Similar power and price. ...a larger (apparent) soundstage, then try a tube amp. I cannot quantify "better" but I would not settle for the Emotiva even at a fraction of the AHB2 or the Parasound. ...a larger (apparent) soundstage, then try a tube amp. I connected the AC cable and clicked on the rear panel power switch; after a few seconds, a blue halo (!) At first I replaced the power amp to your same Parasound A21. The Parasound's output impedance was a very low 0.077 ohm at 20Hz and 1kHz, increasingly slightly to 0.1 ohm at 20kHz. You are correct. Dunno. I found this out during a visit to Ultra Fidelis in Milwaukee this last week. So trying to validate with opinions I feel are reliable. Item: Parasound Halo A23 2 channel Power Amp Location: S/E Suburbs I can post as I have original packaging Price: $900 Item Condition: It is as good as new purchased November 2017 Reason for selling: I now have whatmough Signature 33s and these need more power I have decided. They can claim it at the front desk.". As Parasound defines it, value begins to decline when additional cost provides only marginal and diminishing returns, and increases when a product is reliably functional over decades. Thanks, Great review. Parasound JC 5 Stereo Amplifier . The final change that really brought my system to meet my and wife’s expectations was a Synergistic Research Atmosphere X USB cable which connects my MacBook Pro to the TEAC. Side note - while there's no problem finding reviews on Parasound amps, I looked long and hard and couldn't find even a hint of a real review on one of the Emotiva DR models - and they've been out for a while now. None of these sounded nearly as good as the SR. TEAC connects to the A21+ using a set of AudioQuest Earth XLR cables. Parasound was founded in 1981 by Richard Schram, and the company has been offering audio products under their own name as well as for OEM sales since then. I have not had an integrated amp or AVR in house in a very long time. The performance-related improvements—power output, S/N ratio, THD, and channel separation—are not huge, but they are appreciated; the increase in weight not so much. In 2003, Stereophile awarded it 'Amplifier of the Year' and has honored it as a 'Class A Recommended Component' twice a year for fifteen years - far longer than any other audio component. • Partly as a consequence of the above, the amp got heavier: 71lb, compared to 60lb. While overall you appeared to be impressed with the AHB2, you reported that it did not mate well with certain speakers. The second harmonic lies at –74dB in this graph and didn't rise in level with a 4 ohm load. You are correct. Maybe larger soundstage, fuller/richer mids. I suspect that you have put your finger on the reason for these mismatches. I have seen glowing reviews of the AHB2 amp for the most part but in a small number of cases there seems to be mismatches with specific loudspeakers and headphones. Bryston 3B3 is high on my list, but considerably more expensive. I cannot fix that but I will notify someone who can. If this amp is 10% "better," that number is not worth testing the waters of diminishing returns. Fig.4 Parasound A21+, distortion (%) vs 1kHz continuous output power into 8 ohms. I mention this not to take away from the Parasound, but to help people mystified or susceptible to the charms of high priced audio equipment. Fig.6 Parasound A21+, THD+N (%) vs frequency at 20V into: 8 ohms (left channel blue, right red), 4 ohms (left cyan, right magenta) 2 ohms (left gray). If this amp is 10% "better," that number is not worth testing the waters of diminishing returns. - Parasound A21+ DescriptionParasound’s new Halo A 23+ power amplifier is the new successor to the highly regarded A2.. The statement merely acknowledges that RR recordings are known for their wide dynamic range (R128 dynamic range is 22.2LU on the track discussed) and that they are often chosen to demonstrate that at audio shows. My only substantive complaint about the amp is the gain control knobs are tall and marked only with a small dent. The bass could be more impactful with A 21+ ....... Also, with tubes, you have to change them after certain hours of playing music :-) ....... ... combination such as a Rogue Atlas Magnum II tube amp and a Parasound Halo A23+ solid-state amp, and still be just under the $4K budget limit stated by tlathbury. http://rogueaudio.com/Products_Atlas_Magnum.htm "The Parasound Halo A 21 and A 51 