What a way to buy Halo gear.

Collapse
This topic is closed.
X
X
 
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • Q-Man
    Member
    • Mar 2004
    • 64

    What a way to buy Halo gear.

    Monday night I received an email from my Parasound dealer. He told me that we could meet somewhere half way between his location and mine on Tuesday mourning. It worked for me and I agreed to bring cash, since we were meeting on the road. It kind of made me feel as if I was on my way to make a drug deal.

    I left 7:30 on Tuesday mourning for our 8:30 meeting. At 8:20 my cell phone rang and this was how the conversation began. "Where are you?" "I don't know, where are you?" "I don't know." I was shocked, because it only took us about five minutes to find each other after that call. I didn't expect that do to the way that intelligent conversation started out. I guess it was my lucky day. I thought for sure that I would be searching for him much longer then that. I guess he knew when to call.

    Both of us ended up pulling off the side of a four lane highway just before a toll booth. He got out of his truck and was making his way through the knee
    deep grass to get to me. I opened up the back door of my truck and he set the C1 inside. He pointed to a sticker on the box that said that the DPLIIx update was loaded onto the C1 at the factory. I then gave him the money and he began to count it right there while standing between my truck and the on coming traffic. He messed up the count and had to start counting the money all over again, so I told him to go sit in his truck to count it. He did so,
    and when he was done counting we talked audio stuff for about a half of an hour and parted ways.

    At 10:30 I placed it in the empty hole in my rack, and I had it wired up by 11:15. By 1:30pm I had been through all the menus and had it set up close to the way that I thought I would be leaving it. Then it took me from 1:30 to 3:30 just to dial in the aux. channels #9 & #10, which I'm using for my front effect speakers. I was now getting a little frustrated , because up to this point I didn't have to open the manual. I've been reading the darn thing on and off now for a couple of months. I down loaded the manual about a year ago with about 20 other processor brands. I must have it memorized by now.
    I hate having to read the manual while doing a set-up. It slows me down when I want to be hearing what it sounds like. Another half an hour went by &
    I felt rather good about the way I had the C1 set-up.

    I want to tell you more about how the rest of the day went, but I'm nuts to be here now when I could be listening and tweaking. :W So, I'll be back in a day or two to let you know what I think. So far so good.

    Thanks for discussing this processor with me over the last year.
    Last edited by Q-Man; 26 July 2005, 18:00 Tuesday.
  • Chris D
    Moderator Emeritus
    • Dec 2000
    • 16877

    #2
    First and foremost, Q-man, you know you're getting the banana. :banana: Congrats!

    I know the frustration when you just want to be enjoying your stuff. My advice would be, go ahead and try it out for a day or two to try out the newness. Then discipline yourself to take a good portion of time to set up the unit ONCE and do it RIGHT. Use the manual. Dial in settings. THEN do a critical listening session.

    I'll bet money that you'll be blown away.

    And yes, that's got to be the strangest story I've heard yet of buying a piece of Parasound gear.
    CHRIS

    Well, we're safe for now. Thank goodness we're in a bowling alley.
    - Pleasantville

    Comment

    • nicholtl
      Senior Member
      • Aug 2003
      • 539

      #3
      If I was driving by, I'd think someone was paying for sexual favors...!!

      Comment

      • RebelMan
        Ultra Senior Member
        • Mar 2005
        • 3139

        #4
        Originally posted by Chris Dotur
        And yes, that's got to be the strangest story I've heard yet of buying a piece of Parasound gear.
        WOW! That's the strangest story I've heard about buying ANY A/V gear. Must have been an awesome deal.
        "Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today."

        Comment

        • DrJRapp
          Super Senior Member
          • Apr 2003
          • 1204

          #5
          Q-Man

          Was the dealer from North of you or South (towards West Palm)? I may want to talk to him.

          I'm curious to hear your impressions of the sound with your K Horns.
          Jerry Rappaport

          Comment

          • Q-Man
            Member
            • Mar 2004
            • 64

            #6
            Now that I have a few more days of playing with the C1, I'll take the time to pick up where I left off.

