison including Dynaudio Special Forty and Amphion Argon 3s video. I really like the size of this as it comes in at 16.93” x 7.72” x 16.15” so it is a bit smaller than the Yamaha. It just has a very cool style that I am a massive fan of. I 100 percent would have something like this next to my turntable and be very happy with the way it looks. Although, I must admit I am pretty sure it would be a magnet for dust, but that is easily taken care of.
What I love about the design of the Hegel H190 is just how clean and smart it is. It is quite a different style to what the Yamaha Audio A-S2200 SL is offering, especially on the front. On the front here you have a very cool looking LCD that lets you know what device is currently on. On one side you have a volume dial and on the other your source selection dial. They are both the same size and in the exact same place so it gives the amplifier a real sense of symmetry which my OCD really appreciates. The lack of any other dials or switches does mean that you are dependent on the remote control for tinkering with the sound, but I am ok with that.
When it comes to the connectivity options the Hegel H190 really has you taken care of. It has both analog and digital inputs for you which for me personally is an absolute must in this day and age. Overall, it may not have as many inputs as the Yamaha does, but I would take having both digital and analog over just a ton of analog ones any day of the week. I am more than happy with the connectivity options that Hegel have on here and it would certainly be more than enough for my own personal needs.
Yamaha Audio A-S2200SL:
It is kind of hard for me to explain this, but the Yamaha Audio A-S2200SL just has a classic Yamaha style to it. No matter if it is their YAMAHA SR-C20A Compact Sound Bar or the Yamaha organ that my teacher used back in primary school all the way back in the 80s. Yamaha products have a certain “grace” about them which I always like. This is a pretty damn impressive looking amplifier, coming in at 24” x 23.5” x 11”. It does take up a fair bit of space, but I am more than ok with it as it looks awesome. It has a kind of retro silver look going on and I really do like this. Yamaha has made this look cool and modern, but at the same time, there is something very classic about the overall design of this amplifier. I really dig the piano black on the sides that they have done here as it gives it more personality.
I suggest you check out this Yamaha A-S2200 integrated amplifier unboxing and deep unboxing video if you want to see the Yamaha Audio A-S2200SL in all its glory. On the front of the amplifier, you have the retro display that I always get a kick out of when an amplifier has one of these. On the right of the unit, you will find a big dial that controls the volume. There are many other dials and whatnot to help give you complete control over the sound that this is producing. As you would expect the bass, treble and balance have their own dedicated switches, having these switches, slides, or whatever you want to call them is a nice touch which I like. I also liked how the input selector dial was a bit larger too.
On the back of the Yamaha Audio A-S2200SL, there is a whole lot going on, but before we get to the positive, I have to talk about the negative. This is an analog amplifier, so there are no digital ports on the back of here at all. I get why they are not here, but at this price range, it does raise some questions. You have many different hookups on the back so you can have many devices connected to this at once. Yamaha has tried to make sure this is going to be able to handle most people’s entertainment needs! However, the lack of digital connectivity may be an issue for some people. I do want to say there is also an all-black version of this, but I have not had my grubby hands on it.
The Verdict:
These both look cool, but they are two very different looking amplifiers. I love the style that the Yamaha Audio A-S2200SL has, it is kind of retro, but also modern at the same time and the way it has all those dials on the front is cool. However, the Hegel H190 is just one of the coolest and sleekest looking amplifiers at this price range I have seen. I like the clean and smooth look on the front of here a tad more than all the dials on the Yamaha. This round I have to give to the Hegel H190, no matter if it is the black or white version it looks amazing.
The Sound
One of the most awesome things about writing this comparison article is that it gives me an excuse to listen to a whole bunch of music. To put these through their paces I have used my Audio-Technica AT-LP120XBT-USB-BK Wireless Direct-Drive Turntable with both of these. Using the same turntables for both amplifiers I felt would make this a more even battle.
Hegel H190:
The Hegel H190 is a fantastic amplifier and one that I would hand on heart have permanently connected to my turntable. Check out this Special functions in your Hegel amp which shows you some great tips on how to get the best out of this amplifier. The fact that Hegel themselves made this video is really cool. I was very happy with the level of power that this provided and for my love of hard rock, this was awesome. New Jersey by Bon Jovi is my favorite 80s or 90s Bon Jovi album and an album I have listened to a ton of times. It was perfect for trying this out. I was very happy with this and thought that all the instruments sounded as they should and that the vocals were so clear, even when I had the volume cranked up.
