Hi all
My first review of sorts. I believe that in audio, no product is great in isolation. Everything is comparative. And after breaching a certain price point, the law of diminishing returns kicks in. So to judge, how a amp actually sounds by review alone, it is important to know the reviewers exposure to other kit in the field. And since I haven't heard much, I will briefly detail my audio journey to give a perspective of my reference point for this review.
I was always a music buff, but never a audio buff. The difference between both is that I enjoy music played on any system. Iam yet to hear a system sing, and not be moved by the music, as long as the track itself is not a dud. Pretty lame ears I must be endowed with then
Anyhow my first tryst with a 2 channel music system was the harman kardon sound sticks, which I still like very much.
And looking for a upgrade took me to the bluesound power node. This was my first proper hifi separates system, driving a pair of qacoustics q7000i satellites and a sub. The external sub was crossed over at 80hz, and the sound was really very good. The bluesound control app was trouble free and was very easy for my wife to use too.
At this point, I bought a yamaha yht-400s for HT. And later upgraded to a Sony str-dn850 AVR and a audiopro 5.0 surround system. The sound here was decent. But the sony's room correction was always more miss than hit for me. So I again upgraded to a marantz sr6011 and the qacoustics concept 40 + concept centre system. I was finally happy with the sound of my HT system both for movies and music. I really could have left it here and not have any regrets. But over a period of time, I felt that the concept 40's and the marantz were both sounding a bit safe, and not really letting loose. The concept 40's are great speakers, no doubt. They have exceptional clarity and refinement , but they are slightly laid back. And driving them with the marantz was only adding more refinement and warmth, when I needed more neutrality and excitement in the mix.
So started my hunt for a new amplifier. And I wanted the amp to be as versatile as possible, and powerful too. Having used a sat+sub combination with the bluesound power node, I was aware of the benefits of having a sub in a 2 channel system. So easy sub integration was a must for me.
After ploughing many nights on audio sites, I centered on the parasound halo integrated. Every review ended in a high praise. And the amp seemed to have more flexibility than I could ever use. So the amp was decided. But couldn't figure out where to buy. My email to the parasound dealer in india enquiring pricing, didn't solicit any response. And I didn't feel like sending a second email, as the dealer might mistaken my persisting interest for desperation and Jack up the price. So I decided to wait.
Luckily, I had to go to the USA for a trip, and the rest as they say is history
So I now have my brand new amp driving the concept 40's. And for the first time, after going through bright and warm kit, I can sense what neutrality is all about. There is a sense that nothing is added or taken from a track. The parasound follows the track honestly to a T.
And that honesty, mated to its brute 160W @ 8 ohms power, makes the concept 40's croone exactly to a track. These same tracks when played through the marantz sr6011 or the bluesound power node in comparison, give the impression that the concept40's are just gliding over the finer nuances in a track. The parasound here, makes the speakers stop, skip, hop and jump all as the artist intended. Such is the control the parasound exerts on the speaker, that every small change in rhythm and nuance, is honestly exposed. The excitement I was previously missing, is back now. The concept 40's just needed a proper kick in the teeth I guess
Since then, I have added a chord 2qute dac, and a yamaha wxc-50 to my setup. And the inbuilt dac of the parasound almost equals the chord dac in my system. In fact I find the parasound to sound more punchy through its inbuilt dac, than its analogue inputs.
So low is the distortion even at high volumes, that iam now listening at silly volumes , and only realising the actual volume when my better half gives me a solid whack on my head
So all in all, iam really happy with the parasound halo integrated. And really can't think of any negatives. This is a really powerful amp, and can reach mind blowing volumes with absolutely no distortion. No loss in composure or clarity. No hardening of the sound at any volume level. Couldn't really ask for more.
Thanks for reading my rather long post, if you've followed it so far
