Richard explained that the basic architecture and topology of the A21+ is similar to the A21, but not identical. Sony A9G, Oppo 205, Parasound JC2, Parasound A21⦠Great review. Like its predecessor, the A 21+ still punches well above its price point in overall performance and is still an amplifier that does most things right. As a previous long-time owner of the original A 21, I feel confident in saying the A 21+ does in fact sound similar. Parasound did a thorough job in writing the manual for the A21+. But what, exactly, do you get for that extra coin? Parasound states that it is not advised to use both the balanced and unbalanced inputs at the same time, which is cumbersome in my system. Parasound Boosts Power & Fidelity for Popular Stereo Amps New Parasound Halo A 21+ and A 23+ receive significant improvements over long-lived predecessors. The New First Watt SIT-3 Stereo Power Amplifier by Nelson Pass! Parasound classifies the amp's topology as high-bias Class A/AB. Though not the last word in solid-state amplification, the A21 While six watts may not seem like much, that's enough power to drive all but the most inefficient speakers to reasonably high SPLs for the majority of music or movies you'll likely listen to. (woofer/tweeter are gold plate bridged) From the Sub out I run into An Emotiva XPA-200 which then run to the Dalquist W2 woofer bases. With the amp's prodigious output power and high damping factor, the A 21+ offered up some of the most articulate, well-controlled bass I've heard down to the lowest octaves my speakers would go. The solo trumpet's bell clearly rung out true in texture and intensity, and the growing crescendo of the tympani was realistic as the instrument's heads splashed with excitement. Parasound has chosen to take a staple core product that has remained an exceptional value for over fifteen years, the Halo A21 amplifier, and re-spin it into the Halo A21+. His mastery combined with artistry provides lightning-fast transients, subtle finger-work, and heavy harmonics that can easily lack the flash-like quality of his slaps and rich tonal integration of the low E and A strings. Small, but quintessential details like soundstage depth, focus, and texture seem to have received a significant boost. Through nearly 40 years of unrelenting pressure, like tectonic plates pushing against each other terra-forming the Earth, Parasound has earned the privilege of defining a good part of today's sonic landscape. The A 21 amplifier is loaded with usable ⦠Build quality of the Parasound A 21+ is mighty impressive and handsome enough to fit into most décors. Parasound has been one of those brands that, although have a huge following, somehow gets overlooked. As previously mentioned, I am not convinced the raw power difference is the primary advantage over the A21, though the A21+ provides more audible control in the first two octaves (20Hz - 80Hz) over its predecessor. I found the A 21+ fell a bit behind in terms of tonal accuracy, ultimate resolution, and clarity. Parasound's website lists the dimensions as 17-5/8 inches wide, 7-3/4 inches high, and 20 inches deep.  The remainder of the rear panel is intuitive and well laid out. The amp's overall sound quality is excellent, with its high bias Class A/AB design imparting a particularly smooth, natural, and organic signature to the sound. It is worth reading cover to cover. If you were alone, rocking out to your favorite Prince album at 90dB in your living room thanks to a dentist appointment your significant other had to keep, any distortion that is there would be at a level of just 30dB which is quieter than a whisper. It is odd how small changes can make a big difference, which will become a common theme as we wear on. It would be difficult get more amplifier without pursuing a home equity loan, or at least a small automobile loan. I haven't done the same review (Outlaw 100-watter vs the A51's 250) on my new speakers, but I'm happy to report that I love my new speakers (Focal BE 1027) and they have wowed everyone who has heard them. Gratis verzending. Power Output â Stereo Mode (0.1% THD) 300 watts x 2, 8 Ω both channels driven 500 watts x 2, 4 Ω both channels driven Power Output â Bridged Mode (0.1% THD) 1000 watts x 1, 8 Ω Bridged 4 Ω operation is not recommended Power Output â Stereo Mode (0.06% THD) 160 watts x 2, 8Ω both channels driven 240 watts x Unboxing the brute that sits in Parasound's top-teir, "Halo" line took my six-foot-three 245 pound frame everything it had. "Classical Thump" blew me away thanks to the A21+'s control and accurate timbre. In fact, these are the same speaker terminals found on the company's more expensive JC 5 amplifier, though only a single pair of terminals is included per channel, so those looking to bi-wire their speakers will need to consider a different amp. For example: <0.2% to <0.1% represents a 6dB reduction in distortion putting the THD of the A21+ at full power 60dB less than the music. "Parasound has chosen to take a staple core product that has remained an exceptional value for over fifteen years, the Halo A21 amplifier, and re-spin it into the Halo A21+," reports Michael Zisserson at positive-feedback.com. Each of these stages features its own independent power supply and, in John Curl fashion, a strong emphasis on reducing higher-order harmonics has been made in the amp's circuit design, which Curl deems as the most detrimental type of distortion for sound quality an amplifier can have. PerformanceI'm sure a lot of people reading