The Hegel H30 Amplifier

A monoblock amplifier that is as powerful as it is elegantly minimalist.

Today, Oslo-based audio company Hegel is one of the leading brands in the Hi-Fi market, producing high-end amplifiers, CD players, and C/A converters and selling them all over the world. And it all started in 1988, with Bent Holter’s university thesis on harmonic distortion. That thesis grew into a research project which eventually led Holter to develop the patented SoundEngine Technology. Inspired by the name of his old metal band The Hegel Band, he founded his own audio company with the help of telecommunication giant Telenor. The brand soon started making waves in the audio industry and launched a range of innovative products from the early 1990s. Now improved and updated, the patented SoundEngine system appears in all Hegel products, including the H30 amplifier.

Designed as a compact black box, the amplifier looks unassuming, but it hides incredible power underneath its minimalist shell. H30 has an impressive power rating of more than 1,1 kW in 8 ohms, playing any loudspeaker with ease. This monoblock amplifier uses the newest version of the Hegel SoundEngine technology as well as the brand’s FET technology. And the result? It efficiently reduces harmonic distortion to offer a pure, authentic music listening experience. H30 also offers a great balance between deep bass and highly detailed high frequencies.

Another notable feature is the use of both JFET and MOS-FET transistors, which reduce harmonic distortion further. The output transistors of H30 also stand out, along with the addition of dual transformers that reduce mechanical noise. Tech specs include RCA and XLR inputs, heavy-duty gold plated speaker outputs, and a power consumption of 120 W in idle mode and 30 watts in ECO mode. The Hegel H30 weighs 99 lbs and comes in Black and Silver finishes. Photographs© Hegel Music Systems.