Parasound P5

[sharkman]

The JC2 uses all discrete circuit devices and is fully balanced from input to output, the P5 is IC-based and isn't fully balanced...

That's interesting, where did you get the information that the P5 was IC based?

 

[Irvrobinson]

That's interesting, where did you get the information that the P5 was IC based?

Because in Parasound's marketing material they brag about the JC2 using discrete gain stages ("Hand-matched complimentary FETs") and they don't talk about that with the P5. I inferred the use of ICs.

 

[macddmac]

Because in Parasound's marketing material they brag about the JC2 using discrete gain stages ("Hand-matched complimentary FETs") and they don't talk about that with the P5. I inferred the use of ICs.

Great inference.. With the P5 being the value leader in the Halo line, something has to give.
I seriously doubt that my 54 year old ears could hear any difference anyway.
I'm in it for the features and I'm also grateful that parasound has been the company to blaze the trail with this feature set.
Now, to figure out whether the a-23 or the A-21 will be my huckleberry for an amp
Cheers, Mac

 

[RichB]

Great inference.. With the P5 being the value leader in the Halo line, something has to give.
I seriously doubt that my 54 year old ears could hear any difference anyway.
I'm in it for the features and I'm also grateful that parasound has been the company to blaze the trail with this feature set.
Now, to figure out whether the a-23 or the A-21 will be my huckleberry for an amp
Cheers, Mac

You realize you will have to get the A21 so you can stop wondering if you should have bought the bigger one

If you ears are failing, you'll need a bigger amp

- Rich

 

[macddmac]

You realize you will have to get the A21 so you can stop wondering if you should have bought the bigger one

If you ears are failing, you'll need a bigger amp

- Rich

already cruising A-Gon for a gently used A-21

 

[Irvrobinson]

Great inference.. With the P5 being the value leader in the Halo line, something has to give.
I seriously doubt that my 54 year old ears could hear any difference anyway.

FWIW, I believe it is possible to build a better-performing pre-amp with ICs than with discrete components, especially in a fully balanced design. Lots of audiophiles think ICs are worse because they're cheaper, but IMO they are misguided.

 

[sharkman]

The Parasound P5 is now up on the Parasound site and shipping soon. What a nice looking unit, and a big step up from the 2100 and the P3 for about the same price. I'll be ordering this by Christmas, love the digital input options!

 

[macddmac]

The Parasound P5 is now up on the Parasound site and shipping soon. What a nice looking unit, and a big step up from the 2100 and the P3 for about the same price. I'll be ordering this by Christmas, love the digital input options!

I talked with one of the parasound guys at cedia on Friday and pre-orders are accounting for most of the initial production run. I didn't realize they were taking preorders! Could be a marketing ploy. I won't be buying until thanksgiving timeframe and he said the second run would be stateside by then. They had black and silver at the show and I didn't get pics :0
Cheers, Mac

 

[Adam]

They had black and silver at the show...

What did you think of them in person, Mac?

 

[macddmac]

What did you think of them in person, Mac?

Exact same size as the A-23, I like the silver for my upcoming 2.1 system for the living room.. Need to find the extra shekels for the A-21 though. They had a smallish space and no demo area.
Cheers, Mac

 

[macddmac]

At RMAF and Parasound just made me an offer I can't refuse

 

[Adam]

At RMAF and Parasound just made me an offer I can't refuse

Congratulations, Mac!

 

[ImcLoud]

What is the actual price of this unit I love my 2100... But if its close to the xsp price it will be a tough sell for me.. dual balanced sub outs would be nice for when I get my uls15 dual drive

 

[macddmac]

What is the actual price of this unit I love my 2100... But if its close to the xsp price it will be a tough sell for me.. dual balanced sub outs would be nice for when I get my uls15 dual drive

Was 950.00, sounds like its going up to 1095.00 .

 

[sharkman]

I read on another forum where some guy claims Parasound has had another delay and won't be shipping the P5 for a while yet, does that sound right?

 

[ImcLoud]

Thats going to be a tough choice at that price, you can buy an xsp-1 and a vdac or a D1 and have money left over... I think they will have better luck if these stay around the cost of the xsp1... I love preamps and my 2100 is one of my favorites, the only feature I wish it had was an adjustable crossover on the high pass side... My USP1 has it but only one sub out {nothing a splitter can't fix of course..}. I don't use analog much so I lean towards a basic dac with volume control, and for analog I lean towards integrated amps since most likely I'll only use one source..
I have 3 preamps in my "pile" of equipment to sell after the first of the year {my new years resolution is already getting planned for me} the sherbourn pre1 {only tested it out of the box and put it back in}, an adcom 715, and the usp1 both also like brand new, I'm keeping my parasound 2100 and may use the funds from the sale from them 3 pre's to buy one new one, but I need {or want}
XLR outputs
dual XLR sub outputs
adjustable cross on high and low
Dual 12v triggers {mono blocks , there are ways around this, but...}
Because my next system is going to be a pair of XPA1's {already own them, bought 5 of them for $2500, sold 3 for total of $2050 so my two stand me $225 each, lol}, a pair of HSU ULS1's {I wan't to plug the subs in with xlr, just because}, and either a pair of Phil 3's or sierra towers, maybe PSB t2's, who knows what I will come across from not till then... I have to get rid of some stuff, the jades, a few amps, some bookshelfs, some towers, ect.... I'm in no hurry.. I like to wait for an absolute score...

