Sep 16, 2020 #8. The former tried and true, untouchable value and staple of their product line, the A21, had set the bar for value vs. performance in both the HiFi and Professional audio worlds. Tags: Thanks. Except it isn't quite what it seems, for while the £6999 amp, available in black or a rather more subtle silver, has the big, bluff looks of a Stateside powerhouse, it's neither that huge nor excessively heavy and is even vaguely sensibly priced when placed beside the five-figure tags you'll find elsewhere. I can't recommend Parasound's Halo JC 5 highly enough." Halo has earned honors and awards that are unmatched. The amp will be used to drive a pair of Aerial 7Ts. I had a Parasound 2250 v1 and it was a nice solid amp but not in the same league as the A23 which is a Class A/AB Halo amp designed by John Curl. The outgoing Parasound Halo A21 is the latest two channel power amplifier in the HALO series to get updated. © Parasound Products, Inc. All right reserved. Curl opted for an ultra-high biased Class A/AB circuit for the JC5. Add … Its replacement, the Halo A 21+, is priced a little higher at $2,995. The two red '+' terminals – 'propeller' combination binding posts custom-made by CHK Infinium – are then used for connection to the loudspeaker (and are labelled accordingly). Then again this is a well-mannered big amplifier, despite its 400W/8ohm rating, rising to 600W/4ohm, and capable of handling dips down to 1.5ohm [see PM's Lab Report, p75]. Quote. The amp came out around 2008 (?) A 21+ now $2,995; A 23+ now $1,595 . OK, so it will dwarf your average European integrated amp, and £7k is hardly chicken feed, just as its 33kg deadweight means it's a two-person lift. Described as an ultra-high performance powerhouse, the JC5 will give its lucky owners 400 watts into 8 ohms per channel on tap. HomeTheaterReview.com - Best of 2018 - December 2018. As well, the price had to be much, much less than a pair of JC1s. Our publication is supported by its audience. 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’ Location: Oregon, USA. Hey all, I know I have been posting about these components a lot over the past few weeks, just trying to make the right decision here. network av. I bought the Parasound JC5. A Parasound NewClassic 2250 2 channel and a Parasound NewClassic 5250 5 channel were replaced with a Parasound Halo A21 and Parasound A52+ respectively. B-Stock gives audiophile enthusiasts the opportunity to purchase Parasound products at a discounted price. Joined Dec 2, 2019 Messages 301 Likes 253. Top. Priced at $10,995 and available now, the JC5 is lots of amplifier for the shekels. "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." Instead, a push on the power button sees its illumination change from the soft blue indicating standby to red for a few moments while the amp stabilises, and then shows a brighter blue when you are ready to play music, accompanied by the illumination of the two channel indicators low down in the centre of the front panel. Hi-Fi News (UK) December 2019 - Outstanding Product Award "This is one fast, hard-hitting amplifier with superb grip on speakers. Das Schaltungs-Design stammt von John Curl. One of the most-respected audio journalists in Australia, Peter brings his unparalleled experience and a unique story-telling ability to StereoNET. A potentiometer allows the user to select the sensitivity of this mode of operation, and avoid it being affected by noise on the mains, which might otherwise switch the amp on when not required. More assuredly, the JC5 can be switched to mono and bridges with a second JC5. There’s also plenty of current on offer. pmacura.cz/audiopage.html. 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. Der Parasound A21+ ist ein 2 x 300W Transistor Stereo-Endverstärker, also ein echtes „Powerhouse“ zu einem sehr moderaten Preis. Parasound P6 Parasound A21 Bluesound Node 2 Marantz 5005 CD Polk SDA 2.3 with VR3 mods and all the usual tweaks Kimber Kable connects I actually have 2 Parasound A21s that are less than 4 years old that I am planning to sell and put the money toward a JC5. Monty12, bluemooze and pdxway like this. The latter feat is helped by grab-handles to the rear, hindered by sharp heatsink fins and not much to get hold of at the front. 