Gear comments: Parasound

Pycroft

Hi all...I found some things for sale locally that I am interested in. I don't have the money to keep it unless I sell something else, but it has been suggested many times that if you hear two amps, you should use your ears to guide you. So far, I have only heard one hooked up to my AVR, and I think it sounds good. let's see if it can be improved. I've heard Parasound is a very good company. Here is the gear:

Parasound 60 channel amp: HCA-806. I think the owner said they bridge it and use 3 channels. 6 channels is 80 wpc, 3 is 160 I believe. It also comes with a Parasound p/sp-1500 preamp. I believe it is 5 channel preamp.

Question: What would I use the preamp for? Would that be used in a HT function as an AVR, or can/should it be used WITH an AVR to improve everythign somehow? Also, would you think this is an improvement to my current setup? Lastly, how would you use it? What would it power? The front 3?

Current setup:
HK AVR 354
Soundcraftsmen PCR800
RTA 11TL's
CS400i
Monitor 30's
Def. Tech. Prosub 800

This is used for 95 % home theatre - 5 % music (LOVING my 2 channel setup).

Again, I would probably have to sell my Soundcraftsmen to keep the Parasound. How would they compare?

Thanks much,

James
HK AVR 354

schwarcw

James,

My opinion is the Parasound is a much better quality built and sounding component. Plu Parasound is still in business and can provide parts and repair service for your unit (great service dept). The Soundcraftsman sounds pretty good, but is not well supported if you run into issues.

RuSsMaN

As the title states, my official gear comment regarding Parasound is as follows:

"Parasound offers real hi-fi, and great dollar to watt value in both the audio and home theater environments".

I have a friend named Mark. Some people call him Doro. Sometimes I call him dickbump. His official gear comment regarding Parasound is as follows (if I recall his official gear comment regarding Parasound correctly):

"Parasound is the poor mans Krell".

I like Lego. City Lego, and space Lego. Not so much the pirate or other crap. Parasound has a cool logo, that looks like a Lego. Look at the attached file, or visit the following address on the world wide web:

http://www.parasound.com/about.php

Look at all the cool mofos that rock that Parasound sound. Be you. Be me. Be you and me wanting to be them.

I would recommend you buy Parasound, and build Lego's (space or city ONLY) while you listen to your Parasound.

Cheers,
Rooster

Pycroft

Thanks for the comments. What would I do with the preamp? Is it used WITH an AVR or instead of?

cnh

RuSsMaN wrote: »

As the title states, my official gear comment regarding Parasound is as follows:

"Parasound offers real hi-fi, and great dollar to watt value in both the audio and home theater environments".

I have a friend named Mark. Some people call him Doro. Sometimes I call him dickbump. His official gear comment regarding Parasound is as follows (if I recall his official gear comment regarding Parasound correctly):

"Parasound is the poor mans Krell".

I like Lego. City Lego, and space Lego. Not so much the pirate or other crap. Parasound has a cool logo, that looks like a Lego. Look at the attached file, or visit the following address on the world wide web:

http://www.parasound.com/about.php

Look at all the cool mofos that rock that Parasound sound. Be you. Be me. Be you and me wanting to be them.

I would recommend you buy Parasound, and build Lego's (space or city ONLY) while you listen to your Parasound.

Cheers,
Rooster

That's a great quote from Doro there! And I fully agree GET/KEEP the Parasound....if I were upgrading...which I am not....I would get a Halo 21 and the accompanying pre at least for now....since I am a 'poor man' as Doro points out!

cnh

wutadumsn23

LOL, great write up Russ.

-Jeff

Pycroft

What would you pay for this gear? I will be going after work today to listen to it. What should I be looking for? I guess if it works with the speakers, just buy it? What should I offer? She is selling it for 325 bucks I believe. I actually had to borrow money from my friend to pay for it, if I'm going to get it, and said I would pay him back when I sell whichever I don't want.

Thanks,

James

concealer404

$325 for the amp and the pre sounds like a pretty good deal to me.

Pycroft

So, I AM going to pick up the gear today. I found this picture of the pre-amp online: http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/view_images.php?cat=Preamplifiers&catnick=preamplifiers&cfid=85500&image_id=539453. It seems very meager compared to my HK AVR 354. Is there any advantage in using this over the AVR as a preamp?

James

cnh

That's pretty standard fair for an older pre-amp..and it should sound better than your H/K used as the pre. The problem is that the H/K has more updated processing for surround modes, video processing, HDMI, etc....so there are other considerations in play here.

Remember that AVR has an amp/a pre-amp/tuner 3 units in it and this pre-amp is just one of those...put a Tuner/pre-amp/amp together and they will dwarf your HK.

cnh

Pycroft

I can't somehow plug the preamp into the AVR and have it do everything except the video processing...so it's only job would be to plug the HDMI cables in and do the TrueHD?

Thanks

agfrost

I'd like to thank Russ for taking the time to write that post above. (seriously.)

Whatever the cost of joining Club Polk was, I now consider it money well spent.