are top rate amplifiers at a great value. Currently paired with the NAD M22 and the sound is excellent, but wondering if it can be improved within the same approx proce range (say $3k-$4k). I do not have any experience with demo CDs "that you might find at a band's merch table" but it is possible they are comparable. ), something the A21+ above avoids completely, due to its far greater power capabilities. They have performed the modification in the past for customers as well. It would be good to have an empirical test of your most reasonable hypothesis. Because the Marantz was overheating, I purchased the Emotiva and couldn't tell the difference between the 3 amplifiers; all wonderful. My original P3 that I bought in 2004 served me well over these few years until the first weekend in Feb. 08' when a transister burned out on the unit. So in my situation (solid state preamp Yamaha CXA5200) which amp would you recommend, the Bryston or the Parasound for absolute sound quality. This is evident with the release of the new Parasound A 21+ stereo power amp ($3150), the successor to the A 21, which was originally launched in 2003. The THD+N was very low in the midrange into 8, 4, and 2 ohms (fig.6) but rose at higher frequencies. The sister site has Hi-Fi News used to have other measurements for the AHB2 amp that showed the amps performance under dynamic conditions vs. continuous conditions. Parasound Halo, ZoneMaster, Z Custom, and NewClassic are four distinct product families. • Power supply filter capacitance has gone from 88,000ÊF to 108,000ÊF. The rear panel, flanked by sturdy rack handles, has a set of four of the easiest-to-use and most secure multiway speaker binding posts I've ever encountered. That is not a joke: it is impossible to lift this super-heavy amplifier (60 lbs. In his review of the ($3,495) Rogue Audio Stereo 100 power amp, HR stated that the amp in triode mode "delivered bigger, deeper, more CinemaScope soundstages populated with denser, more vivid three-dimensional aural images" and "in my view, the Stereo 100 is everything—sonically, mechanically, aesthetically—that we could hope for in a 21st-century tube amp. Thank you! To the left of the posts are the controls and connections for the various turn-on options; to the right are the main power switch and the IEC power receptacle. There is no headroom with the amp whatsoever, but it still does 200Wpc into 4 ohms, and the monoblocks close to 500Wpc. They can claim it at the front desk.". (These figures include the series impedance of 6' of loudspeaker cable.) Regarding tube life, many tube amp users seem to enjoy tube "rolling", so they may well end up changing tubes before they actually need replacing. Thanks, looks interesting...can't find any reviews. I mention this not to take away from the Parasound, but to help people mystified or susceptible to the charms of high priced audio equipment. I'm sure this is a wonderful amplifier, and I know there are significant differences in speakers' quality, but I never see A/B tests among amps (like Revel does with their speakers). Which one to you keep connected to the speakers, and why ? I am considering the following Power Amps to drive my Monitor Audio PL300ii. I tested a Revel set up (2.0) with a MacIntosh amplification at the dealers and it sounded wonderful. The shape of the traces in figs.4 and 5 suggested that I examine how the percentage of THD+noise changed with frequency at 20V, which is equivalent to 50W into 8 ohms, 100W into 4 ohms, and 200W into 2 ohms. If this amp is 10% "better," that number is not worth testing the waters of diminishing returns. When I click on the link, that connects me to your review of F228Be ...... You can try clicking on the link :-) ...... Aha! That … Last edited: Jan 20, 2019. to buy a pair without audition, I would mate the A21+ with the f228Be. It would be neat to understand what it's doing under various loads, as it could speak to a bit to the prospect of Class H or G amplification from an industry-wide standpoint, namely regarding the advent digital power supply. Parasound JC2 preamp $4495 - Stereophile Class A rated. It sounded good but I wanted to upgrade another step and bought a Parasound JC-2BP. I am very happy with my system comprising the above and TEAC NT-505 (Network Player/DAC/Pre-Amplifier). The top panel was also hot, at 116°F (46.7.1°C). One could also consider bi-amping the F228Be speakers with a ... Good match with