Unboxing the New Hegel H400

[@StealthParrot]

I love the placement of the power switch, very clever and keeps the look nice and clean! Looking forward to your listening notes.

[@adrianlow2114]

Thanks

[@yerfdogjohnny]

Tip of the day. If you have a Roon Nucleus and it can be connected via Ethernet close to your DAC of choice, forget using a streamer and just connect your Nucleus to your DAC with a decent USB cable and you’re good to go using the Nucleus as both the Roon Core and streamer. In some cases less is more and hey one less component to buy and have in your cabinet. Enjoy!

[@gerihifi]

Thanks for sharing. It is funny to see that Hegel's design, is almost 97% identical to Rotel Michi series 😉

[@davidbee8178]

I like the minimalist look . . . it spells all business and no fluff :-)

[@Mark-rw3kw]

The Hegel minimalist look, with two large knobs on each side, is the most widely copied design in audio electronics.

[@davidbee8178]

@@Mark-rw3kw Yeah . . . my Mimetism 15.2 Integrated (French?Swiss) has a similar look but in silver with even 2 larger control knobs placed closer to the outside edges of the faceplate. Despite it being one HELL of an amp I'd be VERY curious as to how it would fare in comparison with the H 400 in a blind listening test :-)

[@Mark-rw3kw]

@@wolper2155 I think there is something organic about that design that makes it so popular. It’s like a human with two eyes. When I look at amps with just one knob in the middle it psychologically bothers me, just like looking at a Cyclops monster with one big eye in the center. The D’agistino amp with the one VU meter is the center really freaks me out.

[@nirodha35]

It spells all business… you are right😉

[@jamesschneider3828]

Remotes should all be backlit.

[@davidbee8178]

Ageee 100% .. . . especially in darkened A/V rooms . . my Sony TV has one and it's SO helpful

[@alaincayer8999]

Nice Adrian, you just found how to display the model in your store by pressing the button 4 sec!! Thanks

[@adrianlow2114]

lol ...

[@clarkson427]

How did it sound??

[@pimvanvliet2812]

Great unboxing. The unbagging tough...needs a little work.

[@adrianlow2114]

lol, I was trying to help but my injured arm and fingers made it worse!

[@SirMountainpass]

Comes wrapped in plastic - no fine cloth, at this price point?

[@richardsaila8073]

I wonder why you guys don't sell wonderful Canadian stuff like Moon. Their new North collection is incredible. BTW Marantz Model 10 could be a real McIntosh challenger soundwise.

[@Mark-rw3kw]

It may depend on how many existing Moon dealers in the Toronto area. Distributors for high end equipment usually limit the number of dealers in a geographic area. Also, in order for AE to add an expensive line like Moon, they probably have to invest a couple of hundred thousand dollars in display units and inventory, plus they need a listening room for it. A lot of people don't understand how retailing works, and the retailer has to purchase the stuff with their own money up front in order to stock a line. Also, the retailer has to consider whether a new line will result in additional revenue, or would just change which brands customers bought without any increase in revenue. AE is a boutique dealer, and they aren't going to carry every line like warehouse retailers.

[@enniol8043]

I am very familiar with the Greater Toronto Area hifi scene. Some Canadian brands are on the lower end and don't fit the store others would be they are not carried because they either would dilute what the store sells or geographically they cannot carry them. However, they do carry a great Canadian Brand which is Acora Acoustics

[@Mark-rw3kw]

“Geographically they cannot carry them” means that there are already the maximum number of dealers that the distributor/manufacturer will allow in that area.

[@octothorpe12]

The other thing I dislike about the Hegel remote is that you need to open it with a screwdriver to install/change the batteries.

[@thomasschafer7268]

😅😅😅sonst hast du keine Probleme?

[@clarkson427]

Not like the buttons are soo small!

[@GeneralLao]

I got a demo H190 for a day in my house. I took it back fast, was the worst dullest flat sounding amp I have ever heard.

[@jerrypowers7671]

@@GeneralLao i didn't take one home but listened at a local dealer and I hated it. Got a better sounding piece made in Japan for about half the price.

[@jerrypowers7671]

@@GeneralLao totally agree.

[@sjapan8149]

Also agree. Demoed one at my dealer. I formed the same opinion. I also didn’t like they are assembled in China for their price point. I listened to an Atoll integrated amp he had and it was a night and day difference for me.

[@Kami84]

You promised an H190v vs H390 video ☹. Is it still happening?

[@clarkson427]

I'm waiting too🙄

[@Mark-rw3kw]

I just found out that Hegel's fellow 19th century German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer, who once called Hegel "a flat-headed, insipid, nauseating, illiterate charlatan, who reached the pinnacle of audacity in scribbling together and dishing up the craziest mystifying nonsense," has doubled the price of his Schopenhauer amplifiers in response to the H400.

[@MasterofPlay7]

He's jealous of Hegel

[@Mark-rw3kw]

@@MasterofPlay7 Yes, Schopenhauer was quite bitter about Hegel's popularity, apparently in part due to a particular incident where both of them had a philosophy seminar scheduled at the same time, and everyone went to Hegel's, leaving his pretty much totally empty.

[@summerforever6736]

Crazy expensive for what it is!!!

[@RobertMiah-n2u]

Garbage junk pos has no tone controls My Yamaha As1200 blows farts on this

[@iwcpilot1151]

Does it say on the back, “Made in China”?

