This player from the Norwegian marque takes an unapologetically purist approach, focused on extracting every last drop of performance from your CD collection. To that end, Hegel has engineered a high-quality AKM-based DAC stage and fully balanced analogue output, each fed by separate power supplies, while its proprietary SoundEngine technology also works to suppress digital jitter. An aesthetic match for Hegel’s latest pre/power amplifier designs, the Viking’s premium-grade sound has to be heard: articulate, three-dimensional and faithful to the source, it makes long listening sessions an absolute pleasure. Excellent build quality and supreme ease-of-use only heighten this CD spinner’s appeal.
