Hegel H600

The Hegel H600 sits above the H400 in Hegel’s integrated amplifier range: more power, a more substantial power supply and a larger chassis, with the same network streaming built in.

Like the rest of the range it is a complete system in one box. Connect speakers and a network cable and you are finished.

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

Power is only worth paying for if the speakers or the room need it. A large room, low-sensitivity speakers or a listener who plays loudly are the reasons to step up from the H400; a small room with efficient speakers is not.

Hegel’s high damping factor makes it a common recommendation for speakers that are hard to drive.

Streaming built into an amplifier is convenient but couples the two together. If you expect to change streaming platforms more often than amplifiers, separates remain the more flexible route.

Specifications