(http://www.gspr.com/parasound/images/cd1_angle_72.jpg)
http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/home-theater-audio-video-news/64511-parasound-debuts-halo-cd-1-holm-designed-cd-player.html (http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/home-theater-audio-video-news/64511-parasound-debuts-halo-cd-1-holm-designed-cd-player.html)
Uses a CD-ROM drive at 4x to feed a Linux PC, to construct error free file in memory before DSP processing with Holm Acoustics software and then to A/D conversion. Sounds like a nice idea. But $4500? I am spoiled by computer audio, and do not dread computers. But if I did not want a computer in the man cave, or, if I owned an all Halo rack I'd like the whole system on one remote. I'd like to know more about the Holm processing.
It has opamp output, LME49990. With switchable John Curl darlington followers in the feedback loop of the opamp. I'd want to hear it first, but no reason to suspect anything less than typically good Halo sound quality.
What do you guys think?
I think if I was going to buy anything digital right now I would ideally like it to both play CD's and accept computer inputs like a regular DAC. Sounds like this does the trick for both, but you're right $4500 isn't chump change when there are some very good $1000 DAC's out there.
If I can ever meetup with Shane, we're going to put together a comparison of the Voyage MPD (Linux based computer) to my ol' trusty Foobar installation.
I now have a tablet thanks to my lovely wife for Christmas. I'm controlling Foobar with its flaky controller on the tablet. It works... but only for an album or 2 until it crashes.
My current PC has an 18db fan... the Linux machine has no fans and is much smaller. I have no doubt Linux will be stable. But how do they sound? I plan to find out. I have a feeling this will be a similar configuration as to what the Halo is doing.
Both will feed the hiface USB to spdif out, then to the (uber-built-by-Rich) Buffalo DAC. If my favorite albums still sound as good or better, the Linux wins... and I'll have a nice little audio PC for sale. :)
Thanks,
Carl
You can do so much more with a DAC vs CD player. Its the most important piece in the puzzle imo. GEt a dec that you can hook up via USB and pick up a spinner for your cds. Unless your body is eol and this is a last ditch (6ft x 4ft) effort. then go cd. :)
Oh, cd player.. right. I don't have one of those in my sound room. Other than that, the Linux solution is probably very similar to the Halo.
I often overlook the fact that there's a platter spitting out bits instead of a PC..
-C
http://www.parasound.com/pdfs/cd1.pdf (http://www.parasound.com/pdfs/cd1.pdf)
Sorry Bob there's no digital inputs. I agree that would add to the perception of value.
Dacs today are impervious.. almost to the spinner, at least with all that jitter control should be. Take that 5k and get a top tier DAC and use a Realistic cd spinner from the 1980s. :)
Dac will retain all the functionality and inputs and you can experiment with PC audio down the road...
Its crazy to invest that much in old (almost technology), but buying a 5K dac isnt sane either.. lol