About The Hegel H95 Streaming Amplifier
The "measure of intelligence is the ability to change", said Albert Einstein. With the H95, Hegel firmly believe they have done this statement justice. The H95 is indeed an intelligent purchase. It is not just an amplifier, but also a complete streaming solution with both AirPlay and UPnP streaming. It fully caters to the modern digital streaming generation. H95 also has built-in Spotify Connect for instantaneous and incredibly responsive music playback.
But what is intelligent today is not necessarily intelligent tomorrow and Hegel want their products to last as long as possible. That means they need to be able to change with time. Therefore, the H95's built-in software is upgradeable over the air, ensuring that improved functionalities and new features are delivered directly to your amplifier, with no hassle, and cost free.
While connectivity and upgradability are important, it is on the inside where the H95 really showcases its intelligence. Today most media going to your amp is digital which is why Hegel have equipped the H95 with a digital-to-analogue converter of the highest quality - making the change from digital to analogue in a very intelligent way. With technology crafted from the ground up and in-house by the Hegel team, the H95 is able to take full control of the digital data stream. And using DAC design developed to equip Hegel's reference products, the H95 makes sure digital music is delivered in its purest form. The result for you is blissfully natural sound, without any added artifacts, enabling you to just play louder.
Add to this Hegel's patented SoundEngine2 technology and you really get something spectacular. The technology reduces signal distortion to very low levels and makes certain you totally immerse yourself in your music or movies. The SoundEngine2 technology also applies astonishing bass control and grip to your loudspeakers. H95's grip, or in technical terms the 'damping factor', is up to 20 times higher than the industry average. This delivers a dynamic, agile, and powerful bass response, and is why 60 Watts of output power is more than enough to drive challenging speakers with confidence.
The H95 is not only designed to change with time, but also with your needs. All inputs are configurable to be fixed level inputs, allowing you to easily integrate the H95 in a Home Theatre or existing Multi-Room system. There is also a high-quality headphone output, a variable pre output for connecting a subwoofer or other equipment, and a sleek informative OLED display. This makes it a perfect central 'engine' for your system. There is no need to worry about future add-ons. Changing up to Hegel's cool design and signature sound quality, with a host of inputs and playback possibilities, will allow you to build an amazing multi-talented system. That is intelligence.
Our Take
On the outside the Hegel H95 looks simple but you quickly notice how nice it is to use. Every control operates smoothly and you very quickly get the impression you are dealing with a professionally designed piece of kit. Streaming is quite simple using third party apps like mconnect which supports streaming from Tidal & Qobuz as well as your Android or iOS mobile device or a NAS drive on your network. You also natively get Spotify Connect which is handy as well as AirPlay 2 to allow streaming direct from Apple devices. The H95 has a nice selection of digital and analogue inputs as well as a variable pre out for subwoofers or an amplifier. But it's when you press play that you start to understand what all the fuss is about with this brand. The Hegel H95 just sound right, so right that you just want to keep listening to music, always a good sign. It will work with most speakers anywhere near its price point and might even surprise you with a few that are a lot more expensive like our Harbeth range.
Main Features & Specifications
- Design: Stereo Streaming Amplifier
- Power Output: 2 x 60 Watts into 8 Ω
- Minimum Load: 2 Ω
- Analogue Inputs: 2 x Unbalanced (RCA)
- Digital Inputs: 1 x Coaxial (RCA), 3 x Optical, 1 x USB-B
- Network: Ethernet – please note the H95 does not support Wi-Fi & needs to be hard wired to your network
- Spotify Connect
- Apple AirPlay 2
- UPnP Streaming
- Line level Output: 1 x Unbalanced variable (RCA)
- Headphone Output: 6.35 mm Jack (front)
- Frequency Response: 5 Hz - 100 kHz
- Signal-To-Noise Ratio: More than 100 dB
- Crosstalk: Less than -100 dB
- Distortion: Less than 0.01% @ 25 W/8 Ω/1 kHz
- Intermodulation: Less than 0.01% (19 kHz + 20 kHz)
- Damping Factor: More than 2000 (main power output stage)
- Included Accessories: Remote Control, Power Cable, User Manual
- Removable Power Cable: Upgrade to a Premium Power Cable for better performance
- Finish: Black
- Dimensions (WxHxD): 430 x 100 x 350mm
- Weight: 8.8 kg
- Manufacturer's Warranty: 2 Years
Note: Features & Specifications Subject To Change Without Notice. E&OE.