Accuphase Vs Parasound

Thanks everyone for your responses. 

@erik_squires isn't the DAC on the P6 the same as the one on the parasound integrated? 

The HINT 6 integrated is basically the P6 preamp combined with the A23 amp boards plus a larger transformer.  That's why the power output is higher than A23.  The same goes for the original HINT and P5.  However, Parasound has made some changes for the P6 that include a new DAC chip (Sabre) and things such as updated volume stage and improved USB input.

isn’t the DAC on the P6 the same as the one on the parasound integrated?

According to the president, no. In an e-mail to me he wrote that the P6 DAC was there for convenience, but he was quite proud of the DAC in the integrated. I haven’t looked at them close up though.

I will say, kind of related, the Parasound ZDAC is a very nice performer for price. :)

Best,
E

@erik_squires - that's interesting that they would say that.  Based on pictures, it doesn't look like the preamp boards in the new HINT 6 are any different that what is placed in the normal P5/P6.  I suppose the preamp section would be better because it's fed by a linear power supply from that big transformer instead of the normal switching power supply in the P5/P6, unless Parasound decided to move to linear power supply on the P6.  There is additional circuits for the resistor-ladder volume control, of course.  However, the P6 weight is exactly the same as P5 weight, so I find it unlikely.
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The Zdac also has a full linear power supply, so it also makes sense that it would sound good, and probably better than the DAC/preamp in the P5/P6.

This is the response I got from parasound on the preamp

"the P6 and the HINT 6 preamp sections are the same. As you recall, this was not the case with the P5 and the Halo INTegrated."