the Monitor Audio PL 300ii, PS Audio Stellar M1200 monoblock power amplifier, Classé Delta Mono monoblock power amplifier, Pass Laboratories Aleph 0 monoblock power amplifier, Parasound Halo JC 1+ monoblock power amplifier, darTZeel NHB-468 monoblock power amplifier, Accustic Arts Audio Mono II monoblock power amplifier, Dynaco Stereo 120 transistor power amplifier, Revinylization #13: Tone Poet, Analogue Productions, ERC reissues, Analog Corner #290: The Haniwa LP Playback System, Gramophone Dreams #44: Audio-Technica, Goldring, LP Gear phono cartridges, Cambridge Audio CXA81 integrated amplifier, Analog Corner # 305: Degritter record cleaner & Aidas Gala Gold LE cartridge, Acoustic Geometry Room treatments (before & after), My current and likely the last home audio setup, Fascinating wiev by Verity Audio Sarastro, Recommended Components: Fall 2020 Edition. They offer a list: • The power has been increased from 250W to 300W into 8 ohms, with comparable changes into smaller impedances. With the e38 directly connected to the A 21+, there was no audible noise from the system unless my ear was practically touching the tweeter of one of the Revel Ultima Studio2 loudspeakers. Its an easy piece to love. Does Mr Rubinson hint that the differences are minute with the line "the performance of modern amplifiers should and does converge?" Quality product but one can do better. I would anticipate(!) Using our definition of clipping, which is when the output's percentage of THD+noise reaches 1%, the Parasound easily exceeded its specified powers with both channels driven with a 1kHz signal. The statement merely acknowledges that RR recordings are known for their wide dynamic range (R128 dynamic range is 22.2LU on the track discussed) and that they are often chosen to demonstrate that at audio shows. There were also even-order harmonics of the power-line frequency present, but these are also very low in level. Parasound Halo JC5 power amplifier . Parasound says that the Halo A 31 was developed in response to the increasing demand for a high-performance, high-power, three-channel amplifier. I wish Hi-Fi News still had their old reports and reviews in a different subsection of the website as archives. It's difficult to audition amps. Review>>> Parasound A21 power amp $2495 - 250 watts of A/B, but stays in class A for most of your listening. Greetings, excellent review. The sister site has Hi-Fi News used to have other measurements for the AHB2 amp that showed the amps performance under dynamic conditions vs. continuous conditions. Any dealer that's willing to send me the Parasound for comparison, I will gladly purchase it if it's superior! M22 is very good, but sometimes I feel like the Revels have a little more potential, at least based on what I've read in reviews. Maybe larger soundstage, fuller/richer mids. He tried the Classe amplifier which is a class D like the NAD and found the other 2 amps to be better match with the F228Be so I decided to go with the new Parasound. Parasound has established close and long-term relationships, some spanning more than three decades, with contract manufacturers in Taiwan, which are responsible for the manufacturing. I see that you have been using two AHB2 amps in mono. Power hungry. haha. Stereophile has also reviewed the PS Audio Stellar M700. Is it that much better? I too struggled to get the sound quality that reviews (Thanks Kal) suggested. The change in sound (for me) was very pronounced. Halo products have consistently been praised by Stereophile and, over the years, their circuits and technologies have migrated into other Parasound products. I cannot quantify "better" but I would not settle for the Emotiva even at a fraction of the AHB2 or the Parasound. This is a review and detailed measurements of Parasound Zdac v.2 DAC and headphone amplifier. . The Benchmark HPA4 preamp, the sister to the LA4, is fantastic on every level and I am so grateful for the review which led to my satisfied purchase! Benchmark AHB2 - differences between stereo amp and two monos. https://parasound.com/a23+.php. Perhaps its one of those things that looks great in pictures, but doesn't amount to much in reality. The component under review, the $2000 Halo A 21 stereo amp, is slotted in further down the Parasound line. I actually purchased my A21+ from them. Looking at other measurements and reviews.... Now, may we please have a test of the non-Halo ... Why not simply buy two of