Hegel H20 Stereo Power Amplifier
The Hegel H20 incorporates the latest version of Hegel's FET-technology. A practical benefit of the H20 FET-technology is a more rhythmic sound. It is simply better at re-creating a bass line. Another vital element is the removal of harmonic echoes in the higher frequencies, which result in a lot more detail and a smoother and more natural sound.
The core design of the H20 is based on the H30 reference amplifier, with the best possible implementation of Hegel's patented and laser trimmed SoundEngine modules. Designed in the timeless Hegel look, the H20 will fit in any modern or classic home.
The solid bead blasted and anodized front panel is a truly rigid design made from well over 1.5 kg of solid aluminium. The H20 also features bead blasted and anodized top and side covers which adds to the exclusive look, and serves to keep the overall design consistent. The Hegel H20 is a remarkable power amplifier with power capabilities of more than 130 Amperes, extremely low distortion levels and one of the highest damping factors in the industry so as to take full and absolute control of your loudspeakers. All this serves to give you the most natural, rhythmic and dynamic sound on the market today.
Organic Sound: Good recordings are best enjoyed naked. The organic sound of Hegel means that all parts of a dynamic recording are reproduced exactly like the original. The quality of the sound coming out of your speakers are only limited by what happened in the recording studio. Nothing added, nothing taken out - no artificial ingredients.
Music enjoyed on a Hegel system is the closest you can get to the live studio session. The company is proud to present The Hegel Concept - the first music system in the world that utilizes the very latest technology from all related fields, like integrated circuitry, broadcasting technology, and telecommunication. More than 10 years of research and development have made it possible to reproduce music in a more natural way than ever before.
The goal is to give music lovers the most natural and engaging listening experience possible. Real-life sound from acoustic instruments and voices from known artists were the preferred reference point while developing Hegel because nothing else would do.
SoundEngine: It's a common fact: As a story is told from person to person, details change. Things are added, others lost. At some point, the story has changed. When a music signal is passing through an audio amplifier a similar effect will take place. As the signal is passed from stage to stage within the audio amplifier, the music signal will be changed by every single amplifier stage.
When the music signal finally reaches your loudspeakers, the signal is different from the original music signal from the signal source. The Hegel SoundEngine local error cancelling system prevents distortion in the audio amplifier circuit stages, preserving the original details and the dynamic range in the original music signal. The end result is a much cleaner music signal with a larger dynamic range and lower distortion. The unique and patented Hegel SoundEngine audio technology combines the advantage of class AB and class A amplifiers, without having the drawbacks of class A and class AB-amplifier technologies.
The SoundEngine Technology cancels the crossover distortion found in all types of class-AB amplifiers. The human ear is very sensitive to high-frequency distortion components in the music signal. The Hegel SoundEngine technology will cancel high-frequency distortion components found in normal types of audio amplifiers. The Hegel SoundEngine technology is not using any kind of global negative feedback, it is using local and adaptive feedforward technology if there should ever be any need for cancellation of distortion within the audio amplifier stages.
DualAmp: All Hegel audio amplifiers are using a new kind of distributed amplifier technology called DualAmp Technology. This technology is used in all integrated amplifiers and power amplifiers from Hegel. In normal audio amplifiers, the voltage gain stages and current gain stages are combined in the same amplifier module.
DualAmp Technology from Hegel separates the voltage gain stage and the current gain stage into two completely different stages. First, the music signal goes to the voltage gain stage, amplifying only the voltage level of the music signal. By doing only voltage gain in this first stage, Hegel can use amplifier building blocks that are specially designed to do voltage amplification. After the separate voltage gain stage there is the current gain stage, doing only current gain and nothing else. This way Hegel can use amplifier blocks that are specially designed to do current gain. The current gain stage is needed to deliver a lot of current to the loudspeakers connected to the audio amplifier. By separating these two stages, we can keep the sensitive parts of the voltage gain stages away from the large speaker currents in the current output stage.
The output of the voltage gain stage is connected to the input of the current gain stage. There is no feedback from the current gain stage to the voltage gain stage. The Hegel DualAmp technology gives lower total distortion and a higher dynamic range than normal audio amplifiers. The Hegel DualAmp technology is developed in-house by Hegel and is only found in Hegel products.
DualPower: Normal audio amplifiers use the same power supply for the different amplifier blocks within the audio amplifier. The amplifier output stage driving the loudspeaker is using the same power supply as the crucial input stages and voltage gain stages of the audio amplifier. The large currents flowing in the connected loudspeakers will disturb the sensitive input and voltage gain stages of the audio amplifier.
Hegel integrated amplifiers, power amplifiers and sources are using completely separate DualPower power supplies for the input and voltage gain stages, and for the current output stages of the audio amplifier. The custom-designed Hegel power transformers have got separate DualPower windings feeding independent high-speed rectifiers and high capacity power supply capacitors.
