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Parasound Halo P 6 2.1 Channel Preamplifier and DAC | REVIEW

by Graig Neville in Components

Parasound has been an audio name for quite a while. They were well-established way back during my audiophile indoctrination in the late ’80s. While they still have the classic line, now called New Classic, they have since introduced the Z Custom, Zone Master and Halo product lines, with Halo being their flagship products. I was fortunate enough to receive the Parasound Halo P 6 2.1 Channel Preamplifier and DAC, and the JC 5 Stereo Power Amplifier. I just finished reviewing the JC 5 Stereo [...]

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AVM Ovation 6.2 Master Edition Integrated Amplifier | REVIEW

May 7, 2021 // 0 Comments

The AVM Ovation 6.2 Master Edition integrated amplifier just kind of snuck in here, made its impression, and left in just a few weeks. My time with it was so short, so fleeting. I didn’t know a lot about AVM before the Ovation arrived. This German company has been making quality hi-fi since 1986, and they currently have an extensive line that includes turntables, amplifiers, digital products and all-in-one boxes. Except for cables, loudspeaker and cartridges—AVM recommends Ortofon Cadenzas [...]
True Life Audio SSP-1 Preamplifier and SSA-300 Monoblock Amplifiers | REVIEW

May 2, 2021 // 3 Comments

Before we get to True Life Audio, I would like to tell you a story. Once upon a time there was this handsome young prince doctor busting his cojones working for the local health system trying to make living. Oh, he did reviews too and show coverage when night shifts allowed him to. Those days are over, the doctor moved to the Greek island of Zakynthos and set up a private practice and they lived happily ever after. And that’s that. So nowadays my glorious ATC–ASR–Rockna-Garrard system is [...]
Parasound Halo JC 5 Power Amplifier | REVIEW

April 30, 2021 // 1 Comment

Though I received the Parasound Halo JC 5 Stereo Power Amplifier, designed by John Curl, along with the Parasound P 6 2.1 Channel Halo Preamplifier and DAC, I felt that each product was different enough that they warranted independent reviews. I’ll get into why I felt that way below, but first let’s dive into this refined beast of a power amp. John Curl has worked as Parasound’s premier designer since 1989. Before that he designed and built a variety of kit for the likes of The Grateful [...]
Decware Zen Triode SE84UFO2 Power Amplifier | REVIEW

April 16, 2021 // 5 Comments

First, a disclaimer. I own this Decware Zen Triode amp and bought it for myself, so it’s not a typical “loaner” that we reviewers normally get to evaluate. Steve Deckert, Decware’s head guy, normally doesn’t believe in supplying reviewers with samples. If I want to review the product, his policy is that I buy it, at full price, just like any other customer. That’s exactly what I did. I let Steve know I was a reviewer, but didn’t ask for any accommodation, nor was I offered one. [...]
Allnic Audio L-8000 DHT Preamplifier | REVIEW

April 9, 2021 // 5 Comments

DHT is a magic three-letter acronym that speaks volumes to those in the know, especially when it comes to audio history and tubes. Before I get to the product at hand, the mysterious and magical Allnic Audio L-8000 DHT preamp, I’d like to take a moment to spotlight some of the acronyms behind this review. DHTs, as mentioned above, stands for Directly Heated Triodes, which are the very first tube type to have been invented. They are simply an anode, cathode and grid in a vacuum sealed glass [...]
Bryston Audio 4B³ Power Amplifier | REVIEW

March 12, 2021 // 5 Comments

At first it sounded like a great idea. A few months ago, Bryston Audio (website) asked me if I wanted to review the newest version of their truly iconic power amplifier, the 4B. They offered a very intriguing wrinkle to this review of this Bryston Audio 4B³–would I be willing to compare the sound to a perfectly restored early-generation Bryston 4B-ST? “That sounds really interesting,” I replied. “Sure, I’ll do it!” I knew I wanted to revisit with Bryston because I found [...]
Mola Mola Makua Preamplifier | REVIEW

February 28, 2021 // 6 Comments

The Mola Mola Makua (website), much like the Tambaqui (review) before it, was a device utterly unknown to me before this review. Naming gear after exotic fish isn’t a new concept–I own a pair of Manley Snappers after all–but the gear from Mola Mola is decidedly different than Manley, which prides itself on its “Tubes Rule” motto. By contrast, Mola Mola has Bruno Putzeys and his heritage, an eye towards futuristic functionality and ultra high-end sonic pedigree. I have [...]
LFD NCSE Mk. 3 Integrated Amplifier | REVIEW

February 19, 2021 // 2 Comments

The LFD NCSE Mk. 3 integrated amplifier (website) has no remote control. Nor does it have XLR inputs or outputs, a home theater bypass switch, 12V trigger operation, a built-in DAC, a wide range of connectivity options nor any of the standard features we usually find in a modern integrated that costs $7,350. I’ve reviewed plenty of integrated amplifiers that cost far less than that, and they have features such as inboard phono stages and headphone amplifiers and more. Heck, the LFD NCSE [...]
McIntosh Labs MC1502 Power Amplifier | REVIEW

January 24, 2021 // 7 Comments

For a lot of folks, McIntosh Labs gear (website) is the stuff that audiophile dreams are made of. The idea of actually owning and using this gear, especially something as impressive as their new McIntosh Labs MC 1502 amplifier, took me back to my youth.In the days before the internet, people used to actually get together to pass around information and share ideas. Imagine that. When I was a kid, I seemed to gravitate towards people who were older than my usual peers. Some of my best education [...]
Jeff Rowland Design Group Continuum S2 Integrated Amplifier | REVIEW