            Tuesday I was playing CD's and DVD's durning most of the set up time. That way I was able to get an idea of what the C1 sounded like and how the various settings changed the sound. You know what I mean. Things like getting the global subwoofer crossover frequency dialed in to where I felt it blended in best with all my full range speakers. Do you like the mains set to large or small? Ebass on or off. So on, and so on. It can take a long time flipping back and forth between the options. After a couple of days I found that I like the sound best with my mains and center set to large and Ebass on.

            At around 6:00 pm my wife was insisting that I take a break and eat dinner. I hadn't been able to take a break yet. I just couldn't pull myself away. She was being very good to me my leaving me alone up to now. She didn't come into the room all day. She knows from past experiences that this wasn't the time to bother me. She even knew that it was too soon to even ask me if liked the C1. Up to now I was still hesitant to admit to myself that I liked the way the C1 sounded. On the other hand I was rather sure that I didn't hear anything out of the C1 that I didn't like, and that is very unusal for me. So, I was feeling good about the C1.

            I was feeling burned out after eating dinner and decided that I had enought for the first day. That didn't last, by 7:30 I was turning it back on. I thought that I would pop in a DVD movie and sit back and enjoy. Yea, right! I found myself back into the menus and making adjustments again. I couldn't stop making changes durning the course of the whole movie. Right now I don't even remember what the movie was.

            It was more of the same for Wed. and Thur. night from after dinner to bed time. I still wasn't comfortable with the idea that I had all the settings where I felt they sounded best for my speakers, room, and taste. I took Friday off from work to put in another full day with the C1. I still wasn't able to listen to a whole song without making adjustments. I was amazed that I still hadn't found anything about the sound that disapointed me. I was almost ready to admit to myself that I liked the C1. By mid. afternoon I was listening at levels around 104db. That's where my room really comes alive. The concrete slab feels like it is moving and you can feel the music as much as you can hear it. I can tell the subwoofer sounds cleaner then it used to. In the past I blew up the drivers in the same subwoofer at this level when I asked it to keep up with the Klipschorns. At that volume the music sounds very natural and real with room to turn it up even more. I finally seemed to be doing more listening and less tweaking. Friday night I actually watched a movie and I only kept turning THX on and off. For now it's going to stay off. I have no use for it. I like the brighter sound without it. That says a lot about the C1. If the C1 was bright sounding I would probably like the sound better with THX on.

            It was now Saturday mourning, and guess what? I was listening to music while writting up some proposals for work. Did you catch what I said? I said that I was listening to music. That means I'm no longer tweaking, and that I'm comfortable with what I'm hearing. I think I can now say that the C1 goes well with my McIntosh amps and modified Klipschorn speakers. That is not an easy task. The Klipschorn speakers have an efficiency of 104db and are fully horn loaded. They can sound harsh with some pre amps and amps. They are very revealing speakers. Mine even more so because I use more revealing midrange horns, midrange drivers, tweeters, and crossovers then the stock models. You can hear sounds out of mine that you can't hear out of the stock models. They make the stock Klipschorn sound like it has a pillow stuffed in the horn. Enought about my speakers, this is about the C1, but I felt that that needed to be said.

            Saturday afternoon I gathered up about 20 other processor manuals that I down loaded over the last year and put them in the trash. I also put the C1's shipping boxes in the attic. That means that the C1 is a keeper. Saturday night I watched two movies and I didn't change the modes and settings at all.

            I'll say more in about a half an hour. I can't type, so I need to take a break.
            Last edited by Q-Man; 24 July 2005, 14:19 Sunday.

            Comment

            • Q-Man
              Member
              • Mar 2004
              • 64

              #7
              Since the C1 doesn't provide bass management for the 7.1 inputs I use an Outlaw ICBM bass manager between the universal DVD player and the C1's 7.1 analog inputs. I set the crossovers for all the speakers at 40Hz. The ICBM works very well with the C1. I used the ICBM before getting the C1, and it sounds better now. I listened to about 3 DVD-Audio disc and 3 or 4 SACD's. I have a fuller bottom end with more punch with the C1 then I had with my other processor and receivers. That is a good thing. Before I felt like the bass was too thin for multi channel music, and I tried to compensate for it by turning up the sub. Now the punch is coming from the speakers. It sounds like I have a rear subwoofer.

