Hegel H150 streaming amplifier - overview

For those of you who have visited hi-fi shows over the past few years, you'll likely be aware of just how good Hegel's H120 amplifier usually sounds partnered with a pair of Amphion Argon 1 loudspeakers. While not exactly a cheap combination, the pairing works extremely well together and performs way above its price point, and certainly doing many things better than some systems costing several times its price.

Hegel have achieved great success with the new H400 and H600 amplifiers, which replaced the H390 and H590 respectively, not only by making marked improvements to their sound quality, but also updating the DAC and streaming boards used, as well as implementing their own control app. The H150 becomes the third amplifier to benefit from these changes, making it more of a family with the H400 and H600 - these three models represent the new breed of Hegel amplifiers.

In early 2024, Hegel added a Moving Magnet phono stage based on their award winning V10 to the H190, which also improved the general sound quality due to an updated power supply, widening the appeal of the H190. As the H190v pre-dated the new streaming board, it remained an update on the existing H190 model. Not only does the H150 gain the streaming options of the H400 and H600, it also benefits from the addition of the MM phono stage.

So what does the H150 have to offer?

ANALOGUE AND DIGITAL INPUTS

As already mentioned, the main addition to the new H150 is its Moving Magnet phono stage, based on the stand alone V10, which is able to sustain a pretty good quality turntable, or at least any turntable that is likely to be partnered with an amp at this price point. Two other analogue inputs are present - unbalanced RCA and balanced XLR. A variable pre-output will connect to external amplification or subwoofer/s if needed.

There's two optical inputs, one coaxial input, one Type A USB, and one Type B USB, the latter ideal for the likes of music servers such as Innuos, and the former accepts music directly from a USB stick or HDD drive, accessible via Hegel's free control app. A coaxial digital output connects to an offboard DAC, or utilises Hegel's DAC loop option.

STREAMING OPTIONS

The H150 has the main three streaming services covered - Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, and Qobuz Connect. Those options alone may negate the need for an external streamer for many. Add GoogleCast, wireless AirPlay streaming, Airable Internet Radio, upcoming Roon certification, and UPnP network streaming, and the H150 pretty much has everything streaming possibility covered.

DAC

The internal DAC of any Hegel amplifier is there for convenience and flexibility, to offer extra inputs for sources such as Sky/Virgin boxes, games consoles, media boxes, or even just your TV. The DAC chips are chosen by Hegel and carefully implemented to compliment the amplifier, and to perform the task they're implemented to do, and for this purpose, they excel. Do you need an external DAC? No, you don't need an external DAC, but you're free to add one of you wish. We feel many people are led to believe they need one, when in most cases, they actually don't. Hegel amps are designed first and foremost as high performance amplifiers, rather than an 'everything including the kitchen sink' all-in-one lifestyle systems, where the amplification plays second fiddle to the feature count.

STREAMER

As already mentioned, the inclusion of the main three music streaming platforms - Tidal, Spotify, and Qobuz, all in their Connect guise - is likely to negate the need for a separate music streamer for the average streamer. Airplay adds wireless streaming for Apple products. Other than to add Bluetooth or other specific streaming services, there would be no need to add an offboard streamer other than to use a familiar or preferred interface.

OTHER FEATURES

Any of the H150's inputs can be set as an AV bypass (except the turntable input, of course), making it easy to integrate into an audio/visual system. The inherited DAC loop feature from its bigger brothers facilitates connection to a higher quality external DAC, and your choosing of which inputs are routed out to said DAC, and which utilise the internal one.

AM I BETTER OFF WITH THE H150 OR THE H190V?

The original H190 received an update to include a phono stage to become the H190V, but has yet to receive the extensive revisions the old H120/H390/H590 have. Those who are predominantly streaming based are better off with the H150, which will easily drive and control any loudspeaker it is likely to be sensibly partnered with. The H190V will come into its own with regards to sheer power output. Hegel amps are stable down to 2ohms (one feature which sets them apart from much of the competition), but the H190V provides twice the output of the H150 on paper, so if streaming services aren't required or aren't the main focus, or the user already has a capable/preferred separate streamer, it's a more suitable choice for those with loudspeakers that require more watts than usual, or for those that want to fill larger spaces with more of their favourite music.

CONCLUSION

The H120 was already an extremely competitive integrated amplifier at £2250, as demonstrated at a number of U.K. shows over the last few years, and now for only £500 more, you get a phono stage, an updated DAC, and a completely new streaming section with its own additional features. Having extensively used the H120, I can confirm the difference in sound quality on its own is worth the extra, it just feels like a more engaging amplifier, bringing out more detail in a larger soundstage. As always, the proof is in hearing for yourself, so pop along to your local dealer (or to the little audio company!) and hear what the H150 has to offer.

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