Parasound Halo CD 1 Holm-Designed CD Player Preview

[admin]

Parasound introduced the Parasound Halo CD 1, a high-end CD player that uses new CD playback and processing technology that is the result of a collaboration between Parasound and Holm Acoustics in Copenhagen, Denmark. The Parasound CD 1 uses a new method for playing CDs that is based on using a CD ROM drive instead of a conventional CD drive and a Linux-based computer to read and process the CD data. The CD ROM drive in the CD 1 runs at 4 times the speed of a conventional CD player drive in order to accumulate a vast amount of data. An on-board Intel ITX computer, running the Linux operating system kernel and Holm's proprietary software dramatically improves the reading of CD disc data. It analyzes CD data and reads every part of a CD as many times as are needed to significantly reduce errors and, accordingly, the negative effects of error concealment. The result is a nearly bit-perfect data stream.

Discuss "Parasound Halo CD 1 Holm-Designed CD Player Preview" here. Read the article.

 

[scattershot]

It amazes me that there is still a market for CD players costing over a $1000 dollars (in this case $4500!)

A consumer would be far better off building a HTPC with a high quality sound card and digitizing their entire collection (as lossless audio) while enjoying the benefits of HDtracks (far superior sound to CD) while pocketing the few thousand dollar difference to enjoy a 5 star all inclusive vacation in Mexico.

Just my two cents, was blown away to see that someone was still charging thousands of dollars for a CD player...

 

[gene]

It amazes me that there is still a market for CD players costing over a $1000 dollars (in this case $4500!)

A consumer would be far better off building a HTPC with a high quality sound card and digitizing their entire collection (as lossless audio) while enjoying the benefits of HDtracks (far superior sound to CD) while pocketing the few thousand dollar difference to enjoy a 5 star all inclusive vacation in Mexico.

Just my two cents, was blown away to see that someone was still charging thousands of dollars for a CD player...

This is especially true when you can already get PERFECT sound reproduction from the Oppo BDP-105 that happens to be 1/4th the price and BTW also happens to play EVERY current audio and video format with equal prowess!

 

[Irvrobinson]

The Emotiva ERC-2 uses a CDROM drive, and it was very clunky and noisy, so much so it was one of the reasons I sold it at a loss. Of course, the Emotiva was relatively cheap, not $4500. I would hope Parasound's drive is much more refined.

 

[cpp]

I found this other article on this new player: Parasound Halo CD1
In that article there is something about some NEW CD-ROM drive they use as compared to a CD drive which must have been back in the early times of cd players.. I would think all modern CD players use a CD-ROM based drive so what's the deal with this $5000 player as opposed to say and OPPO players or any decent player on the market. Heck my Rega sounds as good as my OPPO

 

[Irvrobinson]

I would think all modern CD players use a CD-ROM based drive so what's the deal with this $5000 player as opposed to say and OPPO players or any decent player on the market. Heck my Rega sounds as good as my OPPO

Most CD/DVD/BD players do not use CDROM drives, they use 1x speed slide-drawer drives. Computers went to slot-loaded drives for robustness in office environments, and speed multiplication for better performance. Speed multiplication is irrelevant for entertainment content, and I would argue it's a bad thing, because faster drives make more noise. Slot-loaded drives are slower because there's a mechanism that has to grab the disk and position it on a spindle, and that generally takes longer than closing a drawer. CDROM drives also have longer loading times because some low-cost (and therefore low performance) function in the drive has to recognize the disc format and figure out what speed to spin it.

The Oppo 105, for example, does not use a cheap computer CDROM drive. It uses a rather expensive, sliding drawer design, with extensive isolation and noise reduction features, and appears to only work at 1x the target disc speed.

 

[cpp]

Most CD/DVD/BD players do not use CDROM drives, they use 1x speed slide-drawer drives. Computers went to slot-loaded drives for robustness in office environments, and speed multiplication for better performance. Speed multiplication is irrelevant for entertainment content, and I would argue it's a bad thing, because faster drives make more noise. Slot-loaded drives are slower because there's a mechanism that has to grab the disk and position it on a spindle, and that generally takes longer than closing a drawer. CDROM drives also have longer loading times because some low-cost (and therefore low performance) function in the drive has to recognize the disc format and figure out what speed to spin it.

The Oppo 105, for example, does not use a cheap computer CDROM drive. It uses a rather expensive, sliding drawer design, with extensive isolation and noise reduction features, and appears to only work at 1x the target disc speed.

Agree Irv so what makes this Parasound so much better or about $3300.00 better. I just don't get it but maybe it is because there are some folks somewhere that still think high dollar CD players are better than some lower ticket player and will pay the price for a CD player. Who knows.