              A couple of months ago when I was still deciding if I wanted to try the C1 or C2 I gave a Parasound tech. a call with a few questions. He told me that the aux. channels #9 and #10 would work with the 7.1 input. I use these channels to power my front effect speakers. This was probably the main reason that I bought the C1. Well he was wrong, the 9 and 10 channels don't work with the 7.1 inputs :cry:. I'll play with these channels some more and see what happens. Then I'll give tech. support another call and see which one of us is right.

              I couldn't use the autocalibrate set-up feature for adjusting the speaker levels. My 4 surround speakers, 2 on each side of the room pointed in different directions, confused the C1. So, I took out the Rat Shack sound level meter and adjusted the speaker levels the old fashioned way. No big deal.

              The autocalibration for speaker distance worked for every speaker except the front center channel speaker. It thought the center speaker was 4' away, when it is 18' away like my mains. Maybe this is because the center is also a full range speaker identical to my mains. I'm a believer that one should use the same speaker for the center as you are using for the mains.

              I'm only using one center back speaker at this time, and this may not change.

              The surround and back channels are cleaner sounding then before, and the channel steering seems to be more detailed sounding and precise.

              How would I discribe the sound? I hate to try to put this into adjectives, but hear goes. Warm top end with very solid clean bottom end. I say warm top end because it sounds just right with my speakers. Other pieces have sounded shrill and harsh. It may be too warm for dull lifeless speakers, maybe not.
              To me it is liquid, smoooooth, natural, real sounding. I don't think the C1 gets into the way. That's all I care to say at this time. I don't feel as if I'm an expert, and that I shouldn't comment on the sound.
              Last edited by Q-Man; 26 July 2005, 18:04 Tuesday.

              Comment

              • Q-Man
                Member
                • Mar 2004
                • 64

                #8
                If this worked, it's a picture of the front.

                One of these days I'll add a few more pictures under the topic where you guys have been posting pictures of your gear.
                Attached Files

                Comment

                • Q-Man
                  Member
                  • Mar 2004
                  • 64

                  #9
                  Originally posted by DrJRapp
                  Q-Man

                  Was the dealer from North of you or South (towards West Palm)? I may want to talk to him.

                  I'm curious to hear your impressions of the sound with your K Horns.
                  Jerry,

                  The dealer's name is Ken White with Millennium Waves. He is located on the west side of Orlando. He is a home theater installer and doesn't have a showroom. Typical these days. He wanted me to go to his and his partners home to listen to the C1 and C2, but to me that wouldn't tell me a thing. I would be listening to it on speakers that I didn't know, and probably wouldn't like. He seemed more helpful then the one or two others that I called. He is also close enought where I can bring the C1 to him if I want him to load the next software update, if it happens. I'm not very computer literate.

                  I'm not ashamed to talk prices. He will do a new C2 for $3,000.00 which I was going to get untill he called Parasound and found out that they they had a B-Stock C1 for $3,600.00. If I pushed it I may have been able to get another $100.00 off, but I was satisfied. I also feel that the C1 has more realestate available for a hardware update, but Parasound told me that they would both get any furture updates.
                  Last edited by Q-Man; 24 July 2005, 14:32 Sunday.

                  Comment

                  • DrJRapp
                    Super Senior Member
                    • Apr 2003
                    • 1204

                    #10
                    Thanks Q-Man

                    Your detailed thoughts on the C1 are extremely valuable to me since I have been unable to find a Halo dealer to audition the gear with that doesn't only have dull and lifeless speakers to listen with. Knowing that the C1 (and therefore probably the C2) isn't too hot on the top end for the Klipsch is my main concern, coming from my current Rotel gear which has a slightly cooler top end.
                    Jerry Rappaport

                    Comment

                    • Chris D
                      Moderator Emeritus
                      • Dec 2000
                      • 16877

                      #11
                      Good for you, Q-man. Have no fear. You'll very, very soon forget about tweaking settings, and purely enjoy the C1. You'll periodically think "hmm... maybe I should drop the sub level 1db" or something, but that'll be it.

