Review: Hegel HD12 D/A converter

Hegel is now here with the HD12, the successor of the HD11. The pricetag has increased with 150€, but is stacked with alot of new features.

Some of these is the support for DSD, special designet headphone output, display and a preamplifier build in. So for 150€ ekstra you get quite a lot.

Build quality

The design is an usual good scandinavian looking Hegel. Very clean design, no bottons, so you need the remote to operate the device. The display is good and easy to read with the big large blue characters. The only thing I can put a finger on is the remote, which they could have done a little more out of.

Sound quality

Setup and installation of the driver was relatively easy on a Windows 8. And then just straight on to JRiver.

There was no real tonal difference of the input or output is used. Actually, it was very surprising that the USB port featured as much tranquility and silent background, as experienced on the optical input, and a distinct absence of hum that you can experience a lot of times with non-electrically isolated USB inputs.

On Rammstiens "Keine Lust" is an opened and detailed which only experienced a few times in this pricerange, and with impressive dynamics! Micro-dynamics and the level of detail is quite impressive in the treble at Agnes Obel 'Riverside' and not least the entire track resolution and dynamics, and is hugely vivid and with realistic presentation.

I use this converter in a high end setup with Pass Labs XA100,5 & Avalon Indra, and at no point do I feel the DAC is that mucher weaker than the rest of the system!

Tried the headphone output wth Sennheiser HD800, and it has no problem driving the headphones. Quite impressive, open and detailed.

Conclusion

The remote is probably the biggest thing I have against this Hegel HD12. But pure sound quality wise, I think it is quite a good little DAC, the preamplifier is also quite impressive in this pricepoint. We can only recommend giving the Hegel HD12 a listening!

Specifications for Hegel HD12

Digital inputs: Coaxial / optical up to 24bit / 192kHz, USB up to 24bit / 192kHz
DSD capability: DSD64 (on PC only. Mac drivers will launch spring 2015)
Dac IC / digital filter: 32 bit
Output signal level: 2.5V RMS (at 0dBFS)
Digital inputs: 1 coaxial, 2 optical and 1 USB-B (2.0)
Analog outputs: XLR balanced and RCA / phono unbalanced/ headphone
Frequency response: 0Hz - 50kHz
Phase response: Linear phase analog filter
Noise floor: -145dB
Distortion: Typically less than 0.0005%
Power supply: Internal toroidal transformer and 20,000uF capacitors
Dimensions/weight: 6cm x 21cm x 26cm (HxWxD) / 3.5kg
Dimensions/weight: 2.35" x 8.3" x 10.24" (HxBxD), 6.6 lbs