- Circuitry designed by legendary John Curl
- THX Ultra2 certified
- High bias Class A/AB operation
- Balanced inputs with discrete circuits and XLR connectors
- Direct Coupled - no capacitors or inductors in signal path
- Complementary MOSFET driver stage and JFET input stage
- 20 beta-matched 15 amp, 60 MHz bipolar output transistors
- 1.4 kVA encapsulated toroid power transformer with independent
secondary windings for each channel - 100,000 µF power supply filter capacitance
- DC Servo and relay protection circuits
- AC present, channel status, high temperature indicators
- Heavy-duty 24k gold-plated 5-way speaker terminals
- Gold-plated RCA input jacks; ground lift switch
- Auto turn-on by 12v trigger or audio signal, 12v trigger out
- 3u Chassis, carry handles, rack mountable with HRA3 (sold separately)
Vintage HALO A52
Reviews
HomeTheaterReview.com
If you're looking to build a home theater on a budget, why not take a peek at the Parasound Halo A52 five-channel amp? With a retail price of $2,500, the A52 comes from Parasound's cost-no-object line of products, designed in conjunction with legendary audio designer John Curl. You heard me correctly: $2,500 buys you a cost-no-object amp from Parasound, one of the leaders in the value-per-dollar AV electronics game.
Home Vision (Germany), October 2004
"Die A 52 von Parasound ist eine edel verarbeitete und gut ausgestattete 5-kanalige Endstufe mit guten Messwerten und einer sehr hohen Ausgangsleistung."
"The A 52 from Parasound is a perfectly manufactured and well equipped 5-channel power amplifier with good technical specifications and very high power capabilities." - Anselm Goertz
AudioVision (Germany), September 2004
"During listening, the set (C 2, A 52) showed muscles -but also a sense for fine details and apparent dimensionality." "The set organized the sound well, and never left any doubt of where the voices or music instruments were coming from." "Even in the biggest 'encounters' the Parasound never lost imaging, and even the strongest explosions or deepest bass attacks of a kind like 'Star Trek' could not distress them at all." "With this combination the Parasound development engineers have proven again a first class job." 93 - Michael Nothnagel
Audio (Poland), August 2004
"The C 1 and A 52 is the most powerful control and amplification center for Home Theater you can ever imagine for this price. The transparency of the sound, its precision is outstanding." "Some audiophiles would like to here more 'juicy' sound, but the A 52 doesn't add anything to the sound. It sounds exactly as the sound engineer wanted the soundtrack to sound." "In summary, we can say that it is very hard to imagine any competitive devices with the same outstanding capabilities and sound reproduction." - Wojciech Pacula
Audio & Video Lifestyle (Australia), August 2004
"This combo (C 2 and A 52) has to be the outright best looking gear I have had in my home theatre system." "In the end you have to say that there is still no AV receiver in the world with a bottom-end like this." "...the sound came through like candy to the ears." "It had a smoothness that helped create a sense of space and poise that was remarked upon by all who heard the combo." "Midrange performance was detailed and neutral. Male and female voice, violins and cellos were never harsh (as you would not forgive at this price point), but were reproduced with the most natural realism that I have heard from my home theatre."
Performance = Five Stars (Perfection), Build Quality = Five Stars (Perfection) - Gavin Womersley
Diapason (France), May 2004
Hjemmekino (Norway), May 2004
AV Guide Monthly, March 2004
"I wanted something considerably better, and the Halo electronics provided it, letting me hear soundtracks with higher resolution, more focus, more believable dynamics, and better channel-to-channel integration than I've heard from most home theater systems." "Once you live with the C 2 and A 52 for a few months you get hooked, and it becomes hard to imagine doing without the finely textured, three-dimensional sound they bring to life in films." - Christ Martens
Home Cinema Choice (UK), March 2004
"125 Parasound Watts carries a lot more grunt in the real world than a similar number of Watts from most AV amps, as our lab test prove." "...the system is powerful, engaging and very listenable, even when pumping the bass cones as though there was no tomorrow." "Power reserves are high and the whole effect is one of control, good definition and kick ass authority." "...a superb package (C 2, A 52, A 23), whose power and majesty can only be hinted at on the printed page, and tremendous material value for money too. Audition with urgency." 4 1/2 Stars - Alvin Gold
Opera International (France), February 2004
"Que vous restiez fidèles à la stéréo ou que vous désiriez tenter une incursion dans le monde du son multicanal, cet ensemble Parasound constitue pour nous l'électronique ultime, la meilleure que nous connaissions aujourd'hui. Tout simplement. Si la perfection était de ce monde, nous dirions qu'elle est tout simplement parfaite, d'autant qu'elle ne nécessite pas un long apprentissage pour profiter de ses charmes."
"Whether you want to stick to traditional stereo or want to go multi-channel, this Parasound combo (C 2/A 52) seems to us the best we know of today. Quite simply, if perfection ever existed, we would say this is it, in as much as it does not require a 'steep learning curve' to get the most out of its charms." - Ghislain Prugnard
What Hi-Fi (Russia), January 2004
"Now about sound, it is powerful, well balanced and not deformed on the dynamic range edges. Run any action movie - and you will get real movie sound that always involves you in the action. This set extracts information from a soundtrack with such absolute precision that it surprises. The reality of sound sometimes seems unbelievable - Ian Holm's voice in 'Fifth Element' is just amazing. Verdict: very expensive but excellent set possessing perfect sound and extraordinary relish."
EISA Award, 2003- 2004
Nominee for Home Theater European Imaging and Sound Association Award
Essential Home Cinema (UK), December 2003
"Our assumption was that the C 2/A 52 combination would put on an excellent show, and we weren't disappointed." "The bass is brutal, covering the lower frequencies with a crisp, perfectly timed wall of sound that can take on a top-quality subwoofer and give it all the ammunition needed to rock any joint." "Outstanding. If you've got money and a taste for the sublime this amp/processor combination will deliver the crystal, pinpoint, pounding audio performance you deserve." Five Stars Editor's Choice - Ian Collen
Diapason (France), November 2003
Diapason D'OR Award
"En écoutant nos SACD de référence , nous avons été saisis par le délié, le naturel de cette électronique d'exception.....on approche l'idéal sonore."
"While we were listening to our reference SACD, we were flabbergasted by the articulation and naturalness of these truly exceptional components (C 2/A 52), we are heading for an ideal sound."
Alta Fidelidad (Spain), August 2003
"La Parasound Halo A 52 es un magnífico ejemplo de lo que debe ser una etapa de potencia multicanal concebida con criterios audiófilos." - Miguel Riera
"The Parasound Halo A 52 is a magnificent performer and should be considered by any audiophile looking for multi-channel audio performance." - Miguel Riera
HiFi News (UK), August 2003
"The A 52 is a five-channel power amplifier built on such an epic battleship scale that I was tempted to smash a bottle of champagne across the fascia upon first switch-on." "It's superb build, sound and a 10-year warranty reinforce my view that I for one left my heart in San Francisco." - Jonathan Gorse