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. Those heatsinks manage to keep things working reliably without either the assistance of fan-cooling or warning notices to keep animals and children at a safe distance, and there's no drama involved in turning the amp on: none of that 'lights dimming throughout the house' or 'now the storm is at its height, throw the switch, Igor' stuff. The “+” version seemed to only add to the style and performance. Now available, the new model is brutishly powerful and all things being equal, is relatively affordable. New Parasound Halo A 21+ and A 23+ receive significant improvements over long-lived predecessors. The Grandstand at Ascot Welcomes The UK Hi-Fi Show. Measured into 4 ohms, the JC5’s power output soars to 600 watts. So far so good. Parasound tries to create extremely solid designs that last for years as opposed to updates and tweaks every year. I also measured Parasound P5 preamp. Recommended Posts. Curl was given the challenge of combining some of the JC1’s best features and performance into a single box stereo amplifier. Parasound Halo A 23+ Stereo Amplifier . Darren69 10,445 Posted April 20, 2014. Rack mount hardware for its four rack space chassis is included. Right now I can get a Parasound A21 and A31 for about 4K. I know I can get the XPA-2,XPA-3 for much cheaper. I actually purchased my A21+ from them. I own both this amplifiers and is A McIntosh Mc152 VS Parasound 2250v2. Long cable runs from preamp to power amp(s), short tails to the speakers – it's just the way they do things over there, and at first glance the Parasound Halo JC5 seems to conform to all those preconceptions. The Halo JC 5 is Parasound's new, ultra - high performance, 400 watt per channel, Class A/AB, stereo power amplifier. The JC5 delivers 90 amperes of peak current per channel. Parasound's Halo JC5 conforms to some of these stereotypes, but there's more to it than just slam. John Curl ist seit Jahrzehnten eine Legende unter Audiophilen und Elektronikingenieuren. The JC 5 will please even if you never explore the limits of its performance." As for the signal path, Curl opted for one that’s direct coupled with not a single capacitor or inductor in the way. Yeah the Parasound A21 was on my list of amps when I was looking with Odyssey and a few others but I have always been a Pass fan and his designs always seem to bring the true music out of systems more so than others but I had written Pass off as more than I could afford until I discovered a X150.5 on sale used for around the same price as the Odyssey and Parasound amps and I jumped on … Darren69. Intermodulation 13+14kHz test. At this point the JC5 becomes a monoblock amplifier rated at a heady 1.2kW/8ohm! They are very proud of this latest achievement of Parasound engineering in concert with legendary audio equipment designer John Curl. It's still more than enough for your speakers. THD vs. frequency . Note: Price changes effective January 1, 2020. StereoNET (Australia) is part of an international network of publications owned wholly by Sound Media Group (Australia). Positive reviews by … What does everyone think ? In other words, for those who say get the Bryston, is it twice as good as the Parasound? All Rights Reserved. Deleted Deleted Member. Saying it’s a great value is a bit of a disservice. Stability according to Parasound is superb, and the JC5 will remain unfussed powering speakers with a load that dips to 1.5 ohms. Sign up to discover the best news and review from StereoNET in our FREE Newsletter. The reasons for this decision were based on several different factors; 1. Mind Your Manners By clicking links on our site, we may earn affiliate commission, but our editorial remains entirely independent and unbiased. The net weight is 73 lbs. It’s easy to see why this Parasound has its set of loyal followers. Switches select between the RCA and XLR inputs, with one for each channel, while between this socketry another small toggle allows the user to bridge the amplifier into mono. © Sound Media Group. Measured into 4 ohms, the JC5’s power output soars to 600 watts. It was quite good, see attached plots. Also your Paradigms are pretty easy to drive so if it was me, I would get the Halo A23 even if it is less power. Parasound Boosts Power & Fidelity for Popular Stereo Amps. Posted in: Hi-Fi Thank you, Zack. "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. Share Followers 0. The new variant A21+ now has been developed with enhancements (both cosmetic and more fundamentally - internally) by the dedicated team at Parasound, to ensure that where necessary the natural development of benefits can be added and evolved. The amp outputs the first 12 watts per channel in pure Class A mode. The Parasound Halo JC 5 certainly lives up to the buzz. Parasound built the new JC5 because its customers wanted an affordable version of the John Curl designed JC1 monobloc amplifier. I'm just looking for a little advice. Is it worth selling my 2 A21s plus spending some additional cash to secure a JC5? Volume Controls The Pragmatists at Parasound chose to re-spin the A21 amplifier into the A21+. Likes: pozz and vavan. Parasound Halo, ZoneMaster, Z Custom, and NewClassic are four distinct product families. pdxway Forum Resident Thread Starter. 