Las Vegas (1/08/03) – Parasound is powering up its premium Halo
line with matched five- and two-channel THX Ultra2-certified power amplifiers,
each rated at 250 watts per channel. The five-channel Halo A 51 and
two-channel A 21 were created by Parasound’s legendary designer,
John Curl. Each has a massive power supply, direct-coupled topology,
professional-style balanced inputs with XLR jacks, JFET inputs, MOSFET
drivers, high-current bi-polar output transistors, and outstanding build-quality
topped off by the Halo line's stunning silver faceplate and accent trim.
The Halo A 51 and A 21 feature 164,000 and 100,000 microfarads of main
filtering respectively, easily satisfying any instantaneous transient
peak demands. Eight beta-matched 15 amp, 60 Mhz bipolar devices are
used at the output stage of each channel, delivering 250 Watts RMS per
channel into 8-Ohm loads, and 400 Watts per channel with 4-Ohm loads.
The A 21 can also be bridged to deliver 750 Watts RMS into 8 Ohms.
The Halo A 51 and A 21 are designed for high quality reproduction of
stereo or multichannel audio, and are perfectly suited for use together
in a high-power 7.1-channel home theater system. Each amplifier uses
pure Class A discrete component hand-matched JFET input stages, MOSFET
driver stages for a warm, tube-like sound bipolar output stages rated
at 60 peak amps per channel. They operate in class A at all but the
most stringent transient listening levels, and are direct-coupled from
input to output, eliminating the signal degradation that is caused by
having reactive elements such as inductors or capacitors in the signal
path.
There are rear-panel XLR and RCA inputs, RCA loop outputs (A 21 only),
robust 24 kt gold-plated five-way binding posts, and 12V DC trigger
connections. Other features include an illuminated power button and
logo badge, auto turn-on by audio signal with adjustable sensitivity,
and a ground-lift switch to eliminate the hum that is often a problem
in rack-mount installations. Each model includes rear carry handles
and rack mount brackets for mounting in a 4u rack space; each has relay
protection circuits, a thermal overload indicator, and status indicators
for each channel. Operating voltages are 110-120 V or 220-260V.
The Halo by Parasound A 51 and A 21 are now available with suggested
retail prices of $4,000 and $2,000 respectively.
Parasound introduced the Halo brand in 2002 as a performance- and design-conscious
step-up from the company’s traditional product line. Founded in
1981, Parasound Products, Inc., is a privately owned U.S. company that
specializes in providing affordable audio and home theater components
to the critical listener. For more information and dealer locations,
visit http://www.parasound.com or call 415 397-7100.
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