Hegel H120 integrated amplifier

The Hegel H120 continues the proud history of Hegel amplifiers. Proud because Hegel amplifiers have already been awarded numerous prestigious awards. The multiple award-winning designs that have surprised listeners over the years with their combination of pure dynamics and delicate naturalness. The H120 carries this legacy, but in a smaller and more budget-friendly package.

The H120 is a relatively affordable integrated amplifier that also includes a DAC and streaming functionality. Roon Ready, so fully controllable with Roon. This allows for easy streaming in high resolution with the Qobuz and Tidal services.

A step forward from our entry-level amplifiers in terms of price, but it is (and we refrain from the obvious quotes here) a solid step forward in features and performance. The significantly larger power supply provides a more dynamic sound and can be combined with larger and more difficult to drive speakers that offer more challenging amplifier loads. The digital section is directly derived from its larger siblings, and this is truly the core of the H120.

The digital section is directly derived from Hegel's larger models. According to Hegel, they have full control over the data stream. The H120 supports Roon, Apple's AirPlay, Spotify Connect, IP Control, Control4, and the UPnP protocol. According to the manufacturer, they are working on expanding the digital features of the H120, and in the future, users will be able to add free features to their H120. The volume control can be individually disabled for all inputs, allowing the volume to be controlled with the connected source if desired.

The H120 features Hegel's signature SoundEngine 2 amplifier technology. According to Hegel, this technology provides extremely low distortion and a damping factor of 2,000. The SoundEngine technology works a bit like noise-canceling headphones, according to Hegel: the output signal to the speakers is continuously compared to the input signal. If a difference is detected, the amplifier creates a counter-signal that is sent to the speaker out of phase. Distortion and other impairments of the music signal are thus eliminated in real time and directly.

We see the typical user of the H120 as people who love music and convenience. So modern digital music streaming. Within the budget, we claim that this is the best product in terms of price and performance.