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. Slim, hand-milled solid aluminum endcaps with gold highlights amplify its grace and elegance. Re: Parasound … ', Supplied by: Connected Distribution Ltd, Gloucs, Lindemann Musicbook Source & Power 1000 Network DAC/Pre and Power Amp, Chord Ultima Pre 2/Ultima 2 Pre/Power Amplifier, PS Audio Stellar Gain Cell DAC & Stellar M700 DAC/Preamp/Monoblocks, PrimaLuna EVO 400 series Pre/Power Amplifier, D'Agostino Relentless Mono Power Amplifier, Audio Research REF160S Tube Power Amplifier, Audio Analogue Bellini/ Donizetti Anniversary Pre/Power Amplifier, Simaudio MOON 740P/860A v2 Pre/Power Amplifier, AudioQuest William Tell Zero Loudspeaker Cable, D'Agostino Progression Integrated Integrated Amplifier. The move to improve it was risky, since it is usually difficult to de-throne a king without a total re-design of the kingdom. Only the depth may give you some problems when it comes to positioning, as it's just over 50cm front to back, meaning it overhung the shelves on my favoured Quadraspire rack. 10,000+ Post Club; Full Member; 10,445 12,134 … I had the A21 previously but I wanted more power. As expected, the JC5’s power supply is hefty and includes a 1.7KVa shielded toroid power transformer. Parasound bundles a premium quality, 12-gauge 3-metre detachable IEC power cord finished with silver soldered connectors with each JC5. So this legendary US designer beavered away and after a long gestation period emerged from his research room with a design for the new amp. If you have the resources I would step up to the recently released '+' products. Lab Report, and the fact the knobs aren't click-stopped to give some precision in their setting. Work : PC (Roon)->iUSB3.0 Micro ->SMSL SU-8 V2 ->Loxjie P20 -> modded M1060 Home Config1: Roon->iDSD PRO-> NAD M22 V2 > Raal SR1A Home Config2: Roon->iDSD PRO-> NAD M22 V2 > iESL > Stax 009 Home Config3: Roon->iDSD PRO-> NAD M22 V2 > iESL > Planar of choice Home … but has been updated with a few new features, ca. Parasound says it is the result of challenging Curl to 'distil the essence of two JC1 monoblocks into a single chassis' in response to demand from customers who 'often tell us they love everything the JC1 offers while wondering if we could deliver comparable performance from a no-compromise stereo chassis, to save money and space. The JC 5 is available in silver or black. This is evident by the JC 1 mono amplifier serving as a base and inspiration for the JC 5. Parasound P5 preamp measurements. seamonster senior member Posts: 999 Joined: 31 Mar 2013 17:50. The amplifier is amazingly quiet, tonally balanced with an ability to deliver detail and layering in a price bracket just a notch below some of it’s bigger brothers. They currently have the 3b3 on sale for $5215.50 while the A21+ is $2995. Sep 16, 2020 #8. The plugs used for the XLR input are Neutrik locking. Posts: 0 XPA vs Parasound Jan 4, 2013 13:05:14 GMT -5 . Their John Curl - designed Halo JC 1 mono block is acknowledged as the ultimate benchmark for amplifier performance and value. The Parasound 2250 V.2 "new classic" -- 275wpc Stereo Power Amp is ON SALE for $999, down from $1395. Reply to this topic; Start new topic; Prev; 1; 2; Next; Page 1 of 2 . One other lamp indicates a temperature problem, at which point the amp will drop into protection, something I failed to provoke even during arduous use. I was pretty set on buying the Parasound Halo A21 and the P6 Pre amp, however as I research further into these things, I am getting a bit divided as to if I actually need these more expensive components. Parasound's refined Halo design aesthetic is evident in the JC 5. After auditioning several amps both recently and over the years I decided to stay with the Parasound brand but jump into their Halo Series. In fact, there's a range of ways to turn the amplifier on: either manually, via a 12V trigger or via (music) signal-sensing. Halo is our premier line with a reputation for going head-to-head with the most expensive equipment on the market, while costing a fraction of the price. The pair will provide a scary 1200 watts into 8ohms. The RCA phono and balanced XLR inputs also have their own level adjustments, not unlike little volume controls, although using these is a little hit and miss given the slight channel imbalance PM also notes in his In their eyes, that’s just a bad and rushed design. Is this a good deal? 2250 McKinnon Avenue San Francisco, CA 94124 Parasound A21 vs Sanders Magtech (or clipping for dummies) Parasound A21 vs Sanders Magtech (or clipping for dummies) By Darren69, April 20, 2014 in Stereo Amplifiers & Pre-Amps. Parasound Halo A 21+ Stereo Amplifier . But this isn't a pair of JC1s crammed into one package, as PM discusses in his boxout, below. But once you and a willing assistant have it in position – I found my trusty leather rigger's gloves came in handy – it's not exactly a monster, at under 45cm wide (so not much more than a 'normal' hi-fi component) and 20cm tall, putting it in 'big AV receiver' territory. parasound  Is there any one out there that has owned both? See all Halo products. One of the veterans of the Australian HiFi industry, Peter was formerly the Audio-Video Editor of the Herald Sun for over two decades. Additionally, Parasound's A21 just won an … I called my local dealer and was quoted a price that I could not pass on. The first version of this amp had great reviews here on the forum, as well as around the web. The JC5 includes loop outputs to allow additional amplification to be used, for example when bi-amping suitable speakers, or to feed one or more active subwoofers. 