                      Originally posted by Q-Man
                      By mid. afternoon I was listening at levels around 104db. That's where my room really comes alive.
                      :rofl: We are sick, sick people in this hobby, you do realize, that, don't you? Re-read that sentence above a few times.

                      You can hear sounds out of mine that you can't hear out of the stock models. They make the stock Klipschorn sound like it has a pillow stuffed in the horn.
                      Whoa, that's a pretty serious statement, there, Tex.

                      Saturday afternoon I gathered up about 20 other processor manuals that I down loaded over the last year and put them in the trash.
                      Personally, I do the same thing when I'm researching models, I'll go to the manufacturer's website and download all the data. I just keep them on electronic copy, though, so they're easy to get rid of when I need the room.

                      A couple of months ago when I was still deciding if I wanted to try the C1 or C2 I gave a Parasound tech. a call with a few questions. He told me that the aux. channels #9 and #10 would work with the 7.1 input. I use these channels to power my front effect speakers. This was probably the main reason that I bought the C1. Well he was wrong, the 9 and 10 channels don't work with the 7.1 inputs :cry:.
                      Uh... are you sure about that? I'm fairly confident that when listening to DVD-A/SACD discs through my 7.1 inputs, my channels 9/10 work just fine in outputting to my tactile transducers.

                      To me it is liquid, smoooooth, natural, real sounding. I don't think the C1 gets into the way. That's all I care to say at this time. I don't feel as if I'm an expert, and that I shouldn't comment on the sound.
                      Nah... We get too gunshy sometimes in this hobby, that just because we're not die-hard A/V gurus like the next guy, we can't offer opinions. Based on your posts here, you've showed that you know what you're talking about just fine.



                      I always love that picture, Q-man. ;x( You da' King.

                      Originally posted by DrJRapp
                      Your detailed thoughts on the C1 are extremely valuable to me since I have been unable to find a Halo dealer to audition the gear with that doesn't only have dull and lifeless speakers to listen with. Knowing that the C1 (and therefore probably the C2) isn't too hot on the top end for the Klipsch is my main concern, coming from my current Rotel gear which has a slightly cooler top end.
                      Jerry, you're going to get the same sound out of the C2 as you would with the C1. It's just a matter of a few extra features with the C1. I too have a Klipsch system with my Halo gear, (Legend series) and there's actually quite a few of us here in Club Parasound with Klipsch. Works great for me.
                      CHRIS

                      Well, we're safe for now. Thank goodness we're in a bowling alley.
                      - Pleasantville

                      Comment

                      • nicholtl
                        Senior Member
                        • Aug 2003
                        • 539

                        #12
                        Q-Man's listening room is fit for a king.

                        Comment

                        • Q-Man
                          Member
                          • Mar 2004
                          • 64

                          #13
                          Quote from Chris
                          Whoa, that's a pretty serious statement, there, Tex.

                          Your right Chris, that's why I don't discuss my speakers with people who don't know me. It just doesn't sound right, does it?

                          If you want to learn more about my Klipschorns you can find many post about them, and my other mods on the Klipsch forum. You would have to search and read last years topics. It took me over a year to voice them the way I wanted them. I went through quite a few drivers, horns, tweeters, networks and two bass horn builds to achieve my goal. A few of the other Klipsch forum members helped me out with their knowledge and test equipment. A few of the forum members made a trip to my house, and I let them A/B a lot of my speakers. They were quite impressed with the sound, and now others are jumping on the band wagon.

                          I first made my speakers be all that they can be. Then I made the room work with the speakers, because these speakers must be placed tight into 90 degree corners. Then I played with a few different amps, and I liked the sound of McIntosh. I never heard any Parasound amplifers, so I can't comment on them. I know a few of Klipsch forum members who use and like their Parasound amps. Now it was time to find a processor that would blend in with the speakers and amps. That is what brought me here, and I don't think that I have to look any further.

                          Maybe now I can get back to speaker building, I promised a few of my Klipsch buddies that I would help them with their projects.

