Halo Amps for Center and Surround.

[Pookie007]

I am considering using Parasound Halo amps for my center and surround. I am debating if I would be better off getting a A52 or two A23. I only need 3 channels of amplification so ether option would meet my needs. I could save about $200 by getting the pair of A23. Does anyone know if there is a performance difference between them? I am using Audio Research for my mains.

[Chris D]

Well, yes, the A23's will give you more dedicated fidelity for each channel. Any chance you'll need the extra two channels in the future, though, for extra speakers?

[Peter Nielsen]

Any chance you'll want rear surrounds (for a 7.1 setup) in the future? The A52 would be ready for that....

Peter

[Vince Helm]

I am considering using Parasound Halo amps for my center and surround. I am debating if I would be better off getting a A52 or two A23. I only need 3 channels of amplification so ether option would meet my needs. I could save about $200 by getting the pair of A23. Does anyone know if there is a performance difference between them? I am using Audio Research for my mains.

For what its worth, I use an A-23 bridged/mono for the center and an A-52 for the surrounds, rear and aux. It works very well. I like having more power on hand for the center channel as that speaker tends to work the hardest and needs more dynamic headroom from the amp. Just make sure the ohm load is 8 ohms.

Good luck
Vince

[kfr01]

I agree with Vince here. The last speaker you want clipping during movies is the center. Headroom for the center is a good idea, imo.

[Pookie007]

I do not see me ever going to a 7.1 setup in the future. So the 5th channel isn’t critical. I was considering bridging the center amp. The specs say that is 400W @ 8Ω. My Audio Research on the mains is 300W @ 8Ω. I am sure that rating is very conservative. The pre-amp should allow me to balance the levels.

My other thought was if I got two A23 amps, I could always add a 3rd later. Then I could bridge them mono and have a dedicated amp for each front channel and use the ARC for the surrounds.

[Vince Helm]

My Audio Research on the mains is 300W @ 8Ω. I am sure that rating is very conservative. The pre-amp should allow me to balance the levels.

The A23 has a level control on the back if you need it.
Vince

[Pookie007]

I ordered two A23 today. I am going to do a little side-by-side testing with my Audio Research amp. If I like the sound of the A23 bridged mono to each main as must or better than the ARC 300.2, I will get a third and move the ARC to the surrounds. For now I am starting with an A23 mono on the center, the ARC 300.2 on the mains, and a A23 in two channel for the surrounds.

[kfr01]

Nice. I'll be impressed if you can actually hear any difference between the A23 and the ARC. They should both be sufficiently capable such that hearing differences (other than sensitivity induced differences) should be difficult.

[Chris D]

Ah, cool, well, there you go! A banana for your new gear: :banana:

[Pookie007]

I received and set up my two new amps. I bridged on mono for the center and used the other for the surrounds. I did a little testing running my 803S connected to the A23 running mono. The speakers sounded tack sharp. There were no artifacts in the music. I think the ARC stuff sounded a little warmer, but just as accurate. I didn’t have a power available issue with either. They both drove the speakers without a problem.

I think I am going to proceed with getting a third A23. Then I can go with 3 mono amps across the front. I think this will help match up the sound compared to combining the ARC with a Halo. I don’t think the slight differences will be noticed if the ARC is used for surround.

What I am now considering is a new pre-amp. I am debating making the extra investment to get balanced connectors. I don’t know if I can justify the extra expense. What pre-amps are you running?

[Vince Helm]

Hey Pookie,

Glad to know all is well with the A23 amps. This might seem nuts, but if you are going to buy another A23 and run all three mono, I would go ahead and start running the two A23s you have now in mono and add the third when it comes in. You never know about how electronics are going to burn/settle in. It would be better if the front left and right mono amps had the same (or close) burn in time and keep the left and right amps as close as possible in the manufacturing runs... look at the serial numbers on your two A23s and see if they are close to each other.

Best of luck!!!
Vince

[Pookie007]

I would love to buy the third amp now, but with Christmas coming I have been put on a spending moratorium by my wife. I think the 3rd will possibly be a Christmas gift. If I go to mono on the amps now, I will be short a channel for HT use. I am going to be an optimist and assume after I receive the third amp it will burn-in similar to the amps I already have.

Next spring I want to change the pre-amp. I would love to get balanced outputs but it will double my pre-amp budget to get the Krell showcase or Parasound Halo compared to the Rotel. I am also looking at the Outlaw 990. It gets me into balanced outputs at the same cost as the Rotel. I have only heard good things about the Outlaw and it seems to do very well in the reviews. Outlaw lets you return it no questions asked for the first 30 days, so I might order one and then get a in home demo of the Krell to see if I can hear a $3000 difference.

[Chris D]

Well, if you're looking for 2-channel pre-amps, the JC2 comes out in a few months! :T I'm not sure who you were asking, as far as what pre-amps we're running. I've got a Halo C1. Not going to give that baby up for a LONG time.

[Pookie007]

Chris,

I need a HT processor. I have looked at the Halo C1 and C2. The C1 is out of my price range. I did look at the C2. I am seeing pricing around $4000. I think I can also get a factory refurbished for $2800. I have been told I would get the same warranty as the non-refreshed version. I want to get great quality, but also want to spend my money wisely.

My biggest problem with Parasound is I don’t have a local dealer so I have to order everything in. So I have to buy based on recommendations. Parasound only lists 1 authorized online dealer so I have to pay full retail. Since I am no upgrading until spring, I have some time to do research.

Chris

[Chris D]

Yup... sounds like you need to talk to Brent Huskins here... he is, I think, the only authorized Parasound dealer online. He can get you any Parasound item you need for less than you get can anywhere else. (and not retail) Click on his "Media Design" banner at the top of all HTGuide screens.