Reviewing the Hegel V10 Phono Pre-Amplifier!

Hegel has entered the vinyl arena, and I take at look at their first offering. If that's your thing, you've found your place. Welcome to the Vinyl Attack!

0:00 - Intro
2:47 - Solving a Problem
4:05 - Options and Specs
5:44 - The Sound?
8:34 - Caveats
10:03 - VS. The EAT E-Glow Petit
11:05 - But is it Good?

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[beeamadeusfox]

Great review. I already have a Hegel H80 which I love and tomorrow my wife and I receive our first record deck we have ever bought together. Its my birthday and I'm headed back to Vinyl Town! Hot damn!, its like going on holiday. Thanks also for the heads up on Deerborn music. We live in the UK in historic Hastings on the coast so I'm hoping they can do international shipping. I want a US supplier because I've enjoyed American music particularly for most of my life. Thanks and good luck with the channel.

[brunohebert]

Thanks Chris for the honest review. I think for the RCA cables, they expect people to use separate ones (also in the cable world, it's considered to be better since left and right cables are not next to each other so less interference and better sound??).

Since the Hegel is equipped with balanced XLR output and if I remember well, their amp has XLR input, it is probably the best connection to use to make this phono amp shine. But then again, it has RCA outputs so it should still be usable with those (otherwise they would have only put XLR outputs)

And since you mention the EAT again, I really can't wait for that review now ;-)

[David-Ellis]

Nice review Chris. I bought a Hegel H390 a few years back so when I went looking for a new phono stage the V10 was on my list but more than I planned to spend. However when I heard the combination of the two I just had to dig a bit deeper into my pocket and buy it. My records have never sounded so good in every aspect. I use XLR cables which clearly out-perform than RCAs in this amp/phono stage pairing.

[donaldchisholm]

Thanks for your great review Chris. Hegel makes some gorgeous gear.
In July I purchased a Gold Note PH10 phono pre. and I love it. No fiddling with dip switches or disconnecting cables. Everything done with one button on the front panel and can be adjusted on the fly. It sounds fantastic!

Thanks again for all you do!

[QoraxAudio]

9:10 The spacing between inputs/ is no issue if you use cables that aren't paired together. Quality cables don't come paired, they're sold a piece.
Just start making your own cables, it's provides way better results if you're good at soldering and it's also very useful if you change equipment frequently, since those cables can easily be modified.

[pkats]

Nice job.
I love the totally black background on my H360 integrated. This phono stage might be just the thing to pair with it and my Rega p6. I just happen to be in the market for a new phono stage in this price range

[VMX.]

Great review Chris. Looks like a nice piece of equipment and a great review. Problem I have is 40+ years in aviation my hearing isn't what it was and a nice piece of kit like this would be wasted on me. But to those who still have excellent hearing I bet this is something to add to their system. All the best and be safe man.

Rod

[amarketing]

I'm using the Hegel V10 with a Hana ML cartridge and it's a nice combination. It does have a very low noise floor. I'm using balanced XLR into my Schiit Freya+ with the Hegel V10, but do know that the Blue Jeans LC-1 RCA cables work great and fit with no issue.

[dburt]

Ha! Just got back with a bunch of loot from Dearborn Music today! Man, I love that place.

[mctous]

The Cheap Audio Man isn't cheap with his Patreon. Time to match his contribution!

[attherockshow]

Hi thanks for this review. I'm curious when using the Ortofon MC cart what db settings did you use ? And what was your volume like on the Hegel amp ? I ask because unfortunately I don't get the pitch black that everyone talks about with mine. I have a Hegel H190 and that thing is silent. However when I switch on my V10 I find some noise getting through if I've got the Hegel H190 up past 65. I found this with both RCA and XLR cables. The noise is louder of course when I turn up the db settings on the V10 so I've got mine at the 2nd lowest MC setting right now. I'm curious if you've noticed something like that ? If not are you running some kind of power conditioner ? Using Blue Jeans cables myself and they fit well

[jaapdevries]

Hi Chris, I’m the happy owner (thanks to you) of a Pro-ject essential turntable. I noticed an accessory: the q-up. Is it any good, are there better devices? Any luck you shine a light on this?

[cainpatrick]

Could you do a review on the Vincent Pho 701? Extremely interesting in the unit! Thank you for everything you do for the community!

[christian]

I heard this preamp at an audio show last year and it was stunning. Sounds like you need to do a review of some Worlds Best Cables or some other value brand so that you have a set of individual LR cables! I can't use the Audioquest stuff on my integrated as it has the same kind of layout, left and right inputs on their respective sides of the amp.

[richardelliott]

I was glad to hear some kind words about an interesting topic, and specifically this piece of equipment. I did become curious about the soundstage mentioned, because this is one of my great enjoyments when playing records, the illusion of space.

I hope it is acceptable to ask a question about the height of soundstages mentioned, where you said one was taller than the other, but I was left wondering, how tall is tall? That is where I would have liked some details, was a saxophone life sized in the soundstage, or ten feet high? All I know is that one was taller than the other sound projection.  

perhaps this detail was intentionally glossed over, because objective superiority in one way might have misled, to avoid the which product is better question. Which. I agree, is sometimes better left unsaid. .

Because matching the individual purchase goals a consumer might need satisfied, is much better than some advice given on the internet, given the cost of these products. Of course, the facts provided here will certainly assist forming that criteria of what features might need to be purchased. And this site does a good job with that, for which I am grateful.

[harrisedgar]

The Dune soungtrack..??? What a wonderful idea...!!!

[MFDopey]

What so youre saying that my expensive 5 meter long Audioquest RCA cable will not fit the outputs of the V10? good review thanks!

[josefernandez]

Thanks, Chris. What are your impressions of the Eat E glo Petit vs the PS Audio stellar if you have listened to it?

[ianmacpherson]

Fabulous review, but you do need to invest in a set XLR's to provide a full and concise assessment. Keep up the great work!!

[tiagoveras]

I currently have a Rega Planar 8 with an AT-VM740ML cartridge and a Marantz PM8006 amplifier. I'm looking for recommendations and I saw your video, I'm from Brazil and here it's rare to see good things at good prices. What do you think would work best in my system? Hegel V10, Rega Aria, Rega MK5 or Project Phono Box DS3?