Just got my new Halo equipment WOW!

[RandyL999]

My previous system had a Yamaha RX-V3000 receiver that I used as a processor, with a Yamaha MX-830 driving the left/right channels, and a pair of Amber Series 70 amps (c. 1978!) on the center/rears.

Speakers are Martin Logan Ascents, Theater, Descent, and Boston Acoustics in wall for the 3 rears (can't mount speakers behind listening area due to the room).

Source for DVD/CD was a Toshiba SD-6200. I finally decided it was time for an upgrade in the processor/amp/source stuff. From research on the web (and a lot of your helpful comments on this forum!) I decided to go with the Halo C2/A51.

Time for an unsolicited plug... I emailed Brent Huskins, whom I didn't know, but had seen his comments here on the forum. What a lucky thing for me that I did! I knew I not only needed a way to get competitive pricing on the new equipment, but I also wanted somebody with more experience than I have to set up and tweak the system.

Brent flew in last week after he shipped the equipment ( I also got a Denon 3910 for source) and we redid the system. We had a fluke of a bad channel on the C2 that must have been damaged in shipping. Parasound overnighted a new one the same day, and we got everything hooked up.

All I can say is WOW!!!! The Martin Logans are showing me things I've never heard before, the soundstage is totally different (better) and music and movies are a new experience.

I know I don't have the experience to have compared Anthem, Bryston, Krell, Lexicon, B&K, Rotel, etc.... but I sure as hell love my new system.

Thanks to Brent for making this happen (I was able to buy the equipment, AND fly Brent in for the install for cheaper than I was able to find the equipment at any other Halo dealer I checked with).

Randy

[goldear]

Congratulations. There's nothing better than getting a great deal...on a great system.

[Chris D]

Congrats, Randy! :banana: A banana for your new toys. And driving ML's, too! I'd love to go with electrostatic next.

[nicholtl]

Good sh!t, Randy! Enjoy your new monsters.

[Q-Man]

[QUOTE=RandyL999]My previous system had a Yamaha RX-V3000 receiver that I used as a processor, with a Yamaha MX-830 driving the left/right channels, and a pair of Amber Series 70 amps (c. 1978!) on the center/rears.


Randy,

I too have been using a Yamaha RX-V3000 as a processor with McIntosh power amps. The McIntosh amps made a huge difference in the sonic quality.

You probably didn't hook up the C2 to your old amps to see what the C2 sounded like compared to the Yamaha before putting in the Halo amps, right? I'm curious how much of a difference the C2 alone made.

[RandyL999]

No, I didn't do the intermediate step to isolate the difference in the processor alone. It might have been smart to do just to see the results, but I was too excited to get it hooked up and see the results with everything in. We also had a time constraint with Brent having to fly back to Dallas.

Some specifics that I can differentiate, though I can't attribute it to the C2 alone:

Soundstage is much wider, and more contiguous

Much more depth and detail in layers of sound, better definition of instruments and voices

5.1 or 6.1 has better definition of each channel, though they integrate together well, it's easier to differentiate separation. (don't know if that made sense, but what the heck...)

I liked my Martin Logan's before, but NOW... it's a whole new ballgame!

[Jon SS]

Glad to know you love your Halo, pretty amazing piece of equipment!

Quick question. I am looking into getting a new dvd player and was thinking of the Pioneer 59avi and the Denon 3910 (alot will depend on price). I just wanted to know what you think of the Denon with the C2. I am particularly interested in the CD playback. Do you use the digital input into the C2 (therefore the DACs in the C2) or are you using analogue inputs into the C2 (therefore the DACs of the dvd player)?

Thanks.

[RandyL999]

DAC's in the C2 or Denon 3910

Jon...

Actually I'm using both. I use digital pass thru for DVD-V and CD, and the analog 7.1 input for DVD-A and SACD. Hope this helps.

[Jon SS]

Thanks. Are you happy with the CD quality via digital pas thru? Have you compared this to analogue?

[RandyL999]

I'm very happy with the digital signal. One of the reasons I chose the C2 along with the Denon 3910 was the high quality DAC's in both, so that no matter what the source material, I could live with the output.

[Chris D]

Randy and Jon, I just got a Denon 3910 also, and really enjoy it so far. Look in the thread about DVD players with Halo equipment for some issues/questions I had with the 3910 set up with Halo.

[RandyL999]

Chris...

I have to profess my ignorance/inexperience with the possible answers to your question. I flew Brent in to do the setup since I knew he had the experience with the Denon/Halo equipment and those issues. Since I didn't have DVD-A or SACD capability before, I was using only DTS CD's for five channel sound, which came straight through digitally. Maybe Brent can comment on those issues...

[Jon SS]

Look in the thread about DVD players with Halo equipment for some issues/questions I had with the 3910 set up with Halo.

I could not seem to find this thread, could you let me know where it is?

Thanks

[Chris D]

Yeah, it's here in Club Parasound, as:

http://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php4?t=12662