Hegel's H400 Integrated Amp reviewed! A worthy successor to the Hegel H390?

[@bmpgmp]

I don’t understand why this integrated that can do everything does not have a digital ARC input. Why??? I would also like to see a dac module for future updates.

[@Mark-rw3kw]

You can buy an HDMI ARC to optical adapter. I don't think they are into home theater so much in Norway as some people in the US are. I use a optical out from my TV to my DAC, and it works fine IMO. Making the DAC module easily hardware upgradable would cost more money and take up more space (the Hegel amps are fairly cramped inside already). Personally, I think DAC upgrades are over-rated.

[@zizendorf]

Adrian, your passion, not just for equipment but for music is just so remarkable... "That's a Hammond!" You just speak with such love and eloquence for the music. Great reviews!

[@adrianlow2114]

Thanks!!

[@prothor]

Love your reviews and thoughts on hifi 💪🏼❣️

[@adrianlow2114]

Thank you

[@danielscheerer3032]

Ordered it last week to drive (ordered at the same time) 1.7X Maggies. REALLY looking forward to my new system, and glad to hear you think so highly of the H400!

[@cesarjlisboa7586]

Hegel is the best solid state amplifier (option ) for the the money. No questions!

[@Harrisongrey19]

I agree

[@janulik9535]

this is simply not true, I am H390 owner and I have to say the competition has something to offer too.

[@johnwhite2576]

@@janulik9535like what >?

[@janulik9535]

@@johnwhite2576 like many: objectivly hegel is simply not the best. To name just some of, try Avid. Have you ever heart it?, then I am strugling to prefer h390 over naim supernait 3 for example but I do slightly althought presentation is very different. Try simple NAD M23 with M66 and you get easely performance of H400. Those are very known options. Accuphase E380, Moon 600i, Gato amp 150, BelCanto, It is up to yuou to choose

[@janulik9535]

@@johnwhite2576 sounds like you think hegel is the best in the world. Check out norma and electrocompaniet sound

[@CButti-x1s]

Great review guys. Seems like the new H400 maintains the previous generations H390's positions as the sweet spot of the Hegel integrated amp lineup. Looking forward to more comparisons. Thanks!

[@adrianlow2114]

You're welcome

[@TheBlackIdentety]

I was hoping for a review after the unboxing video. Thank you!

[@richardsaila8073]

The guys reviewed recordings or other gear. Nobody talks about the Hegel. Is this piece that bad? 😳😂

[@Mark-rw3kw]

@@richardsaila8073 Did you watch the entire video? Watch to the last 5 minutes again.

[@adrianlow2114]

You're welcome

[@pawelejman2418]

What about comparison of H400 with H590? Now prices are quite the same.

[@adrianlow2114]

Unfortunately we don't have any H590 left

[@MikeLindsay]

My reservation on these is that for an end game amp, there are always a lot of used ones for sale on CAM and Audiogon.

[@adrianlow2114]

That's just how the market works. For many of us, this will be our end game budget. For others, it's just a stepping stone.

[@GPintoFerrao]

Hi Adrien, A couple of months ago I was in market in my country - Portugal - for buying a kind of end game amplifier in my life. I'm 66 years old and I'm conscious that I'm not living many years further now. So I wanted a last amplifier on my audio journey. I listend to more than ten integrated amplifiers (I prefere integrated cause a lack of space) and same of them were too melow as McIntosh ones, or to harsh or even too dry as Hegel 600. Yes, Hegel amplification gear is shown us a kind of neutrality and transparency, but doesn't guide us to an engagement between neutrality and musicality. At least to my ears. But anyway Thank you very much for your review

[@vittoriomartinidonati]

which one did you choose and with which speaker and for which type of music?

[@GPintoFerrao]

@ I choose a national handcraft amplification system - Perfectus/V.A.C. - branded by JP Amplifiers witch is following the Ohm Law. The speakers are the Focal Kanta no. 2

[@adrianlow2114]

Thank you my friend. May you live as long as you want!!!

[@antonioalvarez5253]

Reading notes in the phone to tell everyone that internal DAC is better than a 700 chinese dac. Good job dude! And to conclude: "it handle everything quite well". That's a really bold statement! haha

[@paulweston1702]

I recently bought a Hegel 190v to drive my KEF R11 metas and it sounds wonderful. Was considering waiting for the 400 but was advised I don't really need the power... but I wonder..,

[@GordJuby]

I have heard the Hegel 600 with Focal speakers and it was great . Amazing bass without any Sub.

[@psyphonyxaudio]

Yes, Lewis!! .. Smooth Operator is the track I was hoping to promote more for this year of audio shows... It's so lovely.

[@bartbarelds8454]

Love my H390, the quality of this amp for the price right now on the second hand market is literally unmatched.