[@Harrisongrey19]

Well that is where it’s assembled… so what?

[@iwcpilot1151]

Touched a nerve fanboy?

[@Mark-rw3kw]

@@iwcpilot1151 It's designed in Norway and assembled to Hegel specs in China. The Chinese don't get to put whatever part into the Hegel amps they want, and every single part is specified by and approved by Hegel in Norway.

[@Harrisongrey19]

@@iwcpilot1151 nope not a fanboy, you asked the question and I answered. Now your upset someone answered your question? Skip meds today?

[@jerrypowers7671]

@@iwcpilot1151 it sure is

[@markhusbands6132]

What"s that crinkly plastic bag they packed it with.

[@svx94]

Hegel lost a lot of credibility to me for keeping that remote. You mentioned the exact problems of that remote, and in my case, I have to pay extra to get a cheaper plastic one for usability. The metal remote is a classic case for "form over function". It looks ugly and functionally useless. For a company that failed to correct simply mistakes like that, I can only call them arrogant.

[@Harrisongrey19]

I’ve never had any problems with my Hegel remote, works great, looks great. I didn’t buy the amp to listen to the remote, if it didn’t have one I wouldn’t care, you can do everything the remote does via the interface.

[@Mark-rw3kw]

At first thought I tend to agree with you about the remote buttons and lack of backlighting, but in my own system I rarely change inputs, and usually the volume is the same. So not as big a deal as it might seem. I use Tidal Connect on an iPad to control the music.

[@Harrisongrey19]

@@Mark-rw3kw and also you can use your own tv remote on the unit as well. It was stated in the video.

[@svx94]

@@Mark-rw3kw The function I use the most is volume control and On/Off switch. I don' t need to look at the remote to do these with the plastic version (I believe it is RC-10). With the standard metal remote, I often push the wrong one if I don't look carefully.

[@Mark-rw3kw]

@@svx94 Looking at the remote, the down volume is on the lower right and the up volume is right above that, so if I owned it then I could remember those just by feel.

[@nirodha35]

Hegel’s problem is that it fails to enthuse. It sounds simply as boring as it looks

[@RobertMiah-n2u]

Overrated overpriced overhyped ripoff

[@louv4437]

You like Hegel a lot huh

[@thomasschafer7268]

😅😅😅7000€ für made in china. Da kaufe ich mir einen adäquaten clone aus der gleichen Fabrik für das halbe Geld. 👎🇩🇪

[@jerrypowers7671]

Exactly

[@Harrisongrey19]

@@jerrypowers7671 still mad mom didn’t bring down the boxed Mac & cheese to the basement for you I see.

[@jerrypowers7671]

@@Harrisongrey19 getting desperate having to tell mom stuff.

[@Harrisongrey19]

@@jerrypowers7671 not a desperate as you living paycheck to paycheck. Your a skin tag on society a grease spot on the road. people know your there but pay no attention, drive right over you. insignificant to anyone and everyone.

[@Harrisongrey19]

@@jerrypowers7671 not as desperate as your bank account. Have fun living paycheck to paycheck.

[@jerrypowers7671]

There is NO WAY any integrated amp that is made in China should be 8K dollars. Maybe that is worth 2K but for 8K there are so many options made all over Europe, Japan or the USA.

[@Harrisongrey19]

Well…Hegel isn’t a non profit business, you fall short of understanding anything about running a business with R&D, employees salaries, marketing, profit margins… and yet no one is forcing you to watch the video or buy the product. Your just crying to cry bc you think something is too expensive… what a weird way to go through life. Good luck with that bud. If you can make one for cheaper with the same features and specs, and bring it to market for sale then by all means go for it. But that would mean you’d have to stop crying into your keyboard which I don’t see happing anytime soon.

[@jerrypowers7671]

@@Harrisongrey19 you're just upset because you own this overpriced Chinese gear.

[@jerrypowers7671]

@@Harrisongrey19 how does Accuphase, Luxman, McIntosh, and countless others manage to stay in business without slave labor?

[@Harrisongrey19]

@@jerrypowers7671 nope not upset at all I’m perfectly happy with my H390, swing and a miss. Buddy if you think for a second none of those other companies you mentioned don’t use Chinese parts you are really incompetent… act like you don’t own anything made in China…I’ll wait.

[@Harrisongrey19]

@@jerrypowers7671 by selling their products??? I’m not sure what your point is. Hegel is no different. Just bc it’s assembled somewhere else besides country of origin they don’t sell? Or have you been watching too much OCD Mikey and you now think everything assembled in China is trash?

[@paulpaulzadeh6172]

Made in China 🇨🇳 😢

[@CohibaJoe]

Yep...Designed in Oslo, Norway, and assembled in China.

[@jerrypowers7671]

@@CohibaJoe the Hegel fan boys are getting their panties in a bunch when you point out that they own overpriced chifi.

[@jerrypowers7671]

@@CohibaJoe chifi lol

[@Harrisongrey19]

@@jerrypowers7671 just like your flesh light. Ya pathetic cuck.

[@Harrisongrey19]

My H390 is still the best integrated I’ve had in my room, I’m not sure the newest version is worth the upgrade for my situation. But kudos to Hegel from bringing something new to market. I’m sure it will sell just fine.