Hegel H400

The Hegel H400 is an integrated amplifier with a network streamer built in, from the Norwegian manufacturer Hegel. One box, one power cable, and speakers: no separate source component is needed.

Hegel’s reputation rests on its SoundEngine amplification and on a very high damping factor, which in plain terms means the amplifier keeps tight control of a loudspeaker’s bass driver. It is a design philosophy aimed at difficult speakers rather than at sensitive ones.

What Apple Home actually does with it

This is an AirPlay 2 device rather than a HomeKit accessory.

• It shows up in the Home app as a speaker you can play to, and as an AirPlay target in Control Centre.
• You can assign it to a room and group it with HomePods for synchronised multi-room audio.
• Siri can send music to it by room name.
• It can be the audio output in a scene or an automation.

It is not an accessory you switch on or set the volume of from the Home app. Power, input selection and volume stay with the unit, its remote and its own app.

Before you buy

Hegel amplifiers are usually bought to drive a specific pair of speakers that other amplifiers struggle with. If your speakers are an easy load, the case is weaker.

Streaming is built in, which is convenient and means the digital section ages with the amplifier. Some listeners prefer separates for exactly that reason.

The Hegel H600 is the larger model in the same range.

Specifications