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Hegel H80: Gagnant d’un 5 étoiles par le magasine norvégien Lydie Og Bilde.

février 10, 2014
Hegel H80

Test of Hegel H80

Perfected amplifier recipe

Now you all amplifier with digital converter, as Hegel specific successful H80. The amplifier that has everything you need.

 

PlusDynamic and engaging
Super Dissolved and balanced sound
Very good DAC
MinusMissing Pre-amp Output
No headphone jack

Even long after the music was digitized, the trend has almost stood still. Today’s hi-fi is still analog, from the CD player to the speakers. Perhaps it may seem that the industry resists, but it is more about rational thinking.

To date, few managed to make great-sounding digital amps, but the access to digital music on the Internet and via streaming, has exploded. The solution has been small DACs (digital converting), which easily connects to the – analog – amplifier you have.

A simple and flexible solution that makes it possible to connect digital audio sources to the system via a small DAC. The disadvantage is that one has to visit the DAC one to switch audio source. That may be your game console, cable TV tuner, TV, an Apple TV – and a laptop. As one user to play music from Spotify, Wimp or iTunes.

Therefore, more amps turned up with DAC built. Allowing for better user friendliness. When you switch between audio sources with the amplifier’s remote control, release an extra box in the plant, and can potentially get even better sound from your digital audio sources.

Norwegian Hegel is among the few to date have replaced all its models with amplifiers that have DAC one built. The smallest of them, Hegel H70 is an analog 70 EW amplifier with USB, optical and coaxial audio input on the back. An amplifier that is so great-sounding and engaging, it was named this year reinforces the year it came.

Very flexible with five digital inputs including USB, more do not.

Very flexible with five digital inputs including USB, more do not.

Now is the successor here. The new H80 are all ingredients replaced, and it has gotten a little more power, a new DAC with five inputs and, finally, a display area.

High-end light 
Since H70 was introduced, there has been a lot of processor development, and H80 has a new digital converter. It works with a 32-bit digital filter, 24-bit conversion at up to 192 kHz sample rate to keep kvantiseringstøy away music signal. USB port can support up to 24/96. Pretty state-of-the-art for an integrated amplifier to £ 10,000.

While the DAC one in H80 is a variant of separate Hegel H11 DAC, the analog amplifier circuit is a light-version of Hegel’s massive integrated H300 to £ 30,000. Naturally simpler components, power supplies and with much less power. Approximately 80 W per channel. Not the large increase relative to H70, but a far better power supply and output stage, to give H80 even better sound quality, according to Hegel.

Shocking fresh and potent 
After a few weeks of the amplifier on the test bench, there is no doubt that H80 plays better than H70. That still is an excellent amplifier, and costs a few hundred Euro less than H80. With analog audio sources, I noticed that H80 had almost the same steel control in the bass as H300. A hard cash and bass, with tremendous range in frequency, and better dynamic contrast. Compared with H70, the sound is even more transparent, and particularly deeper.

With a wider stereo perspective in addition, created the H80 a more three-dimensional sound. With warmer and fuller sound, which I subjectively found quite seductive. I felt that music had multiple timbres and it gave particular strings, percussive stringed instruments and especially vowels, scary lifelike sound.

It does not make much higher than H70-one I compared. It just seemed so because the bass is more potent and dynamic H80. I also perceived distortion at high volume, as lower H80, which gave me cleaner and more refined sound, even when I connected to the efficient and happy playing floor speakers McIntosh XR100.

The sound from the amp’s DAC, when I plugged into a MacBook Air via USB input, was crystal clear and the music sounded shockingly fresh. Lossless files with, among others, Alison Krauss and Union Station, sounding almost as dynamic and sparkling clear as the original CD. The difference is so marginal that I can easily live with your Mac connected Hegel amplifier most of the time. It has no ethernet connection, let alone wi-fi on board, but as you can read in a separate box, there’s an affordable solution that provides streaming right to Hegel amplifier one optical digital input.

The sexton home run 
That Hegel succeeded in H80, is an understatement. It builds on the same basis as the already successful H70, but the sequel is a better repeater on all counts. Not only sounds the better it engage to a greater extent than most we’ve tested integrated in this price range. The flexible integrated DAC-one makes it perfect in a modern hi-fi system with only digital audio sources. Hegel H80 has everything it takes to sell in spades, it is difficult to see why one should be disappointed.

En écoute chez BROSSEAU.CA

Pour plus d’info:
Patrick sareault
450-678-3430
patrick.sareault@brosseau.ca