By using the DualPower power supply technology Hegel amplifiers prevent disturbances from the high currents flowing in the loudspeakers entering the sensitive input gain stages and voltage gain stages. The Hegel DualPower technology gives lower total distortion and a higher dynamic range than normal audio amplifiers. The Hegel DualPower technology is developed in-house by Hegel and is only found in Hegel products.
Hegel Philosophy
"All Hegel products are based on a simple philosophy: Add as little as possible. We always aim to keep the music signal close to the original recording. We are constantly looking for ways to lower distortion and noise. By lowering noise, we unveil layers of music covered by noise. And by lowering the distortion we can have a better and more precise reproduction of the recording. We work hard to give you the best possible music experience. Our minimalistic Scandinavian design is styled to fit in with any interior. The products are easy to operate and manufactured according to the best quality principles." Bent Holter, Founder Hegel Music Systems
About Hegel
The Hegel story begins in 1988 when Bent Holter, a student at the Technical University in Trondheim, Norway, decided to do a thesis under the original design of the transistor used in amplifiers that would cure the problems of traditional hi-fi systems. Enemy number one was distortion and Holter somehow could not accept the fact that when we supply a simple signal to an amplifier, the output reproduces that signal plus something else; distortion produced by the electronics. Fighting distortion usually means deterioration of other parameters, including damping factor so Holter decided to break free from classic schematics and developed a project that became the basis of what we know today as SoundEngine Technology.
And where does the name of the company come from? Well, during his spare time Bent played in a rock-metal band called The Hegel Band. When they needed amplifiers for concerts, he suggested building them himself. His ideas took on real shape, but it took lots of money to refine the technology and help came from Telenor - one of the biggest players in the telecommunications industry.
The early 90s were a period of prosperity for the brand. First, they patented the SoundEngine technology and soon thereafter released a DAC and a CD Player. Over the next few years, the company steadily developed its product range including their burgeoning range of integrated amplifiers. Today Hegel is one of the best-established brands on the Hi-Fi market. They produce integrated, pre and power amplifiers as well as CD players and some of the most modern and sophisticated D/A converters. SoundEngine Technology was just a start. Today there are six more original technical solutions in Hegel's portfolio. The company has dealers in 63 countries and its products are sold all over the world. Awards and press reviews speak for themselves.
Hegel H20 Review
"When I began to listen to the Hegel H20, I smiled - this was going to be fun. I'd listened to amps that I'd borrowed or reviewed that cost several times the H20's price but couldn't touch it in terms of overall performance. I was becoming jaded by the escalating costs of audio gear. It's refreshing to come across a company that makes affordable gear that competes head-to-head with the expensive offerings from better-known names. I recommend it as highly as almost anything else I've ever reviewed." SoundStage! Hi-Fi
Our Take On The Hegel H20
The Hegel H20 stereo power amplifier is a testament to the marriage of cutting-edge technology and pristine audio engineering. Boasting a robust power output of 200 watts per channel into 8 ohms, this amplifier delivers an immersive listening experience that captivates even the most discerning audiophiles. Its meticulously crafted design, featuring Hegel's patented SoundEngine technology, ensures exceptional clarity and accuracy across the entire frequency spectrum, from the deepest bass notes to the most delicate high frequencies.
What sets the Hegel H20 apart is its unwavering commitment to sonic purity. With a signal-to-noise ratio of over 100dB, this amplifier remains virtually silent during operation, allowing the music to emerge with unparalleled detail and transparency. Whether driving demanding floor-standing speakers or delicate bookshelf monitors, the H20 excels in effortlessly conveying the emotional depth and nuance of every musical performance, making it a cornerstone of any high-fidelity audio system.
Main Features & Specifications
- Design: Stereo Power Amplifier
- Designed to match the Hegel P20 Preamplifier
- Power Output: More than 200 W + 200 W into 8 Ohms, Dual Mono
- Inputs: RCA unbalanced and XLR balanced
- Speaker Outputs: Two pair of heavy-duty gold plated terminals
- Input Impedance: Balanced 10 kOhm, unbalanced 50 kOhm
- Frequency Response: Less than +/- 0.2 dB deviation 20 Hz - 20 kHz
- Phase Response: Less than 2 degrees deviation 20 Hz - 20 kHz
- Signal to Noise Ratio: More than 100 dB
- Crosstalk: Less than -100 dB
- Distortion: Less than 0.006% at 100 W8 ohm
- Intermodulation: Less than 0.01% (19 kHz + 20 kHz)
- Damping Factor: More than 1,000
- Power Supply: 1,000 VA dual mono, 90,000 μF capacitors
- Output Stage: 20 pcs 15 A 200 W high speed, ultra-low distortion bipolar transistors
- Power Consumption: 60 W in standby switched on
- Removable Power Cable: Upgrade to a Premium Power Cable for better performance
- Finish: Black
- Dimensions (WxHxD): 430 x 145 x 370mm
- Weight: 18 kg
- Manufacturer's Warranty: 2 Years
Note: Features & Specifications Subject To Change Without Notice. E&OE.