Worth it to add streamer to Hegel H390

@helloitsben did you ever sort this out? I am in the same exact scenario and wondering the same thing.

I have a Hegel H390 and tired of waiting for them to update their streaming software (no Roon, no Airplay 2, no Tidal Connect)

Did you end up going with a T2 or U1 mini?

I didn’t think onboard streamer and DAC were on par with the quality of the pre/amp when I had the H390. I think the streamer is on a level with some costing a few hundred bucks, like the Allo USBridge Sig I had, and the DAC maybe $1k-ish. Using a dCS Network Bridge and MHDT Orchid DAC (upgraded) brought a lot of refinement, depth, and musicality over the onboard DAC and streamer, which were a bit sterile with flat imaging by comparison. This held true for each component independently, using DAC loop to pair the onboard streamer with the Orchid, and Network Bridge feeding the onboard DAC over S/PDIF.

While I haven’t heard a Lumin T2, I had an X1 and it was pretty extraordinary.  Many great things have been said about the T2 as well. I would bet that you’d be very happy going from the built-in digital of the H390 to the T2.

I have a Hegel H390 and tired of waiting for them to update their streaming software (no Roon, no Airplay 2, no Tidal Connect)

i agree, this is one area where hegel's crew has been quite disappointing... don't know what the problem is... airplay sucks anyway, no big deal, but roon and tidal connect are essentials for many serious audiophiles who sought out hegel for its wonderful sound

Update - I added the Lumin U1 Mini and it’s a perfect match to my ears. Plus, with Lumin I can use Tidal Connect to steam directly from the Tidal app. Super happy, and think the DAC in the Hegel does a great job with the MQA. 

Thanks for the update @helloitsben!