Parasound 23+

[Hemanth_sonu]

2125 v.2 The differences in amplifier topology and design becomes pretty obvious compared the the A23+

NewClassic 2250 v.2 It has better design than the 2125 v.2

And then we have the A23+ with the best design that is obvious with a simple look at the top view.

@Doodski - Was reviewing this thread and found it relevant to me as well. As i'm hunting for amp. Can you please suggest which one is better Marantz mm7025 or Parasound 23+. 23+ is quite expensive for my budget, however i'll keep that as well in my list. But can you please share your thoughts on Marantz.

 

[Doodski]

@Doodski - Was reviewing this thread and found it relevant to me as well. As i'm hunting for amp. Can you please suggest which one is better Marantz mm7025 or Parasound 23+. 23+ is quite expensive for my budget, however i'll keep that as well in my list. But can you please share your thoughts on Marantz.

The Parasound A23+ does appear to be a superior amplifier albeit it about 30% to 50% more on the price depending on where it is bought from what I can see. They are both nice amps but what is really the most important part is your speakers and ensuring they get good drive. What speakers are you operating that will connect to this new amp? O' and are you operating a EQ/PEQ? Have you considered a class D amp?

 

[itz_all_about_the_music]

Thanks bigguyca, is this distortion audible? Also, with this in mind, what amps do you recommend at this time that would range in the 2125 to 23+ price range. Thanks CyRock

Little, thus far, here on older Parasound amps. What are your thoughts on acquiring used equipment - from a "reliable" source ?

My many years of experience with a three channel 1998 piece (HCA-2003) to drive the bass driver in my three-ways has been nothing but positive. One hallmark of Parasound designs has been the complete lack of any capacitor in the signal path - they use a relay w/delay to protect DC from entering the path and destroying things. So where many amps utilize uber expensive designer film caps for the input coupling cap (hoping for greater transparency), Parasound simply eliminates it altogether. Still, I have heard of some failures in the aforementioned relay. Presumably, hopefully, such a failure leaves the amp in an in-op state (as opposed to allowing DC to reach other internal circuits).

I have zero experience with their newer products, as many here have, but I suspect you'll make a good long term investment in the purchase of any Parasound product. Very stiff power supply, very transparent, not appreciably hot running in my experience (but, again, my experience is only with the aforementioned model).

Good luck!

https://parasound.com/pdfs/vintage/hca2003om.pdf

 

[Hemanth_sonu]

The Parasound A23+ does appear to be a superior amplifier albeit it about 30% to 50% more on the price depending on where it is bought from what I can see. They are both nice amps but what is really the most important part is your speakers and ensuring they get good drive. What speakers are you operating that will connect to this new amp? O' and are you operating a EQ/PEQ? Have you considered a class D amp?

I'm building Troels DIY Faital speaker.. http://www.troelsgravesen.dk/Faital-3WC-10.htm

My Setup will be Loxjie D50(DAC), Pre-amp Freya+, Power Amp (TBD) & Speaker Faital 3WC

I had plans for Class D Purifi Modules, even thats quite exp. So i was leaning towards Marantz 7055 Amp as quite less expensive, however just wondering how good it is for long run.

 

[Doodski]

@Hemanth_sonu here are some prices for class D amps from Buckey Amps in the USA. Perhaps these prices are better than what you have already seen?

2-channel Hypex NC252MP NCORE Amplifier — Buckeye Amps - Hypex NCORE and Purifi 1ET400A

Delivering two channels of 250w of Hypex NCORE power per channel, all channels driven.

www.buckeyeamp.com

2-channel Hypex NC502MP NCORE Amplifier — Buckeye Amps - Hypex NCORE and Purifi 1ET400A

Delivering two channels of 500w of Hypex NCORE power per channel, all channels driven.

www.buckeyeamp.com

2-channel Purifi ET1400A Amplifier — Buckeye Amps - Hypex NCORE and Purifi 1ET400A

Two channels of world renowned Purifi amplifier power (425w)

www.buckeyeamp.com

The Troels speaker looks like a pretty serious home project for speakers. I noticed that based on the woofers power handling the builder has rated the speakers up to ~300w. If me I would get as many watts as possible in the amp. Perhaps a Buckey Amp can do that.

