Sound Engine

HEGEL MUSIC SYSTEMS is a Norwegian audio electronics manufacturer that has been slowly and steadily making a mark on the high-end audio world since it started out in the early 1990s.

- Al Griffin

One thing that distinguishes Hegel from other audio companies is its portfolio of proprietary technologies that were developed in-house by founder and chief designer Bent Holter. SoundEngine, the most well-known of these, emerged from Holter’s university student thesis, which explored the issue of reducing harmonic distortion in an amplifier while retaining a high damping factor. Now up to version 2, SoundEngine is incorporated throughout the full Hegel line, including new products like the H390 integrated amplifier ($6,000).

Having had previous experience with Hegel gear, I find two constants in the company’s offerings. The first is a dedication to simplicity. Hegel integrated amps and preamps generally feature a spartan black chassis and a front panel that’s completely feature-free aside from a pair of input select and volume control dials. In the H390, these flank a black-and-white OLED display that indicates current input, volume level, and the sampling rate of an incoming digital signal.

The other Hegel constant I’ve noted is a concern for product longevity. This is reflected in the H390’s tank-like build, thick aluminum faceplate, and heavy rubber support feet. The interest in longevity extends to features as well. When developing a network streaming platform to incorporate into its integrated amps, Hegel settled on AirPlay for the wireless component based on Apple’s longstanding commitment to the home entertainment space. And rather than using a stock solution, the company writes its own AirPlay code to provide a fasterresponding implementation that they also boast provides better sound.