Hegel V10 Phono Preamplifier
The Hegel V10 is a brand-new take on an old technology. With 30 years' experience designing state-of-the-art discrete transistor circuits, Hegel have built a phono preamplifier like no other. It is neutral, dynamic, and exceptionally revealing. Hegel have used all their knowledge in amplification and applied it to one goal - to reach down into the record and reveal every bit of information. The V10 is designed to capture the sound. To get you closer to the music. To get you into the groove.
Listening to vinyl is a tactile experience. You carefully open the album jacket, remove the record from the inner sleeve, inspect for dust or scratches, place it on the platter, and slowly let the needle drop to let the sound out. It is all about you and your music, selected for exactly this moment. With the V10, Hegel aim to make this special experience even better. Developed from the ground up and utilizing truly clever and unique technologies, the V10 will give you an unprecedented transparency and soundscape - making the music you hear as tangible and real as the record it is pressed into.
Hegel achieve this because everything on the V10 is designed with the sole purpose of making your music sound as good as possible. The chassis is divided into two compartments, physically separating the power supplies from the sensitive amplification circuitry. There is simply no detectable interference between the two parts. For the best possible connection, Hegel have fitted the V10 with gold-plated terminals, balanced XLR outputs, and a solid custom grounding screw. On the all-important input stage, Hegel have used ultra-low-noise discrete JFET transistors for both the Moving Magnet (MM) and Moving Coil (MC) input. Eliminating external noise is especially important when using sensitive low output MC cartridges. That is why Hegel have fitted the MC input with four such transistors connected in parallel, making the input completely silent and stopping any bias current feedback to the cartridge coil.
The input signal feeds into equally silent amplifier circuits, where both the MM and the MC gain stages use ultra-low-noise power supplies built with discrete bipolar transistors to keep the signal noise at a minimum. This ensures extremely accurate amplification of the input signal coming from the turntable. And to make sure the V10 gets the best operating conditions, it is supplied with a linear, low noise, analogue AC-power supply. This features a large, custom design, E-core transformer, placed in its own housing to eliminate all possibility of interference. For Hegel it is particularly important that all vinyl enthusiasts get to enjoy the V10, so, out of the box it is configured as an excellent plug and play MM preamplifier. For many, this is exactly what they want and need, but some want even more. That is why Hegel made the V10 highly optimizable, catering to individual preferences and requirements in set up so the V10 can be adjusted for any MM and MC cartridge.
When using a MM cartridge, you can freely increase the Capacitance between 100 and 467 pF and when using a MC cartridge, the impedance can be set freely between 33 and 550 ohms or fixed at 47 kOhm. On both MM and MC, the gain can be increased by 5, 10 or 12 dB, matching the output of your other sources, the V10 even has a Subsonic Filter to remove unwanted low frequency noise. And at the end of the night, when the listening session takes you way past bedtime and you forget to turn off the V10, the adjustable auto standby function does that for you. All this makes the V10 the perfect companion for your vinyl setup. Finding the perfect synergy between your system and your listening preferences. Transporting you into the groove.
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.
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.
Our Take On The Hegel V10
The Hegel V10 Phono Preamplifier stands as a formidable addition to any audiophile's setup, boasting an exceptional blend of precision engineering and sonic finesse. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, this device epitomizes Hegel's commitment to delivering unparalleled audio quality. With its sleek design and advanced circuitry, the V10 offers a captivating listening experience, revealing the subtle nuances of vinyl recordings with remarkable clarity and depth. Whether you're a seasoned vinyl enthusiast or a newcomer to the world of analogue audio, the Hegel V10 Phono Preamplifier represents a noteworthy achievement in the pursuit of sonic excellence.
Main Features & Specifications
- Design: Phono Preamplifier
- Amplifier Typology: Ultra low noise discrete JFET transistor input stage for both MC and MM
- Gain XLR Out MM: 40dB / 45dB / 50dB / 52dB
- Gain XLR Out MC: 60dB / 65dB / 70dB / 72dB
- Gain RCA Out MM: 34dB / 39dB / 44dB / 46dB
- Gain RCA Out MC: 54dB / 59dB / 64dB / 66dB
- MC Load Impedance: Freely adjustable between 33 and 550 ohm / 47 kOhm
- MM Load Capacitance: 100pF / 147pF / 220pF / 247pF / 320pF / 420pF / 467pF @ 47 kOhm
- Subsonic Filter: Switchable on / off, -3dB at 20Hz, -18dB octave
- RIAA Accuracy: +/- 0,2dB / 20Hz - 20kHz
- Output Noise: -84dB/MM ("A" weighted ref: 0dBV), -81dB/MC ("A" weighted ref: 0dBV)
- Output Impedance XLR / RCA: 200 Ohms
- Channel Crosstalk: -84dB @1kHz 0dBV
- Frequency Response: 2Hz - 20kHz
- Distortion (THD) MM: < 0.005% @1kHz 0dBV
- Distortion (THD) MC: < 0.009% @1kHz 0dBV
- Inputs: 1 x unbalanced (RCA) MM, 1 x unbalanced (RCA) MC
- Outputs: 1 x unbalanced fixed (RCA), 1 x balanced fixed (XLR)
- Power Adapter: Hegel Power Adapter M30103
- Finish: Black
- Dimensions with Feet (WxHxD): 210 x 60 x 280mm
- Weight: 2.2 kg
- Manufacturer's Warranty: 2 Years
Note: Features & Specifications Subject To Change Without Notice. E&OE.