Parasound Halo A 52+ Amplifier Review Test Bench

Test Bench

Two channels driven continuously into 8-ohm loads:
0.1% distortion at 210.2 watts
1% distortion at 279.9 watts

Five channels driven continuously into 8-ohm loads:
0.1% distortion at 172.1 watts
1% distortion at 203.8 watts

Frequency response RCA input:
–0.04 dB at 10 Hz
–0.01 dB at 20 Hz
–0.19 dB at 20 kHz
–2.93 dB at 50 kHz

Frequency response XLR input:
–0.05 dB at 10 Hz
–0.01 dB at 20 Hz
–0.15 dB at 20 kHz
–3.15 dB at 50 kHz.

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This graph shows that the A52+’s CH1 amplifier channel, with two channels driving 8-ohm loads, reaches 0.1% distortion at 210.2 watts and 1% distortion at 279.9 watts. Into 4 ohms, the amplifier reaches 0.1% distortion at 384.2 watts and 1% distortion at 429.4 watts. An input level of 101.0 millivolts was required to produce an output of 2.83 volts into an 8-ohm load, indicating an overall gain of +28.92 decibels using the RCA input. When using the XLR input, a level of 104.2 millivolts was required to produce an output of 2.83 volts into an 8-ohm load, indicating an overall gain of +28.70 decibels.

THD+N from the amplifier was less than 0.017% at 1 kHz when driving 2.83 volts into an 8-ohm load using the RCA input. When using the XLR input under the same conditions, THD+N was less than 0.019%. Crosstalk at 1 kHz driving 2.83 volts into an 8-ohm load was –112.05 dB CH1 to CH5 and –106.34 dB CH5 to CH1 using the RCA inputs and –112.02 dB CH1-to-CH5 and –107.82 dB CH5-to-CH1 using the XLR inputs. The signal-to-noise ratio with an 8-ohm load from 10 Hz to 24 kHz with “A” weighting was –108.07 dBrA using the RCA input and –108.11 using the XLR input.—MJP

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COMMENTS
dmineard's picture

Nice to see Parasound covering the lower price point for those who want better sounding amps than their receivers.

As a Parasound A51 amp owner, they are great amps and do require at least 50 hours of break in to sound their best.

It's nice to see the power rating of this amp.

brenro's picture

I currently use an ancient Cinepro 2K6. It's over twenty years old but still works and sounds excellent. Like virtually all of my equipment it's no longer made and I've had my eye out for that day when it finally bites the dust. The A51 has been my choice but this has more than enough power.

pw's picture

I always wanted to know if you can successfully use this multi channel in a stereo Bi Amp hook up??

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