Hegel H200 streaming amplifier - overview

Originally released around 2018, Hegel's H190 received an update early 2024 to incorporate a Moving Magnet phono stage, widening it's appeal for vinyl users. Due to the reworking of the power supply for the phono stage, the H190v ended up with a modest sound quality improvement. But now it's time to fully update the model.

Enter the new H200.

The H200 retains much of the features of the H190v, but adds the vastly updated streaming board that has already been added to the H150, H400, and H600. This covers 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 H200 pretty much has everything streaming possibility covered.

ANALOGUE AND DIGITAL INPUTS

As already mentioned, the addition of the Moving Magnet phono stage, which is based on the stand alone V10, will cover vinyl lovers who want to minimise box count. This will easily accommodate any turntable likely to be added to the H200 at it's price point. Three other analogue inputs are present - two unbalanced RCA and one balanced XLR. As well as a pair of fixed stereo outputs, there's also a pair of variable pre-outputs to connect external power amplification or subwoofer/s, if needed.

There's two optical inputs, one coaxial input, one Type B USB, and one Type A 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.

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 really 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.

OTHER FEATURES

As already mentioned, the inclusion of the main three music streaming platforms - Tidal, Spotify, and Qobuz, all in their Connect guise - will likely to negate the need for a separate music streamer for the average streaming fan, but Airplay adds wireless streaming for Apple products.

Any of the H200'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.

CONCLUSION

The 150wpc H190V was already an extremely competitive integrated amplifier at £3250, as demonstrated at a number of U.K. shows over the last few years, and now for only £250 more, you get a completely new streaming section with its own additional features, pitching it directly against many compromised all-in-one lifestyle systems - the advantage the H200 has is that it's an excellent quality Class AB amplifier first and foremost. So why not pop along to your local dealer (or to the little audio company!) and hear what the H200 has to offer.