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The H300 (MSRP: $5500) is a nice size and weight for a ballsy integrated putting out 250 watts per channel. It won't win any beauty contests with its commercial look, but there is a beauty in its plainness. I would much rather see companies put more emphasis into sonics than looks....but I am a sucker for a good looking product too. The Hegel is plain, unassuming, but well built.
The H300 includes a full DAC section with a multitude of inputs. There is some confusion as to whether the USB supports the full 24/192, but it at least handles 24/96. It does not support DSD. Those interested in the capabilities of the built in DAC can peruse a multitude of online reviews of the H300.
I have no reason to doubt the claimed wattage, in my testing, it had plenty of drive and control, except at the most insanely loud levels. Pushed beyond 75% of the amps output things could become slightly compressed and quite emphasized in the bass. But at normal to loud listening levels (measured at 96db from one meter and 91db at listening position), this wonderful integrated is all a piece. Controlled, musical and delivering all the audiophile goodies: depth of soundstage, a wonderful tonality and a bass that is fast, controlled and extremely detailed.
The remote is solid metal and is very appropriate for this level of product. It provides all the necessary functionality a remote should. It won't kill a small pet or break a toe if dropped like my D'Agostino remote, but it won't break if you sit on it like the Rowland remote.
Listening to the H300 reveals an integrated that oozes musicality. The richness of an acoustic guitar or oboe in the orchestra is downright delicious. You can actually smell the strings on the guitar. If the designer was striving for tonality and musicality, he hit it out of the park with the H300.
The top end definitely does not lack for any additional detail. There is no artificial roll off of the top end. Stevie's harmonica at the beginning of For Once In My Life, Frank Sinatra/Gladys Night and Stevie Wonder - Sinatra Duets, Redbook had a wonderful crispness and air with no sense of shrill.
Soundstage depth is another real strong point of the H300. Listening to Oscar Peterson, We Get Requests, Quiet Nights and Quiet Stars on DSD, there is a clear separation of instruments with a wonderful sense of depth with the stand up bass in the back right corner, oscar at the piano in the middle and percussion on the front left.
The midrange is full with a hint of warmth. I found that vocals took on a wider soundstage presence than with any of the other amps I have tried on my Raidho D3's (D'Agostino, Rowland CS2). Whether this is a characteristic you prefer in an amp is up to the individual. I'm trying to refrain from comparisons to the Rowland, but I will say that the Rowland has laser like precision vocals which ultimately creates more space around the instruments and vocals. The Hegel vocals will likely more appeal to those who are fans of tube sound.
Complaints? Well, the lower mid bass can cloud the vocals - slightly - when the amp is pushed hard at louder than normal listening levels. Listening to Mark Knopfler sing the Dylan Classic, Restless Fairwell (Redbook from Chimes of Freedom CD) you can hear the bass lines cloud/muddy his voice a little. The Rowland CS2 on the other hand never did this and remained a champion of balance from top to bottom. But, the Rowland CS2 runs out of gas on the Raidho's when pushed hard and produces a slight shrill sound at very high volumes. A result of Class D or the SMPS? Who knows? The Rowland also doesn't have the tonality richness or soundstage depth of the H300 and the Rowland does not have the realistic bass that the H300 produces. But the Rowland is a champion of balance and neutrality, with laser like precision of instruments and vocals that portray themselves in a life like size, rather than a larger than life size. Pick your poison.
Matching this amp with speakers will generally be quite easy. I can see this integrated amp pairing with a lot of different speakers. With the Raidho's, I felt the bass from the Hegel could become a bit much at louder than normal levels. Below 95db from 1 meter, everything remained fairly balanced.
The H300 has a nice hint of warmth without being syrupy. The speed of this integrated, combined with its tonality richness, bass detail and high frequency sparkle ensure it is a great all rounder - especially at this price. Give it a listen....you may just find yourself getting Hegelized.
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