Hi-Fi News
notes that the Viking, like its predecessor the Mohican, has a refined and smooth sound that makes listening a pleasure and reminds us just how good the CD format can sound. The build quality and aesthetics are also praised, although an on/off button on the remote control wouldn’t go amiss.
Stereophile
emphasizes that the Viking presents every CD with sufficient energy, transparency, and natural detail, making each disc sound distinctly different. This demonstrates that the player’s sound does not overshadow the characteristics of the recording. This ability to stay in the background and bring out the essence of the recording makes the Viking exciting to use and is considered a great compliment. The player comes highly recommended.
Hi-Fi+
emphasizes that, despite Hegel’s success in streaming audio, the Viking was designed with the conviction that, when perfected, CD technology is still the best digital medium. The Viking is a pure 16-bit, 44.1 kHz Red Book CD player with no upsampling, which is a refreshing departure in today’s market. The discrete MasterClock reduces jitter to an absolute minimum, and the LineDriver output stage has a very low output impedance to drive virtually any cable or preamplifier. The OLED display was chosen to keep noise levels as low as possible. The Viking offers a high level of engagement and makes listening to entire albums a pleasure.
Hi-Fi Voice
emphasizes that, despite the dominance of music streaming and the resurgence of vinyl, the Viking is a pure CD player focused on delivering an uncomplicated and enjoyable listening experience. The design is quintessentially Hegel, featuring a slightly curved, sleek front panel and a reliable slot-in mechanism. Its ease of use and focus on sound quality make the Viking an attractive choice for enthusiasts of the CD format.
Fairaudio
emphasizes that the Viking is a pure Red Book CD player, optimized for this format without upsampling or other signal manipulations. With a high-quality slot-in mechanism and a precise MasterClock, the Viking offers bit-perfect conversion with a THD of less than 0.0015%. The player features both balanced (XLR) and unbalanced (RCA) analog outputs, as well as a digital BNC output, and comes with a stylish aluminum remote control.
Area DVD
emphasizes that the Viking is designed to deliver pure listening pleasure without the complexity of streaming services and different file formats. The player is equipped with a high-quality slot-in mechanism and a specially selected OLED display to minimize noise. The analog output stage is fully balanced and utilizes Hegel’s LineDriver technology for noise-free signal transmission. With both XLR and RCA outputs as well as a digital BNC output, the Viking is highly versatile and can be used in a variety of audio systems.
StereoLife Magazine
emphasizes that the Viking was developed as the best CD player Hegel has ever made, with a focus on delivering the most faithful sound reproduction possible. The player is a native 16/44.1 CD player, designed for optimal performance with standard (Redbook) CDs, and is optimized to deliver high-quality output that is faithful to the original recording.
