Big Sky Audio Upgrades for Parasound

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Comments

  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 49,708
    F1, I know a tiny bit about the BBQ, something like a $10k mono block?

    It was a highly modified 3500. Stereo dual mono in the same single chassis just like yours. It wasn't $10k, maybe $5k.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."


    President of Club Polk

  • Inspector 24
    Inspector 24 Posts: 1,308
    Ah, I'm only mostly off. :blush:

    6 more hours burn on tonight playing the HSU test disc on repeat, and a couple hours late night listening. Seemed a few holes in the soundstage were more filled in with instruments than last time I remember on those orchestral tracks.

    Though I'm saving the last four albums I listened to on the OEM unit until I have more burn in time.
    Up
    LSi15 LSiC - RX-V3000

    Down
    LSiM707 - 706c - 702f/x - Dual HSU VTF-15H Mk2
    Parasound HCA-3500 - HCA-2003A - Marantz SR7005
    Sim2 D60 - Dragonfly 106" Panny 500

  • JayCee
    JayCee Posts: 1,474
    You still up? Give me a call if you can.
    Speakers: Polk1.2tl's (Uber Mods) Pre/Amp/DAC: PS Audio BHK Signature & 250, DirectStream Cables/IC's: MIT S1Bi-Wire/S1 Balanced +Avel Lindberg 1000VA "Dreadnought" Power Conditioner: PS Audio P15 Power Plant Power Cords: Core Power Technologies Gold, DH Labs Power Plus DIY w/Neotech NC-P301 & P311ends Streaming: Roon ROCK on wifi'd NUC, TP-Link WAP, & Uptone EtherREGEN, AfterDark, Emperor Double Crown Clock, Black Modernize LPS, PS Audio AirLens⟿Ω☯☥☮⟿🔊♩♪♫♬♩♪♫♬♩♪♫♬
  • drumminman
    drumminman Posts: 3,396
    edited January 2015
    You also should consider leaving the 3500 on 24/7. Won't hurt a thing and will contribute to better sound quality. Some companies recommend this - Odyssey Audio even puts the on off switch on the back panel as they don't recommend powering down except in unusual circumstances or when switching out gear.

    His work looks great! I'm betting after a few hundred hours that amp will improve.
    "Science is suppose to explain observations not dismiss them as impossible" - Norm on AA; 2.3TL's w/sonicaps/mills/jantzen inductors, Gimpod's boards, Lg Solen SDA inductors, RD-0198's, MW's dynamatted, Armaflex speaker gaskets, H-nuts, brass spikes, Cardas CCGR BP's, upgraded IC Cable, Black Hole Damping Sheet strips, interior of cabinets sealed with Loctite Power Grab, AI-1 interface with 1000VA A-L transformer
  • I've read that before, I believe DarqueKnight? does this as well? I've opted not to for a couple reasons, first is power consumption. I'm not a super big environmentalist turn every light off all the time OMG! kind of person, but to me it seems a waste of power, and while not much money, don't want to pay for it either.

    Second reason, I have cats, and cats do what cats do which is find warm places to sleep, as such I keep all the electronics in a cabinet only opening it when in use, and I don't want to trust that there's adequate ventilation through the openings in back.

    Thirdly, Parasound puts big rocker power switches front and center that are tactilely quite pleasing to switch on and off. Must intend that you'll be turning them on and off. ;)

    Haven't had much listening time but for a movie the other night, but Thor is always fun to watch!
    Up
    LSi15 LSiC - RX-V3000

    Down
    LSiM707 - 706c - 702f/x - Dual HSU VTF-15H Mk2
    Parasound HCA-3500 - HCA-2003A - Marantz SR7005
    Sim2 D60 - Dragonfly 106" Panny 500

  • JayCee wrote: »
    I think this might also help for any Adcom folks...I searched for the Adcom thread posted by CP member "littlewoodboats" (LWB).

    I haven't seen LWB on CP in a long time and haven't spoken with him since shortly after I moved to Maryland. Hopefully, if he's lurking, he might add something...?

