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Parasound JC2 Preamplifier Review

Laserjock

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Well not exactly. Freya S uses their 'Nexus' output topology. Freya+ is either JFET differential buffer, or tube gain. Both have passthrough too of course, but the active states are quite different.
I wanted to get the “toob” Version but opted for the repaired/pre-owned unit that was tested here.
 

Lbstyling

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So just read the review now... I would not expect the nagatives to be that audible apart from the channel matching.

when I had this unit (with the halo A51) (that amp is the heaviest amp I have owned, you drag it round, forget lifting it) I built some Troels Gravesen TJL3W speakers that at the time had the lowest distortion drivers you could get (SEAS Excel magnesium). I now wonder if it was the speakers that did not seam that detailed or the IM distortion etc on the amp was to blame all along:(.

The speakers definitely sounded better on a NAD amplifier with 1/20th of the power, despite being low efficiency.
 

Vasr

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Amir's testing demonstrates a high amount of 3rd order distortion especially, something also apparent in Pass designs. Make no mistake: this is what they are striving for.

This.

One can disagree with the philosophy of design but I think there is a tendency to confuse bad/sloppy engineering in failing to meet chosen goals (transparency or sound signature) with competent engineering to meet a goal whether you agree with that goal or not.
 

vkvedam

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Is there a use case for a simple pre-amp in this day and age without the DAC functionality, just wondering :confused:

Unless it's Phono > Preamp > Poweramp
 
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amirm

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Is there a use case for a simple pre-amp in this day and age without the DAC functionality, just wondering :confused:
I love to have the combination of state-of-the-art DAC and pre-amp. Usually though the former is throw-away.
 

Vasr

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I love to have the combination of state-of-the-art DAC and pre-amp. Usually though the former is throw-away.

If they didn't screw up the implementation using the ES9018K2M chip, this

https://parasound.com/p6.php

has a nice set of features and interfaces for a DAC+Pre-amp at a sensible price.

But Parasound product line is like a box of chocolates...
 

Tks

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Times like these I'm grateful to be a newcomer to audio.. Is 90% of the expensive stuff from half an decade and prior just simply all bad performing devices? Who am I kidding, it's still going on.
 

Feanor

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Well not exactly. Freya S uses their 'Nexus' output topology. Freya+ is either JFET differential buffer, or tube gain. Both have passthrough too of course, but the active states are quite different.
Thanks for pointing that out. Yes, correct that the Freya S adds a 12 dB gain option where the Freya + has only the 0 dB buffer, (plus the 12 dB tube stage and passive mode).

Personally I don't need 12 dB gain -- I wish the tube stage gain were much less that 12 dB.
 
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restorer-john

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Oh. This is not nice. We have a third harmonic peaking way up there near 90 dB. This in turn sets our SINAD which is a sum of distortion and noise to the same value. With CD's noise floor being -96 dB, we have distortion products which would peak above that.

This preamplifier was measured by stereophile which stated it had exceptional performance. I am not seeing any signs of that, nor where there enough documentation in said measurements for me to try to fully replicate them.

To be fair, the preamplifier has a rated output of 1V and is clearly designed to achieve its lowest THD at levels typical for power amplifier sensitivities of 1-2V (as was/is the norm). The Stereophile plots also show this to be perfectly true. You are testing it at 4V, 4 times its rated specification. Of course the THD rises at 400% of rated spec.

Specification is 200mV for 1V out. You are feeding in 4V. 20 times its rated sensitivity for full rated output. A CD at full level is 2V.

Also, the preamplifier has a gain of 14dB. Even with the gain pots backed right off (-10dB) there is still a gain of 4dB. How then did you test at 4V in and 4V out without winding back the master volume pot from maximum? Once the master volume pot is not at maximum, your tests cannot be compared to Stereophile's (vol max (as is standard testing protocol), input shorted etc). The Stereophile 1:1 (unity) 2nd plot shows the FR deviations, but all other tests are at full volume position and adjusting the input level.

Also, just as an aside, why a 300ohm load? It's not a headphone amplifier- why compare it to one? The line outs are 60ohm rated per leg for the balanced and 60ohm for the single ended. A typical load would surely be several k ohm.

The Stereophile tests do show exceptional performance in my opinion.
 
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Poseidons Voice

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It is just so interesting that we still don't have significant market entry into the high-resolution-amplification sector here in the US. It's Benchmark and then a few marketers of cases with Hypex, Purifi, ICEpower, and Pascal modules. It's as if the traditional manufacturers of hi-fi in this country just don't care anymore. All they want to do is go to audio shows and give us bling and hype that subjective reviewers then spew out in their nonsense reviews.

Thank you, Benchmark, Hypex, Purifi, and other innovators!

Hear hear! Let’s not forget Neurochrome Audio and Orchard Audio. Particularly the Modulus 686 (Class AB) and BOSC (Class D using GaN fets and original design, ie not a Hypex, ICE or Pascal) amplifiers.

Best,
Anand.
 

alashikata

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Wow, I backed out order 2 weeks ago. I didn't have time to listen to JC2 yet but my friend compared P6 to JC2, he said the bass is lower and warmer than the P6. Maybe that 's the reason may not able to drive your salon.

Amirm, can you do the test for Mark Levinson 532. I thought saw you have that in your system.
 

Vasr

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cistercian

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You would think for 4k you would get a laboratory grade reference device...really poor value here.
Wow.
 

vkvedam

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I love to have the combination of state-of-the-art DAC and pre-amp. Usually though the former is throw-away.
Not with the recent offerings I presume
 

ex audiophile

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