Finally, my dream came true: I purchased a pair of Parasound Halo JC-1 Mono-Block amplifiers! These amps are awesome! Easily the best I have ever heard, and mine only have about 100 hours on them! Can't wait till they are fully broken in!Why anyone would ever want to sell their JC-1's is beyond me! These are keepers...no way would I sell these!I was using a Pass Lab X-1 preamp and was happy with it for a while.
But...I eventially went back to my trusty old Parasound P/LD-2000 preamp. It just simply seems to match up better, sonically, with the JC-1's than any other preamp that I have tried in my system. There is a synergy between them that is hard to describe.
UPDATE: I am VERY PLEASED WITH MY LATEST SYSTEM!
Recently upgraded my Sonys with Super Clock 3's, Black Gate Capacitors and a few other items...BIG IMPROVEMENT!
Also purchased a used pair of Von Schweikert VR-4 Jr. loudspeakers, and used Signal Cable Silver Resolution Power Cords, Interconnects, and Speaker Cables!
More HUGE improvements.
My system is finally sounding like a high dollar system, and is competing very well with Audio_girls system! She will tell you the same thing! Now I just need some analog stuff! Thats my next goal. Still using the excellent Parasound Halo JC-1's and a modded Parasound P/LD-2000 preamp.
I am EXTREMELY pleased with my system at this time!
multi-disc changer...Modded with Superclock 3, Black Gates, etc.
Sony SCD-XA777es...Modded
Outstanding CD/SACD Player. This is an exceptional sounding machine with both formats, even in its factory stock form! Very transparent, open, detailed, smooth, transparent, and very slightly warm. I was very pleasantly surprised and I am very pleased with this player. Very highly recommended! UPDATE!Modded with Superclock 3 and Black Gate Caps,ETC....BIG IMPROVEMENT!
Parasound P/LD-2000...slightly modded
JOHN CURL DESIGNED PREAMP...Modded. Pure Class A, Fully Balanced, Dual Mono, folded cascode solid state preamp. Comes from factory with Vishay resistors, Black Gate and Nichicon capacitors, etc! Removed the silver-plated internal wiring and replaced it with solid core silver. Also had feed-back resistors changed by Parasound to different values to lower the gain. Excellent detail, life, pace, rhythm, and timing.
Parasound Halo JC-1 Mono-Block amps
The best amplifiers I have ever heard by far! My dream finally became reality! These monoblocks and my Pass X-1 preamp are the best components in my system, and the JC-1's are no where near broken-in! They do everything extremely well! Would not sell these, ever! They are that good!
Von Schweikert Audio VR-4 JR
Just bought these! 3 way floorstanding loudspeakers. Great sound! Awesome bass. Excellent detail, staging and neutrality. Big improvement over Paradigm Studio 100 v.2!
Harmonic Technology Magic Link 2 Interconnects
Simply outstanding, first class interconnects that sound awesome and are built like a tank! Individual copper AND individual silver conductors in each interconnect, and double shielding. Custom Rhodium coated PC-OCC Furutech RCA's on all ends.
Signal Cable Silver Resolution Interconnects
Recently obtained these used.Pure silver and teflon tube insulation at a killer price! Exceptional bass response, detail, resolution, and focus! Highly Recommended!
Signal Cable Silver Resolution Speaker Cables
Recently obtained these used. Pure silver and pure copper hybrid...NOT SILVER PLATED! Teflon tube insulation. Killer price! Exceptional speaker cables that have tons of detail, air, bass, and transparency! Highly Recommended!
Signal Cable Silver Resolution Ref. Power Cords
Recently obtained these used. Exceptional speed, detail, black background, very transparent, and excellent bass! Highly Recommended!
CARDAS GOLDEN CUBOIDS
Small hardwood blocks made of Myrtle tree wood. To be placed under components for resonance control. Made a big improvement in my systems sound! Comes with 16 blocks and a velvet bag. Very HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! See my edit for details!
I have the P/LD-2000 also. Performs wonderfully; way better than anything else I've tried. Looks are a bit dated, and the motorized volume control doesn't have a very good feel, but definitely a sleeper.
Daltonlanny speaks the truth! His latest system competes very favorably with my much more expensive system! I was very surprised and envious when I listened to it a couple of weeks ago. He has a very impressive system...MUCH BETTER than his older one. Now he just needs a turntable/tonearm/cartridge/phono preamp set-up! Angela
UPDATE!!! AS OF 12-24-05 MY SYSTEM HAS SEEN SOME DRAMATIC CHANGES IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS!!! READ MY NEWEST SYSTEM DESCRIPTION. GOT RID OF THE PARADIGM REFERENCE STUDIO 100 V.2'S, LAT CABLES, AND HAD MY SONYS AND PARASOUND P/LD-2000 PREAMP MODIFIED. COMPETES FAVORABLY WITH HIGH PRICED SYSTEMS! I AM VERY PLEASED AND HAPPY AT THIS TIME.
Recently sold my Pass Labs X-1 preamp. Now I am back to using my trusty Parasound P/LD-2000. The P/LD-2000 just seems to match up better and have more synergy with the JC-1's than any other preamp I have had in my system. Also sold my Onkyo DV-SP1000 Universal player. I am currently waiting on a brand new fully modified by RAM, Toshiba SD-4960 universal dvd player.
You have good gear, but the LAT cables, I think are not measuring up, No JC1 mod yet? I read Ted Nugent interview on Positive Feedback, very interesting, this guy is for real.Full of experience.Enjoy...
System edited: Added a Pass Labs X-1 preamp to my system. Turns out to be an excellent decision! WOW! I was AMAZED at the performance of the JC-1's and the Pass X-1 preamp combination! Extreme detail resolution, fine detail, neutrality, speed, imaging, dynamics, bass, transparency, in a word, everything! What a combo!
System edited: Oh yea! Better not forget the Sony XA777ES CD/SACD player! Added this piece about a month ago. Wow, what a great sounding machine! Very detailed, transparent, open, sweet, and dynamic with both formats! One of the best purchases I ever made! Exceeded my expectations, and this is a bone stock machine!
System edited: Just added the Parasound P/LD-2000 preamp to my system, and put Cardas Golden Cuboid Myrtle hardwood blocks under all my components.The Parasound P/LD-2000 is warmer and sweeter sounding than the Adcom GFP-750 preamp, and has less grain, etch, and hardness. It has a more laid-back perspective than the Adcom with the JC-1's. The Parasound also has a wider image and is more dynamic than the Adcom. Bass is about equal. The real surprise is the Cardas hardwood blocks!These are the real deal, and made a big improvement to the sound of my system! I placed 3 of them under each of my components in a tripod configuration. The bass became much tighter, the lower mids and upper bass smoothed out, and the sound became more immediate, lively, transparent, and detailed! The treble also openned up. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND these Cardas Golden Cuboids!
