If you ever wanted a high-quality integrated amplifier with a built-in DAC at a reasonable price, the Hegel H80 is certainly one of the better choices out there. The H80 will provide exemplary sonic performance and value to its users, not to mention, excellent sound quality. All you need now is a pair of matching speakers and if you are currently searching for one then look no further.
To bring out the best in Hegel H80, it will need the right pair of speakers and we are planning to list out the finest matching loudspeakers you can go for. First, we will need to learn more about the H80 amplifier’s sonic performance and its sound characteristics. Once we have this data, we will then be able to prepare the speakers list and share it with you later on. This data will be useful for you in the future too as you can use it to find the best matching speakers for your Hegel H80 on your own.
Table of Contents
Sound Characteristics and Important Specifications of Hegel H80
The Hegel H80 has the company’s iconic minimalistic design, with just a display and a knob on each side. The clean look does make it easier to blend in nicely into your home decor and will look great as a desktop amplifier. It should be able to aesthetically match with most modern loudspeakers too. Hegel H80 has quite a high power output, it is rated at 75 Watts per channel into 8 Ohms and 125 Watts per channel in 4 Ohms. With this level of power, the Hegel H80 should be able to drive most bookshelf speakers without a problem including some floor-standing speakers which are not difficult to drive. Its frequency response of 5Hz-100kHz is impressive for an integrated amplifier at this price point.
As mentioned earlier, the Hegel H80 has a built-in D/A converter that supports up to 24-bit/192kHz resolution and up to 24-bit/96kHz for USB input. There are also other features such as the Home Theater Bypass which is pretty neat for listeners who are planning to integrate the H80 into their surround sound system. It is quite a bummer that the Hegel H80 does not have a phono preamp though. The H80 uses the patented SoundEngine output stages and so we are expecting solid musical performance from this amp.
Hegel H80 simply surprises us with its music delivery, it has that emotional energy and feels which immediately pulls us into our favorite tunes. We can’t help to start tapping our feet and just keep feeding more songs into the system. It has an innate ability to project an open soundstage with impeccable stereo imaging and separation, where each musician is highly defined. The soundstage may not be the widest or largest at this price range but the level of quality is amazing and has an almost holographic performance. The Hegel H80 accuracy is really top-notch and provided us with faithful music presentations which are lively as well.
The accuracy of the bass reproduction is class-leading at this price point, H80 simply delivers clean sounding bass and remains in control no matter how demanding the music becomes. The overall bass performance is tight and agile, goes deep into the bass extension too. It has the rhythmic drive but does lack the impact though. Vocal reproduction sounded natural, beautiful, and romantic. The midrange has a nice tonal balance, it does get a little muddle at times especially when the bass output gets a bit over-excited. There are plenty of details present in the Hegel H80 music deliveries.
The Hegel H80 is a neutral-sounding amp with a hint of warmth, the overall sound reproduction is very accurate and we hardly detect any colorations. There is a wide dynamic range and the H80 sounds energetic at almost all volume levels, more importantly, it never once sounded harsh. It is easy to enjoy listening to this amplifier and fall in love with its musicality. Whether you are a discerning audiophile or a casual music listener, you will still be entertained by this wonderful amplifier. We have what we need to start sharing with you the best speakers to match with your Hegel H80 integrated amp.
Hegel H80 Specifications
- Power Outputs: 75 Watts per channel into 8 Ohms, 125 Watt per channel into 4 Ohms
- Frequency Response: 5Hz-100kHz
- Damping Factor: More than 1000
- Inputs: 1 XLR Balanced input, 2 RCA Unbalanced inputs (1 configurable), 2 Coaxial inputs, 2 Optical inputs, 1 USB input
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 100mm x 430mm x 345mm | 3.9″ x 16.9″ x 13.8″
- Weight: 12kg (26.4lbs)
Best Speakers to pair with Hegel H80
The Dynaudio Excite X32 is one of the best floor-standing speakers to match with your Hegel H80. The Excite X32 is capable of projecting a wide spacious soundstage which complements the H80 amplifier really well. These floor-standers also have similar sonic characteristics to the Hegel H80. They are well-balanced and energetic, bringing you the emotion of the music without compromising the accuracy. The overall bass performance of the Dynaudio Excite X32 helps to add a bit more punch to the overall sound reproduction, making your sound system suitable for almost all types of music genres.