the Parasound 2250 amps ... You say the Emotiva did not satisfy you??? I'm sure this is a wonderful amplifier, and I know there are significant differences in speakers' quality, but I never see A/B tests among amps (like Revel does with their speakers). If I was forced(!) Just curious what you mean by "the dynamics are demo-quality". If you're trying to be non-sexist or non gender-specific, "they" or "their" will work fine, as in: "Someone has left their phone in the break room. I am considering the following Power Amps to drive my Monitor Audio PL300ii. The bass could be more impactful with A 21+ ....... Also, with tubes, you have to change them after certain hours of playing music :-) ....... ... combination such as a Rogue Atlas Magnum II tube amp and a Parasound Halo A23+ solid-state amp, and still be just under the $4K budget limit stated by tlathbury. • The same heavy-duty speaker terminals used in the JC 5 stereo power amp were added. Tell me if I'm wrong... How much does my sound "suffer" by using a $2000 Marantz integrated amp/receiver or an Emotiva amp? Hi KR , the link provided for Revel Performa3 F206 in the associated equipment listing, is actually for Revel Performa F228Be :-) ....... Nope. Greater overall capacity with the monos, obviously. Additionally, Parasound's A21 just won a… Does it mean unprocessed like a demo CD that you might find at a band's merch table? Good luck. one thing that i think is funny; john curl, the desgner at parasound, was poor-mouthing this amp in a forum a while back, and suggesting that the a21 is much better. Me, personally? The combo sounds excellent! Thanks, may be more boxes than I'd like to deal with. Everything about it screams "End-game tube amp, long-term keeper! If you say so. When I had an Emotiva (https://www.stereophile.com/content/music-round-51), it did not satisfy me. A push of said button was followed by the illumination of the dual-channel channel LEDs, and there was music. Their stuff used to look low-rent with the separate endcaps and folded metal faceplate, but adding the gold strip gives a purpose to the endcaps and a nice sense of detail to the face. Called Parasound and their customer support was excellent! Everything about it screams "End-game tube amp, long-term keeper! When I click on the link, that connects me to your review of F228Be ...... You can try clicking on the link :-) ...... Aha! Bridged/mono power rating is 750W into either 8Ω or 4Ω. that the pair would have "fuller/richer mids" than the F228Be with the M22. The Parasound's voltage gain into 8 ohms measured 29.2dB from the balanced inputs, 29.4dB from the unbalanced inputs. It is on kind loan from a member. - Cambridge Audio Azur 851W. The response into an 8 ohm resistive load (fig.1, blue and red traces) was flat to almost 20kHz, which correlates with the A 21+'s superb reproduction of a 10kHz squarewave (fig.2). These being mature technologies, particularly for traditional-technologies amps, new power amplifiers inevitably compete with their predecessors as well as with their contemporaries. Parasound’s A21 dispensed truly sumptuous sound," notes England's Hi-Fi News magazine for November 2011. Each set includes a balanced (XLR) input, an unbalanced (RCA) input, a switch to toggle between them, an unbalanced (RCA) loop-through output, and a gain control. . I have not had an integrated amp or AVR in house in a very long time. Fig.1 Parasound A21+, frequency response at 2.83V into: simulated loudspeaker load (gray), 8 ohms (left channel blue, right red), 4 ohms (left cyan, right magenta), 2 ohms (green) (1dB/vertical div.). I liked, on the A21 that I measured, a good suppression of mains line components. They have performed the modification in the past for customers as well. There's a single On/Off button to the lower left, a high-temperature indicator to the lower right, and two small, blue LEDs between them: the indicator lights for the left and right channels. The only problem that I had was with an AHB2 with the Monitor Audio Silver 8s in my CT system and I have not tried them with the monoblocs. I haven't done the same review (Outlaw 100-watter vs the A51's 250) ... You'll be spending all that time on the .coms and ebay reading great works of literature or stereophile or sleeping to … After soliciting some advice here and considering various brands and models, I decided on the Parasound A23. I tested a Revel set up (2.0) with a MacIntosh amplification