The P30A preamplifier and the H30A power amplifier replaces the P30 and H30 reference amplifiers that have been on the market since 2011. For several years we have known that the P30 and H30 amplifiers were living on borrowed time because the extremely good transistors they used were being discontinued. This was a problem because they were so good that finding something that could even come close proved to be very hard. So, for years we have been looking for replacements that could not only match, but also improve upon the performance of our amplifiers. We have been testing and listening and testing again, and finally we are able to launch our new reference products.
With a new design and vastly upgraded sound qualities, the P30A and H30A sets a new bar for what Hegel amplifiers can achieve. We have given the P30A and the H30A the nicknames “The Conductor” and “The Orchestra”. They of course work best together, but both can also be great individual upgrades to existing systems. Speaking of upgradability, the H30A is designed as a mono power amplifier and performs best when used as such. We do however realize that some do not need that much power, and some want to try one before going for the full package. That is why the H30A can also be used as in stereo mode. The P30A is a fully balanced preamplifier with an attention to detail that is really something else. With a host of unbalanced and balanced analog inputs and outputs it will satisfy the needs of even the most dedicated stereo collector.
The Conductor
The P30A is The Conductor. With poise and control it conveys all the details, the grandeur, the feeling, and the complexity of any piece of music. With precise timing and expert understanding of both the score and the musicians, The Conductor brings forth the music just as it was intended to sound. It handles low key jazz, stadium rock and everything in between. Nothing added, and nothing subtracted, the P30A is the best conductor you will ever meet.
The P30A is our reference preamplifier. We have nicknamed it The Conductor because its job is to control the power amplifier with a signal that is as true to the music as possible. In our view, the preamplifier is the most critical component in a great sounding system, and it is also the hardest to get right. The very low amplitude signals coming from the source are easily corrupted, so an in-depth technical knowhow and clever engineering are needed to make sure the signal stays the same all the way through the preamplifier. With the P30A we have deployed all our skills in doing just that.
First, we use single pair FET transistors that have no higher order harmonic distortion. Within any batch of transistors, there will always be slight measurement variations. This might be within the bounds of what is considered normal deviations, but for sensitive electronics like this, that simply isn’t good enough. Therefore, Hegel’s founder and chief engineer Bent measures and carefully matches those transistors that have the exact same values. Having perfectly matched transistors is of paramount importance to the performance of the preamplifier, and it makes the P30A sound very smooth and natural, without compromising on the details.
Furthermore, the internal layout is designed in a way that makes the signal paths within the preamplifier as short as possible. This reduces the possibility of distortion coming from electrical interference. To further reduce distortion, we also minimise the number of electrical components the signal passes through. In the P30A the music signal only passes through two transistors and an ultra-low noise volume attenuator.
The P30A also uses Hegel’s patented Sound Engine technology. This actively monitors the music signal for corruptions and corrects for intermodulation distortion using a feed forward design. Sound Engine effectively removes distortion in real time as the signal is amplified.
All these steps make for a preamplifier that is very quiet and handles the sensitive low amplitude music signal as delicately as possible. Even so, distortion of the signal can still happen, but the P30A has one more feature that takes care of this. The P30A is fully balanced all the way through. This means you have two separate amplifiers, volume controls, and sound engine modules per channel. With this design, almost all leftover distortion is cancelled out, and what you are left with is a signal that is as close to the original source material as possible.
The P30A offers a wide array of inputs and outputs. It features 2 balanced (XLR) and 3 unbalanced (RCA) inputs and a fixed level Home Theatre input that allows you to integrate it into a Home Theatre system. This input can also be configured to act as a normal input. On the other end you have one balanced (XLR) and two unbalanced (RCA) variable outputs that are all active, allowing you to connect several devices at the same time. One of the unbalanced RCA outputs can even be configured to be a fixed volume output. The P30A also has a 3,5 mm IR-direct input and a 12V trigger output connector.
When you add it all up you get a highly versatile, extremely quiet, and natural sounding preamplifier that can be the heart of any high-end audio system. You get the P30A – A truly brilliant conductor of all music.
The Orchestra
The H30A is The Orchestra. With its immense power, speaker matching is no longer an issue. The Orchestra can play any “venue”, be it large stadiums or small cellar clubs, and with its unsurpassed skill and attention to detail, no music is too challenging. It conveys all music like you never thought possible. No matter what or where it plays, The Orchestra will always perform at its best.
The H30A is our reference power amplifier. We have nicknamed it The Orchestra because that is what it is. The H30A’s job is to take command of any music on any speakers and make it sound as good as possible without ever breaking a sweat, and we can think of no more challenging music than a large orchestral piece.
The H30A is an absolute powerhouse of an amplifier. In its mono state it delivers a truly astounding 1100 watts in 8 ohms, and it is completely stable even with 1-ohm loads. To achieve this, we have applied all our skill and knowledge in amplifier design and combined that with the best electronics. The H30A power supply uses 2 separate 1000 VA toroidal transformers for fast response and minimized transformer hum
single pair FET transistors. carefully hand matched transistors that have the exact same values, and therefore they have no higher order
harmonic distortion. Other types of distortion we cancel out with our patented Sound Engine technology. This actively monitors the music signal for corruptions and corrects for distortion using a feed forward design. Sound Engine effectively removes distortion in real time as the signal is amplified. These measures make the H30A sound very smooth and natural, without compromising on the details.
The H30A is designed as a mono power amplifier, but it can also be used as a stereo power amplifier. It has both balanced (XLR) and unbalanced (RCA) inputs and a 12V trigger input. For the best possible connection, the H30A features high quality, gold-plated speaker binding posts.
Usually, when going from one amplifier to a more powerful one, you experience more of everything. More bass, more details, more involvement – everything is just more. With the H30A we have reached a whole new level of differences. Because the H30A is so immensely powerful and detailed, the concept of “more” simply becomes irrelevant. In the H30A the bass is tremendously deep, but never dominating. The high frequencies are exceptionally detailed, but never fatiguing. And the articulation of vocals in the midrange is just sublime. At this level, what you experience is simply total control.
The H30A is an amplifier that can drive virtually all known loudspeakers with authority and ease. It never sounds forced, only relaxed and musical. The H30A is the spearhead of our amplifier technology. It is the large orchestra that brings life to any music in any venue.
