Parasound P5

[macddmac]

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.

I'm looking at the A21 as well. I may start with the 23 though due to a very good deal available locally on a used one.

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"...

I also listened to the standard song towers yesterday and at the 2k price point, they would be very tough to beat.
Cheers, Mac

 

[bigbwb]

I ordered the P5 a week ago and no word on shipping yet. I'm hoping the delay(if true) is sorted out quickly! The price did jump up from $950 originally to $1095. I will be replacing my 2100 with the P5. I also have the A21 powering ascend towers with the RAAL. I'll let you guys know how the combo sounds after it's up and running

Oh, I won't be using the built in DAC of the P5 being I have the Zdac which Richard claims is much better.

 

[sharkman]

The announcement of the P5 initially claimed that the P5's DAC performance would exceed that of the zdac.

...which access an onboard DAC that's said to offer "higher levels of performance than currently offered by the Zdac."

The safe bet would be to assume fairly close levels of performance in both. I like the all in one approach, it's a fairly new idea being done by W4S, Onkyo and Peachtree to name a few. And since I'm waiting to buy this pre, getting a DAC at the same time is a big plus for me.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

The spec on the DAC may differ. But they all look great and inaudible. That's why we really can't tell the difference between DACs.

For example, we cannot hear the difference between a SNR of -110dB vs. -130dB, XTalk of -80dB vs. -110dB, THD of 0.01% vs. 0.0001%, etc.

 

[ImcLoud]

The spec on the DAC may differ. But they all look great and inaudible. That's why we really can't tell the difference between DACs.

For example, we cannot hear the difference between a SNR of -110dB vs. -130dB, XTalk of -80dB vs. -110dB, THD of 0.01% vs. 0.0001%, etc.

But I listen with my dogs, and they can hear the difference...

 

[bigbwb]

I did ask Richard from Parasound about the differences between the Zdac and P5 DAC. He claims the Zdac is definitely superior being they couldn't afford to put a $400 DAC into the P5 for the price. Hope this clears it up.

 

[sharkman]

I did ask Richard from Parasound about the differences between the Zdac and P5 DAC. He claims the Zdac is definitely superior being they couldn't afford to put a $400 DAC into the P5 for the price. Hope this clears it up.

Thanks, I don't mean to belabour the point, but it sounds as if you are going off memory. Your earlier post says Richard Schram says the zdac will be much better than the performance of the P5 dac. Now he said the zdac is definitely superior to the P5. Can you remember specifically what he said? It seems odd to me that the owner of an audio company would be basically badmouthing a forthcoming product, the P5.

The reason I ask is it seems odd that he would say they couldn't afford to put a $400 DAC into the P5 for the price. The cost wouldn't be anything near that. These dac chips cost a few dollars and the chassis and various circuits plus R&D/engineering costs the rest. The cost to Parasound to make each zdac might be 150 to 200 wholesale. I'm just curious here since Parasound's official position earlier in the year was completely opposite. Could it be that you were talking to a salesperson?

 

[ImcLoud]

Thanks, I don't mean to belabour the point, but it sounds as if you are going off memory. Your earlier post says Richard Schram says the zdac will be much better than the performance of the P5 dac. Now he said the zdac is definitely superior to the P5. Can you remember specifically what he said? It seems odd to me that the owner of an audio company would be basically badmouthing a forthcoming product, the P5.

The reason I ask is it seems odd that he would say they couldn't afford to put a $400 DAC into the P5 for the price. The cost wouldn't be anything near that. These dac chips cost a few dollars and the chassis and various circuits plus R&D/engineering costs the rest. The cost to Parasound to make each zdac might be 150 to 200 wholesale. I'm just curious here since Parasound's official position earlier in the year was completely opposite. Could it be that you were talking to a salesperson?

Shark am I missing something? are you looking for a word for word quote, lol.. I think the newbee was just trying to say Richard expressed the zdac's dac performance will be "better" than the internal dac in the p5? I would tend to think it would be that way also, but if Parasound said in the release the zdac was sub par vs the p5, I would think that is more reliable, I would imagine the zdac is using a different dac component than the p5, but Im not sure if I would use an external dac if my pre had one built in, sell the zdac and use the p5 for what it was made for, it will eliminate all that extra circuitry from your signal path....

BWB, I am more curious as to why you would upgrade to the p5 over the 2100? Do you really think there will be an audible difference between the 2? If I switched from my 2100 it would be for the variable high pass crossover... you don't seem to have subs in the picture so I was just curious.. When you get your P5 get rid of the zdac, it just makes sense, why have a stack of equipment.... If you are only using digital inputs then I would get rid of the p5, lol...

 

[bigbwb]

Ok guys, I am just going off of what Richard told me. I dont recall the exact verbiage. He responds to pretty much all Parasound incoming emails, I suggest you email him to get his thoughts....he would know. The reason I am keeping the ZDAC is for this exact reason, if its superior, I care more about that than saving a few hundred bucks or the tiny bit of real estate it takes in my stand.

Do I expect a major difference between my 2100 and P5, no. I like the idea of it matching my Halo A21 amp and the fact that it has an adjustable High pass filter for my mains, the 2100 is either full range or 80hz.

