Parasound Halo P6 2.1 Channel Preamplifier & DAC
Category: other
The Preamp That Takes the Subwoofer Seriously
Most stereo preamplifiers treat a subwoofer as an afterthought. The Halo P6 treats it as part of the design. Analog high-pass and low-pass crossovers run at 12dB per octave, with a subwoofer level control on the front panel, so your main speakers stop trying to do the bottom two octaves on their own.
The outputs match that ambition. Balanced XLR and RCA pre-outs feed your power amplifier. One balanced XLR and two RCA subwoofer outputs feed one sub or a pair. Everything is analog from the input socket to the output socket.
Inputs are just as generous. Five RCA line pairs, a balanced XLR pair, a phono input, and a front-panel aux jack with an automatic 12dB gain lift. Home Theater Bypass lets a surround processor share your main speakers. The chassis is 17.25 inches wide and weighs 14 pounds.
Where the Digital Side Earns Its Keep
The converter is an ESS Sabre32 Reference ES9018K2M. Over USB it takes PCM to 384kHz/32-bit and native DSD64, DSD128 and DSD256. The coaxial and optical inputs handle 192kHz/24-bit. A computer, a disc player and a TV can all stay connected at once.
The phono stage covers moving-magnet, moving-coil and moving-iron cartridges. MM gets 38dB of gain at 47k ohms. MC gets 52dB, and you can switch the loading between 47k ohms and 100 ohms. That covers almost any cartridge you are likely to fit, now or later.
Volume runs through a resistor-ladder control rather than a potentiometer, and a Texas Instruments TPA6120A drives the headphone jack at a 10-ohm output impedance. Distortion stays under 0.01%. Signal-to-noise beats 108dB, IHF A-weighted. Response runs 20Hz to 20kHz within half a decibel. Parasound covers it for five years, parts and labor.
What Reviewers Are Saying
Dylan Seeger reviewed the Halo P 6 for HomeTechnologyReview on March 16, 2020. His verdict: "the P 6 is a no-brainer for anyone shopping for a digitally enabled preamplifier close to its asking price."
He singled out two things. On resolution, "the P 6 has the ability to render tremendous amounts of detail." On the bass management, he found the filters "make it easy to seamlessly integrate a pair of subwoofers in with your main channels."
Who Is This Preamplifier Best For?
- You run subwoofers with your stereo — the analog crossovers take the deep bass off your main speakers and hand it to the sub. They stop straining, and the whole system plays louder before it complains.
- You play records and files — an MM/MC/MI phono stage and a 384kHz ESS converter are both inside. A turntable and a laptop connect without another box on either side.
- You listen on headphones too — a TPA6120A headphone amp is built into the front panel, which saves buying a separate one to sit alongside it.
- You have a home theater in the same room — Home Theater Bypass hands your front speakers to a processor at fixed level, so one pair of speakers serves both systems.
- You want to stream without a computer — the P6 converts and switches, but it does not have network streaming on board; there is no Roon, Spotify Connect or UPnP in it. Add one of our music streamers to a digital input and the ESS converter handles the rest.
How Does It Connect to Your System?
Run the balanced XLR outputs to your power amplifier, or the RCA pair if it is single-ended. Take the subwoofer outputs to one or two subs, then set the crossover points and the front-panel level. Your speakers handle what is above, the sub handles what is below.
A turntable goes into the phono socket with its ground wire. A computer joins by USB, and a disc player or TV by coaxial or optical. Assign one input to Home Theater Bypass and a processor shares the front speakers.
Pairs Well With
Building around the Halo P6? Here are some great companions:
- Power Amplifier: Parasound's own Halo amps are the natural partner — see our Amplifiers.
- Subwoofer: The crossovers are waiting for one — see our Subwoofers.
- Turntable: The phono stage handles MM, MC and MI — see our Turntables.
- Headphones: The front-panel amp deserves a good pair — see our Headphones.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 2.1 channel mean here?
Left, right and a subwoofer feed, with real analog crossovers between them. The P6 decides what your main speakers play and what the sub plays, rather than sending everything everywhere.
What DAC is inside?
An ESS Sabre32 Reference ES9018K2M. USB reaches 384kHz/32-bit PCM and native DSD256; coaxial and optical reach 192kHz/24-bit.
Which cartridges does the phono stage take?
Moving-magnet, moving-coil and moving-iron. MM runs 38dB of gain at 47k ohms; MC runs 52dB, with loading switchable between 47k ohms and 100 ohms.
Does it have a headphone output?
Yes, on the front panel, driven by a Texas Instruments TPA6120A with a 10-ohm output impedance.
Can I use it with a surround processor?
Yes. Home Theater Bypass passes a processor's front channels straight through at fixed level, so your two-channel amplifier drives the main speakers.
What is the warranty?
Parasound covers the P6 for five years, parts and labor.
See It in Action
Our own walkthrough of the Halo P 6 and what it is built for:
Audio Arkitekts puts the P6 in a system and explains what a preamplifier is doing:
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Learn More
Want to learn more about preamplifiers, subwoofer integration, or phono stages? Visit our Learning Center for guides, tips, and expert advice.