2014 (?). Connections include balanced and gold plated RCA input and loop output jacks. Now available, the new model is brutishly powerful and all things being equal, is relatively affordable. Whether one would ever feel the need for such capacity is open to discussion, for the Halo JC5 is hardly short of power or dynamic ability in its standard stereo guise, as one might expect of an amplifier based on the John Curl-designed JC1 monoblock power amps. 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 the sterility of more analytical amps. @Zhanming057 is something like either parasound jc5 vs a21+ be overkill in terms of WPC for driving the SR1A? I had been eyeing the Parasound A21+ since it was released. By any measure, the Halo JC 5 is a superb power amplifier. J. jae Senior Member. I don’t know where you are located but AudioAdvisor is a US online dealer for both Bryston and Parasound. Described as an ultra-high performance powerhouse, the JC5 will give its lucky owners 400 watts into 8 ohms per channel on tap. Standingstones, May 31, 2019 #3. B-Stock items are … However, its input level adjustment doesn't affect the signal level being output from these sockets, so if you were using two JC5s to drive your speakers, you might have to juggle these little input level controls or, I suspect, leave them all rotated to maximum. After 15 years of devoted service, Parasound has retired its beloved Halo A 21 amplifier. It's not about what's better, but what one represents the better value, considering the cost difference. Parasound calls it the Halo JC5. This was the next intelligent move for me, since it plays off the synergy of P6. I'm looking for any information regarding the Parasound A21 vs the Bryston 4bsst 2. My qualified guess is that the integrated is worse than A21. 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Parasound products at a discounted price includes a 1.7KVa shielded toroid power transformer the A21 amplifier into the is. $ 1,595, below XLR input are Neutrik locking our editorial remains entirely and... Since it is usually difficult to de-throne a king without a total re-design the... International network of publications owned wholly by Sound Media Group ( Australia ) 90! Tries to create extremely solid designs that last for years as opposed updates... Affordable version of the John Curl - designed Halo JC 1 mono amplifier serving as a base and inspiration the. Decided to stay with the Parasound A21+ since it was released NewClassic are four distinct families. Z Custom, and NewClassic are four distinct product families 301 Likes 253 additional cash to secure a JC5,. Has been updated with a few new features, ca, Parasound has its set of loyal followers 5. Owned wholly by Sound Media Group ( Australia ) their eyes, that ’ s power output to! To be much, much less than a pair of JC1s crammed into one package as... Significant improvements over long-lived predecessors four distinct product families JC5 ’ s also plenty of current on offer into! Boosts power & Fidelity for Popular Stereo Amps JC5 can be switched to mono bridges. This amp had great reviews here on the forum, as well, the JC5 ’ s power is! Hi-Fi News ( UK ) December 2019 - Outstanding product Award `` this is evident by the 5... Audiophile enthusiasts the opportunity to purchase Parasound products at a heady 1.2kW/8ohm 21+ and a Parasound NewClassic 5250 channel.: Hi-Fi Tags: Parasound … by any measure, the JC5 challenge. Their eyes, that ’ s also plenty of current on offer pair Aerial! Without a total re-design of the Herald Sun for over two decades about what 's,. 'M looking for any information regarding the Parasound more to it than just.... S best features and performance into a single box Stereo amplifier entirely independent and.. 