68 Amplifiers Pre & Power Amp

Nordisch by Nature Swank and glamour are no-gos in Northern Europe. But the Scandinavians really know how to party. So it comes as no surprise if high-end components bear the name of a rock band – and hence that of a philosopher as well. 70 Amplifiers Pre & Power Amp

No exception to the Hegel rule: The H4ASE stereo power amp follows the no-frills design philosophy of the manufacturer from Norway.

band and the proto amplifier a stage amp. outputs, enables the P30 to easily handle behind the common transformer for the Now I was no longer surprised at my long cables. left and right channels to keep crosstalk sonic impression. But more on this la- The physical volume control merely as low as possible. ter. routes the requested level to a network For a high dynamic range the Norwe- At the Hegel company value is placed of gigahertz-fast MOS transistors which gians used balanced designs for all circuits on the statement that they don’t simply send the signal through a network of between input and output. With the sup- offer pre and power amplifiers in line with resistors to produce the desired attenu- plied RC2 remote control the user cannot some popular recipe. Rather do the Nor- ation. only adjust the volume level, but also wegians follow a markedly autonomous All in all, on its way through the P30 switch between inputs. The P30 offers concept. In the case of the P30 preamp the music signal hence passes only two both RCA and XLR connections. Inside a the individual approach lies in the divisi- transistors and between one and three sophisticated power supply with a toro- on of the circuit into two entirely separate resistors. For the first time the ”Sound idal mains transformer and a lush armada blocks: The first preamp block contains Engine“ technology, which we know from of electrolytic caps is clustered next to a digitally controlled volume control with the power amps, is used as an alternati- a subsequent voltage gain. The second ve to negative feedback in the output unit takes care of the current gain which, stage of a preamp. Like all Hegel preamps due to its low-impedance RCA and XLR the P30 uses separate power supplies

Norwegian pattern: Hegel implanted the filter caps of the power supply right above the transistors.

By: Stefan Schickedanz

t was one of those weekends that are lute knowledge as with Hegel or just end a visit to the Hegel house in Stuttgart. I just right for work: The weather was up in absolute chaos. Well, let’s see ... But then I finally got the eagerly antici- so lousy that you never got the feeling The morning after: The crackpot idea pated input from the Scandinavians. I was to miss something. So I’d rather be going has been buried, instead my head is spin- amazed to learn why Hegel is named for this picture-perfect combi. But soon ning. Hegel, the philosopher, is hard to Hegel and how the company which is a first obstacle appeared: What if abso- understand. Since my relationship with a inseparably linked to live music came into lutely no associations with the product girl who studied social education over being. The story is so fancy and exciting and its maker would come up? All the ten years ago I hadn’t been in touch with that I need to tell it to you in detail on while I had to think solely of the philo- such a strong stuff. Prudently I renounced page 75. Only that much: Hegel was a sopher Hegel. And since googling for Hegel also re- vealed me more interesting facts about the man than the brand, a kinky but in- deed interesting approach came to my mind: How would Georg Wilhelm Fried- ‚‚ rich Hegel have probably analysed his Hegel founder Bent Holter: audiophile namesakes which, apart from the sheer size of the power amplifier, ”In view of the financial crisis of 2008 I felt the present themselves as rather inconspicu- ous? But I don’t have a clue if this route time had come for Hegel to stand up and conquer to a scientific attitude will lead to abso- the world.“ 72 Amplifiers Pre & Power Amp

Quality before quantity: Behind the centre shadow we see the third foot which is typical of Hegel and ensures a safe ground contact.

