Hegel H150 Integrated Amplifier Review

This newly released Hegel integrated streaming amplifier replaces the H120 that has been around since late 2019. Although it appears similar to the outgoing model, the H150 features a number of improvements that bring it in line with its competitors and justify a price increase. According to a company spokesman, they wanted to create an entry-level product with functionality rivalling the more high-end H400 and H600 integrateds, along with some of their special technology.

Up Close

Single-box streaming integrated amplifiers are a popular solution these days, with the ability to provide convenience and quality sound in a compact package. Although it measures just 100x430x350mm [HxWxD], the H150 has a claimed power output of 75W RMS per channel into 8 ohms. Hegel says that in practice, it goes even louder thanks to its sturdy power supplies and careful component choice.

Functionality is enhanced compared to the H120; it sports a moving magnet phono stage, plus Google Cast, Tidal Connect, Qobuz Connect, Spotify Lossless Connect, and Airable with access to over 70,000 radio stations and podcasts. There’s also a handy DAC loop that we will discuss later. It has Apple AirPlay, UPnP and USB A functionality and is Roon Ready (but this is still pending certification). There is no provision for Wi-Fi, so an Ethernet cable connection is a must.

Multiple digital inputs are fitted, including an RCA coaxial and two optical S/PDIFs, plus a USB B for connection to a computer. A single RCA coaxial digital output allows the use of an external DAC with the DAC loop enabled. XLR and RCA line level inputs are fitted, and one set of speaker connections plus a convenient 6.3mm headphone output on the front panel. The latter is quite spartan in the Hegel tradition, with the standby button hidden underneath the OLED display and source and volume dials completing the functional yet attractive front face.

This is a Class AB design with Hegel’s patented SoundEngine 2 technology, which is described as “a local error cancelling system (which) prevents distortion in the audio amplifier circuit stages, preserving the original details and the dynamic range in the original music signal.” It is said to be approximately ninety per cent faster than previous iterations, meaning it gives more precise error correction.

Hegel adds that the power amp section has a higher damping factor too – over 2,000 in fact, which is extremely high for a moderately priced amplifier. It is claimed to have stable operation down to 2 ohm loads, thanks in part to its twin toroidal power transformers. The larger one is dedicated to the output stage with separate windings for each channel and four large 10,000uF smoothing capacitors, with the additional smaller transformer being used for the standby circuitry.

The H150 borrows several features from its bigger brothers, like the advanced volume attenuator system. Hegel told me:

This uses a (secret) set of chips originally intended for high-frequency measuring equipment found in places like CERN, in Switzerland. It is a digitally controlled ultra-low noise analogue volume attenuator, a very critical stage in the amplifier and not an off-the-shelf audio kit.

Build quality is exemplary, with excellent fit and finish. In use, the amplifier stayed only mildly warm even when pushing its capabilities, so it has great thermal capabilities. I liked that the OLED display is clear and legible from my seat. The remote control, although being plastic and lightweight, worked very well and had a great range.

Setup is simple. It’s just a case of connecting the power, Ethernet and speakers, downloading the Hegel Control app, and then selecting and logging in to your preferred streaming platform. Apple users can choose the Hegel amplifier as the output in the list of AirPlay speakers, Google users can Cast, or you can use Spotify, Tidal or Qobuz to use the Connect function. Alternatively, you can stream local files or services using UPnP. It’s all very intuitive, so most users will be streaming within minutes. Once a playlist has been started, the Hegel remote control lets you pause and skip, etc., which is handy. Record players, CD players, TVs and subwoofers can be connected. The Hegel Connect app also controls volume and source selection.

Without an HDMI port on the H150, connection to the TV will be via one of the two optical inputs. There is a feature that learns your TV remote so it can be used to control volume. It proved simple to set up, and my Samsung remote operated perfectly. A variable line level output is there for adding subwoofers or external power amps if required.

The Listening

The new Hegel H150 has a natural, open, airy and balanced sound which makes listening to music a pleasure. Orderly and articulate by nature, there is enough power for most listeners, and bass control is notably good. It has a strong rhythmic drive that’s impressive for its size, too.

For example, Limit To Your Love by James Blake was very well handled with authoritative bass control – the bassline proving powerful and tight even with fussy standmounting speakers like B&W’s 705 Signature. Listening to Rude World by The Red Eyes showed me how linear the overall sonic signature of this amplifier is. Its innate balance rewards well-recorded tracks and doesn’t prevent certain musical genres from being enjoyed. Being picky, cymbals could have better definition, but at no time is the treble harsh or irritating.

This amplifier has a clean, factual and accurate sort of sound, then, but it’s not too forensic. Matt Corby’s voice in Light My Dart Up showed a fine balance between precision and musical engagement. I heard great separation between his vocal line and that of the backing singers, but at the same time, the track sounded fun. Indeed, Uptown Funk (feat. Bruno Mars) by Mark Ronson was tight, punchy and dynamic, with plenty of energy from bottom to top. Energetic and propulsive, it made for an enjoyable listen.

Soundstaging is another one of Hegel’s strengths. Listening to L'Amour De Ma Vie by Billie Eilish, and the soundstage extended well beyond the physical confines of my loudspeakers, with good depth perspective too. Vocals were well located in the recording, giving an enjoyable, immersive sound. Indeed, this amplifier’s overall transparency was impressive for its price, letting me profit from well-recorded tracks like 1br/1ba by Vienna Teng. Here, the background was admirably silent, with the piano and violin sounding crisp and vibrant, alongside Vienna’s delicate voice.

One interesting quirk of this amplifier is the ‘DAC loop’ function, where you can, in effect, bypass the internal DAC for an external one of your choice, whilst keeping the internal amplification. It’s a good way of future-proofing the amplifier, as well as providing a future upgrade path. I found that an inexpensive SMSL D-6S DAC sounded slightly more organic than Hegel’s built-in DAC, while my Holo Audio Spring 3 KTE was a significant upgrade – this was as expected, considering its high price.

Hegel supplied my review amplifier with tracks downloaded from Qobuz onto a small USB hard drive, which plugs into the USB-A port and is accessed via the Control App. The same songs played from the USB drive sounded fuller, clearer and more expansive than when being streamed via Qobuz. This is as it should be, because whilst streaming is super convenient, it is not the best way to experience digital audio – as those who run NAS drives already know. Google Cast worked well, for example, I was easily able to send the sound from YouTube played on my laptop to the H150, and it worked faultlessly.

The headphone amplifier section proved to be well up to the job. Using a pair of Sony WH-1000XM3 headphones, I got a very similar sound to that via loudspeakers. The ethereal Woven Song by Olafur Arnalds had plenty of detail that came across without a hint of harshness. Long listening sessions are certainly enjoyable with cans on.

To test the H150’s phono input, I used a vintage AR Turntable with a Shure V15 III cartridge, playing 99 by Torsten Good. Surface noise was very low, and the sound was characteristically clean and dynamic, with a huge, open soundstage. Indeed, Hegel’s internal phono stage easily bested an external Pro-Ject Phono Box DS2 I had to hand, which is an impressive feat.

The Verdict

The H150 is a really impressive streaming amplifier at the price, and clearly a positive step forward for Hegel. It’s a likeable new product that looks good, is easy to use and very versatile – as well as sounding powerful and engaging, smooth and detailed. As a jack of all trades, it’s extremely hard to beat and should prove popular. It certainly fulfils its brief in doing everything well, while leveraging the technology and features of the company’s flagship integrated systems. Well worth an audition then, if you’re looking for a thoroughly modern do-it-all design.

Visit Hegel Music Systems for more information