                          Comment

                          • Q-Man
                            Member
                            • Mar 2004
                            • 64

                            #14
                            Chris,

                            Last night I got into the aux. channels again, and I could't fine a way to get them to work with the 7.1 inputs.

                            I called Parasound tech. support today and spoke with Tony. Tony is both knowledgeable and pleasant to talk to. The bad news, as I expected, is that the Aux. channels #9 and #10 do not work with the Analog 7.1 inputs. These inputs are used for DVD-Audio and SACD disc. Tony thinks that Parasound misunderstood me when I asked them this same question before buying the C1. I can understand stand that, because it is a 7.1 processor. The key word here is ANALOG 7.1 inputs.

                            This mourning when I got up the C1 was on, and the display read " Error 00010000 operation halted". I couldn't do anything by way of the front buttons or the remote. I reached behind the C1 and turned the power off with the rocker switch. I waited for about one minute and then turned the power back on. The C1 came on and looked normal, so I quickly grabbed the
                            remote and went into the menu. I wanted to see if the settings had changed or converted back to the factory defaults, but everything looked fine.

                            I also told Tony about the error message today, and he told me that if it happens again that he want's me to send the unit back to Parasound to be checked out.

                            Comment

                            • Q-Man
                              Member
                              • Mar 2004
                              • 64

                              #15
                              Jerry,

                              I like your word cool better then then my word warm for discribing the sound of the C1.

                              The C1 is also quiet with a low noise floor. I have a lower level of hiss out of my tweeters and no buzz out of the midrange horns. I now have to put my ear up to the tweeters to hear the hiss. Before I could hear the tweeter hiss and the midrange horn buzz a few feet away.I don't think that I will be able to use the balanced outputs, but I'll have to try them one of these days.

                              When I change modes, soundfields, and such I don't hear any clicks and pops. I had them with my other gear. My favorite receiver was the Yamaha RX-V3000. That receiver had the front effect channels similar to how I'm using the Aux. channels on the C1. I can make the front effect speakers sound a lot better with the C1. I used the RX-V3000 with the McIntosh amps. I wanted more, so I gave the RX-V3000 to my sister. I picked up an Outlaw 950 to hold me over while I figured out what processor I wanted. I had to send the 950 back before the 30 days were up. I didn't like it at all. It did a few things better then the Yamaha, but the Yamaha sounded better. I
                              pulled out a Yamaha RX-V2092 that I had laying around to hold me over. I came very close to trying the Anthem AVM30. It does have some nice features, but Brent swears that the C1 and C2 sound better. I'm pleased, I don't think that I'll be looking to try anything elce.

                              I'm listening to it now while typing this in the next room, and I have a pair of Klipschorns set up in this room as a two channel system to listen to if I want to.

                              I never had or heard any Rotel gear, so I can't comment on them. I also learned that it's best to A/B the stuff that you want to compare. That is the only way I can do it when I'm comparing drivers and horns. The old brain just can't remember all those details.

                              Comment

                              • RobP
                                Ultra Senior Member
                                • Nov 2004
                                • 4747

                                #16
                                Hello Q-Man, those horns that you are using, what are those? at first glance I thought they were Altec 511B's but they seem too large. Also are those JBL "mini" baby cheek horns below them?
                                Robert P. 8)

                                AKA "Soundgravy"

                                Comment

                                • Q-Man
                                  Member
                                  • Mar 2004
                                  • 64

                                  #17
                                  I use Altec 311-90 300Hz horns. The 511-B is a 500Hz horn. The Klipschorn uses a 400Hz crossover point to midrange horn and driver. It has to, because the basshorn drops off fast after 350 Hz. Some use the 511-B, I tried it and measured it. Your listening to distortion at 400Hz to 500hz with that horn. I use the Altec 290-16K 300Hz. midrange driver with the 311-90 horn.
                                  Below the 311-90 is the JBL 2404H tweeter, a very clean and crisp tweeter. I never thought too much about tweeters untill I heard this one. A custom network ties it all together.

