My current system consists of an NAD M32 with a BluOS2 card. Speakers are PSB T3 Imagine Towers (love these) and.a Rega P3 that I have upgraded with the GrooveTracer platter and TT PSU and belt so that it is basically a P6. ALL B-stock items are all professionally inspected by Parasound technicians and, most importantly, ALL B-Stock products contain the exact same FULL Parasound manufacturer’s warranty. It cost US $4,000 when it first came out (2009). Need an educated opinion on this since it would be hard to find a place that could duplicate my system so I could have a listen. Few months back I got a pair of Klipsch Rf 7III which are rated as 100DB sensitive. I suggest that you buy the Vincent amp and try it. You know, the amplifiers that remained on Stereophile… One of the best system I've heard had Gryphon amplifiers and the other had Absolare mono-amps. I didn't get the amp and bring it home - I don't really have room (or strength) to be hooking in the JC5 and lugging it back if I don't like it. It’s as good as I need. Parasound was founded in 1981 by Richard Schram, and the company has been offering audio products under their own name as well as for OEM sales since then. The bass and low midrange were especially affected. Some will; some won't. I can hear your mind voices here, saying " you don't need much power for these speakers" I agree, but I was more curious to enjoy the 7 w of class A power from the the 21+. I had several friends along and we all agreed it made a noticeable difference. So the local dealer set up a demo for me. I had to get rid of the A21+ because I had an old Parasound 1205 5 channel amp and I was not able to find much of difference between the A21+ and 1205, the difference was very marginal when did the AB comparison . Now there’s an endorsement. Within a particular price range I think Parasound is great. It is acknowledged as the benchmark for amplifier performance and value. So when Para - sound prexy Richard Schram e-mailed me, after last year’s Home Entertain - ment Show, to ask if he could drop That mono amp was awarded by Stereophile as Power Amplifier of the Year in 2003 and has honored it as a ‘Class A Recommended Component’ twice a year for fifteen years. Parasound's new $2995 JC3+ is a significantly upgraded version of the already high performance original JC3 phono preamplifier, though outwardly it looks identical to the handsome original. Released as a cut-down version of the more expensive JC3+, Paul Rigby reviews the Parasound JC3 Jr phono amplifier A few years back, I reviewed Parasound’s JC3+ phono amplifier, a dual mono design that was noted for its particular internal layout. The Mytek added a bit more definition and clarity. If not, ship it back for a refund. Then the dealer deviously broke my heart. (Still have JBL L100s though). My question is this: Wanting to chase having a great sounding system (I already think it’s pretty nice), would I get anything out of adding a Parasound JC 5 as amp and using the NAD as essentially an expensive preamp? I don't have the bucks to do that now and I think using the NAD M32 with the JC5 sounds just fine (I ended up buying the JC5 demo for a grand off the retail price and setting it up at home. Putting a new system together. Along those lines, build quality is Parasound’s very foundation. I also kept around my old Snell E.5 MK2 towers that I have hooked in with an AB switch to the NAD. I can't find a dealer nearby so that I can listen to that pairing yet. In the interests of transparency readers should know that the $2999 Parasound JC 3+ has been my reference phonostage since I reviewed it in Issue 245. Add Parasound Jc5 to NAD M32? He had a Mytek pre-amp (I am assuming the Manhattan II) that he hooked in to replace the NAD entirely. It is the Schitt Freya preamp. I have to say, this also made a difference but at the higher end. The Positive Feedback review claimed it sometimes sounds a bit sweet. Additionally, Parasound's A21 just won a… He had an NAD amp (not my exact one but close enough) and the JC5 with the PSB T3's in his listening room. The design features a high power and ultra-high bias Class A/AB topography capable of delivering 400 watts per channel. Does anyone have a parasound JC5 amp paired with a JC2 BP pre-amp? Parasound’s Halo JC 5 distills the essence of two Halo JC 1 monoblocks into a single-chassis stereo amp with outstanding sound quality, power, and value. Mint condition Parasound JC5 Stereo Amplifier in Black finish. I just purchased a new amp for 3 times its MSRP price to better it. We first listened to the NAD alone and then he added in the JC5. Very occasionally, I will put on one of my old albums for nostalgia and marvel at how much cleaner the sound the Rega produces compared with my old Technics table though I suspect the Elys 2 underperforms. I left lots of space around it.). Why did Parasound discontinue the Halo JC-1 monoblocks? Thanks for the input. Before this , I had a pair of Infinity Kappa 600, which was more on the brighter side. Pre/Power Amplifiers Parasound Halo JC5 power amplifier Lab Report Although the JC5 is a 'power amplifier', its two gain controls and RCA line outputs also allow the signal to be intercepted between the 'high voltage' J-FET input stage and the MOSFET/bipolar output stage proper. This is an amp that won the "Best of the Year" award from The Absolute Sound! The Parasound's output impedance was a very low 0.067 ohm at 20Hz and 1kHz, increasing slightly to 0.085 ohm at 