- Hegel Music Systems describes the new Hegel D50 High-end Digital to Analogue Converter as a product that has been developed out of pure passion for the best sound.
Like every other manufacturer, Hegel Music Systems has very specific product groups that represent the company’s core competence, according to the Norwegian HiFi manufacturer during an exclusive product production at the KEF Music Gallery London at the end of January 2025, and these are first and foremost amplifier systems. These are developed with the utmost attention and all the expertise they can muster, in short, they do their best to realise optimal solutions. This is done with great enthusiasm, but it is everyday business.
But then there are ideas and concepts that do not necessarily have to be implemented from the company’s strategic point of view, which are pursued solely out of pure passion and which are ultimately realised because you want to. A product that completely escapes conventional constraints during realisation, where you don’t think about how much it can cost to develop and how many of them you can sell. One such project was the Hegel The Mohican, and this also applies to the latest offspring from Norway, the Hegel D50 High-end Digital to Analogue Converter, which is simply referred to internally as the Hegel D50 The Raven.
Hegel D50 The Raven – More than just another DAC, but just a DAC
Of course, D/A converters are by no means new territory for the Norwegians at Hegel Music Systems; on the contrary, they have been working in this field for a good two decades and can therefore point to a wealth of expertise and experience.
It is therefore all the more exciting that the presentation of the new Hegel D50 marks the culmination of this development, a bold leap forward in digital audio technology. It is also particularly interesting that the focus here was deliberately placed solely on the essentials, avoiding anything that could have a negative impact on precise signal processing.
The new Hegel D50 High-end Digital to Analogue Converter is therefore a pure D/A converter that is dedicated to a single task, namely converting ones and zeros into music.
This is why streaming has been deliberately omitted, nor can this solution be used as a preamp – it is just a DAC, but a very special one.
It’s not just the type of DAC chip that determines the quality
It is noticeable that Hegel Music Systems, unlike many of its competitors, does not attach great importance to focussing on the type designation of the DAC chip used. It is left to say that it is, of course, the latest model from a renowned manufacturer, but in the same breath it is pointed out that the really decisive factor is how it is handled. However, for the sake of completeness, it is the ESS 9039Q2M DAC from ESS Technology Inc.
Every detail of the circuit design and layout has been carefully worked out to realise the full potential of the DAC chip and transform it from a mere component into a masterful instrument, as the company literally describes it.
Of course, the DAC chip is located on a separate circuit board, but at the same time care had to be taken to ensure that signal paths were as short as possible. This would prevent noise and other sound-damaging interference from the outset.
Creating optimum conditions
It is also essential that any interference on the input side is eliminated right from the start so that the signal processing by the D/A converter is not negatively affected.
The AES/EBU interfaces of the Hegel D50 High-end Digital to Analogue Converter have a unique RS422 receiver, as described by the manufacturer, which is balanced via a transformer to guarantee perfect signal transmission free of jitter at all times.
S/PDIF interfaces are of course particularly critical, as they are generally very susceptible to noise and timing errors. For this reason, a specially developed circuit is used here, in which the I2S signal is decoded and reclocked by three dedicated master clocks. There is one master clock for S/PDIF and two for USB, one for 44.1 kHz and one for 48 kHz.
In terms of connections, the new Hegel D50 High-end Digital to Analogue Converter offers an AES/EBU, an S/PDIF designed as a BNC, a coaxial S/PDIF and two optical S/PDIF, as well as a USB port.
Signals in Linear PCM with up to 24 bit and 192 kHz as well as DSD can be transmitted via AES/EBU, BNC and the coaxial S/PDIF, although DoP, i.e. DSD over PCM, is used here. The optical S/PDIF interface is only designed for 24 bit and 96 kHz.
The full potential of the Hegel D50 High-end Digital to Analogue Converter can be exploited via its USB port, as it supports Linear PCM signals with 32 bit and 384 kHz as well as DSD256, whereby this is also done using DoP.
