Hegel C53 3x 150 Watts Multi-Channel Power Amplifier

C53 - Custom Installation Power Amplifier

A multi-channel amplifier designed for sound performance, not priced like diamonds, and still tailored to your needs. Sound too good to be true? Well, it used to be, but not any longer. The Hegel C5 series: 3, 4 or 5 channel power amplifiers are rack-mountable, configurable, specified to your needs and will - most importantly - blow you away with their sound performance. Three channels of 150w/pc analog amplifier power, with enough ooompf  to boogie with almost any loudspeaker on the market. Meet the Hegel C53 from the Custom Installation C5 series.

Key Features:
• 3 x 150 W/8 Ω
• Gain Control
• RCA & XLR Inputs
• Trigger In/Out
• Modular Design
• Rack Mountable
• SoundEngine Technology
• DualAmp Technology
• DualPower Technology

Outstanding Performance in any Application

Introducing the most versatile high-performance multi-channel amplifiers on the market - the Hegel C5-series custom installation power amplifiers. The C5 is available in 3 different versions, tailored to your needs. You can choose to have it as either a 3-channel, 4-channel or 5-channel configuration. Meaning you can build a 5.1 or Atmos theatre using one or more C5s. Perhaps you want to bi-amp speakers or use active cross-overs? You could also use it to power multiple speakers in a mastering studio, in a restaurant or in a home. In short, wherever you need high-performance sound with dynamics and ultra-low distortion.

If your needs change over time, you can upgrade the C53 by adding extra channel modules (sold separately).

Tailored for Sound

As flexible as it is, the C5 series of amplifiers still maintains the full Hegel Sound. C5 uses the patented SoundEngine2 technology with its many benefits. One of them is the possibility to run low bias, meaning the high power class A/B amplifier do not run as warm as normal, allowing you to install it in a 19” rack. Another benefit of the SoundEngine2 is the very high damping factor (more than 2000). Higher damping factor means deep, deep bass and complete control of the bass drivers. It is one of the reasons people are talking about the dynamic Hegel sound. Yet the most important is its low distortion. Hegel’s patented SoundEngine2 amplifiers work almost like a noise-cancelling headphones. All distortion elements created within the amplifier circuits are dynamically cancelled out, by being played back in a negative phase. So no matter how you choose to configure, the C5-Series will deliver a spectacular soundstage. Never hard or unpleasant. Always natural, smooth and with incredible dynamics.

Versatile and Powerful

Versatility stretches further than the number of audio channels and ways to use. The ability to switch phase individually for each channel or selecting between different gain settings for each channel makes it so much easier to integrate into a larger system. The trigger input and output (allows daisy chaining) means you can place it in a separate room and never worry about switching it on or off.

The C53 is 3RU tall, with massive rackmount ears that are an integrated part of the amplifier shell. When installed in a rack, we recommend 1u spacing on top and bottom. There are also adjustable and detachable rear-mount ears. If you do not choose to install it in a rack, feet are supplied in the accessory box. Meaning, the C5-series can fit in any application.

SoundEngine2 Technology

The C5 Series power amplifiers use the Hegel SoundEngine 2 amplifier platform allowing a damping factor higher than the industry average together with extremely low distortion levels. In many ways it works like a noise-cancelling headphone. It compares the output of the amplifier with the input. It detects all the sound pollution (distortion), and plays this forward into the speaker output, but in reverse phase. Like 1 minus 1 equals 0. It cancels out all pollution in real time, leaving you with only the most natural sound.

The SoundEngine technology has been developed over more than 30 years, from conception to where it is now. Millions of dollars were invested in initial development. It is what makes possible the sound performance for the money in the C5 range.

DualPower Technology

Hegel amplifiers use completely separate DualPower power supplies for the input and voltage gain stages, and for the current output stages of the audio amplifier. The custom-designed Hegel power transformers have got separate DualPower windings feeding independent high-speed rectifiers and high-capacity power supply capacitors.

By using the DualPower power supply technology Hegel amplifiers will prevent disturbances from the high currents flowing in the loudspeakers entering the sensitive input gain stages and voltage gain stages. The Hegel DualPower technology gives lower total distortion and a higher dynamic range than normal audio amplifiers. The Hegel DualPower technology is developed in-house by Hegel and is only found in Hegel products.

DualAmp Technology

In normal audio amplifiers, the voltage gain stages and current gain stages are combined in the same amplifier module.

DualAmp Technology from Hegel separates the voltage gain stage and the current gain stage into two completely different stages. First, the music signal goes to the voltage gain stage, amplifying only the voltage level of the music signal. By doing only voltage gain in this first stage, we can use amplifier building blocks that are specially designed to do voltage amplification. After the separate voltage gain stage, we have the current gain stage, doing only current gain and nothing else.

The Hegel DualAmp technology gives lower total distortion and a higher dynamic range than normal audio amplifiers. The Hegel DualAmp technology is developed in-house by Hegel and is only found in Hegel products.

The Hegel Concept