the electronics with its discrete output slow negative feedback in the gain But at least the encounter with the stage. The overall finish of the two com- stages. preamp had a very silent quality at first. ponents is no doubt convincing, but gives Another unique feature: The filter caps Upon turn-on the P30 fell into a quiescent The opulent power supply with its hardware fetishists no reason to go down in the power supply with their overall state. A perceived eternity of several mi- discrete 2-channel layout, located on their knees for worship. capacitance of 320,000 μF are sitting in nutes elapsed until the electronics rea- behind the toroidal mains transfor- In real life, however, the H4ASE power long rows on both sides of the housing ched its operating temperature and the mer, occupies a large part of the amplifier looks much more majesic than right above the bipolar 15 amp high- relays activated the output. Not much housing. The volume is electronically controlled. on photographs. Inside the amplifier, speed power transistors, where the cur- slower does the night-loving author of which is 21 cm (8 ¼”) high and over 50 rent is needed – a circuit with extremely these lines pick up pace in the morning, cm (20”) deep, a mighty 2400 VA toroidal short paths which does look fast. A key either, when he’s given a start by some transformer provides a visual impact. Yet technology is represented by the dual early riser over the phone. At least the the particular thing about this 45 kg ste- power supply principle: To prevent the preamp wasn’t in such a grumpy mood reo power amp lies hidden in the Sound output stage with its high energy demand after awakening like me: During the first Engine concept that was patented by from affecting the input and voltage gain minutes after getting up, my voice always simply outstanding: The focus almost head developer Bent Holter. It uses a fast section with its delicate signals via the tends to sound a bit like Tom Waits. won me over completely. The northerners reminded me of point source speakers, reacting detector for each single power power supply, all integrated and power But the amplifying colleague needs favoured an utterly brisk pace with down- the stability of the image resembled an transistor to generate and apply very amps from Hegel are equipped with a some warm-up time, too: At the begin- – after a warm-up phase of half an hour right crisp, very articulate lows and fresh oil painting. precisely dosed correction signals right dual power supply to energise both de- ning of the listening check the H4A was all components had apparently reached high and mids. Plus the huge Scandina- What followed then was quite obvious: where the non-linearities occur. Instead partments separately. The designers con- conspicuous by its sonorous “idling noi- their operating temperature and all elec- vian loudspeakers produced a surprisingly I pulled my rock classics out of my quiver of this adaptive Feed Forward circuitry sider this an important step to the superb se”. More exactly, it was the transformer trolytic capacitors were fully charged to tall image that was reaching fairly deep and painted the town red. There are com- conventional amplifiers use a relatively dynamics of their products. that spoke out audibly. But don’t panic the last electron so that the Hegel power into the room. ponents which put every recording into amp itself kept quiet now and left the This was just wonderful for operas such the same imaginary room, always painting sound transformation to the loudspea- as Richard Wagner’s ”Mastersingers “ with the same limited range of acoustic kers. with their choir passages. Actually, I like timbres. Not so the quick-tempered Scan- In practice this doesn’t matter anyway: classical music only live or through high- dinavians. Every recording revealed a With its explosive sound characteristic class multi-channel systems; with a large totally different fingerprint. It almost see- the H4A seduces the listener into an au- screen things would be perfect. But this med as if the electronics was vanishing, diophile full throttle ride, the music will stereo performance totally convinced me leaving at best the proverbial wire in the drown all background noises then. Exact- – although it became manifest that, for signal path. Can an amplifier behemoth ly to my liking. After some experiments the upper midrange, there exist even with cascades of transistors, which share with the placement of the two column better combinations than the very present the workload, get a better testimonial? loudspeakers, the team play with the new Danish lady on the extremely clear and ”Radar Love“ by Golden Earring is so Dynaudio Confidence C4 Signature had forthright Norwegians. But the rest was old that I used to have it already on a

Nordic fun: With its direct input the Hegel chain can be used to amplify the front channels of a home cinema system. 74 Amplifiers Pre & Power Amp

