When Hegel’s founder Bent Holter decided to build a phono preamp, about 30-years after the company was founded, he started from the ground up.
That empty compartment below the company name on the underside of the Hegel V10 provides access for plugging in the two-pronged end of the wall wart E-core tranformer-based linear, low noise, analog AC-power supply, keeping power away from the delicate workings inside the chassis. When the V10 arrives, its set up for an MM cartridge but those left/right rear mounted DIP switches offer lots of options for MM and MC cartridges as depicted on the unit’s belly.
The business end of the V10 offers gold plated single ended RCA and balanced XLR outputs, with separate single ended connections for MM and MC cartridges (Warning: Do not use MC & MM RCA at the same time), and a nice big grounding ground lug sitting dead center. Inside, ultra-low-noise discrete JFET transistors sit on the input side, the MM input gets four JFETs run in parallel, while the output employs discrete bipolar transistors in its ultra-low-noise power supplies.
Up front is a spartan face plate with a sole button for power. The V10 features an auto standby function that puts the V10 to rest if you fall asleep first.
In my experience, Hegel is a company that offers an owner-friendly price to performance ratio so I look forward to putting the Hegel V10 through its paces in Barn. Stay tuned!
Hegel V10 Phono Preamp
Price: $1650
Company Website: Hegel Music Systems
Technical Specifications
Amplifier Typology: Ultra low noise discrete JFET transistor input stage for both MC and MM
Gain XLR Out MM: 40dB / 45dB / 50dB / 52dB
Gain XLR Out MC: 60dB / 65dB / 70dB / 72dB
Gain RCA Out MM: 34dB / 39dB / 44dB / 46dB
Gain RCA Out MC: 54dB / 59dB / 64dB / 66dB
MC Load Impedance: Freely adjustable between 33 and 550 ohm / 47 kohm
MM Load Capacitance: 100pF / 147pF / 220pF / 247pF / 320pF / 420pF / 467pF @ 47 kohm
Subsonic Filter: Switchable on / off, -3dB at 20Hz, -18dB octave
RIAA Accuracy: +/- 0,2dB / 20Hz – 20kHz
Output Noise*: -84dB/MM (“A” weighted ref: 0dBV), -81dB/MC (“A” weighted ref: 0dBV)
Output Impedance XLR / RCA: 200 ohm
Channel Crosstalk: -84dB @1kHz 0dBV
Frequency Response: 2Hz – 20kHz
Distortion (THD) MM: < 0.005% @1kHz 0dBV
Distortion (THD) MC: < 0.009% @1kHz 0dBV
Inputs: 1 x unbalanced (RCA) MM, 1 x unbalanced (RCA) MC
Outputs: 1 x unbalanced fixed (RCA), 1 x balanced fixed (XLR)
Power Adapter: Hegel Power Adapter M30103
Dimensions with Feet: 6cm x 21cm x 28cm, 2.4″ x 8,3″ x 11″ (H x W x D)
Weight: 2,2kg / 4,9lbs unit weight
* When stable operating temperature has been reached