At almost twice the price of the Spendors, the DeVores produced a much fuller sound, with a deeper, broader soundstage. It hits on so many touchpoints of convenience, flexibility, usability, and musicality that it's hard to not develop an immediate crush. This combo made a devilishly good pair, sweet-toned but with serious jump and juice. Add any analog or digital source to Stellar's input, a power amp and speakers to its output, and music filled with rich textures and toe-tapping energy surprise and delight even the most critical Audiophile. > 70 dB at 1 kHz, Signal to Noise Ratio - IHF A-weighted The little fullness that's there is like magic washing over us, and we can sit and listen to music for hours. 2 = Positive It is, instead, an everything's-under-control, don't-worry-now mellow." MM: 35 dB / 47 k Ω Parasound's Halo JC 5 distills the essence of two Halo JC 1 monoblocks into a single-chassis stereo amp with outstanding sound quality, power, and value. The only nova review in Stereophile (or TAS) was a nova300 review that was controversial to the point of being inconclusive. The Parasound Halo Integrated provides an amazing value proposition. still delivers top-class sound quality. "It is supremely powerful and unfazed by what you are Doesn't seem to have JC's signature iron fist current ability. ", TheAbsoluteSound.com, October 2015 Drums had more kick. Me, I'm looking for guidance re: whether the HINT6 is a better choice than Peachtree's similar nova500 for a Harbeth-based system. Shipping: Cost to ship this item within the contiguous United States is a flat rate of $37- including packaging and insurance. ", Stereo+ (Norway) November 2015 The horn coloration seemed to increase two-fold. The Hint 6 let the O/93s shine. < 0.01 %, average listening levels This combo was magical. "You'll be hard pressed to find another integrated amplifier at this price that can match the HINT 6's impressive list of features, power, and smooth and engaging sound." ", New Record Day, August 2015 Class A Recommended Component The bass became overbearing and bloated. ", Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity, August 2016 . 1 V at Bypass/Amp In for 28 V at Speaker Out The HINT should be on anyone's "I believe that J. Gordon Holt would characterize the Parasound Halo Integrated as neutral and accurate. the best implementation of what is needed to do 2.1 . Idling power: 70 watts The Parasound does an awful lot for the money but it gets the important thing right, it makes you want to listen to more music. 150 pF, High & Low Pass Crossover Slopes Even so, it's nice to read a review of an affordable integrated from someone other than HR for a change. The HALO A23+ stereo power amplifier that is reviewed here is the updated version of the HALO A23 amplifier. The Parasound HINT is just as good as everyone claims it is and it deserves an audition. I played three LPs on my Kuzma Stabi turntable with Stogi tonearm, running my Hana EL moving-coil cartridge into the Hint 6's MC input: Ella Fitzgerald's Ella Swings Brightly with Nelson (Verve V-4054); Noah Preminger's Some Other Time (Newvelle NV003LP); and Souvenir Part II: music for strings by Tchaikovsky and Nielsen, performed by the Trondheim Soloists (2L 2L-090C-LP). And when you include a sound of ruler-flat neutrality, top-to-bottom linearity, and a gorgeous midrange, it becomes peerless. "The Halo Integrated transformed the sound of the .7s. Max Output Balanced: 9 V, Power Amplifier Stage Sensitivity "The Parasound Halo Integrated Amplifier is one of the really exciting amplifier purchases one can make for under 30,000 kroner. "A highly accomplished piece of hi-fi equipment, the Parasound Halo offers a wealth of sonic options that should satisfy any determined audiophile. (20.4 kg), Power Requirement "Pretty much anything you pump through the Halo Integrated's speaker outputs sounds downright sumptuous. Some manufacturers are so concerned with "keeping the tone controls out of the all-important midrange" that they become useless. I wonder how the new version sounds differently from the original? There is no better DAC-integrated on the market for the price. 