Pycroft

Okay, the Parasound is a beast...it must weigh 50 pounds. Now, with all the advice everyone gives me, I'm still an idiot. It is 6 channels, and I switched it to run in 4 channel bridged mode. It's not playing. I have just the first two channels used iwth my RTA 11TL's. It is connected normally (red to red black to black), and I have a typical two prong RCA cable connected to my AVR's preouts. The loops are set to OFF like the manual says (switches are up) and both bridge switches are switched to Mono Bridging. There is nothing but a little buzz coming from the speakers. Before playing, I figured I'd ask here. I did try switching a few of the switches (Loop and bridge) up and down, and nothing. The guy had it plugged in and it sounded fine at his house...now nothing. Any ideas? Here is a copy of the manual (It's super short) if you have questions.

http://www.parasound.com/pdfs/vintage/hca806aom.pdf

Thanks so much...can't wait to hear what it will sound like.

dorokusai

Does it work if you hook it up normally? Did you connect your RCA cables to the correct RCA inputs(4 & 6) on the amplifier?

Pycroft

Okay a fool I am I think...I switched everythign off and turned the bridging off, and it worked. There is an audible buzz from both speakers though, and it seems that the center speaker is louder than the front two speakers. Not sure if there's somethig I'm doing wrong, or if it's the equipment. FYI, there are knobs on the back near the speakers. I had them at middle, but turned them up to increase the volume...not sure if that matters. Maybe it may work better if I run it in bridged mode and plug them into the channels that are bridged to give it more power? Any ideas?

Thanks,

dudeinaroom

as far as the buzz goes, try a different set of interconnects to see if the ones you are using are faulty.

Pycroft

Well, it's the same ones I used my Soundcraftsmen amp, and there was no buzz. I just put on a Blu-Ray, and same issue. Now that I think of it, when I listen to George's 2 channel system, there is a buzz that I hear. Is this somthing common in high power amps? The Soundcraftsmen is a nice amp, but weighs like 12 pounds. The Parasound is 50 pounds. Maybe it's common? I noticed when I play with the knobs that control each speaker, if I turn them all the way up, the buzz is ridiculous. If it's at halfway, it's constant, low, but audible, but the speaker seems underpowered. Of course, when turned below that, no buzz and no sound. I didn't hear a buzz from his system when I listened to it. Is it possible there is a compatibility issue between an AVR (HK 354) and an amp?

w_coyote

What do you have it plugged into? Maybe just a ground loop problem. Might be worth checking.

Pycroft

I have it plugged into a typical 6 outlet surge protector. no special Power conditioner or anything. It actually did say that it comes with it's own special AC chord and I should plug it directly into an outlet. Could that cause a problem? I believe it says it somewhere in the manual linked above.

dudeinaroom

Now that I have thought about it I remember when I had the ADCOM amp I would from time to time hear a hum. Drove me nuts, because while listening it would come and go. It ended up being the fan in my kids room. The reason for it coming and going was it had a thermostat and would kick on and off. It was also on a totally separate circuit. Turn off every thing in the house and see what happens(except your rig of course). If that does not help you could try pulling the amp away from the rest of your electronics temporarily and see if it is getting interference from some thing else in your rig. Does it do it for all sources? My Adcom was plugged directly into the wall when it had the problem.

Good luck,
dude

LessisNevermore

Pycroft wrote: »

Well, it's the same ones I used my Soundcraftsmen amp, and there was no buzz.......

Some IC and amp combos don't jibe.

You don't happen to have florescent lighting, do you? Neon beer signs are good for this too. bzzzzzzz.

Polkie2009

Good point about the fluorescent lighting LessisNevermore. Someone had a similar problem and it ended up being the FL under his kitchen cabinets causing the problem.

mightymouse

Don't play any music, just turn up the volume on your preamp. Does the buzz sound increase or stay constant? If the buzz sound level stays constant (does not increase in volume), it's most likely a ground loop problem. If it is a ground loop, then you just have to experiment with plugging your components into different outlets, powercords, no way around it.

Another thing you may want to do is to just call up the previous owner, ask him/her if she ever heard the buzz.

mightymouse

And oh, I just got myself a Parasound A21 stereo amp. TONS of power, quality stuff.

dudeinaroom

mightymouse wrote: »

Don't play any music, just turn up the volume on your preamp. Does the buzz sound increase or stay constant? If the buzz sound level stays constant (does not increase in volume), it's most likely a ground loop problem. If it is a ground loop, then you just have to experiment with plugging your components into different outlets, powercords, no way around it.

Another thing you may want to do is to just call up the previous owner, ask him/her if she ever heard the buzz.

In my case it was not a ground loop, but as I stated above

Pycroft

I haven't had much time to play yet. I can tell you that there are no flourescent lights to speak of. I unplugged the amp from the surge protector and plugged it straight into the wall. The buzz is less, but still there. When having no music or anything going, I turned the AVR up and down, but the buzz was still there. It did not get louder or softer. Not sure what that tells, or if there's anything else you want me to try.

James

dudeinaroom

Unplug the cable from you TV and see if it is still there, what all do you have hooked up to the avr?

Pycroft

I don't have a cable box. I have a Blu-Ray, the amp, the wii (Not plugged in), and that's it. I'm trying to figure what would cause this a problem and not the other amp. Truly, I unplugged the Soundcraftsmen amp, and plugged this one in with the same cables and everything. Would taking a picture of the back of it help? on top of the buzz, again, it just seems like SO little is coming otu of it.

James