January 22, 2021 // 5 Comments

Four hundred watts per channel. The Jeff Rowland Design Group Continuum S2 (website) has four hundred watts per channel. In over forty years of being an audiophile, including the twenty-plus years I’ve been reviewing hi-fi components, I’ve never had that much power at my disposal before. By modern standards, the Continuum S2 isn’t the most powerful power amplifier out there—I can think of a few four-figure monsters turning heads right now. But I’m the guy whose all-time favorite SET [...]
Wilson Audio ActivXO & WATCH Dog Subwoofer | Review

December 20, 2020 // 1 Comment

Does a 260-pound loudspeaker that packs an 8- and 10-inch driver need any re-enforcement in the lower octaves? Add in a delicious amplifier that can generate 500 watts at 4 ohms with ease and you are off to the races, right? The engineer in me is always looking for opportunities to continue to move closer to that moment when the music was recorded. The release of a new Wilson Audio ActivXO stereo crossover designed by John Curl tickled my interest. I was fascinated to see what would happen if [...]
The Best Integrated Amplifiers | Buyers Guide 2021

December 5, 2020 // 12 Comments

The Best Integrated Amplifiers [Editor’s note: Welcome to the Part-Time Audiophile Buyers Guide for 2021! This year we decided to mix it up a little by breaking up the Buyers Guide into sections, which makes it a far more manageable read. And oh, we know what you’re thinking–the best integrated amplifiers? No such thing! Separates, man, it’s all about the separates! Let’s clear this up: these are the best integrated amplifiers that we, the PTA team, have heard.] PS [...]
The Best Amplifiers | Buyers Guide 2021

December 5, 2020 // 7 Comments

The Best Amplifiers [Editor’s note: Welcome to the Part-Time Audiophile Buyers Guide for 2021! This year we decided to mix it up a little by breaking up the Buyers Guide into sections, which makes it a far more manageable read. And oh, we know what you’re thinking–the best amplifiers? What are you trying to do, start an insurrection? You’re not even going to separate the tubed ones from the solid-state? Let’s clear this up: these are the best amplifiers that we, [...]
The Best Preamplifiers | Buyers Guide 2021

December 5, 2020 // 4 Comments

The Best Preamplifiers [Editor’s note: Welcome to the Part-Time Audiophile Buyers Guide for 2021! This year we decided to mix it up a little by breaking up the Buyers Guide into sections, which makes it a far more manageable read. And oh, we know what you’re thinking–the best preamplifiers? Why, there aren’t even tone controls on some of your picks! Let’s clear this up: these are the best preamplifiers that we, the PTA team, have heard.] Luminous Audio Axiom II w/ [...]
Rotel A14 Integrated Amplifier | REVIEW

November 27, 2020 // 3 Comments

Why in the world would I want to review the Rotel A14 (website), an integrated amplifier with DAC and phono stage and headphone amplifier all sorts of features for just $1500? What is this, 1985? Am I still in college looking for an optimal amplification match for my Snell Type Js? Look over there, on the racks and around the listening room. I’ve got $10K worth of Rowland over here, and $25K worth of prime Pureaudio amplification over there. I should be set, ready to go, ready to [...]
BorderPatrol P21 EXD 300B Amplifier | REVIEW

November 6, 2020 // 2 Comments

This one is a bit of a convoluted story, let me tell ya. One sunny day in the early pre-COVID winter, Gary Dews, the head guy at BorderPatrol Audio (website), paid me a visit bearing gifts. While Gary was not exactly appearing as one of the Magi, these were fine gifts indeed: a pair of Living Voice IBX-R3 Auditorium Series speakers, as well as one of his own creations, the BorderPatrol P21 EXD push-pull 300B amplifier. Together, we enjoyed a bright afternoon of lunch, audio banter, and [...]
Audio by Van Alstine SET 120 Control Amplifier | REVIEW

September 19, 2020 // 6 Comments

This is a story about that time I joined a cult (or two). In this review I stand to gain nothing and lose everything by telling you how staggeringly capable the Audio by Van Alstine SET 120 Control Amplifier is at delivering all of the musical goods. I am here to confess a rare and simple truth—that true high-end sound does not have to be a luxury. The mere utterance of this truth could shatter the system and render all of our phony-baloney writing jobs into the bin of oblivion. Words and [...]
Manley Labs Snapper Monoblock Amplifiers | REVIEW

August 30, 2020 // 4 Comments

“What are those light bulb things?” My roommate asked that as he bent over the Manley Labs Snapper Monoblock Amplifiers with his camera in hand. The downtown Los Angeles skyline tinted the sky charcoal grey and I had to admit, even in the depths of my current obsession with the Naked and the Bauhas architectures, this scenery made a romantic backdrop for the Snappers. Tubes glowing—delightful, tubes glowing against the evening backdrop of America’s westernmost Art Deco capital. [...]
McGary Audio SA2 Power Amplifier | REVIEW

July 31, 2020 // 4 Comments

When I first set eyes on the attractive McGary Audio SA2 vacuum tube amplifier, the first thought that entered my head was “stingray.” Anyone who has observed this sea creature will know immediately what I mean: just one look at that front panel tells the story. Anyway, I can’t use that moniker, as it’s been assigned already to Manley Laboratories’ iconic product of the same name. When I was a kid, I greatly enjoyed watching a particular type of ray termed the cownose ray for the [...]
Valve Amplification Company Sigma 170i Integrated Amplifier | REVIEW

July 26, 2020 // 4 Comments

Valve Amplification Company Sigma 170i Integrated Amplifier Review by Lee Shelley (Disclaimer: I’m a photographer by profession and I have many clients in the high end audio industry. I have shot for Valve Amplification Company in the past. My impressions and conclusions in the following Valve Amplification Company Sigma 170i Integrated Amplifier review are unaffected by this, but I felt you should know.) At the 2018 Capital Audiofest, there was a huge buzz about the new $150,000 Statement [...]