                                  I tried the 311-90 horn because an old Altec nut told me that when you hear a sax through that horn you have to wipe the spit off of your face. Something about that statement just made me want to try it. He said that it was the best sounding of the Altec horns. I can't say that it's the best, because I havn't heard them all, but I sure do like it.

                                  Comment

                                  • RobP
                                    Ultra Senior Member
                                    • Nov 2004
                                    • 4747

                                    #18
                                    That is a really cool setup, I hear that old stuff all the time in theatres and they sound great but I have never heard them in a stereo setup. Its weird, I try to have the newest updated sound equipment, but that old stuff just fascinates me. I have some of the older Altec stuff sitting around in my warehouse. I may have to pull it out and play with it. If you want to see some really old horns that are neat try this website.
                                    Robert P. 8)

                                    AKA "Soundgravy"

                                    Comment

                                    • Q-Man
                                      Member
                                      • Mar 2004
                                      • 64

                                      #19
                                      [QUOTE=nicholtl]Q-Man's listening room is fit for a king.[/QUOTE

                                      Yeah right!
                                      You should see the carpet. My wife has been begging me to change it for years, but I don't care to tear the room apart. Those false corners that the Klipschorns sit in will take at least a day to take apart and move .

                                      Comment

                                      • Q-Man
                                        Member
                                        • Mar 2004
                                        • 64

                                        #20
                                        Soundgravy,

                                        If I was you, I would check that warehouse and see if there are any 311-90 horns with that Altec stuff. They are like gold.

                                        I had to buy three pairs for my system, and their not cheap. The horn is in high demand. I had to pay between $700.00 and $900.00 a pair plus shipping for the ones that I bought.

                                        Get this. One guy that I bought a pair from pulled them out of a dumpster. They were tearing down some kind of concert hall and were just throwing this stuff away.

                                        Comment

                                        • Lex
                                          Moderator Emeritus
                                          • Apr 2001
                                          • 27461

                                          #21
                                          Here's a story for you. I once sold a Rotel RSP-980 and RB-985, met at an audio store about 1.5 hours from my home, got his cash outside the store, took the cash inside the store and dropped it on a Proceed HPA-2 amp, along with some boot of course. I held the cash all of 1 minute. lol.
                                          Doug
                                          "I'm out there Jerry, and I'm loving every minute of it!" - Kramer

                                          Comment

                                          • RobP
                                            Ultra Senior Member
                                            • Nov 2004
                                            • 4747

                                            #22
                                            Q-man, I know, some of that stuff is crazy!! I purchased a theatre full of equipment about five years ago, the theatre was built in the mid-30's. There was a box full of odds and ends that I just threw on the shelf and forgot about, I finally went through it and most of the stuff was junk (so I thought), I pulled out a old pair of compression drivers made by Western Electric, I almost threw them out but decided to see if I could get a few bucks for them on Ebay, those things ended up selling for $4200!! Some guy in Japan bought them. Heck I thought I was going to be lucky to get $50 for them.
                                            Robert P. 8)

                                            AKA "Soundgravy"

                                            Comment

                                            • DrJRapp
                                              Super Senior Member
                                              • Apr 2003
                                              • 1204

                                              #23
                                              Originally posted by Lex
                                              Here's a story for you. I once sold a Rotel RSP-980 and RB-985, met at an audio store about 1.5 hours from my home, got his cash outside the store, took the cash inside the store and dropped it on a Proceed HPA-2 amp, along with some boot of course. I held the cash all of 1 minute. lol.
                                              Doug
                                              You know what they say, easy come easy go! Well at least you got the Rotel sold first. I usually do it the other way around and wind up tripping over boxes of recently replaced audio gear.
                                              Jerry Rappaport

                                              Comment

                                              Working...
                                              Searching...Please wait.
                                              An unexpected error was returned: 'Your submission could not be processed because you have logged in since the previous page was loaded.

                                              Please push the back button and reload the previous window.'
                                              An unexpected error was returned: 'Your submission could not be processed because the token has expired.

                                              Please push the back button and reload the previous window.'
                                              An internal error has occurred and the module cannot be displayed.
                                              There are no results that meet this criteria.
                                              Search Result for "|||"