Anyone familiar with the Parasound P/LD 1500 Preamp?

drumiv
drumiv Posts: 171
edited May 2014 in 2 Channel Audio
Has/does anyone owned/own one of these? I'm planning on trying one in my rig, pairing it with a couple 2200II's. I'm not finding a whole lot of info on them, and Parasound isn't helping. I'd like to find a service manual, but apparently one does not exist. Any help or info would be appreciated. Thanks.
Post edited by drumiv on
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  • deronb1
    deronb1 Posts: 5,021
    edited May 2014
    I owned a p/ld 1100 for a while. Great sounding pre. Im surprised you cant find any info as the parasound site has archieved nformation about their discontinued models. Thats where i found info for the 1100 and 1500a amp.
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  • drumiv
    drumiv Posts: 171
    edited May 2014
    I found the owners manual, but no service man.
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  • chumlie
    chumlie Posts: 8,658
    edited May 2014
    Have you tried calling Parasound ?
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  • TNHNDYMAN
    TNHNDYMAN Posts: 2,145
    edited May 2014
    If it's working ok for now, I would not waste time and lose out on a possible purchase for a service manual. You can look for one later and should be avail on the bay. I have a p/ld 2000 that may be for sale soon and attest that they are a great series of pre amps. If I wasn't looking for HT bypass features, it would never leave my home. Great sounding units.
    2-ch System: Parasound P/LD 2000 pre, Parasound HCA-1000 amp, Parasound T/DQ Tuner, Phase Technology PC-100 Tower speakers, Technics SL-1600 Turntable, Denon 2910 SACD/CD player, Peachtree DAC iT and X1asynchorus USB converter, HSU VTF-3 subwoofer.

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  • drumiv
    drumiv Posts: 171
    edited May 2014
    I'm not waiting for the service man., already bought 2; 1 doesn't work, the other is supposedly in exc. cond. My tech has contacted Parasound several times, once with Mr. Curl on the line. There was a some what cold response, which is unusual. Bottom line there was, no service manual. It has made both of us very curious about this model.
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  • drumiv
    drumiv Posts: 171
    edited May 2014
    Well, my magician did it; he got P/ld #1 up an running, w/o any help from schematics, or service manual. He did get a conrats from Tony @ Parasound. Next comes the demo. Thanks to the few that replied.
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  • TNHNDYMAN
    TNHNDYMAN Posts: 2,145
    edited May 2014
    Glad he was able to get it fixed for you.
    2-ch System: Parasound P/LD 2000 pre, Parasound HCA-1000 amp, Parasound T/DQ Tuner, Phase Technology PC-100 Tower speakers, Technics SL-1600 Turntable, Denon 2910 SACD/CD player, Peachtree DAC iT and X1asynchorus USB converter, HSU VTF-3 subwoofer.

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  • pglbook
    pglbook Posts: 2,222
    edited May 2014
    drumiv, I bought a Parasound P/LD 1500 pre from a fellow CP member who listed it in the Flea Market back in October. I had the same problem as you did in trying to get find much information about it online. There is quite a lot of info about the P/LD 1100 and also about the P/LD 2000 but, surprisingly, there is a dearth of info about the P/LD 1500. I found a few things online about it but not much. But I can tell you it is a great pre. I have mine paired with a Parasound 1500A power amp and I love it. I have not heard the other 2 Parasound pre amps but, from the little I read online about the P/LD 1500, it is a step above the P/LD 1100 and a step below the P/LD 2000 (I'd love to get the P/LD 2000 some day). As I said, it is an amazing pre. Congrats.
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  • drumiv
    drumiv Posts: 171
    edited May 2014
    I can't wait to get mine. My tech likes the one he just fixed so much, he's going to buy it. He was really impressed with over-engineering that went into it, particularly the extensive use of Black Gate caps. My understanding is, the only real difference between the 1500, and 2000 is the 2000 has a motorized volume control.
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  • drumiv
    drumiv Posts: 171
    edited May 2014
    Well, no service manual, but I did find a schematic for it, as well as one for just about everything else they made. Thanks for your replies.
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  • skrol
    skrol Posts: 3,375
    edited May 2014
    Do you happen to have anything for a Parasound C/PT600?
    Stan

    Main 2ch:
    Polk LSi15 (DB840 upgrade), Parasound: P/LD-1100, HCA-1000A; Denon: DVD-2910, DRM-800A; Benchmark DAC1, Monster HTS3600-MKII, Grado SR-225i; Technics SL-J2, Parasound PPH-100.

    HT:
    Marantz SR7010, Polk: RTA11TL (RDO198-1, XO and Damping Upgrades), S4, CS250, PSW110 , Marantz UD5005, Pioneer PL-530, Panasonic TC-P42S60

    Other stuff:
    Denon: DRA-835R, AVR-888, DCD-660, DRM-700A, DRR-780; Polk: S8, Monitor 5A, 5B, TSi100, RM7, PSW10 (DXi104 upgrade); Pioneer: CT-6R; Onkyo CP-1046F; Ortofon OM5E, Marantz: PM5004, CD5004, CDR-615; Parasound C/PT-600, HCA-800ii, Sony CDP-650ESD, Technics SA 5070, B&W DM601
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  • drumiv
    drumiv Posts: 171
    edited May 2014
    Is that a CD player? The only ones I'm seeing are; c/dp1000, c/dc1500, c/bd 2000. Sorry. I guess this binder only covers up to a certain year. It's not complete.
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  • skrol
    skrol Posts: 3,375
    edited May 2014
    No it is a pre-amp / tuner. Did you happen to snag the binder of ebay recently?
    Stan

    Main 2ch:
    Polk LSi15 (DB840 upgrade), Parasound: P/LD-1100, HCA-1000A; Denon: DVD-2910, DRM-800A; Benchmark DAC1, Monster HTS3600-MKII, Grado SR-225i; Technics SL-J2, Parasound PPH-100.

