Hegel H90 60w Integrated amp w streaming DAC - Apple AirPlay/DLNA/Roon/Spotify
Think of the Hegel H90 (repleces H80) as the little brother to Röst. The H90 is 60 watts (into 8 ohms) and includes all of the digital niceties of the Röst (Ethernet, USB DAC, Coax S/PDIF, and 3x Toslink in) while keeping Hegel's SoundEngine tech as found in its bigger brother.
In keeping with the Hegel ethos of striving to keep prices low while adding more features and functions (in addition to maintaining great sound, of course), the Norwegian company introduced the H90 integrated amplifier—a replacement for its entry-level H80 model. Unbelievably, it did so at the exact same price-point as the H80. Rated at 60w into 8 ohms, the new H90 contains a DAC, preamp, and power amp, featuring an upgraded Class AB output section. The H90 also features a semi-proprietary version of Apple Airplay (which uses Apple chips but purportedly has far better sound quality thanks to the Hegel engineers’ expert tinkering), accepts basic streaming, and has a headphone output. For added flexibility, input settings are configurable for volume settings and functionality with all devices.
HEGEL H80 - Excerpt from the Hi-Fi + Review: (now replaced by H90)
"I play a little game with myself during reviews. Where possible, I try to avoid discovering the price of a product until the end of the review, and I see if I can guess correctly. Usually, I’m in the right ball-park. With the H80, I got this spectacularly wrong. I put this at about the £5,000+ mark, in among some serious top-end integrated amp peers. It’s why I happily drove this amp through a pair of Raidho D1, completely unconscious of just how much of a ‘mullet’ system I had created in the process. The thing is though, the H80 is so ‘right’ sounding, with such good bass control and so much in its favour with such a partnership, it seemed the most natural thing to put this little amp with a pair of speakers that cost more than 10x as much. I can’t think of a higher recommendation than that.
Hegel is one of those brands that deserve to be better known. Products like the H80 make all the right noises and tick all the right boxes for a ‘now’ product. It’s a well-built, deceptively powerful amplifier with an excellent digital audio stage. ‘It fights above its weight’ is a cliché of the highest order, but it really applies here. Excellent! ".....
....HiFi+ reviewer
The H90 provides the most dynamic 60 watts per channel sound you have ever heard, and comes with a set of features that add value and flexibility. In the Hegel H90 we included network streaming, Apple Airplay®, and a variety of digital and analogue connections. All (except streaming) of which are configurable to be fixed level inputs, allowing you to easily integrate the H90 in a Home Theater system. Or perhaps you just want to connect the digital output of your Sonos streamer and use the Sonos volume attenuator rather than the Hegel remote? There is also a high quality headphone output and a sleek, informative, white OLED display.
The new and improved SoundEngine2 reduces distortion even further than our older models. It makes certain you hear all those tiny details in the music. The ones that suck you in and give you the feeling of actually being there, while also sounding natural and fluid. SoundEngine2 also quite dramatically improves bass control, and the amplifier's grip of the loudspeakers, which is why even a tiny 60 watts of output power can be enough. The grip, or damping factor as it is called, is up to 20 times higher than the industry average. Ensuring a dynamic and powerful bass response, even on larger floor standing loudspeakers.The H90 is designed simply, making it a perfect stand-alone unit. Connect your TV, cable decoder, phono stage or phones. Add a pair of speakers and you are good to go!
Features
Specifications
Reviews
Videos
Features
H90 Technology
Specifications
Power output 2 x 60W in 8 Ohms
Minimum load 2 ohms
Analog Inputs 2 x unbalanced (RCA)
Digital Inputs 1 x coaxial S/PDIF, 3 x optical S/PDIF, 1 x USB, 1 x Network
Line level Output 1 x unbalanced variable (RCA)
Frequency response 5Hz-100kHz
Signal-to-noise ratio More than 100dB
Crosstalk Less than -100dB
Distortion Less than 0.01% @ 25W 8 Ohms 1kHz
Intermodulation Less than 0.01% (19kHz + 20kHz)
Damping factor More than 2000 (main power output stage)
Finish Black
Dimensions 8cm x 43cm x 31cm (HxWxD), 11kg shipment weight
Dimensions (US) 3.15” x 16.93” x 12.20” (HxWxD), 26.46lbs shipment weight
Reviews
SUMMARY (translated from Norwegian): Dynamic and engaging - Super Dissolved and balanced sound - Very good DAC
That Hegel succeeded in H80, is an understatement. It builds on the same basis as the already successful H70, but the sequel is a better repeater on all counts. Not only sounds the better it engage to a greater extent than most we've tested integrated in this price range. The flexible integrated DAC-one makes it perfect in a modern hi-fi system with only digital audio sources. Hegel H80 has everything it takes to sell in spades, it is difficult to see why one should be disappointed.
........Lasse Svendsen

SUMMARY: As the listening test came to an end, I wanted to mention some flaws of H80’s sound. The bass? I honestly can't complain about the extent or the speed either. Stereo imaging? The shape and size of the soundstage is just right. Maybe any defects in the high frequencies at least? Nope. I couldn't find any harshness here. Everything is perfectly fine. Maybe I would be able to find some shortcomings if I listened to H80 for half a year. As for the listening test, it was perhaps too short to reveal any flaws of this machine. Or maybe there aren’t any? At least at this price level, there is that possibility.
Verdict

SUMMARY: I play a little game with myself during reviews. Where possible, I try to avoid discovering the price of a product until the end of the review, and I see if I can guess correctly. Usually, I’m in the right ball-park. With the H80, I got this spectacularly wrong. I put this at about the £5,000+ mark, in among some serious top-end integrated amp peers. It’s why I happily drove this amp through a pair of Raidho D1, completely unconscious of just how much of a ‘mullet’ system I had created in the process. The thing is though, the H80 is so ‘right’ sounding, with such good bass control and so much in its favour with such a partnership, it seemed the most natural thing to put this little amp with a pair of speakers that cost more than 10x as much. I can’t think of a higher recommendation than that.