Hegel P20 2Ch Balanced Pre-Amplifier

P20 - High-End Preamplifier

The P20 is Hegel's entry-level preamplifier and offers an affordable door into the Hegel Reference line of products. Designing the P20 was not a task we took lightly. Many of the ideas and concepts were taken from its bigger brother. Although scaled-down, many of the good characteristics remain - the enormous soundstage, the deep rhythmic bass response, the perfect timing... In short, the sense of being there with the performers.

Pictured with Hegel H30A power amplifier (sold separately)

Key Features:
• 4 RCA Inputs
• 1 XLR Input
• Home Theatre Input
• Balanced Output
• Short Signal Path
• > 130 dB SNR
• DualAmp Technology
• DualPower Technology
• Hand-matched transistors
• High-frequency volume attenuator
• Silicon-Germanium technology

Smooth and Natural Sound

The idea behind the P20 was, as mentioned, to offer a more affordable entry into our line of separates. But most of all, it was to set a new standard of price and performance in preamplifiers. Something we think we have achieved. The preamplifier is perhaps the most delicate unit in a sound system. Because the signal levels are so low, even the tiniest levels of noise or distortion smear the image and mask the small details that enliven the music. With the hand-matched transistors in the P20, the levels of higher-order harmonic distortion are greatly reduced, resulting in smooth and natural sound.

In designing the P20, we achieved the highest quality of sound at such a low price point by using brand-new technologies, such as Silicon Germanium transistors. In addition, we implemented high-frequency components that were not originally designed for audio, and use them in ways that had never been done before. The result is an open and natural-sounding preamplifier at a very competitive price.

Balanced and Unbalanced Connections

There is a total of 5 regular inputs. Both balanced and unbalanced. In addition, a special Home Theatre input allows integration into surround sound systems. Finally, there are both balanced and unbalanced outputs as well as a fixed line-level output.

The P20 comes with a high-quality system remote control, milled out of one solid piece of aluminium. It has the same bead-blasted and anodized surface finish as the preamplifier itself. You can really feel the quality of each part of the P20; not only hear it. 

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