    HT:
    Marantz SR7010, Polk: RTA11TL (RDO198-1, XO and Damping Upgrades), S4, CS250, PSW110 , Marantz UD5005, Pioneer PL-530, Panasonic TC-P42S60

    Other stuff:
    Denon: DRA-835R, AVR-888, DCD-660, DRM-700A, DRR-780; Polk: S8, Monitor 5A, 5B, TSi100, RM7, PSW10 (DXi104 upgrade); Pioneer: CT-6R; Onkyo CP-1046F; Ortofon OM5E, Marantz: PM5004, CD5004, CDR-615; Parasound C/PT-600, HCA-800ii, Sony CDP-650ESD, Technics SA 5070, B&W DM601
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  • drumiv
    drumiv Posts: 171
    edited May 2014
    Yes I did. We were hoping it had the schematic for the 1500, which it did. Not even Parasound, or J. Curl has it.
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  • billbillw
    billbillw Posts: 6,766
    edited May 2014
    In my experience, Parasound has never had published service manuals like you find from the big Japanese companies. Schematics are about the best you can get. At one point, I was really familiar with the differences between the various PLD preamps, but that was some time ago. I know the 1500 is a very good unit though, just lacking remote control. Compared to the 2000, perhaps not as robust in the power supply, perhaps the headphone circuit not as good, maybe the wiring not as good, and possibly the relay controls for inputs not as good.

    I do remember it was significantly better than the 1100 model though. They are a steal on the used market.
    For rig details, see my profile. Nothing here anymore...
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  • skrol
    skrol Posts: 3,375
    edited May 2014
    drumiv wrote: »
    Yes I did. We were hoping it had the schematic for the 1500, which it did. Not even Parasound, or J. Curl has it.

    Glad to see you got it. I placed a bid but it looks like my gear is not covered anyway.
    Stan

    Main 2ch:
    Polk LSi15 (DB840 upgrade), Parasound: P/LD-1100, HCA-1000A; Denon: DVD-2910, DRM-800A; Benchmark DAC1, Monster HTS3600-MKII, Grado SR-225i; Technics SL-J2, Parasound PPH-100.

    HT:
    Marantz SR7010, Polk: RTA11TL (RDO198-1, XO and Damping Upgrades), S4, CS250, PSW110 , Marantz UD5005, Pioneer PL-530, Panasonic TC-P42S60

    Other stuff:
    Denon: DRA-835R, AVR-888, DCD-660, DRM-700A, DRR-780; Polk: S8, Monitor 5A, 5B, TSi100, RM7, PSW10 (DXi104 upgrade); Pioneer: CT-6R; Onkyo CP-1046F; Ortofon OM5E, Marantz: PM5004, CD5004, CDR-615; Parasound C/PT-600, HCA-800ii, Sony CDP-650ESD, Technics SA 5070, B&W DM601
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  • drumiv
    drumiv Posts: 171
    edited May 2014
    I finally got to hear the 1500 in my system(s). I first hooked it up to my Adcom 555II, and was very pleased with the sound. Granted, it hasn't been completely recapped yet, but I hear potential. Next it went in to my main system, with the 2 Parasound 2200II's. It is replacing a Apt Holman. Again, not truly a fair comparison, the Holman is completely rebuilt, but it had a wider sound stage, and the stereo image was better, although it didn't have the "sparkle" of the Holman. I'm hoping a full recap will help that. I think the synergy is better with the all-Parasound set up.
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  • billbillw
    billbillw Posts: 6,766
    edited May 2014
    drumiv wrote: »
    I finally got to hear the 1500 in my system(s). I first hooked it up to my Adcom 555II, and was very pleased with the sound. Granted, it hasn't been completely recapped yet, but I hear potential. Next it went in to my main system, with the 2 Parasound 2200II's. It is replacing a Apt Holman. Again, not truly a fair comparison, the Holman is completely rebuilt, but it had a wider sound stage, and the stereo image was better, although it didn't have the "sparkle" of the Holman. I'm hoping a full recap will help that. I think the synergy is better with the all-Parasound set up.

    I'd be careful with a full recap of that PLD-1500. Since BlackGates are no longer available, you might be down-grading the caps, at least for those in the power supply section. Honestly, that preamp doesn't get too hot except right around the heatsinks for the linestage gain. Maybe change those out and test a few of the others. From what I've seen with these parasound preamps, they will benefit more from replacing all those block white caps with good Wima Film caps.
    For rig details, see my profile. Nothing here anymore...
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  • drumiv
    drumiv Posts: 171
    edited May 2014
    billbillw wrote: »
    I'd be careful with a full recap of that PLD-1500. Since BlackGates are no longer available, you might be down-grading the caps, at least for those in the power supply section. Honestly, that preamp doesn't get too hot except right around the heatsinks for the linestage gain. Maybe change those out and test a few of the others. From what I've seen with these parasound preamps, they will benefit more from replacing all those block white caps with good Wima Film caps.
    I'm leaving all that up to my tech, he knows what he's doing. The white blocks are bi-pass caps, no? I know he's planning on 86'ing those. The unit I have in the system is his, while he rebuilds mine. He said it must have been a demo at a shop, because it looks like it's seen A LOT of use. Thanks for your advice.
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