John Darko
Streamliner. That’s the nickname being lent by Hegel to its latest ‘mid-tier’ streaming integrated amplifier: the H400 replaces the H390 to sit between the H190v and flagship H600 in Hegel’s range. Let’s dive in…
The H400 is a Class A/B circuit arranged in a dual-mono configuration to offer 250wpc into 8 Ohms. A 4 Ohm power rating isn’t given; when I asked for one, my Hegel contact told me the company doesn’t provide 4 Ohm ratings, only 8 Ohm. However, it’s likely a non-issue as the H400 is reportedly stable down to 2 Ohms (lest your speakers dip that low).
Back on the press release, the Norwegian company can also be heard banging the drum for damping factor which sits at 4000 for “tight control over your speakers, providing precise and dynamic sound”. Also: “The absence of an equalizer preserves signal integrity, while our SoundEngine 2 technology offers instant distortion correction during amplification.”
According to Hegel, the H400’s internal DAC is based on that found in the H600. That means bit-perfect playback with no upsampling funny business under the hood.
On the streaming support, the H400 offers Apple AirPlay 2, Roon Ready, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect and Google Cast (the new name for the Chromecast protocol). Such a comprehensive streaming set suggests Hegel has put a Stream Unlimited board inside the H400 — all certification is then handled by the Austrian board manufacturer (and not Hegel). The upshot is that everything works out of the gate with zero wait on Roon Readiness.
Not only. Alongside the H400, Hegel wants to introduce us to its new Hegel Control app (iOS/Android) that optionally takes care of volume, input selection, internet radio, podcasts and UPnP playback. However, it should be noted that the H400 can auto-sense input signals to switch sources automagically. I wish more manufacturers offered this (with a switch to defeat it when required).
The back panel’s hard-wired inputs include: one set of balanced analogue XLR, two sets of unbalanced analogue RCA, BNC S/PDIF, coaxial S/PDIF, 3 x TOSLINK and USB. BYO phono stage. Subwoofers can be fed from the H400’s pre-amplifier outputs and anyone lamenting the absence of HDMI ARC is advised that the H400 can be programmed to accept infrared control signals from an existing TV remote wand.
Pricing on the new Hegel comes in at €6995, US$6995 or £5900. Shipping begins at the end of September.
Further information: Hegel