    I still lurk from time to time just did not feel I had anything to offer of late. Good to see you John

    Rick did an excellent job on what turned out to be a sad GFA-585. It had suffered from leaky caps and other abuses including lousy packing for the trip from CA to Montana. I had purchased it to power a pair of SDA2a's but now use it to run Monitor 7's as the front RL in my media room. It has never burped in any way and driving the SDA's at normal levels stayed cool enough to lay my hand on the heat sink.

    For stereo into tough loads the GFA-585 kicks butt and takes names. That said, I was told Parasound might be a better current option for a theater amp of more than two channels. I have spent the better part of the last two years moving and evolving the sound system but the GFA-585 I take with me to the grave.

    He knows the units well and has done many of them. He currently has a GFA-565 mono unit in line for me that suffers from the same cap issue. It becomes the amp for the center channel. There is a six week backlog so do not be in any rush.

    Hope this helps

  • gudnoyez
    gudnoyez Posts: 8,056
    I'm glad I found this thread, I was searching reviews, for Big Sky Audio most of what I've read have been favorable. My Adcom 5300 is having issues with the right Channel, I would love to get a new Parasound Halo A1 3 channel amp but the $3200
    Is not in the budget Audio Advisor has them in silver for $2000, but also not in the budget.

    I did talk to Rick recently at Big Sky and he did convince me that instead of repairing it that a total restore would be the way to go and that he has done some 3 channel amps.

    I took the 5300 out of the system yesterday boxed it up and put a spare 2 channel amp in place to run the fronts. I packed it pretty good but that Adcom is heavy double boxed it and it's ready to ship. I plan on getting this baby restored thanks to all the good reviews I have heard about Big Sky, unless anyone knows of a place in the Chicago area that does good work then it's off to Montana, the only fears I have is letting UPS manhandle this beast.
    Home Theater
    Parasound Halo A 31 OnkyoTX-NR838 Sony XBR55X850B 55" 4K RtiA9 Fronts CsiA6 Center RtiA3 Rears FxiA6 Side Surrounds Dual Psw 111's Oppo 105D Signal Ultra Speaker Cables & IC's Signal Magic Power Cable Technics SL Q300 Panamax MR4300 Audioquest Chocolate HDMI Cables Audioquest Forest USB Cable

    2 Channel
    Adcom 555II Vincent SA-T1 Marantz SA 15S2 Denon DR-M11 Clearaudio Bluemotion SDA 2.3tl's (Z) edition MIT Terminator II Speaker Cables & IC's Adcom 545II Adcom Gtp-450 Marantz CD5004 Technics M245X SDA 2B's, SDA CRS+

    Stuff for the Head
    JD LABS C5 Headphone Amplifier, Sennheiser HD 598, Polk Audio Buckle, Polk Audio Hinge, Velodyne vPulse, Bose IE2, Sennheiser CX 200 Street II, Sennheiser MX 365

    Shower & Off the beaten path Rigs
    Polk Audio Boom Swimmer, Polk Audio Urchin B)
  • I have been quite happy with the job Rick did on my 585se. You should be pleased with the result.
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 49,708
    the only fears I have is letting UPS manhandle this beast.

    Use FedEx. Better handling and cheaper prices.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."


    President of Club Polk

  • skrol
    skrol Posts: 3,330
    edited June 2016
    I know mine is a much more lowly amp, but when I re-capped my HCA-1000a and HCA-800ii, I initially found them to be grainy and hemmed in. However, I could almost hear them smoothing out and the sound stage opening before my ears. I think given some run time, you will be very pleased.
    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
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,477
    F1nut wrote: »
    the only fears I have is letting UPS manhandle this beast.

    Use FedEx. Better handling and cheaper prices.