As per EQ we have a EQ webpage for peeps that need PEQ. If you can advise me on the OS you are using then I can help with that.

For Windows install this and then install this. It's a easy to use parametric EQ.
For MacOS use this.

 

[Hemanth_sonu]

@Hemanth_sonu here are some prices for class D amps from Buckey Amps in the USA. Perhaps these prices are better than what you have already seen?

2-channel Hypex NC252MP NCORE Amplifier — Buckeye Amps - Hypex NCORE and Purifi 1ET400A

Delivering two channels of 250w of Hypex NCORE power per channel, all channels driven.

www.buckeyeamp.com

2-channel Hypex NC502MP NCORE Amplifier — Buckeye Amps - Hypex NCORE and Purifi 1ET400A

Delivering two channels of 500w of Hypex NCORE power per channel, all channels driven.

www.buckeyeamp.com

2-channel Purifi ET1400A Amplifier — Buckeye Amps - Hypex NCORE and Purifi 1ET400A

Two channels of world renowned Purifi amplifier power (425w)

www.buckeyeamp.com

The Troels speaker looks like a pretty serious home project for speakers. I noticed that based on the woofers power handling the builder has rated the speakers up to ~300w. If me I would get as many watts as possible in the amp. Perhaps a Buckey Amp can do that.

As per EQ we have a EQ webpage for peeps that need PEQ. If you can advise me on the OS you are using then I can help with that.

For Windows install this and then install this. It's a easy to use parametric EQ.
For MacOS use this.

Thanks for suggestion @Doodski , I shall check on Buckey Amp. Can you please suggest any other class d amps which can be considered.

Yeah those speakers are quite efficient as well (91DB)

Source will be Qobuz thru Volumio (RASP Pie).

 

[Doodski]

Thanks for suggestion @Doodski , I shall check on Buckey Amp. Can you please suggest any other class d amps which can be considered.

Yeah those speakers are quite efficient as well (91DB)

Source will be Qobuz thru Volumio (RASP Pie).

The Buckeye Amps seem to be the most fairly priced class D amps around. That's why I linked you. If memory serves me correct Buckey Amps has a new optional soft start feature and some other new stuff so if you are interested. I suggest contacting Dylan @Buckey Amps and discuss the stuff. Dylan is a member here at ASR too and has a thread as I linked you to it.
[email protected]
Dylan's ASR Buckeye Amps thread if you prefer discussing stuff with him here at the ASR webpage>>

Buckeye Amps

www.audiosciencereview.com

I do not use a RASP Pie so I am not familiar with that but I think that I have heard of peeps here using PEQ thorough them. I could be wrong but I remember something about that.

 

[Hemanth_sonu]

The Buckeye Amps seem to be the most fairly priced class D amps around. That's why I linked you. If memory serves me correct Buckey Amps has a new optional soft start feature and some other new stuff so if you are interested. I suggest contacting Dylan @Buckey Amps and discuss the stuff. Dylan is a member here at ASR too and has a thread as I linked you to it.
[email protected]
Dylan's ASR Buckeye Amps thread if you prefer discussing stuff with him here at the ASR webpage>>

Buckeye Amps

www.audiosciencereview.com

I do not use a RASP Pie so I am not familiar with that but I think that I have heard of peeps here using PEQ thorough them. I could be wrong but I remember something about that.

Thanks for your time Bro, Highly Appreciate it!!

Will reach out Dylan.

 

[Doodski]

Thanks for your time Bro, Highly Appreciate it!!

Will reach out Dylan.

Let us know how everything works out for you.

 

[RoyB]

JFETS are what gives amps that use them the much appreciated tube like sound.....That's why PS, Pass Labs, Parasound, etc use them. Certain distortion is not a bad thing....I'm well aware that is total blasphemy on this forum. I'm sure if any of these amps were tested here they would get a thumbs down....I get it. But the sound of a JFET amplifier can not be denied.

