Hegel H600 is the top model in the line of the Norwegian company, which comes after the popular amplifier Hegel H590. So, what has changed visually and what has remained the same? Let’s just say that it is impossible to distinguish Hegel H590 and Hegel H600 from the front panel. On the slightly convex aluminum facade of the amplifier there are only the most necessary elements: a display with blue symbols (displays the power indicator, the selected input, etc.), a source selector and a volume control. The power button is built into the bottom of the case.
To control the integrated device, you can use a standard metal remote control or an application installed on a mobile device. On the top panel, the ventilation slots above the radiators of the output stages have become wider. And at the back, better RCA connectors appeared and one of the analog inputs disappeared.
The Hegel H600 has two balanced and two unbalanced inputs. After all, today it is unlikely that anyone will find as many as three analog sources; most likely it will be limited to vinyl and some kind of tape recorder.
But then innovation begins. For a long time, Hegel used digital-to-analog converters from the Japanese company AKM in its models. However, then Covid happened and a fire occurred at this manufacturer’s factory. In order not to disrupt the supply chain, it was decided to find an alternative. And as a result, instead of the usual AK4493, the Hegel H600 has an ES9038Q2M from ESS. It is worth noting that Hegel prefers not to resample the original signal and process it in its original form.
The pre-amp section in the Hegel H600 is, in fact, a somewhat simplified analogue of the Hegel P30A with its almost silent signal level control. Accordingly, the final amplifier section takes a lot from the Hegel P30A. As a result, the device provides 303 W per channel at 8 ohms and almost 600 W at 4 ohms.
In general, the Hegel H600 amplifier works stably even with a two-ohm resistance, and taking into account the damping factor of more than 4000, you don’t have to worry not only about the sound pressure level, but also about the quality of the bass. However, one should not be surprised by such parameters: after all, a dozen hand-selected transistors work in each channel of the final amplification stage, and the proprietary SoundEngine2 technology is used in the circuitry of the device.
Instead of deep feedback, circuitry uses direct feedback. The device received a new power supply with two toroidal transformers, one of which serves to power the DAC and preamplifier. Dual mono circuit topology is used. All transistors in the input stage are matched in pairs, which minimizes harmonic distortion, and fast output stages now provide higher current performance.
Hegel believes that superior sound must be complemented by ease of use. The Hegel H600 offers extensive music streaming capabilities.
There are UPnP, Spotify Connect, AirPlay 2 and Tidal Connect. Roon Ready certification is expected in the very near future. External devices connected to any of the digital inputs – coaxial, optical, USB or LAN – can “wake up” the amplifier while it is in standby mode.
You can program the amplifier to be controlled by the standard TV remote, eliminating the need for two remotes. Multi-room capabilities have not been forgotten either. While connected to the Internet, the Hegel H600 remotely receives software updates for all of the listed functions.
Specifications Hegel H600
Amplifier class AB, Dual Mono, DualAmp, Dual Power, Sound Engine 2. 24 pcs 15A 200W high-speed, low-distortion bipolar transistors
Power 303 W at 8 Ohm, at 600 W at 4 Ohm
Frequency range 5 Hz – 100 kHz
Signal-to-noise ratio more than 100 dB
Channel crossover less than -100 dB
Total harmonic distortion (THD) less than 0.005% at 50 W 8 Ohm 1 kHz
Intermodulation distortion (IMD) less than 0.01% (19 kHz + 20 kHz)
Damping factor more than 4000
Analog inputs 2x XLR, 3x RCA
Analog outputs 1x RCA with constant level, 1x RCA with variable level
Digital inputs 1x BNC, 1x coaxial, 3x optical, 1x USB, 1x RJ45
Additional functionality AirPlay and DLNA. Integration with Control4 and Savant. Built-in DAC and network audio streamer. Remote control
Dimensions: W 430 mm H 171 mm D 445 mm
Weight 22 kg
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