    I dunno I deal with both everyday seen both do some very bone head things, I believe it's all in the packing. That's where it's won or lost from the get go.
  • gudnoyez
    gudnoyez Posts: 8,056
    edited July 2016
    I had it packed pretty good, but this is on hold since I got the new Parasound A31. I found a authorized Adcom repair center in Chicago who is going to restore it, they are on Adcoms authorized repair center along with Big Sky and a few others. I can just drive there and drop it off and pick it up instead of shipping it.
    Home Theater
    Parasound Halo A 31 OnkyoTX-NR838 Sony XBR55X850B 55" 4K RtiA9 Fronts CsiA6 Center RtiA3 Rears FxiA6 Side Surrounds Dual Psw 111's Oppo 105D Signal Ultra Speaker Cables & IC's Signal Magic Power Cable Technics SL Q300 Panamax MR4300 Audioquest Chocolate HDMI Cables Audioquest Forest USB Cable

    2 Channel
    Adcom 555II Vincent SA-T1 Marantz SA 15S2 Denon DR-M11 Clearaudio Bluemotion SDA 2.3tl's (Z) edition MIT Terminator II Speaker Cables & IC's Adcom 545II Adcom Gtp-450 Marantz CD5004 Technics M245X SDA 2B's, SDA CRS+

    Stuff for the Head
    JD LABS C5 Headphone Amplifier, Sennheiser HD 598, Polk Audio Buckle, Polk Audio Hinge, Velodyne vPulse, Bose IE2, Sennheiser CX 200 Street II, Sennheiser MX 365

    Shower & Off the beaten path Rigs
    Polk Audio Boom Swimmer, Polk Audio Urchin B)
  • I had the option to go with an authorized repair center in Austin instead of shipping to Big Sky. The place in Austin told me they would repair to Adcom guidelines and no more. Rick up at Big Sky goes above and beyond with upgrades other service centers would not offer. Had I gone to Austin they would have told me my GFA-585 SE was not repairable going so far as to tell me it was most likely a waste of time to take in a non functioning amp.

    Going with Rick not only was my amp repaired he also made the changes and updates recommended by the amps designer (Dr. Walt Jung) to make the amp everything it was designed to be.

    Not all service centers are created equal.
  • gudnoyez
    gudnoyez Posts: 8,056
    edited July 2016
    I had the option to go with an authorized repair center in Austin instead of shipping to Big Sky. The place in Austin told me they would repair to Adcom guidelines and no more. Rick up at Big Sky goes above and beyond with upgrades other service centers would not offer. Had I gone to Austin they would have told me my GFA-585 SE was not repairable going so far as to tell me it was most likely a waste of time to take in a non functioning amp.

    Going with Rick not only was my amp repaired he also made the changes and updates recommended by the amps designer (Dr. Walt Jung) to make the amp everything it was designed to be.

    Not all service centers are created equal.

    Yeah your probably right I do have it packed pretty good foam padding and all plus it is double boxed, I just hate to ship heavy items as they get tossed around from the parcel companies pretty good. I probably will go with Rick then thanks for reassuring me. My Halo survived the trip from Michigan it showed up in excellent shape the box in perfect condition and I was surprised as heavy as that one is. I will forge on as planned.
    Home Theater
    Parasound Halo A 31 OnkyoTX-NR838 Sony XBR55X850B 55" 4K RtiA9 Fronts CsiA6 Center RtiA3 Rears FxiA6 Side Surrounds Dual Psw 111's Oppo 105D Signal Ultra Speaker Cables & IC's Signal Magic Power Cable Technics SL Q300 Panamax MR4300 Audioquest Chocolate HDMI Cables Audioquest Forest USB Cable

    2 Channel
    Adcom 555II Vincent SA-T1 Marantz SA 15S2 Denon DR-M11 Clearaudio Bluemotion SDA 2.3tl's (Z) edition MIT Terminator II Speaker Cables & IC's Adcom 545II Adcom Gtp-450 Marantz CD5004 Technics M245X SDA 2B's, SDA CRS+

    Stuff for the Head
    JD LABS C5 Headphone Amplifier, Sennheiser HD 598, Polk Audio Buckle, Polk Audio Hinge, Velodyne vPulse, Bose IE2, Sennheiser CX 200 Street II, Sennheiser MX 365

    Shower & Off the beaten path Rigs
    Polk Audio Boom Swimmer, Polk Audio Urchin B)