It is not just hard rock that makes the Hegel H190 such a great amplifier. Any kind of music you are into is going to sound amazing through this. One genre of music that the wife and I both enjoy is jazz and we picked up this Jazz At Massey Hall album which features Charlie Parker on sale at Amazon a while back. It was so, so good when played through this amplifier. I think one of the best things I can say about this amplifier is that no matter how I tinkered with the settings or what album be it a new pressing or one of my hits from the 80s, it sounded fantastic. I know this sounds crazy, but I really am struggling to think of anything negative to say about the sound capabilities of this!
Yamaha Audio A-S2200SL:
Check out this SHOULD YOU Buy THIS Integrated Amplifier!? New YAMAHA A-S 1200 Review! video as the guy gives an honest and in-depth analysis of the sound you can expect from the Yamaha Audio A-S2200SL from a variety of sources. I really wanted to see what this could do so I decided to listen to a variety of different types of music with the aid of this. One album that I really liked when played with the help of this was Breadcrumbs by Alice Cooper. It is so awesome that he still pumps out great new music and he is one of the best live acts that I have had the pleasure to see. Anyway, this album sounded fantastic. I really cranked the volume up too and was very impressed with the overall power at higher ranges that this offered. If you love your hard rock like I do, you will be very impressed at how this handles modern and even classic vinyl. I also played a few vintage records including an original 70s pressing of Hotter Than Hell by Kiss (passed to me by my dad) and it sounded great!
Not everyone is into hard rock, so I made sure to test out plenty of other types of music with this. I have a love for classic soul music and a few years back my wife got me this Southern Funkin’: Louisiana Soul 1967-1979 album and it is fantastic. The way that this older music sounds here is just so crisp and authentic that it is near impossible not to be impressed. I have also managed to get my wife into vinyl, but the music she grew up listening to was sure as hell different to me. However, for Christmas 2019 I got her NSYNC – No Strings Attached Exclusive Limited Edition Clear Vinyl LP and she loved it and was excited. I took one for the team and tested this record out. Pop music sounds great through this, I do not know how to describe it, but it has a kind of “digital” sound that this manages to really make come through.
The Verdict:
I had so much fun messing around with both of these amplifiers. These are tremendous pieces of tech and they both will provide your music collection with a great amount of power and awesome sound. However, as much as I loved the sound I was getting out of the Yamaha Audio A-S2200SL, I think that overall I prefer what the Hegel H190 offered more, not just because it was digital, I think it just had a more real and a more “me” kind of sound. To be fair, I am sure there are some who much prefer the Yamaha, but for me, Hegel has to take this round.
The Remote Control
Both of these come with a remote control and I like them both. I always have fun talking about remote controls and this comparison is no different. Here we are going to see how these remote controls shape up!
Hegel H190: The remote control that the Hegel H190 comes with is a bit on the basic side, but I still really do like it. From what I have read the RC8 remote control that comes with this is one that Hegel uses with a few of their products. It is very well made and has the same kind of style as the amplifier itself. All of the controls on here are these little buttons. It is a very unique kind of design for a remote control, but I do like it. You do need to use this as there are no physical controls on the actual amplifier.
Yamaha Audio A-S2200SL: For the most part across all the Yamaha devices I have played around with over the years they always tend to have a great remote control. The Yamaha Audio A-S2200SL comes with a remote control that I really do like. This is a very well-designed remote control. It has a very nice layout and the buttons are organized well and easy to understand exactly what they do. I think that Yamaha are making sure that people know how to tinker with the different options that this offers. Also, this has all those dials on the front so if you lose the remote down the side of the sofa, you can still play with the sound.
The Verdict: I like the smooth and interesting design of what Hegel has gone for here, but the Yamaha Audio A-S2200SL takes this round for me. I just think it is a better overall remote control and it is very cleverly designed. The H190 does not come with a bad remote at all, but I do prefer what Yamaha is offering here.
What Is The Best?
It has been fun looking at both the Hegel H190 and the Yamaha Audio A-S2200SL today. I have to say that this battle between these two amplifiers was one of the more fun amplifier battles that I have had the pleasure to do. These both have a lot of things going for them. I like the design of them both and your music collection is going to sound fantastic when played with the help of either of these. However, I do have to go with the one that I liked the best and that is the Hegel H190. I prefer the design of that and while there is not much in the sound between the two, the design is ultimately what swayed me here.
