Hegel D50 DAC
I was encouraged to do something unusual when reviewing Hegel’s latest digital to analogue converter the D50, that was to listen to the system without it then plug it in and listen to the same system and see if anything changed. The D50 has a device on board that should improve the quality of AC power for other components as well as itself, but when I requested details Hegel were reticent to explain as this is some kind of new tech that they don’t want to share just now.
Hegel has made a few DACs in its time but generally specialises in streaming amplifiers such as the recently launched H150, which of course has a DAC onboard as do all such devices. Which means that as long as Hegel have been developing streaming amps, which is over 20 years, they have been working on the DACs within them, so it makes sense for the Norwegian company to make a standalone converter. Unlike those inside the H150 and its stablemates the D50 is an environment that has been built from the ground up to be optimal when it comes to converting the bitstream from a streamer or CD player into an analogue signal. It has multiple power supplies and even several clocks in order to provide the DAC chip with as perfect an environment as can be achieved without spending a fortune.
Hegel is reluctant to say which DAC chip this is and only go so far as to call it ‘the latest model’. But as you may be aware the chip is only a small part of the digital to analogue conversion story, it’s a bit like the CPU in a car, no matter how good it is you won’t get great performance if the engine, chassis and suspension aren’t top notch. Hegel go to great lengths to build a circuit around the chip that does not limit its potential, this includes the AC power filtering, separate power transformers for digital and analogue circuitry and three separate clocks, one to reduce jitter in the incoming signal and separate ones for the base PCM sample rates – 48kHz and 44.1k Hz.
The SPDIF inputs (coax, optical) have a custom receiver that is designed to unpack the data with maximum precision. The AES/EBU input on XLR has a balanced transformer that is said to work well with a wide range of signal strengths, suggesting that it is the sort of thing found in pro applications where long cables are used. The USB input is the most capable in terms of data rates and good for PCM up to 32-bit/384kHz, DSD256 and 8x MQA, which is a new one on me.
The D50’s analogue output is on the usual single ended RCA sockets and balanced XLRs with output level being fixed despite the presence of volume buttons on the supplied remote. This is because the handset is a general Hegel device for whole system operation, it’s a nice piece of metalwork too. All the controls on the D50 itself are hidden under the front panel, the hewn from solid aluminium front panel that is. These are relatively easy to find despite their invisibility. The filtering is as fixed as the output level, so there’s no need to compare and contrast the options.
Sound quality
As it had been flagged up I tried listening to the effect that connecting the D50 to the AC power had on the rest of the system by powering my streaming system, DAC, preamp and power amp from a Russ Andrews X6 distribution block that was plugged straight into the wall. Played a few tracks and then connected the D50 to the same block and repeated the process. The result was a small but worthwhile performance upgrade, the system sounded cleaner and better timed with the D50 connected but idle, a snare drum became less tinny and the guitar and bass alongside it seemed more in sync.
Using the D50 in its fundamental role with a Lumin U2 Mini streaming transport connected with coaxial cable delivered immediate engagement, this is a very coherent and welltimed converter that hooks in the listener pretty much from the first note. After a few more notes the strong sense of body that it brings to instruments and voices also becomes apparent, this DAC is not only a master of musical flow, it can do solidity of image as well. The tonal balance is on the fulsome side, bass notes seem slightly richer than strictly neutral but not so much so that it feels like there is added bloom. Just enough to give the sound a bit more richness and fun factor, it seems to enhance intensity and passion in some tracks and that is certainly not a bad thing when it comes to digital audio, much better than dry presentation and analytical.
It reveals the sparkle of the percussion on Babylon Sisters (Steely Dan) and the lovely counterpoint of the snare and guitar in this piece. The compression used in the recording is also apparent as is the relative weakness of Donald Fagen’s vocal when contrasted with the power of the backing vocals. The D50 is revealing of such details but keeps the emphasis on the superb playing and excellence of the song-writing. Less compromised recordings like The Man I Love by as performed by Herbie Hancock and Joni Mitchell sound very good indeed, the vocal is dusky but bodacious and strong, and the lilting horn of Wayne Shorter stands out for its lyricism. The D50 makes it clear that this is a Hancock production however, letting the piano take top honours in clear, three dimensional fashion.
Radiohead’s Decks Dark is also highly compelling, the D50 focussing attention on the song rather than the spatial effects created in the studio. Both elements are clear but it’s the overall feeling of the song that takes centre stage. I have often heard the way that sounds are manipulated to impressive effect with this piece but it’s unusual for a DAC to place the emphasis where it needs to be for maximum communication. There is plenty of scale and power in the delivery but it doesn’t overpower the fundamental message, which makes the song that much more engaging and relegates the pause button to rarely required status.
Using the D50’s USB input resulted in a more immediate sound with slightly sharper leading edges which gave Julian Lage’s Talking Drum a live and direct feel without losing body and depth of image. It also worked very well with Straight No Chaser as played by Keith Jarrett on The Old Country where the acoustic of the space was clearly defined and Jarrett’s yodellings had a distinct presence but not one that got in the way of the performance. I did prefer the result with coax though, this connection combined superb timing with a more relaxed, analogue feel that was not short on high frequency detail, the timing being that much more fluent and the bass being full of weight and texture.
I used the D50 with the Rega Mercury pre and Solis power amp, usurping the preamp’s onboard DAC and raising the standards quite distinctly, the Hegel is more than half the price of the Mercury which also has to provide preamplifier functionality so that’s not shocking. But I have to say that the dimensionality that it brought to the party was very impressive as was the timing, which was already pretty solid on the Rega. It’s hard to beat standalone DACs with those inside amps and preamps, this is why Hegel explains how to use the D50 with its own streaming amplifiers.
Conclusion
I note that Hegel call the D50 raven because “it may seem plain, but this DAC is a master of its craft.” In keeping with all Hegel electronics it’s not a flashy looking component but as they suggest, looks can be deceptive. The D50 is a DAC for closing your eyes so that your ears can send a signal to your heart and mind that you will understand without having to think, what it looks like is secondary. This Hegel is as solidly built and simply finished as any of their products, it puts all the colour and variety that it can muster into the music, and that in my book is what counts.