at the dealers and it sounded wonderful. Channel separation was excellent, at >90dB in both directions below 2kHz, declining to a still-good 72dB at the top of the audioband. Parasound Halo A51 Amplifiers user reviews : 5 out of 5 - 3 reviews - audioreview.com. I currently own 4 x parasound amplifiers, a21, a31, a23 x2. With the insertion of the somewhat noisier MP1 and the attendant lower gain setting on the A 21+, I could hear the hiss as far away as 4"! Parasound Products was founded in 1981, in San Francisco, by Richard Schram, whose mission was to provide value for the money to his customers. I will be using a Peachtree Decco as a preamp/DAC. After many years I'm getting back into quality audio. I don’t know where you are located but AudioAdvisor is a US online dealer for both Bryston and Parasound. Good luck. Their stuff used to look low-rent with the separate endcaps and folded metal faceplate, but adding the gold strip gives a purpose to the endcaps and a nice sense of detail to the face. Thank you so much for the hand. Food for thought? Home. Greetings, excellent review. • The capacity of the transformer has been increased, from 1.2kVA to 1.3kVA. Another amp which could also be considered ......... AudioControl Avalon G4 ($2,200), favorably reviewed by TJN for S&V magazine ....... 2, 3 or 4 channels, 600 WPC 8 Ohms, 2 channels :-) ........ ... (for $999 each) and still have money left over? Me, personally? Parasound Halo A21+ Two Channel Amplifier. Sidebar 3: Measurements I tested the Parasound Halo A 21+ with my Audio Precision SYS2722 system (see the January 2008 "As We See It"). But in the article you linked, this is a direct quote... " Still, for $899. I don't push the recommended range on my set and I am in 55W and 58W of class A bias on my samples (assuming 8Ohm load). https://parasound.com/a23+.php. Fig.2 Parasound A21+, small-signal 10kHz squarewave into 8 ohms. 1W into 8 ohms (average of both channels), this ratio improving to 88.7dB when the measurement was A-weighted. "Doing so has proved that extremely high performance-per-dollar is still possible today when a company leverages decades of experience, and is spearheaded by a legend." For a couple months I ran the A21 with the Marantz 7702 pre/pro. • Channel separation at 20kHz has been increased from 63dB to 70dB. They take an analog voltage signal from the source, increase it, and back it up with enough current so that the output can power a relatively insensitive device, the loudspeaker. If I was forced(!) Similar power and price. In all situations, the A 21+ itself was dead silent with the sources turned off. I purchased a Marantz receiver to drive my purchased Revels and it sounded wonderful. you listed it as one of the upgrades made in your article, but did not notice it in person. I tried to tell my wife I was gold/silver color blind but it didn't work. Reading the Stereophile review the stock bias settings were significantly lower than recommended by John or Tony at Parasound. Thank you so much for the hand. that the pair would have "fuller/richer mids" than the F228Be with the M22. Recently purchased the f228be based partially on your excellent review. well done. and will be running all of this through Thiel CS2 speakers. I don’t know where you are located but AudioAdvisor is a US online dealer for both Bryston and Parasound. The Benchmarks live in the city where, so far, they have not disappointed. The modulation of the amplifier's frequency response, due to the Ohm's law interaction between this source impedance and the impedance of our standard simulated loudspeaker, was therefore minuscule, at ±0.1dB (fig.1, gray trace). The A 21+'s distortion was predominantly the subjectively innocuous second harmonic (fig.7), and higher harmonics are all very low in level (fig.8). FS: Parasound Halo P5 2.1 Preamp w/ DAC , Yamaha C-4 Vintage Preamp: Audio Equipment For Sale: 0: Nov 28, 2020: P: Should I add a DAC for Node2i + Parasound A21 + KEF LS50 setup? The Parasound A 21+ offers a lot of low-distortion power and isn't fazed by impedances as low as 2 ohms.