“This was an upgrade from a (very good) Parasound 275v2 I purchased last year from Audio Advisor. I wasn't sure what to expect because I'd been told by various experts that I wouldn't hear a difference. They were so wrong! The quality of the A23+ sound left me breathless. It's not that the 275v2 was bad, more that the A23+ is simply in a different class. Every single aspect of listening, from soundstage to instrument separation, was sublime. Best purchase I've made all year. The results have been so, so, so, so worth it.”
“Weak and thin sounds. I am very disappointed as there is no body to the sound going to my Martin Logan's. I can swear that my Marantz 7013 sounds much more full of body and weight.”
“The Parasound a23+ power amplifier has exceptional looks and build quality. It is beautiful to look at. That beauty runs way deep into its veins, producing lots of power in a class-leading way.
The sound you get from this amplifier would have to be paid at least three times over. Excellent construction quality and excellent finish. I've been using it for six months now with Revel Performa f206 and with two subwoofers SVS PB 2000. The sound is just magical.
If you want a gorgeous, powerful and performant amplifier, your search is over. Get the A23+ and worry about money for food later.”
“Very happy with the new amp. I replaced a 30+ year old Adcom that I've had since new, and it seemed to me that the improvement was palpable. Great amp for the price.”
“After 15 years, the Halo A23 has been given an upgrade to “+â€� status, and the result is outstanding. I'd had my A23 for five years, and although I've appreciated its sweetness and clarity, I've had to agree with the professional reviewers who have noted its comparative lightness in the bass and midrange. When the A23+ was released, I did my due diligence before deciding on the upgrade, and what I learned prompted me to order it. John Curl has said that, even though the circuit design of the original A23 was his, he was not involved in its implementation beyond that, implying that compromises were made to build to a price point, but not to his satisfaction in terms of the circui's potential.
From listening to the A23+ for enough time to allow it to burn in, I'd guess that Parasound listened to his reservations and implemented the kinds of changes to satisfy at least me. I don't know if John Curl was actively involved in the upgrade, but the result makes me suspect that he was, at least in spirit. The increase in MSRP over the initial model is fully justified by the kinds of internal changes that have taken what was once a fine amp to one a cut above.
The limitations in the bass and midrange are gone. The slight increase in output power is modest, but it strikes me not as an end in itself but a result of beefing up the power supply circuit and transformer. These boosts have resulted in remarkable improvements in the bass and midrange, to the extent that the A23+ makes my KEF LS50s rival modest floorstanders in impact. While the KEFs can't completely rival my GoldenEar Triton References, of course, within their power envelope they by no means make me sorry when I move from my main system to my secondary, office system, with the A23+ providing the juice. And juicy it is.
If you're looking for a class A/AB amp that marries sweetness, clarity, and soundstaging with bass solidity and midrange liquidity, I heartily recommend the Halo A23+.”
“After 15 years, the A23 has been given an upgrade to “+â€� status, and the result is outstanding. I'd had my A23 for five years, and although I've appreciated its clarity and sweetness, I've had to agree with the professional reviewers who have noted its comparative lightness in the bass and midrange. When the A23+ was released, I did my due diligence before acting on the upgrade, and what I learned prompted me to get it. John Curl has said that, even though the circuit design was his, he was not involved in its implementation beyond that, implying that compromises were made to build to a price point that helped the final product sell well, but not to his satisfaction in terms of the circui's full potential. From listening to the A23+ for enough time to allow it to burn in, I'd have to surmise that Parasound listened to his reservations and implemented the kinds of changes to satisfy at least my expectations. I don't know if Curl was actively involved in the upgrade, but the final product makes me suspect that he could have been, at least in spirit. The increase in MSRP over the initial model is fully justified by the kinds of internal changes that take what was once a satisfactory amp to a cut above.
The limitations in the bass and midrange are gone. The slight increase in output power is modest, but it strikes me not as an end in itself but a result of beefing up the power supply circuit and transformer. These boosts seem to have resulted in dramatic improvements in the bass and midrange, to the extent that the A23+ makes my KEF LS50s rival modest floorstanders, and certainly allows them to fulfill their status as Stereophile Class A (Restricted Extreme LF) performers. While the KEFs can't completely rival my GoldenEar Triton References, of course, within their power envelope they by no means make me sorry when I move from my main system to my secondary, office system, with the A23+s providing the juice. And juicy they are.
If you're looking for a class A/AB amp that marries sweetness, clarity, and soundstaging with oomph, you can't do significantly better than the new A23+.”
