Parasound Halo series.
where to go from here?
Need a new amp for my Logans ,thinking about less than 2k
NO used
Round One Rotel RB1080
Impressions on first unboxing its reasonably heavy and looks decent (as in better than say an adcom).
Hook it up run some white noise for about an hour or so than run some Guns N Roses thru it for about a 1/2 hour.
I sit down to listen and about had to cry, what the hell happened it was just not good at all, my wife said it best when she came home from work she walked in and said "what the hell happened it sounds like SH*T". The mids were congested, the highs grainy, the low end was boomy and ill defined, bah humbug how can this be I gave it the benefit of the doubt. Left it on all evening, although with no desire to turn it up any louder than below background music (whereas usually I am goosing the volume up all night) then I left it on all night and most of the next morning with more white noise. When I checked in again nothing was improved, its boxed up and going back.
Round Two
Since there was much talk of "Pro Amps" I decided to try one a Crown xti 1000
First impression its light has no "feet" so I place some cones under it it looks kinda "cool" in an odd sort of way. I basically do the same thing as I did with the Rotel.
Wow the low end is just amazing, hmm the mids are ok not liquid or lush or any "audiophilisms" maybe just accurate? Now the high end seems to be tipped up and/or sharp/etched. Oh well not a keeper either, I think with less revealing speakers I could have maybe lived with it and saved a ton of dough.
Round Three
Anthem MCA20
Unboxing it,it did not seem as heavy as the Rotel, nor did it look as good as either the Crown or the Rotel basically just another black box. Same routine as previous. Hey cool its not offensive.the low end is good, not as good as the crown but good, seems well defined timbre seems right, the mids are nice nothing offensive, I detect no sins of omission or commission, the high end not etched sharp or grainy, yet nicely detailed....... This one warrants further audition and it figures its the most expensive of the three oh well
All listening was done at roughly the same level with the trusty rat shack meter
NO used
Round One Rotel RB1080
Impressions on first unboxing its reasonably heavy and looks decent (as in better than say an adcom).
Hook it up run some white noise for about an hour or so than run some Guns N Roses thru it for about a 1/2 hour.
I sit down to listen and about had to cry, what the hell happened it was just not good at all, my wife said it best when she came home from work she walked in and said "what the hell happened it sounds like SH*T". The mids were congested, the highs grainy, the low end was boomy and ill defined, bah humbug how can this be I gave it the benefit of the doubt. Left it on all evening, although with no desire to turn it up any louder than below background music (whereas usually I am goosing the volume up all night) then I left it on all night and most of the next morning with more white noise. When I checked in again nothing was improved, its boxed up and going back.
Round Two
Since there was much talk of "Pro Amps" I decided to try one a Crown xti 1000
First impression its light has no "feet" so I place some cones under it it looks kinda "cool" in an odd sort of way. I basically do the same thing as I did with the Rotel.
Wow the low end is just amazing, hmm the mids are ok not liquid or lush or any "audiophilisms" maybe just accurate? Now the high end seems to be tipped up and/or sharp/etched. Oh well not a keeper either, I think with less revealing speakers I could have maybe lived with it and saved a ton of dough.
Round Three
Anthem MCA20
Unboxing it,it did not seem as heavy as the Rotel, nor did it look as good as either the Crown or the Rotel basically just another black box. Same routine as previous. Hey cool its not offensive.the low end is good, not as good as the crown but good, seems well defined timbre seems right, the mids are nice nothing offensive, I detect no sins of omission or commission, the high end not etched sharp or grainy, yet nicely detailed....... This one warrants further audition and it figures its the most expensive of the three oh well
All listening was done at roughly the same level with the trusty rat shack meter