desktop cassette recorder – a radio re- the point of the most beautiful timbres Test-CD cording, far away from today’s digital when the drive is missing and the timing studio standards. But with the Hegels it hits the wall? After all it’s those factors Thomas ­Dolby sounded just infectious. Although there which are largely responsible if the music – A Map Of The Hegel Studies were still quite some tracks I wanted to goes straight into your tummy, making Floating City listen into, I absolutely had to wait for the your feet tap and your head spin If a band can’t afford to buy the new desperately needed stage amplifiers, this is drum solo. The waiting was worthwhile round. Yes, he’s still around, the brilliant sound usually the end. In the case of talented musician, bandleader and electronics engine- – you won’t hear it with so much power freak from the 1980s („She Blinded er Bent Holter it was the onset of an unprecedented career. and punch every day. Like I know it from But: More than once I caught myself Me With Science“). This may not be a real drumset in a cultural pub in my playing air guitar and – which happens his strongest album, but at least it’s a hometown where I sometimes listen to a even more rarely – with beefy air drum tasty production as usual and for once By: Stefan Schickedanz technically pretty brilliant cover band at solos. For these electronics manage the contains no remixes of old songs. close range. The long-haired drummer is split: They live up to the highest demands nicknamed ”The Beast”, which speaks from sound engineers with regard to to- The Author hen in the late 1980s some stu- for itself when he’s punishing his huge nality, resolution, stability, imaging, trans- W dents in the remote Norwegian drumkit in a sweat. Beastly good also the parence and focus. On the other hand Stefan city of Trondheim form a Hegels: The drums had the typical kick. they can play extremely clean, crisp and Schickedanz Thin Lizzy cover band, it’s rarely to Size, timbre and sustain were also consi- loud and when teamed up with the Dy- make musical history. Strangely enough ‚‚ stent. naudio C4, their attack and dynamics that the performance of the microelec- Hegel founder Bent Holter: On one of my in-car CDs was then reminded me of a PA. This listening check, tronics engineer Bent Holter and his ”Speed Demon“ by Michael Jackson with which I had approached with no expec- friends reached cult status in the Norwe- prefers classical music and jazz because its fat synthesizer bass notes and artificial tations at all, therefore ended with an gian ”Samfundet“ scene. But things got ”Our band Hegel needed new stage of the natural instruments and pure engine sounds. This goes down to the ardent enthusiam for the intriguing per- even better: Today the name of the He- amps, but couldn’t afford to buy any. So voices to remove doubts as to tonality – core of a sports car and speed freak: formance. So the philosopher will pro- gel band decorates the otherwise very I built my own.“ truly ”fat“, but nonetheless controlled bably no longer come to my mind first even if the spatiality is not fully conclu- plain front panels of the amplifiers from and not a bit boomy. Difficult to say when I hear the name Hegel drop. Rather sive due to the spot microphones. When Norway which are valued by insiders from when I last enjoyed music so much. a rock band I was adoring in my early it’s about fun, he’s putting on rock and all over the world. So breathtaking, so authentic. But what’s youth. < pop. Not only do they owe their name to the group, but their existence as well. project which were able to simulate elec- pany which had collected a small profit Because the students needed new stage tronic circuitry. That research culminated every year used next stock market crash AUDIOphile Character amps, yet were lacking the necessary in a patent which until today is the basis in 2008 as an opportunity to really step wherewithal, Bent Holter offered to build of all Hegel amplifiers: the ”SoundEngi- on the gas while others were stepping effortlessly grippingly his own which he named Hegel Audio to ne“ with its adaptive feed forward con- on the cost brake. Holter felt the time Hegel Stability spacious and soft emotional and match their purpose. The experience cept. It improves the damping factor, was ripe: ”Hegel was supposed to get dynamic gathered on the way also inspired him reduces distortions and also the power started and conquer the world.“ So he P30 to choose the topic of negative feedback consumption. During the mid 1990s this hired more engineers and skilled sales List price: 5,800 Euro for his diploma thesis. For while a nega- patented solution earned Holter the sup- force, which brought the company a con- Warranty period: 2 years tive feedback improves the bass control port of a big telecommunictions firm who siderable growth. Apart from the ampli- Weight: 10 kg via the damping factor, it causes distor- purchased Hegel company shares which fiers, which can’t conceal their PA kinship, Dimensions (W x H x D): tion to rise. At the university Holter was he bought back then after the burst of Hegel’s reputation is based today on 43 x 8 x 30 cm using one of the first computers for this the hightech bubble in 2000. The com- excellent DACs. Surfaces: Silver, Black Neutral Immediacy

H4ASE Authentic high resolution List price: 7.000 Euro < Weight: 45 kg AUDIOphile Potential The Hegel DACs enjoy an Dimensions: 43 x 21 x 55 cm excellent reputation. Surfaces: Silver, Black H4ASE offers an extremely wide Recommendation and linear frequency response (not Sales: shown) and excellent Signal/Noi- Offers as much control and Connect Audio se Ratio of 106 dB (via RCA). RMS dynamic as possible at this price. Neue Straße 11 output power is 2x 310/615 Watt for Choice of speakers is only limited D-65520 Bad Camberg 8/4 Ohm load. Sounds like it looks: by owner´s taste. Phone: 0 64 34 / 50 01 With a PA company founder Bent perfectly stable. Holter made the first Hegel Audio The cartoon illustrates the connection Internet: www.connectaudio.de components. < to the Hegel band Holter used to play with.