Just got a new Parasound 2125 to drive my Magnepan 4 ohm LRS speakers. Should I set the Parasound load switch to the lower 2-3 ohm setting, or keep it at standard 4-8 ohm setting? What do you Parasound owners do?
I don’t know but sounds like the LRS likes current. If the amp’s specs include max power with each of those settings, pick the highest? If the speaker is like other Maggies I think it’s like a resistor with a peak at some frequency. If it’s 4 ohms or above I’d think 4-8 ohms is fine. IIUC on amps like Yamahas, setting the switch to lower impedance actually limits the power/current, which you don’t want. I may be wrong though of course! PS Magnepan LRS loudspeaker Measurements Hmmmmmm … I’d say try both! Looks like a 3ish ohm resistor! Maybe/recommended to later get another 2125 and run in bridged mode? Prob set to low impedance.
I think I've read this post on a couple occasions - how are you getting on with your A21+? It's the "but missing world class dynamics" part that caught my attention last I recalled you were getting on well with it? PS - do you recall what my assessment was a while back when I moved on from the A21?
My Parasound 2125 now about 60 hours of on-time, and 24+ playing music at various levels. The combo of the amp, Magnepan LRS speakers, and Cambridge CXA 80 as the pre yields odd results. Vinyl is absolutely killer. I mean older vinyl jazz. CD's and streaming it's a mixed bag. Some digital sounds amazing. Other so-so and still others downright horrible. Bernstein's Gershwin CD was horrendous I turned it off after 5 minutes. The treble was just awful sounding. Bernstein's Copeland was better, but sounds a bit compressed. Most digital vocal jazz sorta CD's sound compressed, too. By compressed I mean something about the sound of instruments lacks full fidelity. Jazz at the Pawnshop streaming via Tidal sounds great. Krall's Live in Paris CD was good, not great. Still missing that little bit of fidelity that makes a good recording sparkle. Mismatch with the Parasound and Cambridge combo? Need tube pre-amp? Or are Magnepan speakers and Parasound power amp just that revealing such that I won't like 80% of digital because they're over-loudness compensated and compressed.
Magnepans are like sonic magnifying glasses so if the recording bites you'll hear it. A good tube preamp is always a good idea but it won't make a bad recording sound good. Maybe a little less horrible but it'll still stick out like a sore thumb.
I don't think the Bernstein Gershwin bites. I've heard it before it's fantastic. I think it's my system as currently configured.
Might be better preamp time or whatever you're playing CDs with. I finally broke down and bought a Rega Saturn for the 3.7 system to see if I can't get the CDs to sound a bit closer to sound quality from the turntable. I went tube preamps a long time ago (and tube amps for the bigger systems). They come in all different flavors. Good luck with the search!
I guess you can't edit on this site? I just remembered, recently I replaced a SS preamp with a tube one for the system the LRS are slated for. Night and day difference but poorly recorded CDs still sound like poorly recorded CDs. I had just listened to two cruddy ones when I saw your post which is what made me think maybe it's the material. Also, I should have said I went tube preamps on the big systems a long time ago. The small one had a solid state preamp forever as my wife would never turn anything off.
I have an opportunity to purchase an used JC5 for roughly the same price as a new A21+. Ignoring the whole new vs. used angle, I'm curious what experienced Parasound fans have to say on a comparison between the two in terms of: Sound overall. Smoothness of top end. Depth and control of bottom end. Quality of sound at low volume levels vs high. Quality of sound using XLR vs RCA. Will be fed from a tube preamp. XLR possible but prefer RCA. Cheers, Robert
I am really liking the Parasound 2125 amp. I really noticed a difference powering my Denton's, which I had for about a year. It really makes them come alive more at lower volumes. The LRS I sold mainly because I didn't recognize the danger house cats pose. They were eyeing them. I quickly moved the LRS to a safe location, and they're now on way to a new home. Replaced by traditional box speakers (Linton's) that are more cat-proof lol. Next purchase most like a new pre-amp.
