Stereophile: Hegel Music Systems

Norway's Hegel Music Systems has made its way to the US market. I met Hegel and the company's charming founder, Bent Holter, at the 2007 Consumer Electronics Show and then again in Las Vegas during the following year. On both occasions, I had a lot of fun listening to music and learning about Holter's designs. As I wrote last year, I was instantly attracted to the designer's combination of tech-talk and passion for music. The guy is at once serious and totally wacky.

Every time we meet, Holter tries to explain his patented SoundEngine technology. He draws diagrams and talks slowly and everything. I never really understand it, but it always seems pretty cool. "It's a dynamic real-time cancelling of error in the system," he told me. So? You've heard of feedback? Holter's technology uses "feed-forward." The result, he says, is reduced intermodulation distortion and an increased damping factor.

Is there a scientist in the house? I don't know what any of this means. Maybe JA knows.

SoundEngine Technology also utilizes a "threshold detector," which identifies, calculates, and eliminates error in the playback chain. And who wants error in their playback chain? Not this guy. Do you?

After all the technical stuff is put aside, Holter enjoys discovering new music. Sounds that had most people running away from me during hi-fi shows, had Holter jotting down band names and track titles. And my music sounded good through the few systems I heard that featured his gear. I remember being impressed by the speed, detail, and clarity.

So it's cool that Hegel has come to the US, I think. But isn't this a crazy time to enter a new market, with all the errors in the current economic playback chain, and whatnot? Holter says no. I'm taking this right off the press release now, FYI:

Many of today's "high-end" brands are OEM'd from a few common sources. Innovation has been supplanted by expedience. Over the past 20 years, Hegel has developed and patented breakthrough technology that sets us apart from our competitors. This innovation gives Hegel an identity and a distinct edge over brands whose products are often only distinguishable by their faceplate.
The current financial crisis benefits Hegel. Our combination of proprietary in-house technology, combined with locally out-sourced assembly, enables Hegel to deliver highly competitive prices in tough economic times.

So, what are those prices? Well, Hegel offers two CD players, two preamplifiers, two power amplifiers, two integrateds, and an S/PDIF-USB DAC (Holter apologizes for all the numbers and letters):

CDP2A CD player: ($2650)
CDP4A: ($4000)
P2A preamplifier: ($2150)
P4A: ($4600)
200Wpc H20 power amplifier: ($5750)
300Wpc H4A: ($8100)
100Wpc H100 integrated, with built-in USB DAC: ($3000)
200Wpc H200: ($4400)
HD10 S/PDIF-USB DAC: ($1200)

And all Hegel products are handsome and modest, with clean lines and quiet faceplates. I like that, and I do believe the physical appearance has something to do with the sound. For more information on Hegel's SoundEngine Technology, the tenuous relationship between caviar and sausage, and listening to naked music, visit the company's very nice website.

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Reader Comments

Posted Thu Jul30, 2009, 10:58 PM — By Erick Lichte

Ok, I'm going to ask... do the wires on the gear use Hegelian dielectric?

Posted Fri Jul31, 2009, 8:27 AM — By fred

lets get a proper review of Hegel equipment and see how theirs translates into good sounds.

Posted Fri Jul31, 2009, 9:47 AM — By Tom Collins

very handsome in an understated scandanavian sort of way. i hope they sound as good as they look. i admire his willingness to come in at this time. you know what we need, a cash for clunkers program for audio. let's see, if it is at least 25 years old, puts out less than 50 watts, no remote...... one can dream.

Posted Sun Aug 2, 2009, 12:48 PM — By selfdivider

rofl, erick lichte! =)

Posted Mon Aug 3, 2009, 11:06 AM — By Antonis

Very honest, neutral, quiet, natural products, with good currents, Hegel matched with any speaker in their price category and not only! Try Hegel with Focal, Atc, Audio Physic, Bowers and Wilkins, Hansen etc and you will understand why Mr. Holter is proud for his creations at this price range ; -) I’m using Hegel products for three years and I’m very happy… I forgot the machines and I started the auditions of my music AGAIN! I’m not saying that these products are the best in market BUT in this price range try to find something with their currents AND their music expression at the same time!

Posted Mon Aug 3, 2009, 1:16 PM — By suits_me

I find this an unacceptably unclear answer regarding hi rez, USB capabilities (USB has hi rez limits, period, even with the newest Audio spec for USB, and various DACs have varying limitations.) And the part about the implementation of the DAC chips themselves is vague. One would begin to intuit some marketing blather. The current audioXpress has an article on feedback mechanisms, including feedforward. >Can the H100 USB sound card play high resolution audio? >The H100 is not the "player" when used as a sound card. The computer plays the files and sends it digitally through the USB cable to the amplifier. So the computer is the only limit to what the H100 can play. >Why is the H100 better than the standard sound card? >The two biggest reasons is that the environment inside a laptop or computer is not good for audio. Just by moving the sound card out of the computer you get better sound. The other reason is Hegel's unique implementation of the DAC chips, that reduce disto

Posted Mon Aug 3, 2009, 1:24 PM — By suits_me

Stereophile: Please fix your website so that when the comments system claims I have seven characters left the end of my post will not be truncated. The ability to define paragraphs is also a good thing.

Posted Wed Aug12, 2009, 8:23 AM — By Peter

Olive has announced the latest version of its uber expensive Opus digital Hi-Fi stereo. The new version is known as Opus No. 4 and promises to allow customers to experience their music at home in hi-fi sound quality. The device connects to a standard stereo and has an integrated touchscreen interface.To know more details visit http://www.i4u.com/article26014.html.

Posted Fri Aug14, 2009, 2:10 PM — By Jonas

Hegel has a very solid reputation here in the Nordic countries for being a very transparent and well engineered amplifier. It's in a price segment that's not for me though, I find it all very expensive but there are many worse amps in the same price range so I suppose other peoples priorities are different.

Posted Fri Aug21, 2009, 9:57 AM — By KONSTANTINOS

HEGEL are good and honest amlifiers but they do not justify their price tag at all.In other words you do not see your money for what they offer.

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Are you looking for the Bose Headphones ,CHI Hair Straighteners or GHD Hair Straighteners,buy them immediately,and we'll give you a good discount.

Posted Thu Jul29, 2010, 4:32 PM — By Randy Santoro

I just bought there H070 (Not listed above)-it's there 70 watt integrated with a dac for $2,000. It's the best piece of audio equipment I have purchased in the last 20 years. One really needs to hear it because whatever I say won't do it justice. I bought the piece thru Audio Doctor who is an excellent rep for them.

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