The Halo HINT 6 is an integrated amplifier with built-in DAC by Parasound that delivers 160 watts x 2 channels into 8 ohms and 240 watts x 2 channels into 4 ohms. It was released in 2019. It is a 2-channel design using a Class A/AB output stage. A minimum impedance of 4 ohms makes it compatible with a wide range of loudspeakers. It has a built-in DAC (ESS Sabre32 Reference DAC (ES9018K2M)), so you can play digital sources directly with no separate DAC unit needed. It also has a phono input, so a turntable can connect straight to it. The Parasound Halo HINT 6 has an MSRP of $3,199.
Parasound Halo HINT 6 Amplifier Internal View
There are 2 Parasound amplifiers in our database. Below you can see the main specs of these amps.
Parasound Integrated Amplifier Series
Performance Specs
One of the most important factors when deciding on an integrated amplifier is its power ratings and compatibility with your speaker's impedance requirements. The Parasound Halo HINT 6 is rated at 160 watts RMS into 8-ohms. Parasound provides this wattage at a THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) of 0.05% which is an important indicator of distortion at the given values (lower THD is better).
Here are the main highlights of its performance specs:
- 160 watts into 8-ohms (20 Hz-20 kHz) at 0.05%
- 240 watts into 4-ohms
- 4-ohms Min Impedance (allows compatibility with a wide range of loudspeakers)
- 103dB Signal to Noise Ratio
How loud will 160 watts actually play in your room? →
Wiring more than one pair of speakers to it? Check the load first →
Which speakers suit the Parasound Halo HINT 6?
160 W into 8 ohms, 240 W into 4, rated down to 4 ohms.
We rank every passive speaker we cover against it on power, impedance safety and current
delivery.
Need more power?
Parasound Halo HINT 6 is rated at 160 watts into 8 ohms, which puts it in our 121 to 180 watts band. The next band up is Over 180 watts, which is worth about 2.3dB more output. That is a real difference in headroom on peaks, and a modest one in how loud the system plays - power and loudness are not the same thing.
Before buying watts, check what your speakers actually need: the amp and speaker matcher works it out from their sensitivity, impedance and your room. Plenty of systems are better served by the 91 to 120 watts band and better speakers.
When pairing the Parasound Halo HINT 6 with a passive Bookshelf (Stand mount) or Passive Floor Standing (Tower) speaker, you have to check if their Max Power Range is below the max wattage of the amp for the given impedance levels.
Operating your amp outside of this max range may damage the speakers.
What size of room is the Parasound Halo HINT 6 Amplifier good for?
An essential deciding factor is the size of the room in which you intend to employ the Parasound Halo HINT 6 amplifier. Here, taking into account its maximum power parameters, we analyzed its applicability to various size environments:
| Listening Environment |
Suitability |
| Near-field | Are you nuts? |
| Small Room | Bad |
| Mid-size Room | Poor |
| Large Room | Good |
| Very Large Room | Good |
Inputs and Outputs
Besides the performance specs of the Parasound Halo HINT 6, the next important feature set that you have to evaluate is the input and output selections that it offers.
Parasound Halo HINT 6 has total of 8 Analog inputs including 1 Phono Input (MM,MC).
Parasound Halo HINT 6 Back View (Click the image for the larger version)
Inputs
- Total Number of Analog Inputs: 8
- Phono Input
- 2 Optical Digital Input
- 1 Coaxial Digital Input
- USB Input:
- USB-B(Connect to your computer for playback)
Outputs
- Speaker Outputs
- Stereo RCA, XLR Preamp Outputs
- Balanced XLR Output
- 3.5mm Headphone Output
- Subwoofer Output (3)
Bluetooth Connectivity
Parasound Halo HINT 6 doesn't have bluetooth connectivity feature. In order to stream your music via bluetooth, the easiest way is to connect an external bluetooth receiver to your Parasound Halo HINT 6. Two bluetooth receivers that we recommend are the
iFi Zen Blue V2 and the
Audioengine B1.
Among the amps in the same price range, these are the 5 amps that have Bluetooth Connectivity:
Phono Input
Parasound Halo HINT 6 features one Phono Input which is compatible with
MM (Moving Magnet) type of phono cartridges, you can connect your turntable with MM cartridges directly to this amp without the need for a phono preamp. If you are using an MC cartridge on your turntable, you need to use a phono preamp that has MC phono stage such as the
Cambridge Duo or the
iFi ZEN Phono.
Subwoofer Output
Parasound Halo HINT 6 has a dedicated subwoofer output which can be used to connect it directly to a powered subwoofer via an LFE(Low Frequency Effects) cable.