10 Hz - 100 kHz, +0/-3 dB, Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) A joyous sense of upper-treble air made all music exhilarating, transparent, and fun. ", Hi Res Audio Central November 2015 With ruler-flat neutrality, top-to-bottom linearity, and a gorgeous midrange, it becomes peerless. ", HiFi Choice Editor's Choice (UK) December 2015 30,000 this is the amplifier that currently reigns, and I have difficulty seeing any other integrated amps, or for that matter preamp and power amp combinations which can deliver the same capabilities and the same sound. Highly Recommended", Positive Feedback December 2016 Amplifier Product of the Year. Maximum: 750 watts The idea of building a no-loss analog preamplifier with its own built-in cutting edge DAC was the basis of the Stellar Gain Cell™ design imperative. (0.9% THD, RMS, 20 Hz - 20 kHz) We say 'wow.' Beyond the noted hardware changes, the Halo Hint 6 remains mostly unchanged from the Halo Integrated. Is Parasound's Halo Hint 6 Integrated Amplifier a party amp? Parasound's effort to integrate the quality of separates into a single, functional, aesthetically-pleasing unit capable of providing high quality sound paid off in the Parasound Halo 2.1 Channel Integrated Amplifier. Ella Fitzgerald was in my ear, singing her subtle dynamic inflections for me and me alone. With DeVore Fidelity Orangutan O/93s Unique among its peers. I, and other listeners, would love to see more. JA's measurements for the earlier version of this Parasound show tone controls that, when boosted, reach their maximum values only at the extreme ends of the audible spectrum. Because, with certain extravivid recordings, I perceived the Halo as tracking the input signal pretty close to the feeling of master tape. Standby: 0.5 watts 270Wpc into 4 ohms, "Both versions ... have ... defeatable tone controls (!)...". Uncompromising 'best sound for the dollar' value. The amplifier is ideal for driving expensive high-end speakers, while it can help less expensive speakers realize the promise of their full potential. And Preminger's tenor sax became less soft, more explicit and clean. The Quads revealed the upper air of the Fitzgerald LP, with horns, hi-hat, and upper double-bass frequencies to the fore. The Parasound Halo Integrated Amplifier is a first rate, high-current amplifier. "If you are new to high-end audio, Parasound’s JC 1 / JC 2 combination is a great place to start." one do-it-all amp, there are few better alternatives." The Trondheim Soloists sounded less crystalline but somehow truer of tone. Thankfully, they warmed to one other right away. The big primates get it all right: a wide, realistically layered soundstage in my small den, spot-on tonality and texture, very good resolution, an almost genteel (tweeters below ear level) but propulsive low end, and a beautiful way with voices. VIA VT1731, 384 kHz / 32-bit, Headphone Amplifier Output Impedance 10 ohms, XLR Pin Identification The sad result is that you don't really get any audible boost in bass or treble (i.e., the mid-bass or mid-treble); you only get deep subterranean one-note thumping in the sub-bass, and unpleasant hiss and brightness in the treble. There is no better DAC-integrated on the market for $2495 or less. The Halo Integrated is a no-brainer for anyone stepping into the realm of high-end stereo and digital audio. I'd say Parasound has a winner on its hands here... especially for the price. Coax/Opt: up to 192 kHz / 24-bit PCM, Digital to Analog Converter The Hint 6 worked well with every speaker I threw at it, delivering an upfront, slightly cool, dynamic sound, LP after LP. likely to connect to it. Reviews: The Absolute Sound Australian HiFi Audio Review. was a terrible combo in my experience. The Parasound does great music making everything sound effortless, dynamic and powerful. The Ear Best Buy. It almost felt as if I were leaning into the Trondheim Soloists' performance of Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings in C. On his Some Other Time, Noah Preminger's tenor saxophone was downright creamy, with a warm burr that softened Billy Hart's mallet-generated cymbal crescendos. With Klipsch Heresy IIIs ", Stereophile November 2015 Manual. Depth: 16-1/4" (413 mm) Line in: - 103 dB (input shorted) Any integrated amp that can readily drive high-current loads while providing clear, clean, and spacious sound for under $2500 is a winner. 12 dB per octave, Supported DAC Sampling Rates "This Parasound isn't your traditional integrated amplifier. There's nothing not to like about this great value mid-price integrated. Balanced: 470 Ω per leg, Dimensions ", AV Forums (UK) March 2016     Input Impedance "The bottom line—my absolute favorite thing about the Parasound Halo is its no-nonsense approach of simplicity combined with feature-rich tools when you are ready to push the limits of what the Halo Integrated has to offer. Network Reviewers' Choice January 2016 45 amps peak per channel, Frequency Response ESS Sabre32 Reference ES9018K2M AC mains voltage is set on rear, Hifi Pig (UK) March 2018 . ... a wide variety of speakers, perhaps every Stereophile reviewer should own one of these amps to serve as a fixed point of reference when reviewing other equipment. "Parasound's Halo Integrated 2.1 channel integrated amplifier is a force to be reckoned with. ", SoundStage! ", Please note that the HINT has been replaced by the. 45 lb.