Parasound HINT 6 Halo Integrated Amplifier
Parasound shouldn’t need an introduction for most Audiophilia readers, and yet this is the first review of Parasound gear in the magazine. So introduce we shall: for over 40 years San Francisco-based Parasound Products Inc. has been a stalwart in the high-end audio landscape. The company has never strayed from its mission offering performance, value and (perhaps most importantly) common sense in a market where… let’s just say common sense doesn’t always reign supreme. Parasound has concentrated on their area of expertise, primarily creating amplifiers, preamplifiers and phono stages with the occasional drift into multichannel and digital equipment.
While Parasound offers fine entry-level HiFi and custom install-oriented products, their premier Halo line is the stuff that gets us at Audiophilia fired up. The HINT 6 Integrated Amplifier ($2995) is the second generation of the only integrated in the Halo line. It’s not a brand-new baby anymore, hitting the market in 2018. Parasound often keeps core models in production for over a decade so the HINT 6 is just entering its prime.
I’ve reviewed several integrated amps for Audiophilia in the last few years and each of them is a direct competitor to the HINT 6. I’ve also owned other Parasound products so I know the brand well. Given these numerous points of reference, I had high expectations from the outset.
Many thanks to the Parasound team in San Francisco for facilitating the review.
A few words from David Sheriff
I happened to take on this review at a pivotal moment for Parasound. Founder and industry legend Richard Schram retired in 2022 and Parasound Products, Inc. was subsequently acquired by David Sheriff, a seasoned entrepreneur in several other industries. Curious about the direction of the company under new management, I was fortunate enough to correspond with Mr. Sheriff via email and ask a few questions about his plans:
MG: Since acquiring Parasound, what are some surprising things you’ve discovered about the high-end audio market?
DS: It seems the industry overall has matured into a “D&r” mentality (Development priority with minimal real research). Innovation and pushing the bar seem to not carry the urgency of other industries I’ve worked with – but there’s plenty of room for that! We won’t attract new demographics if we focus only on “building a better past.”
MG: There is an ongoing discussion about a demographic shift in the audiophile community. How is Parasound positioning to meet the needs of Millennial and Gen Z audiophiles?
DS: Understand [how] other demographics listen to their music and the why and how that came to be. It’s our job to show the benefits of slowing down and taking the time to feel, not just listen, to their favourite music.
Focus on the interaction (ease and speed of use) and integration of products, keeping prices non-stratospheric, state-of-the-art tech that is in touch with both the science and artistic aspects of high-end audio, and modern attractive cosmetics.
MG: Congrats on the strategic hiring of Darren Myers from PS Audio. What are some technological or product challenges you hope to address with the R&D efforts within Parasound?
DS: We’re keeping this one close to the chest for now. We’re keeping true to growing the legacy that Richard Schram, John Curl, and the team built for us - but have some additional ideas of our own we’ll be rolling out.
Features & Specifications
The HINT 6 is a full-featured integrated amplifier, which these days means it contains digital, phono and line-level inputs and both headphone and speaker outputs. It is packed with clever features but there are no superfluous extras that could easily become outdated. No network connectivity (Ethernet, WiFi, Bluetooth or otherwise) is built into the HINT 6, a wise decision in terms of longevity. The unit is intended to function as the heart of a high-end system for many years.
In terms of hard connections, the HINT 6 accommodates any input or output scenario imaginable including bass management for dual subwoofers. Even the preamp outputs have a bypassable and adjustable low-frequency cutoff dial.
The thoughtful design goes much deeper than connections. Take the volume control, for instance, which was upgraded from a potentiometer in the previous Halo Integrated to an electronically controlled resistor ladder in the HINT 6. Presumably a sonic upgrade, this also allows for some usability improvements. First, this enables simple storage of a favourite volume setting on the nominal scale of 0-99. Less obvious but more impressive is the unique attenuation curve. From settings 0-20, the incremental change in attenuation is in 2 dB steps, from 21-80 the increments are just 0.5 dB, and from 80-99, the steps are back to 2 dB. This approximates a logarithmic volume curve which in practice results in a wide sweet spot in usable volume control.
In terms of key performance specs, the HINT 6 is capable of dumping massive amounts of power and current into any speaker load: 160 watts per channel in 8 ohms and 240 into 4 ohms with a peak current capability of 45 amperes.
Parasound is deliberate about publishing thorough specifications for both current and retired products. Seriously, check out the full specifications here.
Design & Build
The HINT 6 ($2995) utilizes a familiar but effective style of construction and yet the level of execution is still high for the class. I found thick gauge sheet metal, with laser-crisp edges and seams. I detected nothing remotely close to creaking or flexing when moving the unit around. The precision and quality of construction are especially apparent from the rear which is impeccably laid out with premium hardware. A thing of beauty. The face is handsome too, but it mostly gives the impression that the HINT 6 is here for business.
Daily Use
Setting up the HINT 6 was a plug-and-play affair. It’s heavy and a bit tall so making connections in a tight cabinet might be a challenge. On my open stand, it ran warm enough that I would suggest giving it a few inches in every direction to breathe.
The relay clicks as the amp powers itself up were always satisfying. Switchgear also had a tactile correctness about it, especially the bean-shaped buttons in the bottom row. It would be nice to see a larger, more prominent knob for the input selector to differentiate it from the tone controls, but that’s hardly a deal breaker. A robust and nicely weighted volume knob compliments the thoughtful circuit.
