HEGEL H600 has got the power

Hegel H600 streaming amplifier & DAC
We were teased with news of a “very exciting” and “earthshattering” new product from Hegel well over a year ago. Then appeared a new CD player from this burgeoning Norwegian brand, not the news I was waiting for. But that was simply because the real force majeure was delayed by continuing component shortages post-pandemic.
At last, the new top-of-the-range Hegel integrated was announced: the mighty H600 as a replacement for the H590. There was a clamour for review samples but I wanted to wait until the product was available in the supply chain. There is nothing worse than creating demand for something that’s as hard to source as hen’s teeth. Patience was rewarded and the new £10,500 streamer/DAC/integrated H600 arrived and has been at the heart of my system for several weeks to give it a real test.

H600 sound quality
As this is probably the main part of any review a reader is interested in, let me sum up the H600 in one word: impressive. In two words: really impressive. Now onto the detail. During the course of the review, I had the chance to try the H600 with several different loudspeakers. First were a pair of shoebox-sized Fyne Audio Vintage Fives with their coaxial drivers. The switch from the lesser H190 to the mighty hunk was incredible. I expected to hear a slight improvement due to the increase in available power and associated greater headroom. But, wow! The difference was much more a ‘chalk and cheese’ comparison. This, say Hegel, is almost certainly due in large part to the new DAC. I have also discovered that my beloved H190 can suffer with low impedance loads which is something the H600 almost relishes.
Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven simply came alive on the H600 and made the midget loudspeakers appeared as if on steroids. The music is more raucous than my normal repertoire but the listening panel sat with mouths open listening to what is arguably one of the most awesome rock songs out there delivered with such punch and yet so much control. Not only was there audible improvement in the rhythm, which became more enticing, but the dynamics from its slow, acoustic start through to high-tempo hard rock crescendo were now spine-tingling. The Hegel box was certainly very at home handling this kind of material and bringing home the full majesty of the performance with throbbing bass and huge scale.

Conclusion
The Hegel H600 is three-times the price of my H190. Does it provide three-times the quality? Unquestionably. Is it three-times the value? That’s a matter for personal appraisal. On sound quality terms, almost certainly. I, for one, miss the headphone socket; I would like to see wi-fi or at least Bluetooth available and I was hoping for Internet radio. But that’s to entirely miss the point of what designer Bent Holter was aiming to achieve.
The price tag is almost justified for the superb streamer/DAC section alone, as it would be for the pre/power combination at this power level; but, to combine all the parts creates a whole that’s approaching an audio bargain.
Has the designer got what he was aiming for? Certainly. Here is the best-possible single-box integrated that Hegel can create given current technology. If this were a German product it would be at least £25,000 – and I can think of something comparable. Hats off to Hegel on another masterpiece. Such is the level of audio competence displayed by the H600, it is not only highly recommended but must be a strong contender for the Ear’s Product of the Year awards.
- Trevor Butler, The Ear, November 2023

Hegel H600
The Ear