Parasound JC-2 BP - worth the bucks?

Mr_Hz

Couldn't help but notice the recent sale Audio Advisor had on the black color edition of the Parasound JC-2 preamps. Normally a $4.5K price offered at $3K. Still quite a bit of coin, but obviously 33% less so. The question I have is that at that reduced price, is this piece of kit worth it? I did some 'internets' searching, and all seemed to come back with very positive views of the JC-2. Got the feeling that there is a strong following for both the JC-2 and its former edition, the JC-1.

As for myself... its been a slow transformation getting myself to step up from lower common names/models to the higher pro-sumer/near audiofile gear. Always hard to part with more of my hard earned money over a couple 10ths of improvement here and there... Yet things changed for me once I obtained a slightly used Bryston 4B-SST2 amp, and I've been slowly upgrading some of my other pieces around it ever since. Right now I have everything connected to a Marantz AV-7005 pre-pro, but I know I could benefit from more '2 channel purity.' That Marantz AV also feeds a MM7055 5 channel amp, so I could keep both the pre-pro and the Parasound JC-2. Just debating whether to take the plunge, to further upgrade the system.

Thoughts/comments welcomed.

tonyb

Just my .02, but for the coin, I'd be looking at tubed pre amps from the likes of Joule/Vac/and a host of others. I like Parasound, but I think tubes kick it up a few notches more and allow you to tailor the sound to your preferences rather than being stuck with what Solid state pieces have to offer. Just a thought....if your worried about spending big bucks on small incremental improvements, go for something that will give you bigger jumps in sound quality. I see the amp opens your eyes, as it does with most, but that's just the beginning. Everything matters in the chain, problem for most is we can't all upgrade everything at once so the changes appear to be smaller when you upgrade one piece at a time. What I like to do, when I get worried about small changes, is take the piece I upgraded back out of the system after a while. See how the sound changes once you return the system to it's prior state. Do that with a few pieces and you won't worry about small changes anymore.

Once you get a pre amp in place you like, upgrade the cables and source components. It's always hard to decipher a certain piece's worth unless everything else is up to snuff too. Good luck to you.

BTW....That Bryston is a sweet amp, nice score.

[Deleted User]

I have battled this one out in my mind a number of times. (and lost)

The best one could say is the Parasound is noiseless. It shouldn't depart
any of it's own character. That is a lot of money for nothing. You should
get a bit more detail out of the proceedings. I'd be shocked if you didn't.

You might get a bump with improving the power situation as well.

OTOH,

that Marantz is noisy. (based on the specs) Even noisy tube amps would
seem to be a step up.

So it comes down to SS vs tubes. (and versatility of the piece for your needs)

The amp upgrade was a nice step as Tony points out. Well done there.
I don't know how much you use the 5 channel so...

sgmsmg

It is funny that you started this thread. I just picked up the JC2BP from the sale at Audio Advisor. It arrived yesterday and I am currently breaking it in. It will replace my P5 if I can observe an improvement.

As has been discussed I am sure it will be a small incremental improvement if any. I am in no way a critical listener or rather have the ear to detect certain changes that others observe right away.

I know it has been said a million times here to go to a tubed pre-amp but I do not want to go down that rabbit hole with so many tube options/variables.

motorhead43026

A John Curl engineered pre, what's not to like.

[Deleted User]

Here ya go! Nothing like real world experience.
SGM has the power conditioning in place as well.
Please post back your experiences.

sgmsmg wrote: »

It is funny that you started this thread. I just picked up the JC2BP from the sale at Audio Advisor. It arrived yesterday and I am currently breaking it in. It will replace my P5 if I can observe an improvement.

As has been discussed I am sure it will be a small incremental improvement if any. I am in no way a critical listener or rather have the ear to detect certain changes that others observe right away.

I know it has been said a million times here to go to a tubed pre-amp but I do not want to go down that rabbit hole with so many tube options/variables.

motorhead43026

^^I am very curious about the noise floor vs the P5. Should be a vast improvement.

Emlyn

The above observations about noise floor are correct. The JC2 was designed to have a very quiet background. I also have Sonic Frontiers tube preamps but prefer to keep the JC2 in the two channel system. Not because of the sound quality necessarily, because a top quality tube preamp is more musical even if the noise floor is higher. The thing is I don't have much time to listen to two channel music, maybe once a month now, and my tube preamps sound good only if they are left warmed up. To me the JC2 is a better compromise. It is very powerful and neutral. Listening to vinyl through it takes away the musicality advantage a tube preamp has.

One caution. The JC2 is designed to complement Parasound Halo amps. The sound using it with a Bryston amp may be a bit sterile, dry. Also, if the JC2 is brand new it needs a couple hundred hours of use to open up and bloom.

If integrating into a home theater system I would suggest something at a lower cost like the P5.

motorhead43026

I agree on the P5, and it's good qualitys the noise floor is easily dismissed.

motorhead43026

Check out the new Anthem STR integrated. It is what wet dreams are made of.

Oops, actually the wrong thread, but I will leave this here anyway.

Mr_Hz

Thanks for all the input, gentlemen. Appreciated. sgmsmg, interesting timing there, and yes, spurred by the sale. Not having ever dealt with tubed equipment, and just recently stepping up my game on some items... I don't think I'm ready either to go the tube route. So many choices, and other than McIntosh, I've never really followed 'you's who in the tube zoo.'

Mr_Hz

Just an FYI... I now have a Parasound Halo A21 amp on the way. (Thanks to recent Audio Advisor sale/special pricing) Will pair this up with the Parasound JC-2 BP Pre-Amp I previously purchased.

Will still look at other solutions to compliment my Bryston 4B-SST2 amp. Ultimately - looking for high performance systems for both my living room (main listening) and my family room/entertainment/exercise space... both benefiting from solid performing systems. Bryston sells both some preamp solutions, plus their SP3 Sound Processor, which is priced out of this world... Still a neophyte in the ways of tube based pre-amps with so many selections, and no real knowledge on my part. Maybe time for me to do some 'homework.'

Emlyn wrote: »

The above observations about noise floor are correct. The JC2 was designed to have a very quiet background. ......

One caution. The JC2 is designed to complement Parasound Halo amps. The sound using it with a Bryston amp may be a bit sterile, dry. Also, if the JC2 is brand new it needs a couple hundred hours of use to open up and bloom.