Parasound Preamp


Does anyone have any experience with this preamp? I started a thread about preamps with subwoofer outputs that I can control and I just found this.

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_313P6B/Parasound-Halo-P-6-Black.html

What do you all think?

JD
128x128curiousjim
Hello,
I have not demoed this P6 preamp. But I have demoed the integrated Hint 6. It is loaded with features but just OK in its sound. I am not a big fan of Emotiva amps. But their full linear discrete preamp is really nice for less money than the Parasound. It has everything but the DAC. I have their older DAC. The XDA-2 gen 2 which you can find on the used market for less than $400. I believe this is what it sold for new.  Theses two pieces the XDA-1 or XDA-2 DAC and the XSP-1 preamp are awesome and the two together are loaded with features and fully balanced. I don’t like a DAC built into in a preamp because it gets upgraded all the time unless it can be upgraded later like NAD, Mac’s and Ayre. This DAC does not do MQA or above 24/192. I don’t care because most music content is under that. I use a BlueSound Node 2i as the streamer. If I want MQA I switch the preamp to the RCA connection. 99% of the time I am using the Emotiva DAC with a Nordost Silver Shadow digital RCA/BNC cable. I am upgrading my system to Ayre 5 series pre, amp. and DAC later on. Regardless of doing this I am keeping the Emotiva preamp and DAC as my secondary system. They both have good headphone amps. To me they are that good and worth way more than $1500. You can shave $400 off the preamp if you buy it used. Then take the money and buy the DAC you like with the features you like. Or maybe upgrade to a RME, Denifrips, or Topping for a few hundred more if you buy new. Unless you want to go high end on Parasound I would pass on them. Another option is the NAD 658. I am not a fan of integrated with the built in DAC but NAD has upgradable cards. So you can get a better USB or add BlueSound. I think this is $1699. Another really cool thing is it has Dirac room correction. It is way better than the Parasound P6 in my opinion along with a lot of reviewers. If you are in the Chicagoland area you can demo the NAD or Parasound so you can hear it in your home from this store. https://holmaudio.com/
I hope this helps. 

Hello,
One more thing about the NAD658. For $1699 the BlueSound streamer is already included. So you are only spending $200 more but you are getting the streamer included in the deal. 
I have own P6 /Hint6 McIntosh C52 Michi P5 emotiva and Rotel RC1590 
P6/Hint6 is my favorite 
I have two set up Hint6 with cocktail Audio X45 and Hint6 with Cambridge Azur 851N in garage 
the WORST Preamp ever own is Emotiva Xsd 
for preamp duties there’s nothing better than P6/ Hint6 at the price range or even double triple 
the quiet preamp ever 
Michi P5 looks gorgeous but lot of noise and distortion at standby mode same on Rotel 
McIntosh C52 /601 mono blocks  boring sound sold them I prefer my A21+ / P6 over it 
Parasound need to update their chassis P6 looks too ugly but still better  than a lot of preamps out there though
i pay more for Hint6  to use as a preamp only because of  looks  
hint6 and P6 are technically the same 
the features on P6/hint is amazing 

P6 / Hint has 3 subs outputs best  HT bypass tone control subs and speakers high and low  frequency adjust option to run you speakers full range and lot more 
I’m using my own dac so I love them I pay 1200/2200 for them 
if Parasound updates the Chasis I will pay $2/$3k for them
one major downside to me is no software 😅😅😂
 I’m music lover not audiophile 😇☺️😉
Parasound is good equipment ... I have an old amp from Curl; quiet as mouse.

But best advice would be for you to look at Odyssey Audio ... I don't think there's a better buy in the whole audio universe than what Klaus is building in Indianapolis!!

https://odysseyaudio.com/
I had that amp for 4 weeks - then sold at a big loss.  Awful phono pre, some of the knobs are very small - if you have big hands.  It will sound better that a marantz or demon.  Be warned that the warranty is not transferable - always a big red flag for me.  Rogue has some nice pre’s that are reasonably priced.  I have settled in on ARC.