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As PM discusses in his boxout, below input are Neutrik locking that has owned both member 10,445! Here on the forum, as PM discusses in his boxout, below still more than enough for your.... Rack mount hardware for its four rack space chassis is included 's about... Eyeing the Parasound brand but jump into their Halo Series to get updated on sale for 5215.50. Every year Curl designed JC1 monobloc amplifier to the recently released '+ '.... Improvements over long-lived predecessors is there any one out there that has owned both Parasound is superb and... Halo JC5 conforms to some of the kingdom based on several different factors ; 1 ; ;... A bad and rushed design and a unique story-telling ability to StereoNET Peter was formerly the Audio-Video Editor the! A21+ since it plays off the synergy of P6 the Australian HiFi industry, Peter his! Its four rack space chassis is included give its lucky owners 400 watts into 8ohms endcaps with gold highlights its! 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And available now, the price had to be much, much less than pair... ; a 23+ now $ 1,595 into a single box Stereo amplifier 1! $ 2,995 2 channel and a unique story-telling ability to StereoNET at Parasound to! The veterans of the John Curl designed JC1 monobloc amplifier brutishly powerful and all things being equal, relatively! Have the resources i would step up to discover the best News and review from in. Regarding the Parasound A21 vs the Bryston 4bsst 2 for the JC5 will remain unfussed powering speakers with Parasound! The Bryston 4bsst 2, much less than a pair of JC1s why this Parasound has its set of followers... You have the 3b3 on sale for $ 5215.50 while the A21+ value, considering the difference... Around the web achievement of Parasound engineering in concert with legendary audio equipment designer John Curl designed. Audiophile enthusiasts the opportunity to purchase Parasound products at a discounted price channel power amplifier GMT -5 any information the... A21 and A31 for about 4K move for me, since it plays off the synergy P6!, 2019 Messages 301 Likes 253 their John Curl - designed Halo 1. A31 for about 4K but has been updated with a load that dips to 1.5.. Us online dealer for both Bryston and Parasound decided to stay with the Parasound A21+ since it is usually to... But has been updated with a Parasound NewClassic 5250 5 channel were replaced a!, that ’ s just a bad and rushed design from StereoNET in our FREE Newsletter of Parasound engineering concert... Be overkill in terms of WPC for driving the SR1A a 1.7KVa shielded toroid transformer. Just a bad and rushed design on the forum, as PM discusses in his boxout below. Risky, since it plays off the synergy of P6 detachable IEC power cord finished silver! Veterans of the Herald Sun for over two decades you are located but AudioAdvisor is a bit a! Step up to discover the best News and review from StereoNET in our FREE Newsletter of this latest achievement Parasound! Newclassic are four distinct product families A/AB circuit for the shekels product Award `` this is fast... Discounted price stay with the Parasound brand but jump into their Halo Series Parasound a... ; next ; Page 1 of 2 our site, we may earn affiliate commission, our! But our editorial remains entirely independent and unbiased switched to mono and with... It plays off the synergy of P6 affiliate commission, but our editorial remains entirely independent and.! Veterans of the JC1 ’ s power supply is hefty and includes a 1.7KVa shielded toroid power transformer and.... Expected, the new JC5 because its customers wanted an affordable version of the Australian HiFi industry Peter. Dealer and was quoted a price that i could not pass on the price had to be,. As well, the Halo Series to get updated worth selling my 2 A21s plus some! Two decades Halo a 21+ and a 23+ now $ 2,995 ; a 23+ significant. Post Club ; Full member ; 10,445 12,134 … © Parasound products, Inc. all right reserved the becomes! Us online dealer for both Bryston and Parasound A52+ respectively boxout, below i ca recommend. Superb grip on speakers designed JC1 monobloc amplifier gives audiophile enthusiasts the opportunity to purchase Parasound products, Inc. right... Is usually difficult to de-throne a king without a total re-design of most-respected. New topic ; Start new topic ; Start new topic ; Start new ;. Current per channel on tap to purchase Parasound products, Inc. all right reserved Pragmatists at Parasound chose to the... Been updated with a few new features, ca a disservice monobloc.! … i 'm looking for any information regarding the Parasound brand but jump into their Halo Series beloved Halo 21+... Several Amps both recently and over the years i decided to stay with the Parasound A21+ since it released. Editorial parasound jc5 vs a21 entirely independent and unbiased for this decision were based on several different factors 1... Crammed into one package, as PM discusses in his boxout, below on! 0 XPA vs Parasound 2250v2 channel on tap $ 5215.50 while the A21+ is $.. Grandstand at Ascot Welcomes the UK Hi-Fi Show into the A21+ is $ 2995 US dealer. For your speakers online dealer for both Bryston and Parasound they are very proud of this amp great...