Check our
Powered Subwoofers page to find a subwoofer that will work with Parasound Halo HINT 6 amp and your speakers.
Balanced connections
Parasound Halo HINT 6 has balanced XLR connections on both its input and its output. A balanced cable carries the signal twice, on two conductors of opposite polarity. Interference picked up along the way lands on both equally and cancels when the two are recombined at the far end, so the longer the cable run and the noisier the surroundings, the more the connection is worth. Whether a balanced connection also yields more power depends on how the amplifier is built inside - some are balanced end to end, others convert to single-ended internally and deliver the same power either way, so it is worth reading the maker's own wording rather than assuming.
DAC and Digital Music
The Parasound Halo HINT 6's built-in DAC allows the connection of digital sources directly, eliminating the need for an external DAC. The DAC chip that is used in the Halo HINT 6 is the
ESS Sabre32 Reference DAC (ES9018K2M), and supports resolutions up to
32-bit, 384KHZ.
Parasound Halo HINT 6 Handheld Remote
Parasound Halo HINT 6 External Dimensions and Weight
Parasound Halo HINT 6 has external dimensions of (H x W x D) 5-7/8inch x 17-1/4inch x 17-1/4inch (150.0mm x 439.0mm x 439.0mm ). The unit weighs
15 kg (33 lbs).
Base Surface Area
Base surface area of an integrated amplifier may become an important decision factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base area of the Parasound Halo HINT 6 is approximately 1927.2cm2 / 298.7inch2.
- Width: 439.0mm (17-1/4")
- Height: 150.0mm (5-7/8")
- Depth: 439.0mm (17-1/4")
- Weight: 15 kg (33 lbs)
- Base Surface Area: ~1927.2cm2 / 298.7inch2
- Volume: ~28.9 liter / 7.6 gallon
Available colors
Parasound Halo HINT 6 is available in Black and Silver color options.
What's in the Box of Parasound Halo HINT 6?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Halo HINT 6:
- Integrated amplifier
- 6-feet AC power Cord
- Remote control (RM5A)
- 2 AA batteries
- 39-inch USB-A to USB-B cable
- 6-feet Mono-minijack cable
- Owners Guide
Official Product Page
Official manufacturer's product page for the Parasound Halo HINT 6 Integrated Amplifier can be found below:
Official Product Page for Parasound Halo HINT 6
Warranty
5 Years of parts warranty and 5 Years of labor warranty is generally provided for the Parasound Halo HINT 6 by the manufacturer.
| General |
| Brand |
Parasound |
| Full Model Name |
Parasound Halo HINT 6 |
| Release Date |
2019 |
| Amplifier Type |
Integrated Amplifier |
| Number of Channels |
2 |
| Amp Class |
Class A/AB |
| Amplifier Technology |
Solid State |
| Performance |
| Watts RMS per Channel into 8-ohms |
160 watts |
| Watts RMS per Channel into 6-ohms |
N/A |
| Watts RMS per Channel into 4-ohms |
240 watts |
| Frequency Bandwidth |
20 Hz-20 kHz |
| THD |
0.05% |
| Minimum Impedance |
4 |
| Signal to Noise Ratio |
103 dB |
| Digital Music |
| Built-in DAC |
Yes |
| DAC Specs |
ESS Sabre32 Reference DAC (ES9018K2M) |
| Bluetooth |
No |
| WiFi |
|
| Ecosystem |
| Apple AirPlay |
No |
| Apple AirPlay2 |
No |
| DTS Play-Fi |
No |
| Chromecast built-in |
No |
| Roon |
No |
| HEOS |
No |
| BluOS |
No |
| CONNECTIONS |
| Total Analog Inputs |
8 |
| Phono Input |
Yes |
| Optical Digital Inputs |
2 |
| Coaxial Digital Inputs |
1 |
| USB Input |
Yes |
| USB Type |
USB-B(Connect to your computer for playback) |
| Preamp Outputs |
Stereo RCA, XLR |
| Balanced XLR Output |
Yes |
| Pre-out / Main-in Loop |
No |
| Headphone Output |
3.5mm |
| Subwoofer Output |
Yes |
| Removable Power Cord |
IEC 3-prong |
| PHYSICAL SPECS |
| Height |
150.0mm (5-7/8") |
| Width |
439.0mm (17-1/4") |
| Depth |
439.0mm (17-1/4") |
| Weight |
15 kg (33 lbs) |
| Available Colors |
Black,Silver |
| OTHER |
| Tone Controls |
Yes |
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |