Hegel D50, the Norwegian digital heart

As usual at these events, Gedelson presented the latest developments from the brands it represents at its annual convention for its distributors and trusted stores. In 2024, I really liked the Hegel H400 integrated amplifier. Well, something similar happened this year, but with the DAC presented, the Hegel D50. Now that we've got that little introduction out of the way, let's continue.

Hegel Music Systems is a small Norwegian company, by today's standards, selling and distributing its products to more than 50 countries and continuing to grow. They present themselves as an independent company, free from prior constraints, as its initial capital remains stable within the structure, meaning that there have been no major policy changes since its inception. This point is more important than it may seem at first glance to a voracious reader; however, it is of enormous importance for the functioning and stability of the products and, above all, their guarantee of consistent quality.

Currently, they are aligned with marketing strategies with KEF. They maintain their idiosyncrasies and independent operation, although to tackle major challenges (such as entering the North American market), they follow coordinated sales policies, such as selling products in packs. This collaborative technique can make them more attractive to the market... the market of investment funds that want to acquire, in one fell swoop, companies that are already accustomed to cooperating with each other.

Their engineers put the finishing touches to their electronics and human tuning using the British company's speakers, so anyone who aspires to "hear" like the product developers should consider purchasing one of KEF's top products.

Hegel D50 DAC

If we start from the premise that even our parents are not neutral and have their own tastes and preferences, even with their children, analyzing a DAC must be done with special care and respect. They are the centerpiece of a digital system, but their performance depends on the good relationship between the amplifier and the speaker. Or, between the headphone amplifier and the headphones. For this reason, I have used both methods to try to extract every last nuance possible, and I am sharing this with you.

I'll start with the headphones (you can see the complete list of equipment below). When you combine a tube amplifier with open headphones, you are looking for sound clarity, mid-high or high detail directly. Channel separation and nuances. Space and movement on stage, in the case of operas. And all of this is softened with the special touch of the tubes, which cut back a little on any excessive brightness that the signal may emit. And, of course, you lose the impact and lower frequencies of the sounds emitted, right at that point where all subwoofer owners would have to adjust the frequencies carefully so as not to ruin a detailed sound presence.

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And, since everyone's voice is unique and I haven't been able to meet all the singers in history in person, I use tricks to assess the fidelity of music reproduction. Noises that are added to the recording unintentionally, even if they are not edited or removed. And with this image in mind, you can imagine how Maria Callas's historical recordings take on a striking realism when you hear the footsteps on the wooden stage floor. I have had the opportunity to hear that characteristic sound on many occasions. I enjoyed Andrea Chérnier's "La mamma morta," performed by the DIVA Maria Callas. Incidentally, this excerpt is part of the film "Philadelphia." It is played at the moment when the protagonist is very ill and sings about life and death. The other great musical protagonist of this film is Bruce Springsteen... and no, I didn't make it, although the musical selection could be mine.

Continuing with the headphone listening, the details added to the work, whichever you choose, are so great that you feel you can separate and group the different sound registers that are produced as you wish. When you focus on the tiny details, it produces an effect that I find very entertaining, which is the loss of the musical whole in order to achieve an endless array of scattered frequencies, all of them well executed and with their own personality. To get a clearer idea of what I'm explaining, think of an orchestra playing an operatic introduction. Well, with a magic wand, you touch one musician and all the others disappear. You only hear that instrument. You create a mental silence, as your attention is focused on a single point. Achieving this makes you happy, and I was happy. What is high fidelity? Being true to myself and my tastes. For someone else, it will be something else.

Equipment used in testing

Sound source:
»Hegel D50
» Roon Server
» Qobuz Studio
Power amplification:
» Bow Technologies Wazoo XL
Headphone amplifier:
» Little Dot MKIV
Headphones:
» AKG K701
Speakers:
» RadioTehnika Giant FS-100N
Cables:
» Wires4Music Osiris Signature:
    » RCA interconnect
    » speakers
    » mains
    » USB A - USB B interconnect
HiFi rack:
» Artesanía Audio Exoteryc Rack PRO

How does the Hegel D50 DAC achieve such a special sound?

Below, I highlight the main points in its construction, which make this a very elaborate and well-designed DAC. Taken from its official website:

With the complete system

When we connect the Hegel D50 to the main system in my living room, we gain and lose things. We live in rooms that are acoustically imperfect, but at the same time, they convey a warmth that makes us appreciate a component more positively than when listening in someone else's room. We have all experienced and felt this sensation, and those of us who write or publicly explain our experiences have to fight against this natural subjectivity every day of our lives.

Listening to this DAC with a complete system is the best there is, but at the same time, it does not do justice to its potential. It gives more and better with headphones. But you really enjoy it when it fills a room with details, not as many as the other option, but it is pure life. I like the treatment of the most impressive sound passages in frequencies from 40 to 80 Hz. They are really the litmus test, where you can assess the manufacturer's intention and will, either neutral or present. The Hegel D50 is neither one nor the other, but right in the middle of the two points. Personal opinion and useless: Here I have noticed the suitability of the sound for KEF speakers.

More things to mention

There are details that draw you to this product. Being an intermediate element in the music chain, it knows how to work automatically when it is convenient to be transparent to the user. If it detects a digital signal in any of its inputs, it can change it. This is the default setting and can be modified.

Its display screen is just how I like it. It indicates which input is in use in large, clear letters. Not only that, but you can adjust the brightness to suit your preferences. Sorry, I'm not a fan of screens with lots of information that you have to bend down to read. We're at an age where that's a bit of a struggle.

Final conclusions

When you see this DAC in person, touch it, and feel it, you get the deep sense that this component will last a lifetime in your rack. You may change your sound source, amplification, or speakers, but the D50 will still be there. Only a radical change in digital data input format could retire it.

Its sound has its own personality; it is ultra-detailed, attempting to show the entire signal range without losing a single byte. This gives it a distinctive character that sets it apart from other options, which seek to balance the clarity of the signal obtained with a "correction layer" that makes it more pleasant to many people. Or at least that is the intention.

I thought I had a good ear the first time I heard it in operation, which is why I requested a test. After spending a good amount of time with it, my impressions have been confirmed and my knowledge of this brand and its approach to music reproduction and the results it achieves has expanded. This is a DAC that should be taken into account when purchasing a product of this level.

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