 

[macddmac]

I read on another forum where some guy claims Parasound has had another delay and won't be shipping the P5 for a while yet, does that sound right?

Richard wasn't happy with the board that supports the volume knob from what I heard.. It allowed too much movement or wobble
Also, it sounds like black will take longer to get than silver afaik.
Cheers, Mac

 

[macddmac]

Thats going to be a tough choice at that price, you can buy an xsp-1 and a vdac or a D1 and have money left over... I think they will have better luck if these stay around the cost of the xsp1... I love preamps and my 2100 is one of my favorites, the only feature I wish it had was an adjustable crossover on the high pass side... My USP1 has it but only one sub out {nothing a splitter can't fix of course..}. I don't use analog much so I lean towards a basic dac with volume control, and for analog I lean towards integrated amps since most likely I'll only use one source..
I have 3 preamps in my "pile" of equipment to sell after the first of the year {my new years resolution is already getting planned for me} the sherbourn pre1 {only tested it out of the box and put it back in}, an adcom 715, and the usp1 both also like brand new, I'm keeping my parasound 2100 and may use the funds from the sale from them 3 pre's to buy one new one, but I need {or want}
XLR outputs
dual XLR sub outputs
adjustable cross on high and low
Dual 12v triggers {mono blocks , there are ways around this, but...}
Because my next system is going to be a pair of XPA1's {already own them, bought 5 of them for $2500, sold 3 for total of $2050 so my two stand me $225 each, lol}, a pair of HSU ULS1's {I wan't to plug the subs in with xlr, just because}, and either a pair of Phil 3's or sierra towers, maybe PSB t2's, who knows what I will come across from not till then... I have to get rid of some stuff, the jades, a few amps, some bookshelfs, some towers, ect.... I'm in no hurry.. I like to wait for an absolute score...

The built in dac and bass management, as well as the styling sold me on the P5.
I'm starting to wonder whether I should have gone with black instead of silver though..
I'll sleep on it
btw- I listened to the psb t2's today.. Solid value!
Cheers, Mac

 

[sharkman]

Richard wasn't happy with the board that supports the volume knob from what I heard.. It allowed too much movement or wobble
Also, it sounds like black will take longer to get than silver afaik.
Cheers, Mac

Now that's the kind of attention to detail that instills confidence. I'm in no hurry at this point, and I'm thinking a Parasound pre will have synergy with the A21 that sits in my basement.

 

[ImcLoud]

The built in dac and bass management, as well as the styling sold me on the P5.
I'm starting to wonder whether I should have gone with black instead of silver though..
I'll sleep on it
btw- I listened to the psb t2's today.. Solid value!
Cheers, Mac

Mac, when I heard the t2's I was kind of shocked, the low end the smallish drivers, and the detail were really good, I think they are on to something with the imagine line, even them tiny bookshelfs are worthy of some attention.... I am on the fence, I don't want to spend musch more than $2000, so sierra towers are probably the best bet, but a used set of t2's would also do nicely.. If the budget somehow creeps its way up it will be between the phil 3's and the T2's I think...

The silver gear is nice, but most amps are black, but I find once you get it home, the color is not important.... I like everything to match as well as possible, but I see other systems with all different equipment and it looks good too...

The only reason Im not crazy about built in DAC's is the digital stuff is still changing here and there and I have a feeling it will always be, so adding an external dac can be a positive since 2 years from now we may have something totally different, analog I believe is here to stay at this point, no one is coming out with a new analog, lol.... So if it was the same price as the xsp1 its like you are getting the dac for $50 which is a deal, but at $200 more, you can get a really nice dac.... Its a tough call, Im sure the parasound is amazing, since my 2100 is only a $550 unit and I love it, the bass boost on the front is one of my favorite features, with my xda1 when I want more bass I have to turn the subs up {not a huge deal because they have remote controls, but turning that dial is much easier, although if that dial was remote controlled it would be even better}.... Some music needs that bass boost and some sounds better with out it....

anyway, Im glad to hear you liked the T2's another gentleman I told about them said they sounded "tinny" I replyed "you must have been in a tin can, because to me they sounded excellent"...