—John Atkinson. They currently have the 3b3 on sale for $5215.50 while the A21+ is $2995. Moves the sound though the system with ease, power and fluid control. Again, the levels of the distortion harmonics didn't rise when I kept the output voltage the same but reduced the load impedance to 4 ohms. I found this out during a visit to Ultra Fidelis in Milwaukee this last week. The Pragmatists at Parasound chose to re-spin the A21 amplifier into the A21+. On the A 21+, there are clock-face calibration marks between "Min" (no sound) and "Max" (29dB for single-ended input, 35dB for balanced input). When the amplifier drove an equal mix of 19 and 20kHz tones at 50W into 8 ohms (fig.9), the second-order difference product at 1kHz lay at a very low –86dB (0.005%), and higher-order intermodulation products were even lower in level. maybe even listen. I am down to two amplifiers either a Parasound Halo 21+ or a Bryston 3b3. The price is nearly identical, about $400 more on the Bryston. Dunno. to buy a pair without audition, I would mate the A21+ with the f228Be. I'm curious about the overwhelming silence on the DRs. and thank you for the comparisons of the Halo A21+ with the Benchmark AHB2, as I am in the market for a power amp directly in this price segment. Food for thought? That was a good move, because that was when I came across the Parasound A21. I am running on a pair of Focal Aria 926 but plan on upgrading to a set of Paradigm Persona 3f's as soon as finances allow. This is a natural for my short-list, with this amp joining the AHB2, the Rogue ST-100 and the Belles 150a Reference 2, among others. No discrepancy. Amps still do the heavy lifting, and that includes today's popular class-A, class-AB, and class-D power amplifiers, none of which involve any digital operations. Benchmark AHB2 - differences between stereo amp and two monos. . ), something the A21+ above avoids completely, due to its far greater power capabilities. How much does my sound "suffer" by using a $2000 Marantz integrated amp/receiver or an Emotiva amp? Quality product but one can do better. Tell me if I'm wrong... How much does my sound "suffer" by using a $2000 Marantz integrated amp/receiver or an Emotiva amp? This is helpful for those of us who employ "gain staging" to minimize overall system output noise and who wish to match the settings on the two channels. "Unless an amp designer imposes her will ... ", I'm not certain that I've ever read a review in Stereophile mentioning a female amp designer, though they must exist. It clipped at 400Wpc into 8 ohms (26dBW, fig.4) and at 620Wpc into 4 ohms (24.9dBW, fig.5). Today, even in stereo, that trinity would be regarded as rather traditional—or, if you prefer, purist. I can order them online and return the one's I don't like, but that gets tedious. Allright fellas, with your help, I've narrowed it down to either the Vincent sp-331, or the Parasound a21. Perhaps its one of those things that looks great in pictures, but doesn't amount to much in reality. I have seen glowing reviews of the AHB2 amp for the most part but in a small number of cases there seems to be mismatches with specific loudspeakers and headphones. Login / Register. Greater overall capacity with the monos, obviously. One could also consider bi-amping the F228Be speakers with a ... Good match with the Monitor Audio PL 300ii, PS Audio Stellar M1200 monoblock power amplifier, Classé Delta Mono monoblock power amplifier, Pass Laboratories Aleph 0 monoblock power amplifier, Parasound Halo JC 1+ monoblock power amplifier, darTZeel NHB-468 monoblock power amplifier, Accustic Arts Audio Mono II monoblock power amplifier, Dynaco Stereo 120 transistor power amplifier, Verity Audio Monsalvat Amp-60 power amplifier, Revinylization #13: Tone Poet, Analogue Productions, ERC reissues, Analog Corner #290: The Haniwa LP Playback System, Gramophone Dreams #44: Audio-Technica, Goldring, LP Gear phono cartridges, Cambridge Audio CXA81 integrated amplifier, Analog Corner # 305: Degritter record cleaner & Aidas Gala Gold LE cartridge, Acoustic Geometry Room treatments (before & after), My current and likely the last home audio setup, Fascinating wiev by Verity Audio Sarastro, Recommended Components: Fall 2020 Edition. Is it that much better? I no longer have the Revel Performa F228Be but I bought a pair of the Revel Performa3 F206 speakers for surround channels, primarily. Fig.7 Parasound A21+, 1kHz waveform at 25W into 8 ohms, 0.01% THD+N (top); distortion and noise waveform with fundamental notched out (bottom, not to scale). If you're trying to be non-sexist or non gender-specific, "they" or "their" will work fine, as in: "Someone has left their phone in the break room. • Total harmonic distortion at full power has been halved, from 0.2% to 0.1%; at normal listening levels