Parasound Halo Integrated

If I ever have to go solid state..., posted on June 26, 2015 at 17:49:09
Ivan303 Audiophile Posts: 48887 Location: Cadiere d'azur FRANCE - Santa Fe, NM Joined: February 26, 2001	Parasound would be my first choice. Value for money being a consideration. First they came for the dumb-asses And I did not speak out Because I was not a dumb-ass

And then, posted on June 27, 2015 at 07:05:59
Awe-d-o-file Dealer Posts: 21037 Location: 50 miles west of DC Joined: January 10, 2004	you'd never do SS again. The Parasound is a good value but I don't think a tube guy could be close to happy with it. You'll have to spend a good deal more in SS to be happy IMO> E T ET "If at first you don't succeed, keep on sucking till you do suck seed" - Curly Howard 1936

RE: "If I ever have to go solid state...", posted on June 27, 2015 at 09:18:35

AbeCollins
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Location: USA
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Contributor
Since: February 2, 2002

That's funny, sort of.... unless you're in a situation that forces you into solid-state gear during the summer months.

It's been a merry go round of solid-state integrated amps around here but I think I'm finally done for a while.

Of course my main amp runs vacuum tubes, you know, those hot glass bottles that add unwanted heat in my small listening room. Nice in the winter but bad in the summer.

Sooner or later one has to scale down..., posted on June 27, 2015 at 09:53:08

Ivan303
Audiophile

Posts: 48887
Location: Cadiere d'azur FRANCE - Santa Fe, NM
Joined: February 26, 2001

If they are lucky.

Hopefully later.

Lucky to be active enough to live in a three story place with the audio system including horn speakers and tube amps on the third floor mezzanine/loft level. That good fortune won't last forever. Also fortunate enough to be able to stay here even in retirement, as many are forced to downsize due to economic considerations which we fortunately do not face.

Spending my time at Audio Shows auditioning smaller, more compact, all in one systems with small speakers.

Liked the sound of the Rogers LS3/5A with integrated bass units as picture above at RMAF this last year.

It was driven with massively parallel Tube Amp of some kind(dozen 2A3s) but it did play some of the classical stuff I brought to the show.

I might find room for the old Jolida KT88 PP integrated amp I have in storage. It's modded with all of the good stuff and sounds decent with NOS tubes.

But if I HAD to go Solid State, I'd trust John Curl.

First they came for the dumb-asses
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a dumb-ass

RE: "If I ever have to go solid state...", posted on June 27, 2015 at 09:59:05
Inmate51	Just fyi, I have it on good authority that JC didn't work on the integrated.

Rogers, posted on June 27, 2015 at 10:19:19
mbnx01 Audiophile Posts: 7956 Location: Eagle, Idaho Joined: October 22, 2004	Is there a U.S. importer? I can't find one.... 'A lie is halfway around the world before the truth gets its boots on'. -Mark Twain

Parasound makes two kinds of gear, posted on June 27, 2015 at 10:22:10

mbnx01
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Posts: 7956
Location: Eagle, Idaho
Joined: October 22, 2004

High-end pretty expensive stuff and Mid-fi at low prices.

Like most companies they want to glamour from the one to spill over to the other.

I'd prefer a more minimalist approach if I had to down scale. The Heed Obelisk integrated, for example, is a solid state piece that reminds me of tube gear (without the heat, hassles, etc).

'A lie is halfway around the world before the truth gets its boots on'. -Mark Twain

They had a room at RMAF last year..., posted on June 27, 2015 at 10:34:03
Ivan303 Audiophile Posts: 48887 Location: Cadiere d'azur FRANCE - Santa Fe, NM Joined: February 26, 2001	That said, pretty disagreeable folks running the room. Lot of stuff imported from China but the small speakers sounded nice. First they came for the dumb-asses And I did not speak out Because I was not a dumb-ass

And which 'kind' would you consider the Halo Integrated?, posted on June 27, 2015 at 10:39:02

Ivan303
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Posts: 48887
Location: Cadiere d'azur FRANCE - Santa Fe, NM
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They seem to be pretty honest about the 'three levels' that they offer, at least on their web site.

Who knows what their dealers say?

Link below:

First they came for the dumb-asses
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a dumb-ass

PARASOUND

Haven't heard, but...., posted on June 27, 2015 at 10:48:41
mwhitmore Audiophile Posts: 1720 Location: San Francisco Joined: September 17, 2008	it really does seem to do it all. Power amp section is class A/AB, while so many recent integrated use class D.

It's not a bad strategy , posted on June 27, 2015 at 11:22:29
mbnx01 Audiophile Posts: 7956 Location: Eagle, Idaho Joined: October 22, 2004	I've often thought it would be interested to see a 40wpc solid state integrated from Audio Research for $2500. Companies that can ONLY make super expensive gear are kinda boring. 'A lie is halfway around the world before the truth gets its boots on'. -Mark Twain

RE: John Curl.. Perhaps, perhaps not..., posted on June 27, 2015 at 12:20:05

Ivan303
Audiophile

Posts: 48887
Location: Cadiere d'azur FRANCE - Santa Fe, NM
Joined: February 26, 2001

But they do claim to have borrowed freely from his work on previous designs, be they amps or preamps.

Who knows?

"Our acclaimed P 5 inspired its preamp stage and advanced feature set while its power amp stage employs the same John Curl circuit topology found in our legendary Class A/AB A 21 and A 23." (link below)

I trust they wouldn't make that claim if it were not true.

Have not heard the new Halo integrated but will make a point of it if I see it at a show.

First they came for the dumb-asses
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a dumb-ass

Halo Integrated

RE: Rogers, posted on June 28, 2015 at 04:28:09
b.l.zeebub Audiophile Posts: 9361 Location: 52deg 28'N,1deg56'W Joined: April 17, 2006	Rogers went bankrupt in the '90s and the name was bought by some chinese outfit. Not sure why they call it 'British High-Fidelity' since they haven't even got a british distributor.

RE: "If I ever have to go solid state...", posted on June 28, 2015 at 20:10:58

AbeCollins
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Posts: 46280
Location: USA
Joined: June 22, 2001
Contributor
Since: February 2, 2002

Just fyi, I have it on good authority that JC didn't work on the integrated.

From Parasound's website regarding the new Integrated:

- Power amp circuit topology designed by legendary John Curl.

So do you mean that John Curl didn't work on this particular integrated? That may be true but their website claims to use John Curl's design, perhaps borrowed from another amp he worked on?

I don't own one but I'd like to hear the new Parasound integrated someday.

General Asylum

Parasound Halo Integrated

71.77.217.234