Hegel today introduced its first phono stage. The new Hegel V10 Phono Preamplifier was built from the ground up using modern, discrete amplification, for vinyl enthusiasts looking for the detailed, dynamic and a neutral soundstage the company is known for.
Hegel says the V10 is a brand-new take on an old technology and is a phono preamplifier like no other. The chassis is divided into two compartments, physically separating the power supplies from the sensitive amplification circuitry. There is no detectable interference between the two parts. For the best possible connection, the V10 offers gold-plated terminals, balanced XLR outputs, and a solid custom grounding screw. On the all-important input stage, Hegel uses ultra-low-noise discrete JFET transistors for both the Moving Magnet (MM) and Moving Coil (MC) input. Eliminating external noise is especially important when using sensitive low output MC cartridges. That is why its MC input is fitted with four such transistors connected in parallel, making the input completely silent and stopping any bias current feedback to the cartridge coil.
The input signal feeds into equally silent amplifier circuits, where both the MM and the MC gain stages use ultra-low-noise power supplies built with discrete bipolar transistors to keep the signal noise at a minimum. This ensures an extremely accurate amplification of the input signal coming from the turntable. And to make sure the V10 gets the best operating conditions, it is supplied with a linear, low noise, analog AC-power supply. This features a large, custom design, E-core transformer, placed in its own housing to eliminate all possibility of interference.
Out of the box the V10 is configured as an excellent plug and play MM preamplifier. For many, this is exactly what they want and need, but some want even more. In such cases the V10 is highly optimizable, and can be adjusted for any MM and MC cartridge.
The company says when the V10 is combined with a decent cartridge, the level of detail it can extract from a good vinyl pressing is just breath-taking.
Features
- MM and MC
- Subsonic Filter
- Balanced (XLR) output
- Highly optimizable
- Auto standby
Price & Availability
The Hegel V10 Phono Preamp will be available mid February 2021 for $1500 (USD) / €1395 / £1,350. Learn more at: www.hegel.com/products/phono/v10
Specifications
| Amplifier Typology | Ultra low noise discrete JFET transistor input stage for both MC and MM MM: 40dB / 45dB / 50dB / 52dB |
| Gain XLR Out | MC: 60dB / 65dB / 70dB / 72dB |
| MM: 34dB / 39dB / 44dB / 46dB | |
| Gain RCA Out | MC: 54dB / 59dB / 64dB / 66dB |
| MM Load Capacitance | Freely adjustable between 33 and 550 ohm / 47 kohm |
| MC Load Impedance | 100pF / 147pF / 200pF / 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% |
| MC: < 0.009% | |
| @1kHz 0dBV | |
| Inputs | 1*unbalanced (RCA) MM |
| 1*unbalanced (RCA) MC | |
| Outputs | 1*unbalanced fixed (RCA) |
| 1* balanced fixed (XLR) | |
| Power Adapter | Hegel Power Adapter (M30103) |
| Dimensions with Feet | 2.4” x 8,3” x 11” |
| HxWxD | 6cm x 21cm x 28cm |
| Unit Weight | 4.9 lbs unit weight |
| 2.2 kg |
