Parasound Halo P 5 Stereo Preamplifier Preview

[afterlife2]

What sub mac?

 

[sharkman]

I am on the fence here too. I can not decide on this or the Emo XSP... I don't really need another DAC as I use the Emotiva xda-1 and don't really need balanced either. I do need sub controls and most important is sound... I found my old USP-1 a little thin and bright when comparing to my Marantz gear.... I am leaning towards the Parasound since I have read it sounds more full than the XSP-1.... Who knows what to believe. Some will say you should hear no difference between preamps...Or amps for that matter..

I can't remember, did you get the defective XPA-2 back yet? Are you still going to keep it?

 

[macddmac]

What sub mac?

Depending on taxes.. SB-13 or sb2000.

 

[ematthews]

Think this time around I will go ahead with the Parasound. Just hoping there is a warmer tone to it than the USP-1.... Don't flame me for thinking this. I do notice.. Maybe I am just hyper sensitive to these things.

 

[RichB]

Think this time around I will go ahead with the Parasound. Just hoping there is a warmer tone to it than the USP-1.... Don't flame me for thinking this. I do notice.. Maybe I am just hyper sensitive to these things.

Parasound makes great products. Please post your impressions.

What feeds your DAC?

- Rich

 

[ematthews]

Parasound makes great products. Please post your impressions.

What feeds your DAC?

- Rich

I have my Imac running to the XDA-1 via Toslink... I don't think it sounds good. CD playback seems much better.. Maybe be the source however. Itunes and Youtube.

 

[RichB]

I have my Imac running to the XDA-1 via Toslink... I don't think it sounds good. CD playback seems much better.. Maybe be the source however. Itunes and Youtube.

I am not a MAC person, but have you tried using the USB DAC?

- Rich

 

[jinjuku]

I have my Imac running to the XDA-1 via Toslink... I don't think it sounds good. CD playback seems much better.. Maybe be the source however. Itunes and Youtube.

Youtube is not something I would consider high resolution. With lossless files in iTunes it shouldn't be an issue. Honestly something seems suspect with how you have the computer and DAC configured.

 

[Speedskater]

Stereophile magazine just (April 2014) reviewed the Halo P 5 preamp. While Art Dudley is one of Stereophile's saner reviewer's, and wrote an interesting first page editorial in the same issue. But they should have assigned this function heavy preamp to some other person. Art had no interest in testing the p 5's many possibilities.

 

[ematthews]

Stereophile magazine just (April 2014) reviewed the Halo P 5 preamp. While Art Dudley is one of Stereophile's saner reviewer's, and wrote an interesting first page editorial in the same issue. But they should have assigned this function heavy preamp to some other person. Art had no interest in testing the p 5's many possibilities.

I read this and thought the same thing? Why on earth test something and not test all of it. Still left us wondering...

 

[ematthews]

I am not a MAC person, but have you tried using the USB DAC?

- Rich

I have not... To be honest I haven't used it much and will do some more changes to see if I can improve things..95% of the time I am using CD playback.

 

[ematthews]

Youtube is not something I would consider high resolution. With lossless files in iTunes it shouldn't be an issue. Honestly something seems suspect with how you have the computer and DAC configured.

Thanks. I know youtube is awful, but there is so much material out there to be found...It helps. So does Pandora. Is Pandora a good source. I am a subscriber.

 

[sharkman]

I have my Imac running to the XDA-1 via Toslink... I don't think it sounds good. CD playback seems much better.. Maybe be the source however. Itunes and Youtube.

I tried running my XDA-1 with Itunes as well and found it unsatisfactory compared with cd play. I ended up selling the XDA.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Do you guys stream lossless audio from your iPad to your processor?

I stream from my iPad to my Denon and it sounds just like CD.

 

[RichB]

Do you guys stream lossless audio from your iPad to your processor?

I stream from my iPad to my Denon and it sounds just like CD.

I have not been able to get greater than 44.1 FLAC files from the iPad directly connection to the BDP-105D USB DAC, although, I need to try some more options because it seems doable.

Recently, J River added support for DSD and DSF streaming via DLNA and the J Remote app is excellent.
There are no problems streaming all formats of PCM, DSD, and DSF to the BDP-105D.

For 2 channel, J River to the BDP-105D sounds fantastic, however, the streaming mode (Kernel Streaming, ASIO, WASAPI) do affect the sound quality.
Using some configurations, a USB DAC can surpass the performance of a device playing a CD.

J Remote on the he iPad allows you to browse your library, select any device for playback, simultaneously control multiple output zone, and even link zones to send the same audio to multiple devices. The actual work is performed by J River running on your PC or MAC.


- Rich

 

[Steve81]

Do you guys stream lossless audio from your iPad to your processor?

I use my iPad along with Airplay (via an Apple TV in the HT and an Airport Express in the bedroom)to good effect. I know Stereophile reviewed the Airport Express at one point, and they were satisfied with the measured & subjective results using Apple Lossless files and the AE's optical output to an outboard DAC.

 

[ematthews]

Do you guys stream lossless audio from your iPad to your processor?

I stream from my iPad to my Denon and it sounds just like CD.

Since I am getting my feet wet with computer audio and DAC's, I have no idea what I am getting?

 

[RichB]

Since I am getting my feet wet with computer audio and DAC's, I have no idea what I am getting?

Potentially:

- a Music library instantly accessible and controlled by an iPad, Pod, tablet
- Potentially improved sound quality, at the very least, equal quality

Foobar2000 is free, I would start there and see if you like it.
Apps like MonkeyMote can provide a nice iPad interface.

However, J River is easier to setup and use and has a free trial and MAC version:

JRiver Media Center software

Once setup, the only time you touch the disk in is to rip it.

- Rich

 

[ematthews]

Potentially:

- a Music library instantly accessible and controlled by an iPad, Pod, tablet
- Potentially improved sound quality, at the very least, equal quality

Foobar2000 is free, I would start there and see if you like it.
Apps like MonkeyMote can provide a nice iPad interface.

However, J River is easier to setup and use and has a free trial and MAC version:

JRiver Media Center software

Once setup, the only time you touch the disk in is to rip it.

- Rich

Thanks. So this is best to use for my IMac 2012 version? What about all the music that has been downloaded from Itunes already? Can this be migrated to the App?

 

[RichB]

Thanks. So this is best to use for my IMac 2012 version? What about all the music that has been downloaded from Itunes already? Can this be migrated to the App?

There is nothing wrong with using your iMac if it is co-located with your DAC since USB distance is limited.

- Rich