this review are wondering if the A 21+ sounds a lot like the original A 21. These upgrades to the power supply provide a roughly 20 percent increase in output power, with the amp now specified to provide up to 300 watts per channel into eight ohms, 500 watts per channel into four ohms, and up to 1,000 watts into eight ohms in bridged mode. I have the A21 along with a Parasound Halo preamp for my 2-channel system for music - pure bliss. Since the increase in power over the A21 is akin to adding another cup of water to what is already a sizable lake, I was very titillated by the reduction in distortion over the A21 that was stated to have <0.2% THD at full power. Its replacement, the Halo A 21+, is priced a little higher at $2,995. The former tried and true, untouchable value and staple of their product line, the A21, had set the bar for value vs. performance in both the HiFi and Professional audio worlds. One of the biggest gripes owners had with the A 21's chassis was the plastic end caps found on the faceplate. If bass performance is of utmost concern, the A 21+ should be on your shortlist of amps to consider. Moves the sound through the system with ease, power and fluid control. Parasound Halo Integrated review: if youâre after one do-it-all amp, there are few better alternatives. As I noted earlier, the A 21+ has a high-bias Class A/AB circuit design, which is one of the amp's standout features. The amp is still offered in both black and silver finish options, and although at first glance the chassis appears unchanged, a few upgrades have occurred there as well. Perhaps a better word for the overall improvement the A21+ offers would be refinement. When the gain settings are at maximum they act as a piece of wire and no resistive material from the potentiometers is in the signal path. Listening at levels louder than necessary through the largest and most capable loudspeaker in the bunch, the effect was accurately captured by the A21+. This was an acceptable difference seeing as the A21 is a power house and the MB 100 was all about refinement. To facilitate this, the designer of the A 21, the legendary John Curl, was brought back in to make the necessary modifications. I have had this amp for 11 years and never had an issue of any kind. With the introduction of these new products, Parasound has not only upgraded the cosmetics to match the ânew lookâ but have also âsuperchargedâ the power output. Alleen bij ons 5 jaar garantie! Refinement is where the A21+ puts real distance from the A21. Its replacement, the Halo A 21+, is priced a little higher at $2,995. It is very satisfying to forget I was listening through an absolute powerhouse and when I desired a light touch for delicate music, it was there. So, depending on the power needs of your speakers and how hard you drive them, much of you listening will be done in pure Class A, with Class AB power provided only in particularly dynamic moments. The Pragmatists at Parasound chose to re-spin the A21 amplifier into the A21+. It is easy to understand that 0.2 is greater than 0.1, yet those numbers are so small how could they possibly be significant? While an average volume from your listening position of 90dB is quite loud, the A21+ would simply be purring along, nowhere near its maximum power. Upgrades were made to key electronic components throughout. Parasound however, pulled it off exceptionally. As the new model name suggests, Parasound decided to improve upon the A 21's design rather than trying to reinvent the wheel. Jaton CD1000B, Rega P1 Turntable and Carbon cartridge and a Windows PC.   Â. I loved its big, rich sound -- and with the stereo version, the A 21+ ($3150), the A 1 series has received universal acclaim for providing exceptional performance at real-world prices. Parasound has nothing to hide here as these are real numbers supported by A21+'s capability of delivering 60 amperes of current per channel, the ability to deliver this power through the amplifier's full band-width, and a low <0.1% Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) when driving the full audio band (20Hz - 20kHz) at rated power. Submit a ReviewContact Editorial Policy About us, Privacy Policy CCPA / GDPR Affiliate policy. This effect was prevalent while cycling through loudspeakers, especially ones that were purposefully tuned in a certain manner for greater warmth, or apparent speed. Their A21 and A51 amplifiers have been unchanged since they debuted and remain a mainstay of most Top Equipment lists that publications put out. It separates left to right and front to back on the soundstage, gives each instrument enough air and clarity that they each occupy their own space. However, the A 21+ offers a slightly smoother presentation of sound and it should come as no surprise to hear the A 21+ had better grip and control over my speakers' bass drivers. Â, Everything is related; working toward lower distortion also improved key specifications such as signal-to-noise ratio and interchannel crosstalk. The amp in silver is nice to look at and 65lbs it is a beast that competes with krell and Levinson at a quarter of the cost. One cannot have it all for $2500 USD, and to have MB 100-like refinement with the control, neutrality, and drive of the A21 (and in total even further capability), the only logical choice would be the Bricasti M15 stereo amp at $18,000 USD. And critical parasound a21+ review wiring was re-routed along with the price, the 21+... 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