prediction: They give up on roon ready for the integrateds and they introduce an external roon-ready streamer. Same form factor as their new phono stage.
(My record of predicting things is reaaaaaally bad. But when I think of something and don’t publicly predict it, it usually happens – and then nobody believes me!)
I am a victim of Hegel’s apparent predilection for cheap components, so maximum resolution over USB is only 24/96 for me and I’m forced to go into coaxial. I configure it as a fixed-level input and do volume control exclusively via Roon, so the Home Assistant integration is only responsible for waking the Hegel 120 and switching to the coax input. I do something similar with one of the optical inputs and a Chromecast Audio, but there again I used a fixed-level configuration and rely on software control. My understanding was always that support for volume control over USB was reasonably good, i.e., you could control the volume of the amp via Roon with a dedicated external streamer (but not the other way around). You could probably lean on IP control to poll for the volume of the Hegel and then set up a trigger to set the volume of the Roon player to match. Home Assistant is infinitely configurable, but an automation like that would require a bit of diligence and determination, and it certainly wouldn’t be instantaneous. Polling frequency would have to be based on how comfortable you’d be bombarding the Hegel with status requests, although you could limit the polling to when the Roon player is in the playing state.
As an aside, I used to regret terribly only going in for the 120 and not springing for the 390, but the more this story unfolds, the happier I am that I can cut my losses here. I happen to love the sound of the H120 with my analog sources, but boy what a mess on the digital side.
I am a lurker on Hegel’s Facebook page but never post there (the level of brainwashing and nonsense there makes it feel like the propaganda arm of an authoritarian regime). Anyways, I read there yesterday that the USB implementation in H90-190 is even more scheisse than previously thought: as it doesn’t support 88khz sample rate and it’s up to the upstream to up/down-sample to 48/96. I mean wow.
Interesting. Though I am not sure I am willing to go the dedicated server route and automation hassle. Usually you don’t buy an all in one integrated amp to end up with multiple audio devices, servers and custom scripts.
Upnp and Airplay 1, That was nice in 2015.
But in 2022 people expect a bit more more from super-integrated amps with a 3k to 10k price tag,
Hegel is lagging one gen behind, that is minimum 3 years behind competition in terms of streaming features (think Naim unity, NAD MCD line etc).
I still hope they can pull off roon, even if I would prefer them to bring tidal connect onboard,
Still very good amps, just unbalanced all-in ones. I personnaly don’t think the DAC is a problem, but the streaming module really looks like an afterthought.
FWIW -
I too am an (recent) owner of the H590. I wish I had read this forum before making the purchase.
While I’m very frustrated by the delays and lack of transparency on the Hegel Roon implementation, I refuse to follow the angry ASR mob to a “lynching” based on half truths and a need to feel superior.
I don’t blindly believe the youtube reviewers either but there are a few experienced forum members who have gained my trust and whom I believe share their unbiased opinions.
I think the guys at Hegel take pride in what they do but screwed up. They are behind the 8 ball and are most likely trying to work the problem in a way that won’t open them up to lawsuits that may end their business. That said, It’s time to hire a subcontractor or two to come up with a work around. I’m guessing the people at Roon have a few contacts…
If you scroll up you’ll see the official Hegel explanation that in fact they’ve already done this by asking the vendor of the streaming module to support. The sad news in the above post is that they were transparent in admitting that they went for that particular streaming option due to price (they were looking for the cheapest option) and they later ran into memory buffer issues. As most memory buffer issues, solving one with code is unlikely to be as efficient as just getting a proper one with a larger buffer and thus, it means that whatever solution they come up with, it will inherently be a major compromise. I am putting my money that the whole digital section of Hegel will undergo a huge revamp. For the current owners, the solution is likely to be a patch that somehow works, for the new models, whenever they arrive, it will likely be a much better implementation. From a purely marketing point, they will solve it as otherwise they’ve lost almost all credibility (in the digital section I mean) and will have a hard time offering new models. However, they can turn it around by saying, “look we’ve had a massive learning from the previous models, we fixed it, but now what we know so much, the all new digital section of, say, H600, is built from scratch and is top-notch”
A Roon transport extension at least can be released @Anders_Ertzeid
The quantity of streamer boards purchased by Hegel is not so big so the manufacturer (Libre) to be enough engaged in optimizing an MIPS processor 64 Mbytes device for RAAT buffers. The other boards made by this manufacturer has ARM processor and more memory, required for RAAT, so for them ROON Ready is OK.
Libre Wireless Technologies says Roon Ready
If the Hegel analog section is any good and worth keeping, I would buy a good quality Roon ready streamer and run the Hegel as power amp.
Or sell the heap for cheap to me…
A streamer with DAC that is 
A simple HiFiBerry with a DAC plus would certainly do…
An Apple iPod touch and camera connection kit 3 makes a fantastic Roon RAAT endpoint into the USB of an H390. The iPod running Roon remote is recognized in Roon as a playback device on all Roon remotes. Whereas a computer running Roon connected by USB to the Hegel is hard to listen to for me because of noise/distortion, the iPod via USB is profoundly better. Better than Airplay too, and the setup costs ~ $250 USD. Pretty easy for anyone to implement.
I just attached a 2009 MacBook Pro that has no other use anymore via usb. Volume and play/pause and skipping tracks all on the Hegel remote.
I would prefer honest answer that current lineup is not possible to make roon ready and be done with it.
In future i just know that if i want to buy Hegel amp again i look specs if there is no support there i want, then i cant assume they add support for it. First they need to prove with new product lineup that they are also capable of software and digital audio transport coding capable company. Previously they didnt have to prove it as its a new thing for them and we all believed them by words but i cant imagine buying 390 or even 590 and not able to support roon while majority even 2k or less products already support it.
Regard the current generation hegel product as not ever being Roon Ready, this until proven otherwise.
Do not expect hegel to come forth and offer an alternative solution or answers.
Do any of you know if the memory chip is soldered in or if it plugs in?
I’m curious if this is something we could do without voiding the warranty.
I have an example of Denon support.
Few weeks ago i sent message to retailer that my x3700h receiver doesnt work with 120Hz 4K signal. After reading the issues with chip inside it the retailer said to send me separate unit that will fix the signal issue for free.
It was only way to make it work because chip itself had issues itself. THATS how company will deal with customers who they promised to have certain technology to work.
Denon was almost 2 times cheaper product than Hegel amp.