it's claimed to be below 0.03%. There is no headroom with the amp whatsoever, but it still does 200Wpc into 4 ohms, and the monoblocks close to 500Wpc. I preconditioned the amplifier by operating it at one-third the specified power into 8 ohms for an hour. Oh, one other thing- Regarding the Audio Research MP-1: The IC's that are in the unit can be replaced with more modern ones for much less hiss and self-noise. ... Parasound A21+ Amplifier . The cosmetic changes are subtle but positive, as is the improved auto turn-on circuit. The Benchmark HPA4 preamp, the sister to the LA4, is fantastic on every level and I am so grateful for the review which led to my satisfied purchase! • Cosmetics were updated with aluminum endcaps and gold highlights. While overall you appeared to be impressed with the AHB2, you reported that it did not mate well with certain speakers. I see that you have been using two AHB2 amps in mono. I wonder if Benchmark found that there is a limit to the power supply design or if they found there was a cost limitation in building a more powerful supply section? Recently purchased the f228be based partially on your excellent review. Bryston 3B3 is high on my list, but considerably more expensive. "The new JC 5 is a remarkable amplifier that creates a new sweet spot in our Halo product family," said Richard Schram, the president and founder of Parasound. Currently paired with the NAD M22 and the sound is excellent, but wondering if it can be improved within the same approx proce range (say $3k-$4k). I wish Hi-Fi News still had their old reports and reviews in a different subsection of the website as archives. https://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=PAC2250V2. The amp does put out exponentially greater distortion in 4, 2 or 1 ohms (vs 8 ohms), the fact that it is well under .01% still (vs. 0005%) makes it a non-issue. Parasound Halo A23 Stereo Amplifier Review In light of our slow shift toward two channel audio (no, we are not abandoning personal audio), I decided it would be a good idea to start with something basic, like a stereo amplifier. A slight 0.35dB channel imbalance in favor of the left channel (blue and cyan traces) can be seen in fig.1, even though the level controls for the two channels had both been set to their maximum positions. It's difficult to audition amps. - Cambridge Audio Azur 851W. Listening to the A 21+ The price is nearly identical, about $400 more on the Bryston. So in my situation (solid state preamp Yamaha CXA5200) which amp would you recommend, the Bryston or the Parasound for absolute sound quality. Us online dealer for both Bryston and Parasound, and for the re-printed. Seconds, a blue Halo (! never thought i would mate the A21+ a! A21 is the latest two channel power amplifier in the output devices. your previous review of the Performa3... $ 400 more on the reason for these mismatches A21+ based on Kal ’ s, HF spectrum! - Anthem MCA225 Gen2 - Cambridge Audio Azur 851W listen to all the different amp options with a output!, according to Stereophile plots, is a pretty good, powerful amp why. 10 ' away, so far, they have not changed much in how and they. It did not notice it in person auto turn-on parasound a21+ review stereophile ( 72.7°C ) power in! The Benchmarks live in the output devices. it 's superior externally matched with great looks. did! 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Power amps to drive my Monitor Audio PL300ii rear panel power switch ; after a few seconds, good... Can live with that mean by `` the dynamics are demo-quality '' quality reviews. They can claim it at the front desk. `` ohms.—John Atkinson above TEAC. To either the Vincent sp-331, or the Parasound 's voltage gain into 8 ohms 24.9dBW! Are located but AudioAdvisor is a beast in every aspect of their design including excellent... Ac cable and clicked on the Bryston years i 'm getting back into quality Audio one-third... $ 3865.50 which still more than $ 400 than the F228Be based partially on your excellent review,. Looks parasound a21+ review stereophile in pictures, but did not mate well with certain speakers can order them online and return one. So far, they have not had an integrated amp or AVR house... Me that regarding measurements the A21+ based on Kal ’ s following power to... Your article, but does n't amount to much in how and what they do amp is..., A21, a31, A23 x2 in pictures, but these are also very low the... Updated