Always worth noting, the full-featured remote was more than satisfactory although not as luxe as some competitors who opt for metal clad units.
Based on my consistent use over a couple months I had the impression that the build quality was bulletproof enough for the HINT 6 to live a long and healthy life.
Review System
I had on hand a trio of speakers to partner with the HINT 6, each with their own personality. I primarily used the well-rounded PSB Synchrony B600, swapping in my Wharfedale Diamond 10.2 and the Canton Vento 20, which is currently in for Audiophilia review. Amplifiers for comparison were the similarly priced Cambridge EVO 150 All-In-One and an uncle of the HINT 6, my near-vintage Parasound HCA-750A power amplifier. My main digital source was the Ferrum ERCO DAC fed by a Wiim Mini streamer. My standard analog source is the Pro-ject Debut Carbon turntable with an Ortofon 2M Red cartridge. The Parasound ZPhono and iFi ZEN Phono were used to compare with the HINT 6 phono stage.
Listening
I’ll begin these listening remarks as I begin many mornings in my office: with some mindful headphone listening (and a large mug of coffee). I appreciate a proper headphone output on integrated amps. Parasound came through here and included a dedicated op-amp-based headphone section.
The Sendy Audio Peacock planar magnetic ‘phones with their easy impedance spec were a great fit. Streaming a range of orchestral music I enjoyed a broad and crisply defined soundstage and plenty of drive and dynamics. On the other end of the spectrum, I experienced intimacy and tactile presence when spinning original pressings of Andre Previn jazz LPs on Contemporary Records. My Massdrop x Sennheiser HD6XX sounded tonally fine but I didn’t hear the kick they needed to hit their full potential. Any low or moderate-impedance cans should be just great. Personally, I found the performance up to snuff for daily use. The most hardcore headphone users might consider tapping the rear outputs of the HINT 6 for an outboard amp with more specialized features.
The DAC section of the HINT 6 provided a wonderful foil to the sameness of digital that can be apparent when streaming a variety of genres. Even great-sounding DACs can impart a common cleanliness to the sound of any recording played through them. Without being too revealing or edgy the HINT 6 DAC stepped out of the way of the music better than the outboard options I tried for comparison. Hoodoo Man Blues by Junior Wells and Buddy Guy (Delmark, 1965) is a classic slab of Chicago blues that sonically stands apart from most ‘60’s blues albums. The sound has an immediacy that is apparent on virtually any system. It’s a studio record that doesn’t sound like it came from a studio—it jumps right out and grabs the listener. This raw effect was more present when using the HINT’s own DAC than the Ferrum ERCO which kept things slightly more reserved.
The HINT 6 was equally accommodating to all genres. Electronic and ambient music felt expansive with deep black backgrounds. Herbert von Karajan’s 1963 Beethoven symphonies on Deutsche Grammophon were just as I know them: massive and sonorous with just the right bite from the strings.
Like the DAC, the HINT 6’s phono stage is unlikely to be bested by an affordable outboard alternative, unlike many competitive integrated amps which can be upgraded one section at a time.
Silver version.
During this review, I scored an original vinyl pressing of Yehudi Menuhin, Antal Dorati and the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra playing Bartok's second violin concerto (Mercury Living Presence, 1958). The playing on the record is mesmerizing but the early stereo sound is magical as well. The resolution is impressive for the era with a vintage tone that doesn’t hit just right on every system. Through the HINT 6, I achieved the best combination of detail and separation without losing that vintage feel.
The HINT 6 is capable of putting that current to work and rocking out. Selections from my various Grateful Dead live box sets (all Rhino Records) showed the HINT 6 could capture the delicate spaced-out jams on “Dark Star” as well as the full-tilt energy of a rousing “I Know You Rider.” Just like a compact Wall of Sound.
I run an affordable Ortofon 2M Red cartridge because I have fat fingers (but not a fat wallet) so I didn’t push the absolute limit of the phono section. Based on my listening, if I owned the HINT 6 I’d upgrade my cartridge long before upgrading the phono stage.
My general impression is the musical performance of the HINT 6 is consistent and unshakable regardless of genre, medium, recording quality or listening level. It is powerful but handles nuanced passages with grace. Every note, delicate or forceful, seemed to have immense potential energy behind it. That energy can transform any listening session into a profound musical experience.
The democratic approach to the treatment of all recordings, from field-recorded pre-war blues to modern high-resolution jazz helps position the HINT 6 as a music lover’s reference instead of just another audiophile amplifier. The Cambridge EVO 150 might be more polite in the treatment of rougher recordings but it doesn’t sound as powerful and the phono stage is not in the same league. The Vincent SV-228 Hybrid Integrated Amplifier (returned just days before the HINT 6 arrived) has a slightly romantic sound, no doubt thanks to its tube preamp section, but that comes at the expense of neutrality.
Such a well-rounded and athletic performer as the HINT 6 should be an easy match with virtually any speaker. Speaker pairing, therefore, becomes a question of preference. Let the speaker choice shape the overall system and the HINT 6 will oblige.
Conclusion
Many great audio products are recommendable for specific use cases, personal preferences, or partnering equipment. The Parasound HINT 6 Halo Integrated Amplifier ($2995), though, is as close to a universally recommendable amplifier as I’ve experienced. It’s a serious instrument for audiophiles who demand superb performance but are nonetheless grounded in reality. The HINT 6 is a gentle giant that will humbly serve the music, any music, and provide years of dependable service. Thoroughly recommended.
Further information: Parasound