I've had my Parasound 2125 power amp now for 2+ weeks. For most of that time I was using my very excellent Cambridge CXA80 as a preamp. Which worked fine but I think I was losing a bit of texture and nuances at higher listening volumes, and at lower volumes it sounded a bit compressed. My speakers are new, too: Wharfedale Linton's. They have about 100 hours on them now, maybe somewhat less. I originally was powering Magnepan LRS speakers, but I was afraid of what my cats might do to them lol. I thought a better pairing for pre might be the Parasound NewClassic 200, and others on this forum convinced me that would be the way to go, since the 2 components are engineered to work together. Of course the pre200 is nowhere to be found from any on-line retailers, but one popped up on eBay for several hundred $$$ less than new and in factory unopened box brand-spanken-new along with previous owners original invoice from dealer in Houston. Such luck! Well, I can tell you with just about 10 hours of playing time on the Parasound NewClassic 200 the sound is much better than when I used Cambridge CXA80 as pre. The details are there. What impresses me most is just how much smoother the music sounds. I'm talking jazz music. At moderate listening levels this combo just sounds so smooth and effortless. And yes I am hearing things I didn't hear before. CD's and Tidal streaming sound closer to vinyl. I have not tried my TT yet: the Parasound NewClassic 200 is a lot longer than the Cambridge and I have really beefy RCA cables so I had to order new RCA cables without such hunky banana plugs in order to fit it in my stand. Listening to Paquito D' Rivera Portraits of Cuba CD right now. Absolutely butter the music is melting on my ears it sounds so fantastic. What's this combo gonna sound like after 200 hours?
I currently have a P6 and A23+ amp. I have the itch to upgrade to an A21+. I am I running down a rabbit hole upgrade - i.e. no appreciable difference in sound or performance? You can view my current system components, but reposting here. P6 A23+ EAT eglo petit Sumiko Blackbird VPI scout master RME ADI-2 FS SVS sb4000 sub Monitor Audio Gold 200s
Hi StratDoc, I can't speak to the A23+ compared to the A21+, but I did upgrade from a Schiit Vidar to the A21+ and it was a huge improvement. I can see this amp being end game for me (insert cynical laughter here). Pardon the derail, but if you wouldn't mind could you give your impressions 0n the E Glo petit? I am looking to upgrade my analog chain and the EAT is high on my list of phono pre's.
Wow, fantastic to read! I like the 200 pre as it has remote balance control, which I now won’t do without. Thinking it has remote tone as well, same. maybe there’s a synergy that’s helping the Sonics too. I’m sure the CXA is an excellent integrated amp, I had an Audio Analogue Puccini SE that I used as a pre for a year or more after I built my 300B tube amps. Got a McIntosh C220 (which admittedly was more twice the price) and had a similar excellent result. The phono section was the most amazing improvement. Later after not listening to the system much for a long while (too much work, no time) I sold the C220 to raise cash for daughters wedding. Later I bought the Parasound P 7 pre, and more recently got an A 21. Yes, excellent match.
Wow, I can’t say for sure if the Sonics are super-better, but I can imagine they are at least somewhat better? I recently got an open box A 21 because it looked sexier in the bottom of my rack than the A 23 would have … and mainly, I’d always wonder too! I HAD to get the A 21. It drives my Silver 8s excellently of course, and I am sure your Gold 200s would let you know all the juicy details of the improvements. Don’t forget good cables. I use and recommend Analysis Plus. Oval 9 speaker cable if you can swing it, otherwise Oval 12. Or of course equivalent Cardas etc.. ICs and power cords too. I use the cheapest AP power cords and low to mid line ICs, I hear a nice improvement over generic stuff. PS/Edit: I see you have BJ cables which ARE highly regarded, and may be equivalent to more expensive stuff. Hard to say but maybe in a few months if you have cash burning a hole in your pocket … Get used to the new sounds first, then after a few months experiment. I think thecableco lends cables for evaluation?
Really like the e glo petit. I was using a Rega phono stage previously. Lot's of setting for both MM and MC cartridges. Only down side is because of these setting options I have been experimenting with cartridges which has put a dent in my budget. My latest cartridge - Sumiko Blackbird LO - really sings. The subsonic filter switch is a nice feature. Had a woofer flutter problem with my sub I could not resolve previously. You can also change settings on the fly with no problem. I find the sound very warm and crystal clear. Could not be happier with e glo petit.
One thing I noticed about the 2125 - it runs a lot cooler with the Parasound 200Pre than it did using a Cambridge CXA80 as the pre. It's noticeably cooler. Not that it runs hot: it does not. It's just cooler matched with the Parasound pre. Why is that?
Is there an appreciable difference between the A21 and A21+? I have looked at the specs, and yes they spec different but curious about the sound. And, between the A21 and A23+? you can find an excellent condition a21 at a reasonable price.
I found a good deal on a pair of JC1 mono-blocks. I have been considering the A21+ - upgrade from my A23+. Any thoughts on sound differences between the JC1s and A21+? I note that parasound has released a JC1+ - way out of my price ranges.
So I am about to pull the trigger on an A21+ to replace my A23+. Any reason I should be talked out of this?
absolutely none at all -- you'll be quite happy! @jloweinmo - the a21+ feels quite light relative to a jc-5!
