I expected the Hegel H390 to be good because of its foundations, but I didn’t expect it to be this good. This has to be one of the best integrated amplifiers money can buy at the moment, and its only really bettered by its bigger brother, unless you spend truly epic amounts of money. Wow!
Nicknaming the H390 "Robin Hood" is a bit bold, you may think. After all, it isn't pocket money and we are not giving it away to the poor. But it is a rebellion against the established. It is a rebellion because it offers extraordinary resolution and musical quality, typically found only in the most esoteric products, but at a reasonable price.
It is a rebellion against the establishment of "forcing" consumers into a user interface defined by the amplifier/streamer manufacturer. The H390 is very much at the tip of the spear in Hegel's pursuit of making mainstream sources sound their very best. Meaning the H390 is not just for the Audiophile. It is a product for the entire family to enjoy.
At the heart of the H390 is Hegel's patented SoundEngine 2 amplifier section. The SoundEngine 2, in many ways, works like a noise canceling headphone. A computer inside will sample what comes into the amplifier and compares it to what comes out. The computer subtracts the difference (distortion) and then add it into the music but in reverse phase. The result being that, without any time delay, the SoundEngine cancels out almost all errors made by the amplifier. Leaving you with the most musical and natural sound you ever have experienced.
Type: Integrated amplifier with network connected DAC
Power output: 2 × 250 W into 8 Ohms
Minimum load: 2 Ohms
Analogue inputs: 2 × balanced (XLR), 3 × unbalanced (RCA)
Digital inputs: 1x BNC 75Ω S/PDIF,
2 × coaxial S/PDIF, 3 × optical
S/PDIF, 1 × USB, 1 × RJ45 Ethernet
Line level output: 2 × unbalanced variable (RCA)
Diigital outputs: 1x BNC 75Ω S/PDIF
Frequency response: 5 Hz–100 kHz
Signal-to-noise ratio: More than 100 dB
Crosstalk: Less than -100 dB
Distortion: Less than 0.01%
@ 50 W 8 Ohms 1kHz
Intermodulation: Less than 0.01%
(19 kHz + 20 kHz)
Damping factor: More than 4000 (main power output stage)
Dimensions (H×W×D):
17.1 × 43cm × 44.5cm
Weight: 22kg
I expected the Hegel H390 to be good because of its foundations, but I didn’t expect it to be this good. This has to be one of the best integrated amplifiers money can buy at the moment, and its only really bettered by its bigger brother, unless you spend truly epic amounts of money. Wow!