 

[Doodski]

JFETS are what gives amps that use them the much appreciated tube like sound.....That's why PS, Pass Labs, Parasound, etc use them. Certain distortion is not a bad thing....I'm well aware that is total blasphemy on this forum. I'm sure if any of these amps were tested here they would get a thumbs down....I get it. But the sound of a JFET amplifier can not be denied.

I'm not sure about FETs having a tube sound. The transconductance curve tuning of them is linear enough for audio in that it should not have a sound.

 

[peng]

I'm not sure about FETs having a tube sound. The transconductance curve tuning of them is linear enough for audio in that it should not have a sound.

Regardless, if people know about the FET tube sound they will "hear" it.

 

[Dallas2122]

1. I own the A23A and it has great control and very musical ,to make it much better still and a great buy is the Pangea AC9-SE power cord which is actually awg 7 which is 2 inches around it uses the upgraded Cardas
2. -0 Crystal or 6-9s purity copper with heavy hood over Copper connectors
3. For under $300 a true bargain , that and a QA Yellow fuse which are excellent and 1/2 the price of Synergistic purple 8 amp slow blow fuse
4. Made a significant jump in more natural warmth, dynamics and realism
5. For under $400 it sounds like a much more expensive amplifier ,
6. And the AudioGD products have improved a lot in the last 2 years.
7. I bought the master19 preamp which is true balanced input to output
8. Fet based and 2 very large Rcore transformers, very important and often overlooked is the volume control ,the cheaper silver round cans Rob tons of detail which are just $25 Alps,or Bourne pots using a conductive spray on plastic wipers ,far better are resistive ladder or Relay controlled
9. Which the AudioGD has and works great it’s a fantastic preamp vs anything in the $2k range with a very good headphone amplifier,and at under $1300 delivered a steal.
10. The Parasound JC5 amplifier is great ,my friend has it and this is on my radar for purchase later in the year.

 

[Dallas2122]

I'm not sure about FETs having a tube sound. The transconductance curve tuning of them is linear enough for audio in that it should not have a sound.

If electronics should not have added harmonics tell that to the many Vacuum tube owners ,the even harmonics just sound smoother and expand the soundstage as well as smooth out poor recordings ,
Measurements are only good in part there are many other factors
How it sounds is all that matters.

 

[warnerwh]

@Dallas2122 I'm curious as to the difference between the electrons going into the amplifer when using the stock power cord as opposed to the Pangea AC9-SE power cord for $300.00. If we measured the output of the Parasound amplifier using the two different power cords would there be any difference in the output measurement results between power cords? The measurements taken would indicate the reason for the sound quality difference between the two different power cords and I'd find it interesting to see the reason for the improvement.

 

[peng]

OP, all the amps on your list will sound indistinguishable from each other in a proper blind test. If you have a speaker with a low impedance, then the A23+ should be your choice.

I have the A21 AB'ed with my other amps, agreed with you 100% but the fact is, they would invariable sound better because their owners aren't blind and when listening, they obviously would be thinking about what the marketing material says such as class A for the first few watts. Not just Parasound, same for other amps that come with convincing marketing info.

 

[Martini]

@Dallas2122 I'm curious as to the difference between the electrons going into the amplifer when using the stock power cord as opposed to the Pangea AC9-SE power cord for $300.00. If we measured the output of the Parasound amplifier using the two different power cords would there be any difference in the output measurement results between power cords? The measurements taken would indicate the reason for the sound quality difference between the two different power cords and I'd find it interesting to see the reason for the improvement.

I think we need to move from thinking of electrons moving down a wire, through a circuit (amp in this case) and back through returning through the wire like water in a hose. Think of them as transmitters of a state of charge. If they get excited enough, the electrons will flow, i.e., escape, usually evidenced by heat & smoke. And, the metallic structure in that area have been changed/damaged.