More Details at Amazon – Dynaudio Excite X32
The KEF R3 is one of the best bookshelf speakers to pair up with your Hegel H80 integrated amp. It will be an excellent pair of stand-mounters to go with your H80 if you want more insights and musical details without sounding clinical. The talented KEF R3 is able to produce a high-resolution music presentation with an astonishing level of clarity, the neutrality of these speakers fit in nicely with the sonic characteristics of the Hegel H80. They may be bookshelf speakers but the R3 are capable of delivering weighty low ends and a large soundstage. The exceptional midrange reproduction of the speakers will work really well with the Hegel H80.
More Details at Amazon – KEF R3 Speakers (Pair, White)
The Monitor Audio Silver 8 is another outstanding floor-standers to go with the Hegel H80. The H80 is powerful enough to efficiently drive the Silver 8s and the neutral sonic character is a suitable match as well. At this price point, the Monitor Audio Silver 8 sonic prowess is really impressive, it is both musically refined and engaging at the same time which helps to maintain clarity and accuracy. Silver 8 overall bass performance is impeccable too, it is agile and prominent enough to handle all sorts of demands. This pair of floor-standing speakers are well suited for your Hegel H80 and you might want to hear them out first to see if it is not too bright sounding for you.
More Details at Amazon – Monitor Audio Silver 8 3-way Floorstanding
The Q Acoustics Concept 40 is a multiple award-winning floor-standing speaker with a modest price tag and will be a worthy match to your Hegel H80 integrated amplifier. These loudspeakers will be a great addition for listeners who want a smoother sound reproduction and has a high level of clarity in their music presentation. The smooth music delivery is also packed with details and subtleties, thanks to the insight of the Concept 40 speakers. The Hegel H80 accuracy and neutrality helps to add more precision into the overall sound reproduction which also complements the Q Acoustics Concept 40 floor-standers.
More Details at Amazon – Q Acoustics Concept 40 – Pair, Gloss Black
For a more exciting music presentation, the Tannoy Revolution XT6F will be an ideal choice to pair up with the Hegel H80. These award-winning floor-standing speakers have a wide dynamic range and surefooted confidence, going through each music with alacrity and delivering to you an energetic performance. The amazing music timing of the Tannoy Revolution XT6F is superb and capable of handling all sorts of music with precision. Along with the sonic characteristics of the Hegel H80, you got yourself a lively music system that will entertain you for hours on end. It is certainly worth the time to hear them out.
More Details at Amazon – TANNOY Revolution XT 6F Award-Winning Speaker
The Dali Rubicon 2 is one of the best bookshelf speakers to match with the Hegel H80 especially if you want faster pacing in the music delivery. The speed and agility of the Rubicon 2 are simply astounding, pumping out that music energy and emotion with enthusiasm without losing control. Its overall bass performance is tight and agile as well, has ample weight to it, and is never overbearing. The Dali Rubicon 2 scales well with power and as you crank up the volume, you can feel the musical energy start to rise. It will be an entertaining speaker partner for the Hegel H80 and its expressiveness will engage you throughout the music listening session.
To Sum It Up
You might want to arrange an audition with the speakers which you have shortlisted from this list. They are definitely worth your while to check them out and have a listen to see if you like their sound quality. We will suggest using your favorite music/songs during the speakers’ auditioning process. Feel free to use this list as a reference and compare it with other loudspeaker models or brands that are not listed here. You might even want to do a side-by-side comparison as it is one of the fastest ways to hear the difference in the sound quality of various speaker models.