with aluminum endcaps and gold highlights pictures, but these are also very low 0.077 ohm at has... To 88.7dB when the measurement parasound a21+ review stereophile A-weighted terminals used in the output devices. Parasound line will gladly purchase if... You reported that it did not notice it in person Parasound seems to an. A set of AudioQuest Earth XLR cables does my sound `` suffer by... Not notice it in person reported that it parasound a21+ review stereophile n't work review of the Revel Performa but., fig.5 ) the Vincent sp-331, or the Parasound A21 at 162.8°F 72.7°C! 27 kg ) -- especially if you … i am down to either the Vincent sp-331, or the 's. It mean unprocessed like a demo CD that you have put your finger the... By `` the dynamics are demo-quality '' power supply filter capacitance has gone from to! Generally very similar to mine performed on the older A21 switch ; after a few seconds, good! My system comprising the above and TEAC NT-505 ( Network Player/DAC/Pre-Amplifier ) options and loudspeaker options as 2 ohms.—John.. Usb cables such as AudioQuest Carbon and Diamond and Kimber Kable CU ( https:,. Tested a Revel set up ( 2.0 ) with a class-AB output stage, one-third power results the. Its one of each, please, in those mono days graph and did n't work specific model... Due to its far greater power capabilities minute with the unbalanced input was.. `` Emotiva ( https: //www.stereophile.com/content/music-round-51 ), it seems to me that regarding measurements the is... To either the Vincent sp-331, or the Parasound for comparison, i would the... Modification in the city where, so i can not fix that but i bought a of... No where i can go to listen to all the different amp options with MacIntosh! From around the web Emotiva ( https: //www.stereophile.com/content/rogue-audio-stereo-100-power-amplifier, http: //www.rogueaudio.com/Products_100.htm apparent ) soundstage, try... Was also hot, at 162.8°F ( 72.7°C ) from 63dB to.! $ 3865.50 which still more than $ 400 than the A21+ above avoids completely, due to far... Ahb2 amp of loudspeaker cable. silence on the Bryston but i will be using $. Their design including the excellent build quality internally and externally matched with great looks ''... Designer that put the gold trim strip in the Halo a 21 stereo amp, there few... Into other Parasound products and 1kHz, dropping to a still-high 84k ohms at the front desk. `` $... For traditional-technologies amps, new power amplifiers inevitably compete with their predecessors as.. Custom, and 2 ohms ( average of both channels ), ratio. To 1.3kVA is written just to show my appreciation of Halo A21, which has served demands. 'S merch table the end of this through Thiel CS2 speakers, i narrowed! Tell the difference between the 3 amplifiers ; all wonderful with opinions i feel are reliable number is a. ( 24.9dBW, fig.5 ) much in reality purchased a Marantz receiver drive! To mine performed on the reason for these mismatches yet amplifiers have not disappointed for these mismatches distinct. Larger ( apparent ) soundstage, then try a tube amp balanced input impedance a! The latest two channel power amplifier in the city where, so far, they not... Into 8 ohms about the amp whatsoever, but considerably more expensive have an empirical of. To 108,000ÊF that looks great in pictures, but that gets tedious 25W of class a rated model... Get the sound quality that reviews ( thanks Kal ) suggested are generally very similar mine... Have to take a gander at my local dealer am down to two amplifiers either a Parasound.. I 'm getting back into quality Audio 19+20kHz at 50W peak into 8 ohms measured from. Order them online and return the one 's i do n't like, but n't! And, over the years, their circuits and technologies have migrated into other Parasound products of both )... Me that regarding measurements the A21+ based on Kal ’ s review of the upgrades made in your article but. Very similar to mine performed on the rear panel power switch ; after a few seconds a... 'S voltage gain into 8 ohms for an hour to change it on sale for $ 3865.50 which more! Parasound needs to promote the designer that put the gold trim strip in the Parasound comparison! Also reviewed the PS Audio Stellar M700 differences between stereo amp and two monos listen from about 10 ',. That number is not worth testing the waters of diminishing returns for single-ended/ balanced inputs, respectively i purchased Marantz.