I recently emailed John Atkinson of Stereophile

What about this piece of crap The Audiophile voice?? I loved Listener, I got 1 issue free and the subscribed and got 1 more. Then I find they went out and I get stuck with this garbage TAV. I hate this rag. The reviews of equipment suck. Most if not all of the music reviews aren't my taste of music.. Stereophile is at least good bathroom reading. I can't even squeeze out a fart by the time I am done with TAV!!!!

I've gotten stuck with "The Audiophile Voice" several times. Recently when "Listener" folded, when the "Tracking Angle" folded and it seems like when FI went under.

The only redeeming quality is that it takes so little time to go through it that you don't waste much time.

I subscribed to stereophile last year JUST TO READ THEIR ADVERTISEMENTS (as I was under no false assumption that they where at all unbiased).The other more mainstream a/v mags make me literally sick when i read them (for info on new products only-not for their "opinion"),but I can barely stomach them because they DON'T CLAIM TO BE UNBIASED(at least not outright-maybe by presumption) as stereophile does.I am not subscribing to stereophile again,even though it would only cost me $1 an issue.Why am I not subscribing-because they CANNOT BE TRUSTED.Hifi is not about every once in awhile throwing the reader a bone and reviewing an nad amp favorably.If you want to review only ridiculously expensive equipment(with the exception of nad and musical fidelity)-fine,but don't call your mag STEREOPHILE,call it something like HIGH END STEREOPHILE,HIGH END EQUIPMENT,or to be more ACCURATE,VERY EXPENSIVE AUDIO EQUIPMENT THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE BETTER THAN MUCH CHEAPER EQUIPMENT(AND MAY OR MAY NOT BE WORTH YOUR HARD EARNED DOLLAR)-I'M SURE YOU'LL THINK THAT TITLE IS TOO LONG(AND ACCURATE).

I mentioned to someone in another thread, that Sterephile is selling ad space. They have to come up with latest and greatest each month. Reviews are generally a waste of time from most of these people. They are no better than you at judging equipment. Personally, I find most of their reviews offensively stupid. They don't get cause and effect issues such as component matching, basic set up techniques. They know someone who knows someone, and that is how they got their job. I used to go to stores all over the country to help dealers set up systems correctly, and have helped manufacturers set up CES displays correctly. I spoke to John Atkinson about reviewing for them and he basically blew me off. How would someone with my experience and "golden ears" by reputation, and the ability to express the written word not be an excellent candidate. Take advice from the friends here on the Audiogon site, they have little agenda other than some egoic issues, loving what they bought. At least they aren't pandering to advertisers with the biggest budgets.
As to your question, you would have a hard time coming up with a better preamp than the cj at that price. While some are good, the Parasound won't be nearly as musical or dynamic. If you want to email me privately, I will give you free, unbiased advice based on thousands of listening sessions with most all the manufactured products worth owning.
Larry

Rooky, there are lots of people who read the reviews in TAS and Stereophile to scout for the next product that will trinkle down to their price level so they can buy it used next time the company offer the latest "flagship."

It's just plain stupid to criticize them for reviewing expensive audio gear. No company put their latest technology into the middle of the line products. When they build to a price point there are tons of compromises made. Are you content to live with all of those compromises or do you want something better. It's the top-of-the-line stuff that pushes the envelope so people like you will continue to have mid-fi gear to buy rather than buying the good stuff.

I began reading Stereophile about 17 years ago when I could bearly afford a used receiver. I learned enough reading it to know what I wanted when I could afford to move up to seperates. I quit subscribing a few years ago because they kept reviewing mid-fi crap that wasn't any better than what I already had. Who wants to read that???

Stereophile should have a solid section of class d gear, but I don't want to read about it, I want to see the cutting edge stuff. Show me things I can't afford and I'll be happy!!!!