 

[Irvrobinson]

Agree Irv so what makes this Parasound so much better or about $3300.00 better. I just don't get it but maybe it is because there are some folks somewhere that still think high dollar CD players are better than some lower ticket player and will pay the price for a CD player. Who knows.

I have no idea what makes the Parasound better, other than it is prettier and some pride of ownership factor. What makes an Omega watch better than a Wenger, or a Seiko for that matter? For some people look and feel is a factor, and I admit I'm not immune to it, though I use a cheap Tascam CD drive myself.

 

[cpp]

I have no idea what makes the Parasound better, other than it is prettier and some pride of ownership factor. What makes an Omega watch better than a Wenger, or a Seiko for that matter? For some people look and feel is a factor, and I admit I'm not immune to it, though I use a cheap Tascam CD drive myself.

No doubt some marketing hype being applied, but hey that's business.

 

[slipperybidness]

Most CD/DVD/BD players do not use CDROM drives, they use 1x speed slide-drawer drives. Computers went to slot-loaded drives for robustness in office environments, and speed multiplication for better performance. Speed multiplication is irrelevant for entertainment content, and I would argue it's a bad thing, because faster drives make more noise. Slot-loaded drives are slower because there's a mechanism that has to grab the disk and position it on a spindle, and that generally takes longer than closing a drawer. CDROM drives also have longer loading times because some low-cost (and therefore low performance) function in the drive has to recognize the disc format and figure out what speed to spin it.

The Oppo 105, for example, does not use a cheap computer CDROM drive. It uses a rather expensive, sliding drawer design, with extensive isolation and noise reduction features, and appears to only work at 1x the target disc speed.

You make it seem like CDROM drives are only the slot-load type. CDROM drives also come in drawer-load varieties.

Maybe that isn't what you meant? But that's kind of how I interpreted it.

 

[Irvrobinson]

You make it seem like CDROM drives are only the slot-load type. CDROM drives also come in drawer-load varieties.

Maybe that isn't what you meant? But that's kind of how I interpreted it.

That isn't what I meant, so my apologies for being somewhat obtuse. While CDROM drives do indeed come in drawer designs they are becoming rare.

 

[Boerd]

CD player? Sooo 10 years ago... For 4500$?
Put your CDs on a computer and serve them wireless (from another room) through a no-moving-parts transport (Apple TV or SqueezeBox v3 or others) to a DAC...
It can be done well under 1k$ (SB3 + Emotiva DAC = approx 500$) and you have ZERO mechanical noise.
Plus, you don't have to get up from your couch and change the CD.

 

[3db]

Yes but there is that "boutique brand" association that one is getting scalped for. I thought $4500 CD players went away with the dinosaurs!!

 

[slipperybidness]

Yes but there is that "boutique brand" association that one is getting scalped for. I thought $4500 CD players went away with the dinosaurs!!

Coming from a person with a Turntable in their setup?

 

[3db]

I'm not sure what you are getting at?

Turntables and vinyl are the new vogue


Seriously though.... it was the price I'm *****in about.

 

[slipperybidness]

I'm not sure what you are getting at?

Turntables and vinyl are the new vogue


Seriously though.... it was the price I'm *****in about.

I agree about the pricing. What would be really nice, and worth some extra $, would be a cd vault / mega-changer that is still high quality.

Are there any on the market that go above 5 discs that are worth looking into? I have an old Pioneer 100 disc changer in my 2nd rig, mostly for convenience and it is a nice way to store the discs to avoid damage.

 

[3db]

Not without going used. I think everyone rips them to a hard disk now on a media player or computer and play it through those devices instead.

 

[cpp]

Coming from a person with a Turntable in their setup?

Not a thing wrong with a Turntable , but wacko $200 cables and little wooden cable stands, well that's another story

 

[Irvrobinson]

Not without going used. I think everyone rips them to a hard disk now on a media player or computer and play it through those devices instead.

What planet have you been visiting? Vinyl is cool again. I know so many young people into vinyl because they believe it sounds better. Even the WSJ said that was so. Stupidity knows no generational bounds.

 

[3db]

What planet have you been visiting? Vinyl is cool again. I know so many young people into vinyl because they believe it sounds better. Even the WSJ said that was so. Stupidity knows no generational bounds.

Dude!! I'm a huge vinyl guy and buy new vinyl instead of downloads or CDs. Me thinks you misread my post. I was answering slipperybidness post #16 ... Nothing stupid about vinyl... It works really well with a good set-up and offers involvement that CDs and downloads can't. Please don't crap on something you may not agree with.