![]() ![]() The digital inputs comprise three optical S/PDIF (TosLink), one coaxial S/PDIF (RCA), one USB Type-B, and Ethernet. Any of the analog inputs can be set to a fixed level to use as a home-theater bypass. On the rear panel are two pairs of unbalanced (RCA) and a single pair of balanced (XLR) inputs, and a pair of preamp (RCA) outputs. The power button, hidden away at center front on the bottom plate, is easy to find and use. There’s a headphone jack at far right, and that’s it for the front panel. The faceplate’s large, easily read central display is surmounted by Hegel’s logo and flanked by two large knobs, Source and Volume the action of both was smooth. The H120 measures a svelte 16.93”W x 3.93”H x 12.20”D and weighs a surprisingly hefty 25 pounds. My listening room isn’t the epitome of home décor, but the understated H120 looked great in white, and stood out among the mundane black finishes of most of my components. Like the Röst before it, the H120 is available in a case finished in a chic matte white or their standard black. With their gently rounded edges and corners, large knobs, and slightly convex faceplates, I’ve always found Hegel’s integrated-DACs attractively minimalist and tastefully modern - they’re studies in simplicity. The H120 looks like Hegel’s other integrated-DACs, the main difference being the larger cases of the more expensive, more powerful models. My own experience with Hegel dates back to 2014, when I reviewed the entry-level H80 ever since, though I’ve never bought a Hegel, I’ve always admired their products. Just ask our own Hans Wetzel, who, since 2012, when he reviewed the H300, has used only Hegel integrated-DACs as his reference amplifiers. Instead, they’ve consistently offered products of unique design that are priced for the high quality of sound they provide. The H120 isn’t inexpensive at $3000, but Hegel has never been about chasing the bottom of the price range. Hegel’s latest product, the H120, is the next model up from their least-expensive integrated-DAC, the H90 ($2000 USD). And since long before the practice was as common as it is today, every Hegel integrated has included an internal DAC. Their SoundEngine technology uses feed-forward correction, a type of circuitry quite unlike the negative feedback used in most class-AB amplifiers. ![]() They make pre- and power amplifiers, standalone D/A converters, even a CD player, but they’re best known for their integrated amplifier-DACs, of which they currently have five models in production. Hegel Music Systems, of Norway, does things a little differently from many audio manufacturers. 2018-2019 EISA Awards Video Introduction. ![]()
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