The Parasound A21 is a powerful stereo amplifier of the successful Halo series and has earned itself quite a number of accolades over the years. This stereo power amplifier provides excellent value and sonic performance for the money, it is one of the top choices to go for at this price range. There are plenty of speakers to choose from but the question is which ones are the best suitable match for the Parasound A21 power amp.
To find the right pair of speakers, we must first learn more about the Parasound A21 stereo amp. With a better understanding of its sonic characteristics and strengths, we can then get matching speakers to partner up with this Halo power amplifier. You can also use this data to look for speakers on your own in the near future. We are planning to share with you a list of the best speakers to match with the Parasound A21 power amplifier later on.
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Sonic Characteristics and Important Specifications of Parasound A21
This is a THX Ultra2 certified stereo power amplifier and its circuitry was masterfully designed by the renowned John Curl. The visual design of the Parasound A21 looks fantastic and modern, not to mention, a sense of reliability and power. You could quite easily match the A21 power amp with any modern speakers aesthetically. The rated power output also enables the amplifier to drive almost any loudspeaker with ease. It has a continuous power output of 250 Watts into 8 Ohms and 400 Watts into 4 Ohms with both channels driven. The power bandwidth is 5Hz-100kHz (+0/-3dB at 1W) and based on these specs alone, the Parasound A21 can drive most loudspeakers including the demanding electrostatic speakers.
Roughly the first 10 Watts of power output is biased Class A and beyond that will be Class AB amplification. The current capacity of the Parasound A21 is pretty high too which is at a 60 amperes peak per channel. The power supply filter capacitance is 88,000 µF and it is rather impressive for a stereo amplifier at this price point. Parasound A21 is an amplifier powerhouse that is ready to handle demanding loudspeakers and sudden music peaks with absolute confidence.
More Details at Amazon – Parasound Halo A21 Power Amplifier
The Parasound A21 power amplifier is capable of delivering a high-resolution and very detailed music presentation as it is able to dig out plenty of low-level details. The music delivery is smooth and has a touch of warmth without any harshness coming from the top end but the highs also don’t sound as extended and airy as we want them to be. This stereo power amp is able to project a spacious soundstage and goes past the speaker boundaries. It is an impressive feat from an amplifier in this price range. Parasound A21 also possesses excellent stereo imaging and separation.
The low-frequency performance is solid and taut, it is rich with details as well. Deep bass frequencies are tightly delivered and help to build up a musical presence in the room. Its overall bass performance is very well-controlled and effortless, adding weight to the already big sound. All in all, the Parasound A21 delivers a vivid musical performance with a nice balance of power and refinement. It should also do really well in a home theater environment, feeding the speakers with enough power to handle the demanding soundtracks of most action movies. Music peaks wouldn’t be much of an issue too.
It is certainly a muscular stereo power amplifier and you can hear it as the A21 doesn’t sound strained even when we were pushing it till our ears weren’t be able to endure the loudness anymore. The Parasound A21 is quite a fast amplifier and the overall sound reproduction is natural sounding. It is neutral and leans towards warmth, A21 has a pleasing and quite sweet sound quality which makes it easy to listen to. With this information and data, we can now start sharing with you a list of the best speakers to match with the Parasound A21 power amplifier. The price points of these speakers will be taken into account as well.
Parasound A21 Specifications
- Power Outputs: 250 Watts per channel into 8 Ohms, 400 Watts per channel into 4 Ohms, 750 Watts into 8 Ohms (Mono Bridge)
- Power Bandwidth: 5Hz-100kHz (+0/-3dB at 1W)
- Inputs: 1 Balanced input, 1 Unbalanced input
- Current Capacity: 60 amperes peak per channel
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 439mm x 193mm x 485mm | 17.3″ x 7.6″ x 19.1″
- Weight: 27.2kg (60lbs)
Best Speakers to match with Parasound A21
The KEF R5 is one of the best speakers to match with your Parasound A21 power amplifier. The Halo series stereo amp is powerful enough to make these KEF floor-standing speakers sing. KEF R5 is capable of delivering a powerful music presentation and has the A21 to back it up. The sonic character of R5 is neutral and has clean sounding extended upper registers which will complement the Parasound A21. The stereo power amplifier does add more musical refinement into the overall sound reproduction and slightly smoothens the rough edges. KEF R5 will be a worthy match to the Parasound Halo A21.
More Details at Amazon – KEF R5 Floorstanding Speaker (Gloss Black)
The MartinLogan ElectroMotion ESL will be one of the best speakers to pair with the Parasound A21 amplifier. It is a pair of hybrid electrostatic speakers and the A21 has the muscles to drive them with ease. At this price point, the electrostatic speakers’ transparency is superb, with amazing stereo imaging and a spacious soundstage. It is really entertaining to listen to the MartinLogan ElectroMotion ESL and the Parasound A21 helps to add a bit more warmth into the music delivery. The stereo power amplifier’s overall bass performance complements the electrostatic speakers as well.
More Details at Amazon – MartinLogan ElectroMotion ESL (Black, Each)
If realism is what you are looking for, the Magnepan 1.7i will be an exemplary choice for you. The Parasound A21 amplifier has enough power to drive the 1.7i Quasi-Ribbon speakers efficiently. These quasi-ribbon speakers are very transparent and revealing, delivering naturally toned and faithful music presentations of our favorite tunes. The holographic music performance of the Magnepan 1.7i allows us to be immersed in the music and we simply close our eyes to just enjoy the session. Overall accuracy is incredible and stereo imaging is equally remarkable but bass fanatics would not be pleased with these speakers though.
The Monitor Audio Platinum PL 100 II is one of the best bookshelf speakers to partner with the Parasound A21 power amp. This is a sanely priced highly praised stand-mounter with exceptional sonic performance and an innate ability to bring out the emotional energy of any music while sounding refined. Its bass performance is impeccable for a compact bookshelf speaker, it is authoritative and agile. The overall sound reproduction is neutral and the Parasound A21 helps ease the edges. The accuracy of the Monitor Audio Platinum PL 100 II is class-leading and we have nothing to nitpick about them.
For listeners who prefer a more entertaining music delivery, the Dali Oberon 5 will be an ideal choice to go for. It is a pair of award-winning floor-standing speakers with a modest price tag and can be driven by the Parasound A21 with ease. These are enthusiastic performers with a knack for bringing out the emotional energy of the music and delivering a detailed music presentation with precision. The Parasound A21 helps to add some warmth and provides a bit more refinement to the music delivery. These expressive Dali Oberon 5 floor-standers will allow you to enjoy hours of exciting and fun music listening sessions.
More Details at Amazon – Dali Oberon 5 – Dark Walnut (Pair)
The Q Acoustics Concept 40 is another pair of brilliant floor-standing speakers which are modestly priced and have high sound quality. Due to their exceptional sonic performance and price, the Concept 40 speakers have won plenty of awards over the years and are still well-regarded to this day. The Parasound A21 stereo power amplifier is able to drive these floor-standers. If you prefer a more musically refined sounding system with warmish sonic characteristics, the Q Acoustics Concept 40 will be up for the job and can provide you with a more laid-back music presentation without compromising the music details.
More Details at Amazon – Q Acoustics Concept 40 (Gloss White)
To Sum It Up
These are some of the best speakers to match with the Parasound A21 and if you prefer bright sounding and lively loudspeakers, you might want to take a look at Klipsch especially their Heritage series. For more electrostatic speakers, you might want to take a look at Quad. No matter which speaker brand or model you choose, it is wise to audition them first before finalizing your choice as you will need to know if you like what you are hearing.
