Hegel H600 - Dual Mono Integrated Streaming Amplifier

The Hegel H600 Integrated Amplifier has been in development for 3 years and has come to supersede the H590.

With a host of new features, a new chassis design, a new DAC, an improved amplifier section, and a vastly superior streaming engine, the H600 is a true powerhouse that should cover all audiophile needs and wants. With its 303 watts in 8 ohms, a damping factor of 4000, and 2 ohms drive capability, this powerhouse of an amplifier can drive any speaker with confidence and ease.

Dual Mono Design - P30A Volume Attenuator

The amplifier is a dual mono design, bringing it as close as possible to the performance of two mono amps in a single box. It also boasts a state-of-the-art preamplifier with the extremely precise volume attenuator found in our reference P30A amplifier.

All electronic circuitry is designed in-house at Hegel and only uses the best-quality components. This gives us unprecedented control over the amplification process.

When combined with Hegel's SoundEngine2 correction technology, you are left with an audio signal that is as close to the original recording as possible. The result is an immensely wide and deep soundstage with incredible dynamic range and tremendous bass control.

Completely Redesigned DAC

The hegel H600’s D/A Converter is a bit-perfect design, offering pure audio fidelity without any resampling or upsampling. The DAC has a large, dedicated power supply that ensures uncontaminated and stable performance, and it is shielded by a thick steel plate so there is no interference from other electronics inside the amplifier.

The result is a cutting-edge D/A converter with incredible resolution and smoothness.

Newly Overhauled Chassis Design

The chassis is made of aluminium for better audio performance. It includes a solid bottom chassis and top cover with vents milled in two layers for added rigidity and airflow.

Big aluminium feet with an anti-scratch design ensure excellent stability and reduced vibrations, while high-quality RCA connectors and optimised positioning of the analogue and digital connectors provide less noise and better channel separation. The large control knobs are equipped with touch control, making this amplifier effortless and intuitive to operate.

They also have a very nice tactile feel, making every adjustment a delight.

Streaming and Future Proofed with Updates

At Hegel, they believe that great audio should not come at the expense of ease of use. That is why the H600 features a comprehensive list of streaming options. It supports UPnP streaming, Spotify Connect, Airplay 2, Tidal Connect, and Roon Ready (pending). This is however only the beginning.

This highly advanced streaming engine will ensure the amplifier is always up to date with the latest options for you to stream your music.

The H600 is also highly customizable to ensure it suits any environment. All digital inputs except USB have signal sense. This means that any device connected to these inputs can wake the amplifier and set it to the right input.

As with streaming services, more features will be available in the future. These firmware updates are of course always free, and the amplifier will install them automatically when they are launched, ensuring your H600 is always up to date.

Analogue / Digital Inputs and Outputs

The amplifier boasts a large array of analog and digital connections to accommodate various audio sources. There are two pairs of True Balanced XLR inputs and two pairs of RCA inputs.

On the digital front, it features a LAN network port, an USB 32/384 input (supporting DSD256/DoP), three optical inputs, a coaxial input, and a BNC true 75-ohm input.

For analog outputs, it offers a pair of RCA fixed-level outputs and a pair of RCA variable-level outputs. Additionally, it provides a BNC fixed-level true 75-ohm digital output.

Technical Specifications

• Power Output: 2 x 303W in 8 ohms, Dual Mono
• Minimum Load: 2 ohms
• Analog Inputs: x2 Balanced (XLR), x2 Unbalanced (RCA)
• Digital Outputs: x1 Coaxial (BNC) S/PDIF - 24/192
• Digital lnputs:
  • x1 Coaxial (BNC) S/PDIF - 24/192, DSD64(DoP), MQA 8x
  • x1 Coaxial (RCA) S/PDIF - 24/192, DSD64(DoP), MQA 8x
  • x3 Optical S/PDIF - 24/96, MQA 8x
  • x1 USB - 32/384, DSD256(DoP), MQA 8x
  • x1 Network - 24/192, DSD64, MQA 8x
• Line level Outputs: x1 Unbalanced Fixed (RCA), x1 Unbalanced Variable (RCA)
• Streaming: AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, Roon Ready (pending), Tidal Connect, UPnP
• Streaming Formats: MP3, WAV, FLAC, ALAC, AIFF, DSF, DFF, AAC, PCM, MQA, Ogg
• Frequency Response: 5Hz - 100kHz
• Signal-to-noise Ratio: More than 100dB
• Crosstalk: Less than -100dB
• Distortion: Less than 0.005% @ 50W 8 Ohms 1kHz
• Intermodulation: Less than 0.01% (19kHz + 20kHz)
• Damping Factor: More than 4000 (main power output stage)
• Dimensions / Weight: 17.1cm x 43cm x 44.5cm (HxWxD), 22kg

Hegel Amplifiers Comparison Chart

Further Information

Hegel H600 - User Manual (PDF)

HiFi News Review - Outstanding Product (PDF)

The Ear Review - Editors Choice (Link)