[@zaidadam5967]

Have an H400 coming cant wait???

[@ogo1201]

me too 🙂

[@muhammadikhwan4064]

I bought a brand new H390 to drive my Maggi 1.7i After mere few hundred hours of gentle use at home, the left channel went dead. Hegel and the dealer are not yet providing any support for me after nearly a month and a half!! I am now back to my Schiit Vidar, with the $5K Hegel nicely tucked in its original box!! 😢

[@ericszkoda8690]

I agree that Chinese products are getting better and some are very good but usually they are significantly cheaper then European or N American products. Not the case with Hegel and few other companies who using cheap labour and making significant profits not necessarily passing savings to customers. Personally I don’t like Hegel house sound and Ikea looks… but that’s just my opinion.

[@jacquesmcintyre4184]

Adrian, would you say that the Sonetto’s are also great match for the H400??

[@adrianlow2114]

Absolutely! Love the combination

[@tamil.f.3734]

There is a reason you liked the "non-descript" recording of Beethoween by Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra. They are world class orchestra! They really don't deserve to be called "non descript". Classical music has a long tradition in central europe and many world class performers and orchestras come from the region. Just because you don't know all of them doesn't mean they are not very good. Now you know! 😄

[@tienkorasker8940]

The ‘Winer Philharmonic’ is just the Vienna Philharmonic. (Wien is the Austrian name for Vienna.)

[@Mark-rw3kw]

The whole question of "best recording" (or good recording) for system evaluation really bothers me. When someone says "best recording" do they mean "best audio reproduction quality" or do they mean "best performance"? All too often it means best performance, especially when it comes to classical music. But all of the music we listen to on our systems are "recordings" so I don't understand how best recording should actually mean "best performance." Based on some quick research I have done, plus rapid A/B switching listening tests on Tidal using high resolution headphones, "Beethoven: Symphony No.5, Piano Concerto No.4" by Conductor Michael Tilson Thomas and San Francisco Orchestra (recorded 2011) is one of the best audio reproductions of Beethoven's 5th. It is available on SACD, plus Tidal (in "Max" resolution). Even though the Kleiber performance is very good from a musicality (tone, tempo, etc) point of view, it is no match of the transparency of the more modern Michael Tilson Thomas recording mentioned above. So while I applaud the use of real music (and not just test tones, graphs, or measurements) when evaluating audio equipment, if one really wants to be able to find the equipment that does the best and most faithful reproduction, the highest quality audio reproduction of music should be chosen, not just the best performance. I understand that some people have a lot of old poorly recorded music they want to be able to listen to, but that is a completely different subject. Likewise, it is important to use the best resolving and accurate speakers along with the electronic equipment because we all know that speakers add more coloration than electronics in almost all cases (unless one is comparing tube electronics vs solid state).

[@zizendorf]

@Mark-rw3kw Thanks so much for the recommendation on the Beethoven recording! I'm always looking for that kind of information.

[@zizendorf]

Once again, and now having received and listened to that recording of Beethoven (several times), you are correct! Great performance and great recording! Thanks for such an accurate suggestion!

[@Mark-rw3kw]

@@zizendorf You are welcome. I could not have done it without my Tidal subscription.

[@adrianlow2114]

It's a tricky thing. A great recording of a mediocre performance may be useful in judging the sonics, but not in the way the performance might move you. Kleiber's interpretation of Beethoven's 5th is universally acclaimed but lacking in ultimate sonics. However I never fail to be emotionally lost in it. For me, that's more important. Then again, you may find another interpretation and recording better for your taste.

[@zizendorf]

Agreed, although I will say I love multiple interpretations by many composers because they're working with a masterful piece. For instance there is a great recording by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on "Reference Recordings". The performance is great. The quality of the performance is so "tight" that can hear Manfred Honeck's breathing as he's conducting! It's a flaw in the recording as I found out from the CEO of Reference Recordings'; that there was a mic too close too him. It's still a remarkable and enjoyable rendition!

[@roshansequeira6799]

Was there a review of the H600 post the first one where Adrian wasn't too gaga over the H600?

[@andreasmisundberntsen9237]

I auditioned the H400 against the H600 a few days ago, and the 600 is considerably more natural, effortless and less digital. 400 is good, with great dynamics especially, but I'd run an external DAC to it.

[@oohtob6685]

​@andreasmisundberntsen9237 which begs the question. How much would you need to spend on a external Dac to beat the internal dac of the Hegel?

[@dgoullet1]

Do I need a streamer or the streamer is good?

[@dgoullet1]

If I understand well you preferred it to the eversolo and as good as room when it works.