Oh, no newbie here......been on the AVS forum for years Just never posted much over here.



This is a previous pic of my setup. Since then, I have added a second E15 Rythmik sub, dumped the SB touch for a dedicated CAPS server, and the 2100 and DAC are hidden behind the fabric to the left.

Thanks,
Brandon
merrymaid520 over on many other audio forums.

 

[ImcLoud]

I meant no offence, just a "newbee" here post count 3....

nice looking system I have every speaker ascend makes except the sierra tower, lol I have been on the fence with it for a while, but I enjoy my evo40's so much, I can't bring myself to pull the trigger..

 

[bigbwb]

I meant no offence, just a "newbee" here post count 3....

nice looking system I have every speaker ascend makes except the sierra tower, lol I have been on the fence with it for a while, but I enjoy my evo40's so much, I can't bring myself to pull the trigger..

No worries on the NB comment, I'll let it slide this time. I also have/had every model ascend sells, you really need to try the towers with the RAAL! It's a great speaker as is the matching Horizon center.

we both obviously have great taste, ha!

 

[ImcLoud]

I have heard them many times, lol, I talked 2 others into buying them, they are amazing when paired with a set of HSU ULS15's for music, you can not get better for the money, I don't think I can bring myself to spend almost $4000 on an HT front end, for music sure, but not TV, Im not a huge tv guy... My dream {that I may some day get when I am sick of my current few 2.2's} music system is a set of xpa1's {which I have already waiting, lol}, an xsp1 pre, pair of uls15's, with a pair of sierra towers {although I am really fond of the PSB T2's lately}... I built the same exact thing for someone else and it is amazing for music...

 

[sharkman]

Ok guys, I am just going off of what Richard told me. I dont recall the exact verbiage. He responds to pretty much all Parasound incoming emails, I suggest you email him to get his thoughts....he would know. The reason I am keeping the ZDAC is for this exact reason, if its superior, I care more about that than saving a few hundred bucks or the tiny bit of real estate it takes in my stand.

Do I expect a major difference between my 2100 and P5, no. I like the idea of it matching my Halo A21 amp and the fact that it has an adjustable High pass filter for my mains, the 2100 is either full range or 80hz.

Oh, no newbie here......been on the AVS forum for years Just never posted much over here.


Thanks,
Brandon
merrymaid520 over on many other audio forums.

Thanks big B, didn't mean to grill you or anything! I guess Parasound must have had a change of direction for the P5 DAC, or maybe it didn't turn out as well as they had hoped. Unlike some of you, I don't have a 2100, I'm presently using an old NAD and stayed away from the 2100 because I wanted more than an entry level pre. What I could dig up on the P3 seemed luke warm. We'll see I guess!

 

[bigbwb]

Thanks big B, didn't mean to grill you or anything! I guess Parasound must have had a change of direction for the P5 DAC, or maybe it didn't turn out as well as they had hoped. Unlike some of you, I don't have a 2100, I'm presently using an old NAD and stayed away from the 2100 because I wanted more than an entry level pre. What I could dig up on the P3 seemed luke warm. We'll see I guess!

Not a problem! I am not sure at what point Parasound changed their stance on the DAC's. I was never privy to that info at the time. I wouldn't consider the 2100 entry level as to its sound. I have heard a handful of stuff through the years and it sounds excellent! Don't bother with the P3, I had one. Without HT bypass, it was a pain to use. Maybe the P5 will be a fit for you!

 

[bigbwb]

It's here!!

My P5 arrived and is up and running! So far so good

 

[ImcLoud]

very nice how does it compare?

 

[macddmac]

My P5 arrived and is up and running! So far so good

Very nice! Mine are due in on the 13th.
Cheers, Mac

 

[Kiza]

My P5 arrived and is up and running! So far so good

NICE GEAR. I am interested in P5 so what about the sound. I am in between P5 or Emotiva USP-1 preamp.
I have had Model 2100 Preamp. and the sound was terrible.

 

[ImcLoud]

NICE GEAR. I am interested in P5 so what about the sound. I am in between P5 or Emotiva USP-1 preamp.
I have had Model 2100 Preamp. and the sound was terrible.

Welcome to the forum, I have a 2100 classic and I have the usp1, what sounded terrible about the 2100? If it was adding or taking away anything from the sound, there is something wrong, were you using the bass boost or tone control? For the most part the preamps and amps all sound the same, I have seen speakers reproduce material in different ways but amps and processors {unless you are eq'ing} should all sound about the same, as far as my ears can tell anyway...

I like my 2100 and I like my usp1, but if I had to choose between the p5 and the usp1 {don't forget the p5 has a built in dac}, I would rather have the usp1 for half the price, actually rite now you can buy a usp1, an xda2, and a umc200 for around what a p5 costs, so that would be the route I would take, obviously...

 

[bigbwb]

very nice how does it compare?

Too early to tell. My listening times been somewhat limited. I will say its not far off from my 2100. Maybe slightly warmer but not by sacrificing detail. Stay tuned.......