Introduction Ahh, power amplifiers. Aside from loudspeakers, they are often the most touted products in the consumer electronics industry, and for good reason. Without them, there would be no music. They are charged with a great deal of responsibility and, while they may not look as sexy as some of their counterparts, they are without a doubt the backbone of every system. So, when a new amp is released, especially by a company as reputable as Parasound, one has reason to get excited. Officially launched in 2003, Parasound’s Halo line of components were specifically designed to bridge, or at least blur, the gap between ultra-performance and budget-conscious components. Solid performance at a reasonable price has always been Parasound’s bread and butter, so it was a bit of a gamble when they set out to challenge some of the industry’s most notable, and expensive, players. With the exception of maybe a handful of other companies, like ...

Introduction The Halcro brand name is famed in the world of audiophiles, most notably for offering amplifiers that have been lauded as “the best” by many in the know. In an effort to move past the constantly shrinking two-channel audiophile world, Halcro has expanded their product offerings to include a home theater line, consisting of multi-channel amplifiers and a preamplifier-processor (review pending). The amplifier line consists of two-, three-, five- and seven-channel units. The MC50 five-channel unit which retails for $5,990 is the one we’re reviewing here. Halcro’s parent company Minelab makes technologically advanced metal detectors and land mine scanning equipment. In the security industry, it is imperative that every product be designed and built to astronomical standards, as lives are literally on the line. Without question, Halcro has adopted these same high standards for their audio gear. The build quality of the MC50 is spectacular, even in comparison to the best that more established audio companies ...

Introduction Rotel’s illustrious history was started in Japan over 40 years ago by a family whose obsession with music inspired them to manufacture truly high fidelity stereo components of their own unique design. Today, Rotel engineers are known for their tendency to select only the finest capacitors, resistors and other parts from all around the globe. The goal of these searches for the best audio components is to create audio equipment that is musical and reliable, yet affordable. If a component has not met the engineer’s desired standards, Rotel is not afraid to make the actual part itself. This was the case for Rotel’s decision to make its own toroidal transformers. One of Rotel’s latest contributions to the home theater market is the RMB-1077 a seven-channel amplifier that retails for $2,500. Now, you ask, what is so great about this amplifier? Amplifiers have been around for years and much of the technology has not changed significantly. ...

Introduction Comedian Dane Cook recently said, “More than sex, every man would rather be part of a heist.” While many of us will opt not to knock off our local Wells Fargo, we do still take a little pleasure in sticking it to the Man. Well, the folks over at Outlaw Audio wouldn’t want it any other way. For years, the men and women at Outlaw Audio have been designing and manufacturing world class home theater electronics and offering them direct to the consumer at low prices by selling them exclusively through their website. Don’t let the “Internet business” moniker fool you; they’ve earned countless awards, as well as a very loyal following from budget-minded consumers worldwide. Even though their products may cost less than the competition, don’t call them “budget” when it comes to performance. Now, with the release of their new 970 7.1 Pre/Processor and 7075 multi-channel amp, Outlaw is poised and ...

Introduction The Statement A5, little brother to Anthem’s top of the line Statement P5 multi-channel amplifier, has many of the best qualities of the Anthem flagship powerhouse in a smaller, less pricey package. From the sleek black brushed aluminum face with blue accent lights outside to the Advanced Load Monitoring (ALM ) technology inside, it doesn’t feel like corners were cut, yet this feature-packed 180 watts per channel amplifier has a retail price of $2,499. For two-channel enthusiasts, a two-channel version of this amp, appropriately named the A2, is available at a retail price of $1,299. The design philosophy behind the Statement line of amplifiers is “keep it simple”: use as few parts as possible, use the best quality parts available and keep the price within the Earth’s atmosphere. Although there is a laundry list of features that make the Statement A5 and A2 amplifiers unique, to the lay person, the end result is one ...