2. amps-preamps
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Preamps better than Parasound JC-2 ?

Hello,
I am looking to try out the active preamp route in my system. The TVC has served me very well. But when I want to play my wife's iPod or try to connect a Logitech bluetooth adaptor, there is simply not enough gain in my system.
Since I have a Parasound A-21, I am naturally looking to a JC-2 from Parasound. I was wondering if anyone on this forum as come across a killer (non-tube) preamp that is in the same price range, that can beat the JC-2. If the sound quality of the recommended preamp equals that of JC-2 and the cost is below JC-2, that would be preferred. I am eying the Oppo 105D or the newly released Yamaha CD-S2100 as my future source upgrade. Rest of my system is listed on this site.
I have not visited audio stores in more than 3 years, nor have I been to any trade shows, hence asking for feedback.

Thanks!
milpai

Showing 1 response by tobes

tobes's avatar
tobes
436 posts
 
07-21-14: Milpai
I will keep the unit on for the whole night and see if that makes a difference. I am not sure if that extra circuit for the "BP" in the JC-2 is making it sound different than what the reviews for the standard JC-2 says.

There isn't really much "extra circuit" for the BP version. From what I've read the BP version has relays that slave out Volume and gain control and put a fixed resistor in place for unity gain bypass mode. This happens on the separate volume/gain pcb, I believe the active channel pcb's are unchanged from the original non-bypass version. Parasound claim no sonic difference between the models and I've never read that anyone identified a sonic difference between the two versions.

I'd definitely give the JC2 at least a week powered up before making any decision.
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