[@Jdvc-yd5tx]

Can anyone hear any difference between the KZbin version and the Qobuz version of 'Life In The Bubble'? Then why are you watching? 🖋

[@alvarocoutinho3103]

Electrocompaniet is made in Norway and better sounding for my liking.

[@adrianlow2114]

Would love to hear the new Electrocompaniet one of these days.

[@zizendorf]

Don't y'all think that your review of the Hegel amp is a little skewed by the other high-end components your using? I'd like to do an A/B comparison with my own "mid-Fi" equipment. That would be a more equitable assessment. Because I'll bet my Rogue Audio Sphinx V3 Magnum would sound amazing with your other components. Just saying...

[@adrianlow2114]

We only compare with what we represent, and I readily admit there are tons of stuff out there that we don't carry. Rogue is one. For what it's worth, I go through each line that we represent with a very comprehensive list of stringent criteria, and only represent the best we come across

[@zizendorf]

@ Yes, and I respect that!

[@metatron007]

THe flyers were identical the prices were identical the stock was identical and the staff were all identical.

[@Connectronix]

Is this a H400 review or a music review?! 🤨

[@Kukkema]

H400 compared to accuphase E280?

[@Mark-rw3kw]

The specs are quit a bit different, as the E280 is only 90 wpc at 8 ohms, where the H400 is 250 wpc. Also, the H400 has a built-in DAC and built-in streamer. It would be interesting to get opinions on the difference in amplifier sound quality. With the Hegel SoundEngine 2 noise cancelling processor, the H400 might sound noticeably different than the Accuphase E280.

[@Turtleback8024]

Why one would compare E280 to Hegel H400 baffles me. The power disparity would certainly be noticeable. I thought ya'll would at least bring in the E480 (180w/c into 8ohms) to the conversation.

[@Mark-rw3kw]

@@Turtleback8024 The comparison is based on price. The E480 doesn't appear to be in the current 2024 Accuphase lineup anymore, but the Accuphase E-4000 (2x180W) MSRP is $13,575 in the US. That does not include the optional DAC or phono input modules. Interestingly, the E-4000 uses ANCC topology for the I-V converter amplifier, that claims to add a sub-amplifier for effectively canceling noise in the main amplifier circuit, which sounds a little bit like the Hegel SoundEngine 2 noise cancelling circuits, although I am sure there are some differences between the two technologies.

[@calmic75]

It's coming

[@aussie8114]

I recently upgraded my E280 for E4000. Never listened to Hegal because I wouldn’t buy an amp with no balance control let alone no tone controls. E280 is wonderful, E4000 is a bit cleaner in the upper mids. I notice no power difference between them. I’m running in the DAC 60 module, got about 70 hours on it, it sounds great.

[@frankgeeraerts6243]

Carlos Kleiber ...Listen to the Fledermauss......n DG !

[@richardsaila8073]

Maus (=mouse) with only one "s". Fledermaus = literally "flutter mouse" = bat

[@frankgeeraerts6243]

@@richardsaila8073 One S ( I doubted ) but fledermaus is indeed a bat , (from Strauss with two S ...... )

[@DavidMarteinson]

Wiener = Vienna (the capital of Austria)

[@dumitrumustata3903]

aaa....aaaaa.....and.......aaaa.........aaa..........aaaa.............and........and............Hammond......... aaaaa..........

[@moussaobeid]

Honestly China is making the best products in the world these days. We have to open our minds

[@Mark-rw3kw]

One really cannot say whether China a making the best products or not in reference to Hegel. The Hegel amps are completely designed, and parts are completely spec'd by Hegel in Norway, so the tasks done in China are manufacturing/assembly and packaging. A lot of that is done via automation. This is completely different than an amplifier completely made in China, or even assembled in China where the Chinese get to pick whatever parts they want to.

[@cesarjlisboa7586]

It’s good products everywhere. The idea that good products belongs to an specific country , is so stupid, that I will not comment . Let’s try understand that we are humanidade.

[@Mark-rw3kw]

@@cesarjlisboa7586 I am not sure it is totally stupid to associate product quality with a country. In the 1950's and 1960's Japanese products were very low quality, but by the 1980's and 1990's they were high quality. Similar thing has happened in Korea. But the point is that the Hegel amps completely designed and spec'd in Norway and are only manufactured/assembled in China, they are not Chinese products and they don't necessarily use 100% Chinese parts. As far as reliability, according the Adrian, he has never had a single customer mention a defect in a Hegel product sold by Audio Excellence, even long after it was purchased, which is pretty amazing.

[@cesarjlisboa7586]

@@moussaobeid Not all products at all. Some of the products, I agree ☝️

[@ergunkucukaslan3071]

bır marka yaratmıssın bılınırlık kalıte var bunu çin e nıye tasırsın uretım olarak kendı adıma bu markayı sildim