For the sake of completeness, it should be mentioned at this point that the new D/A converter from Hegel Music Systems also supports signals encoded in MQA.
In terms of analogue outputs, the Hegel D50 High-end Digital to Analogue Converter provides a pair of RCA connections for unbalanced signal routing and a pair of XLR connections for balanced signal routing.
Sophisticated power supply
The power supply of the D/A converter is a remarkable detail, as it is designed in such a sophisticated way that it not only ensures flawless signal processing of the Hegel D50 itself, but also has a positive effect on the entire signal chain on the same power strip.
Sophisticated filters at the mains input eliminate mains noise, and when connected to an earthed socket, this filtering can even improve the performance of other devices in the same circuit, as the manufacturer expressly emphasises.
The manufacturer also lists two low-noise toroidal transformers as further essential components, one of which operates the control components and is responsible for the standby function, while the other is reserved solely for the difficult signal processing at digital and analogue level.
Their output is also filtered separately and concealed behind additional shielding.
Attention is paid to every crucial detail
In general, the Hegel D50 High-end Digital to Analogue Converter has a housing that is also designed for the greatest possible shielding against external influences, which also looks particularly elegant with a front milled from aluminium. It rests on aluminium feet with rubber dampers and is finished in a discreet black.
Finally, one detail should be mentioned here that illustrates the developers’ attention to detail: the Hegel D50 has circuit boards with rounded edges, which minimises impedance drops and radiation and contributes to maximum precision in signal processing.
It should also be mentioned that all inputs have an advanced input sensor system that recognises when a signal is present and – if desired – simply switches the device on or activates the corresponding input. The user can configure this as desired, as well as the automatic standby or dimming of the display on the front.
Initial practical experience
As already mentioned at the beginning, we had the exclusive opportunity to get a first personal impression of the new Hegel D50 High-end Digital to Analogue Converter at the KEF Music Gallery in London, which GP Acoustics GmbH hosted at the end of January 2025.
Anders Ertzeid, VP Sales & Marketing at Hegel Music Systems, personally demonstrated the new Hegel D50 High-end Digital to Analogue Converter on an outstanding HiFi chain, pointing out in particular that it was not only designed as a stand-alone product, but above all as a worthwhile upgrade to all current amplifier systems from the Norwegians. Whether Hegel H300, Hegel H360, Hegel H390, Hegel H590, Hegel H400 or Hegel H600, all these amplifier systems should benefit significantly from the use of the new D/A converter.
Hegel Music Systems even offers its own very clever solution for integrating the new Hegel D50 Reference DAC directly via an amplifier, so that although the signal processing is carried out by the external D/A converter, the user can control it in the tried and tested way via the amplifier alone. Hegel Music Systems calls this DAC Loop.
Based on the exclusive listening session in London, we can say one thing quite clearly: the quality of the new Hegel D50 High-end Digital to Analogue Converter is simply remarkable, and the increase in quality that is possible with this D/A converter compared to the integrated D/A converters in the amplifier systems from Hegel Music Systems. Once you have heard it, you will hardly want to do without the Hegel D50 High-end Digital to Analogue Converter.
Prices and availability
The new Hegel D50 Reference DAC will be available from specialist retailers from May 2025 at a recommended retail price of € 4.895,-.
Getting to the point
It’s only natural that Hegel Music Systems should call the new Hegel D50 Reference DAC the Hegel D50 The Raven. Norwegian mythology features the ravens Hugin and Mundin, who helped none other than Odin to gain completely new insights and reveal the hidden truths of the world. This is exactly what the new D/A converter from Hegel Music Systems stands for, a product that was developed out of pure passion, as the Norwegians explain, and which is dedicated to a single task, namely signal conversion from digital to analogue, but with the highest possible precision.
| Product | Hegel D50 Reference DAC The Raven |
|---|---|
| Price | € 4.895,- |
| Brand | Hegel Music Systems |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Hegel Music Systems |
| Distribution | GP Acoustics GmbH |
| More about this manufacturer at HiFi BLOG |
