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Changes at Parasound

SIY

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With the recent sale of Parasound, I was curious to see which direction the company would go. My question was answered with today's press release.

Parasound Adds Darren Myers to its Audio Design Team

SAN FRANCISCO (February 28, 2023) Early in his tenure as Parasound's new owner, David Sheriff made a commitment to the company's legendary designer, John Curl, to bring more of his new ideas to the fore. To accelerate this process, Sheriff has hired Darren Myers as Vice President of Research and Development.

Myers was most recently Senior Analog Design Engineer for PS Audio, and earlier a designer for Classe Audio and B&W Loudspeakers. He is a passionate music enthusiast who describes being obsessed over just about every aspect of its reproduction since hearing his first Wilson Audio system when he was 16 years old. Myers has an electrical engineering degree from the University of North Carolina with a specialization in microelectronics. His designs have earned countless awards including Stereophile's Analog Product of the Year for 2020 and The Absolute Sound's Amplifier of the Year for 2021.

Myers will work closely with John Curl and the company's in-house design team lead by Bob MacDonald, Director of Product Development, to broaden the scope of Parasound's high-end family of products and also to bring Parasound quality and performance to new products in the custom installation and integration realm.

"When I first met John Curl late last year," said Sheriff, "he had more great ideas for new products and product upgrades than he had time to fulfill them. Now, Darren has lots of new ideas of his own, and he is looking forward to working with John in a variety of areas. I am very optimistic the synergy of these two will grow the company and provide exciting new products for audio enthusiasts."

Said Myers, "Words cannot convey my excitement around joining forces with David Sheriff, John Curl, and the rest of the outstanding team at Parasound. I share the Parasound philosophy that values subjective listening as well as objective performance, and I believe that both perspectives are equally essential to making the world's highest performing products. My mission with our design team will be to take an outstanding brand that is known for value and integrity to one that is also known for its innovation.

Darren will enhance existing products and provide additional models to expand Parasound's demographic footprint with audio enthusiasts and custom installations, as well as expand into new related markets.

Parasound was founded in 1981 by Richard Schram, who sold the company to David Sherriff in December 2022. Parasound remains a privately-owned U.S. company that specializes in providing affordable audio components to the critical listener. The company's ever-improving line of products has garnered a reputation for performance, value, and reliability. The highest quality standards are assured by Parasound's close relationships with their Taiwan manufacturers that date back to 1982.
 

fpitas

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I've had an A21 since forever.
 

fpitas

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I think I recall Darren being on here at one point.
 

bloodshoteyed

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i'm still mad that basically no one carries them anymore in the EU :mad:
 
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SIY

SIY

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Two things struck me:

Parasound is likely to become more like PS Audio. He's already boasting about not using controls in listening tests.

I wonder what John Curl's " great new ideas" are. I know John pretty well, and he really hasn't had any new ideas since about 1975 (and one could argue that his four FET gain cell that he's been using since then wasn't really a new idea). Mostly he's pivoted to peddling snake oil and huckstering.
 

fpitas

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Two things struck me:

Parasound is likely to become more like PS Audio. He's already boasting about not using controls in listening tests.

I wonder what John Curl's " great new ideas" are. I know John pretty well, and he really hasn't had any new ideas since about 1975 (and one could argue that his four FET gain cell that he's been using since then wasn't really a new idea). Mostly he's pivoted to peddling snake oil and huckstering.
Yeah, I like the A21, and it has lasted a long time. But John's association with the Bybee Quantum Purifier is questionable.
 

Beave

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With the recent sale of Parasound, I was curious to see which direction the company would go. My question was answered with today's press release.

Parasound Adds Darren Myers to its Audio Design Team

SAN FRANCISCO (February 28, 2023) Early in his tenure as Parasound's new owner, David Sheriff made a commitment to the company's legendary designer, John Curl, to bring more of his new ideas to the fore. To accelerate this process, Sheriff has hired Darren Myers as Vice President of Research and Development.

Myers was most recently Senior Analog Design Engineer for PS Audio, and earlier a designer for Classe Audio and B&W Loudspeakers. He is a passionate music enthusiast who describes being obsessed over just about every aspect of its reproduction since hearing his first Wilson Audio system when he was 16 years old. Myers has an electrical engineering degree from the University of North Carolina with a specialization in microelectronics. ...

Usually when writing "the University of North Carolina," one is referring to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. But UNC-CH doesn't offer a program in electrical engineering.

Perhaps Myers attended the University of North Carolina Charlotte, which is often referred to as UNC Charlotte. From what I know, it's generally not referred to simply as the University of North Carolina.
 
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Saturn94

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That was also my immediate takeaway. Seems he's going there to bring them the design glory of PS Audio :facepalm:

This is sad. I always liked Parasound’s no nonsense approach. I guess the money to be made in audio woo woo is to hard to resist.

Here’s hoping my Parasound Classic 5250 amp lasts for many, many, many more years!
 

MAB

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Two things struck me:

Parasound is likely to become more like PS Audio. He's already boasting about not using controls in listening tests.

I wonder what John Curl's " great new ideas" are. I know John pretty well, and he really hasn't had any new ideas since about 1975 (and one could argue that his four FET gain cell that he's been using since then wasn't really a new idea). Mostly he's pivoted to peddling snake oil and huckstering.
Maybe they can bring back CAMAC connectors and revolutionize things a bit...;)
 

Cbdb2

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I spent quite a bit of time reading John Curls posts at diyaudio. He comes across as the arrogant high priest of audiofools. The buybee is just one of his snake oil endorsements. He also believes cable direction, silver vs copper, everything makes a difference, etc.
And I would not trust anyone who worked at BSaudio to design a shoe lace.
 
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He was generally considered a big deal back when the hi-fi community was just forming. I hate arrogant people as well, but you should really listen to one of his designs sometime. He's in his 80's now. Because I can't explain what comes out of my JC5 to people, I have no choice but to give him a pass.
 
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I spent quite a bit of time reading John Curls posts at diyaudio. He comes across as the arrogant high priest of audiofools. The buybee is just one of his snake oil endorsements. He also believes cable direction, silver vs copper, everything makes a difference, etc.
And I would not trust anyone who worked at BSaudio to design a shoe lace.
He was generally considered a big deal back when the hi-fi community was just forming. I hate arrogant people as well, but you should really listen to one of his designs sometime. He's in his 80's now. Because I can't explain what comes out of my JC5 to people, I have no choice but to give him a pass.
 

TonyJZX

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i think that people like JC have earned their place in history and they have done more good than bad... i also give him a pass

i feel like sure there is science but sometimes science isnt enough to people like Curl AND to the audience, especailly when it comes to turning a profit

you need to sell the sizzle and that means the BS Audio route

i always think of engineering in the automotive field and that designers will often resort to 'anti science' and its the same thing and its because they are selling emotive products... like cars

if they were selling Agilent or Omron medical products it might be a different story

I do like Parasound but they've long been on the slide down to 'personalities' and selling products based on mysticism and 'audio romance' rather than science.
 
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SIY

SIY

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He was generally considered a big deal back when the hi-fi community was just forming. I hate arrogant people as well, but you should really listen to one of his designs sometime. He's in his 80's now. Because I can't explain what comes out of my JC5 to people, I have no choice but to give him a pass.
I have a Vendetta preamp and spent a few months with a JC5. They were good, but nothing different sonically than ten thousand other products.
 
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