20kHz. Truly an excellent amp! "Parasound has chosen to take a staple core product that has remained an exceptional value for over fifteen years, the Halo A21 amplifier, and re-spin it into the Halo A21+," reports Michael Zisserson at positive-feedback.com. I exchanged emails with the guys at Upscale Audio in LA because I watch a lot of their videos on Youtube. Or would it? While the ultimate 5-star review is a happy customer, we’re glad we please the critics, too. That person recommended I consider Anthem or Bel Canto amplifiers. Parasound has nothing to hide here as these are real numbers supported by A21+'s capability of delivering 60 amperes of current per channel, the ability to deliver this power through the amplifier's full band-width, and a low <0.1% Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) when driving the full audio band (20Hz - 20kHz) at rated power. Parasound JC 5 Stereo Amplifier Reviewed Myron Ho says that the Parasound JC5, like its big brother the original JC 1 is a stunning performer with great musicality and none of … This is what I usually do. I loved them and still do and couldn’t bare to part, hence the switch. The new Parasound Halo JC 5 combines high power and ultra-high bias Class A/AB sonic quality at roughly two-thirds the price of a pair of JC 1s. This is a review and detailed measurements of the Parasound JC2 Preamp. Parasound's Halo JC5 conforms to some of these stereotypes, but there's more to it than just slam There's nothing terribly unusual about a big, hefty US-made power amp: after all, it's almost an archetype of what we think the US high-end is all about. B-Stock items are gently used Some have said the JC5 would improve "bass presence and control". A local dealer didn't have a strong opinion but suggested I somehow haul my amp and speakers into their shop to test different configurations (last thing I want to do is haul the T3s around town). to some owners; Very high value for the money. Parasound and, I believe, Ayre Acoustics have invested heavily to secure an ample stock of these no-longer-manufactured, low-noise J-FETs. I've heard the JC5 and thought it was very good and offered a lot of bang for the buck. I will check out those other amplifiers. I was also looking at PS Audio because I watch Paul McGowan's videos a lot also. will I be able to notice the first 12 W of Class A in my setup ? Parasound has established close and long-term relationships, some spanning more than three decades, with contract manufacturers in Taiwan, which are responsible for the manufacturing. "Doing so has proved that extremely high performance-per-dollar is still possible today when a company leverages decades of experience, and is spearheaded by a legend." The Parasound Halo JC 1 monoblock was designed by John Curl and introduced 16 years ago to instant international acclaim. I had the Parasound 3500 in my setup for about a year with the same speakers, then decided to upgrade from Paradigms to B&W's, and after the speakers (CDM 9NT's) were burned in, there was a huge difference in the sound, with better, less sterile mids and much silkier highs, less grain in … Heck, some reviewers end up buying their own review sets. He argues that separate components will always sound better (I think I am being fair to say that). From what I read, I should experience the Parasound Halo JC-1 monoblocks. The other is to buy it from Audio Advisor (or similar dealer) with a 30-day no-hassle return privilege. CD player and a casette deck are both legacy Harmon Kardon gear from my old system that I have hung onto just because. My Gear- Mains System-Pass X250 amp, BAT VK-51se preamp, Luxman DA-06 DAC, Magnepan 1.6's, Thorens TD-145 TT, Dual Martin Logan Subs, Vintage Luxman T-110 Tuner, Other systems- Parasound A21 amp,Van Alstine Ultra Plus Hybrid tube DAC and Preamp, Magnepan MMG's, Monitor Audio S1's, PSB B6's, Def Tech Pro Monitor 1000's, Velodyne sub, Adcom GFR-700 AVR, … I had been impressed with Parasound's Halo JC 1 monoblock, which I had measured for Michael Fremer's review in the February 2003 Stereophile (Vol.26 No.2). 9 out of every 10 Parasound products have won an award from at least one top-tier audiophile publication. And I'd had enormous respect for the Halo JC 1's designer, John Curl, ever since the early 1990s, when I'd used and enjoyed one of his Vendetta SCP-2 phono preamplifiers. The Parasound Halo JC 1 monoblock was designed by John Curl and since then has garnered an amazing amount of popularity and notoriety as a benchmark for amplifier performance and value. But Rf7III thrilled me with its dynamics. They too had suggested I consider upgrading the preamp but didn't suggest a brand. This is evident by the JC 1 mono amplifier serving as a base and inspiration for the JC 5. I guess there are just many variables to consider as well as the fact that everyone has their own taste in what sounds good to them. Yeah, you have to pay for the shipping, but it is worth it to me to make sure before I buy for good. Sorry for the long message - hope some of you guys with more experience can provide some guidance. Is this preamp musically engaging? Thanks for a great review, John - I thoroughly enjoyed reading your write up. Greetings, I'm new after a 40-year break from hi-fi in the 70s. The Krell Dou 125 ibias amplifier is a better amplifier, and it sells for $5500. There was shielding here and isolation there while large power-supply filter capacitors were added to reduce strain on the amplifier.