Parasound - Halo A21 Two-Channel Amplifier (Balck)

I am a retired audio equipment salesman who has built recording studios for artists you have heard of.A truly 3D holographic playback stereo system that does NOT sound like "canned music" is what I have been selling for 50 years starting back when all we had was tubes. I have been a dealer for McIntosh, Krell, Sonus Faber, Martin Logan, Bryston, Sansui, Adcom and many many other darn near price no object lines.I know fine equipment the way wine experts know fine wine.The job of a power amplifier is to properly control your chosen speaker at any and all ranges of power that it can handle. It must have enough clean power to NEVER distort as distortion blows speakers! A lot of folks think too much power blows speakers but the opposite is true---too little power will fry your speakers because an amp starts putting out HEAT instead of music once you turn the know up too far. And HEAT fries the speaker.The Parasound has 250 watts CLEAN. So virtually all speakers will be happy with it.The SOUND of a truly great amplifier compared to just a powerful but not-so-great design is that the truly great amps sound ALIVE.Instruments will be EXACTLY etched in space in 3D just like a 3D television which also makes its image in STEREO.In addition there are all kinds of life-like qualities which a great amp possesses. Like for instance tiny little differences in the TONE of an instrument. The kind of details that fool your ear into believing you are actually THERE at the recording session IN THE ROOM.The Parasound does all these great deeds. Perhaps there are amplifiers that exceed what it can do. But so far I haven't heard anything priced UNDER it which can qualify as REAL.I would recommend using it as your go-to amplifier with most any speaker priced under ten grand. I use mine in a 45 thousand dollar mastering studio. I also bought one to use with a small room which has just a pair of mini speakers (a small recording studio for home use).Considering how many simply awful amps you can buy that will muddy your audio this amp is pretty much a no brainer.As just mentioned by the first review---Emotiva costs just as much and sounds pretty harsh and muddy in comparison.This amp is designed by John Curl who also designed the famous Mark Levinson amps when he worked there. Curl must have had a secret yen to produce a great amp for the masses. At one tenth the price of what he normally gets.This amp is the current "best bang for the buck" in all of amp land. It took that pride of place away from the Nelson Pass designed Adcom GFA555. The Adcom USED to be the best amp on the market under ten grand. But for the last five years or so since it came out the Parasound is the champ.Enjoy it. It is truly high end and more importantly it is truly "high fidelity."

With my review of this amplifier, I hope I can help some potential buyers see a bit more clearly. I have enjoyed Jeff Rowland equipment for at least the last 17 years, the Concentra as well as the extremely powerful 8T-HC 250 watt (8 ohms) High Current power amplifier, both stunning pieces, the Concentra cost about $12,000.00 and the 8Ti-HC was $17,000.00, and that was over 15 years ago! I sold both Jeff Rowland pieces for thousands of dollars and just for the fun of it bought all new Parasound, a rack full, including the HALO JC-2 BP Pre-Amp, the HALO A-21 Power Amplifier, the HALO JC-3+ Phono Amp and finally for my second system the HALO Integrated Amplifier. The JC-2 BP and the A-21 are easily as good as my Jeff Rowland products, and those amplifiers were A/AB amps, no D configuration amps in that vintage. One thing I had to get used to was the really detailed midrange with the JC-2/A-21 combination. This Parasound equipment is as good as any normal audiophile could ever want or need, the amplifier puts out tremendous power, I could never approach what it's capable of, and as I said, my ears have been spoiled by one of America's top amplifier manufacturers, Jeff Rowland Design Group and I would put the JC-2 BP/ A-21 combination up against their products any day, that is how good the Parasound is, there is simply no sane reason to spend more money, no reason, and that includes the Parasound mono blocks. Why would anyone want to take up that much space and burn that much electricity? The A-21 is a monster, you just don't need any more power unless you are attempting to drive some Magnepan 20 speakers! I looked at Hegel and for me, they just look like a black box, my equipment must have some style and stunning sound, and the Parasound equipment simply delivers. Hey, I do miss the beautiful aircraft aluminum on those Jeff Rowland pieces, you bet, but sound wise, I'm in good hands with Parasound HALO. One thing many people forget about is service. When you need to have your 8 year old Parasound amplifier repaired, chances are they are going to be able to help you, unlike others that simply discontinue not only parts but service. If you ever have a problem, you can pick up the phone and speak to Richard (CEO) of Parasound personally, it just does not get better than that. I hope you consider Parasound HALO products, I have been so extremely pleased with everything I purchased from them, it's just cutting edge and performance wise, way, way about it's price range in the audio market, unbelievable value! I just ordered the HINT, Parasound's new integrated amplifier, have you seen the reviews on that piece, heck you probably won't even need the A-21, the new integrated is crushing all integrated amplifiers anywhere near it's price range, it's a monster as well. If you want the very best, go with the Parasound Integrated, the HINT. If you want to just have the finest system any audiophile would be proud of, go with the JC-2/A-21 combination.