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Replacing Parasound p7, but with what?

The rest of the system is a Nad c565BEE player and a Halo A21.  Speakers are Sierra 2 or Tannoy Saturn DC6, depending on my mood.  With Wireworld Oasis 7 speaker cables and MA3 Morrows with Eichmann bullets.  Also one pair of  Silver stager Solids.  I've got a iPhone doc that passes digital into the Nad, which does a pretty good job with the processing.

It'a half open basement concept, about 500 square feet, but the main listening area is about 17 by18 with 9 foot ceilings, carpeted.  The sound is on the warm side, I fine that the top frequencies are reduced and I've heard that that's Parasound's sonic signature.  I've also read that their amps are better than their preamps.  Also, I suspect that the imaging isn't as good as it could be for that kind of money with the pre.  

So, any thoughts or suggestions?  I've considered the Wyred STP-SE, Nad C165BEE and selling the amp too for Nad's new c388 integrated.  Emotiva won't do it for me, but I'd like a little more top end.
213runnin

Showing 5 responses by atmasphere

atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,640 posts
 
@213runnin?? I was talking about your tweeters at home not the ones in the car. Did I mistake your response?
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,640 posts
 
In my car system using the same track I can hear more top end extension, and I guess I could chalk it up to the speaker’s frequency response or just the gains I have set for the fronts at the amp.
@213runnin

Are your tweeters damaged? They are very easy to damage if you overload the amplifier! If they have removable grills or if you know where the tweeters are, run the system, put your ear to the tweeters and see if they are even working. If you have clipped the amplifier at any time in the past, it would only take a second or two to fry the tweeters. This would explain a lot...
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,640 posts
 
Also make sure that the tweeters are pretty close to your height at the listening position.
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,640 posts
 
If you have a smaller budget, you might consider getting an older tube preamp and having it refurbished. But the question is whether you would need tone controls or not.

You've not really talked about your room! I know its carpeted; what sort of furniture is there? What are the walls and ceiling like? If the room itself is really dead, you may not be able to get more highs (properly) without a tone control or the like. I personally think its a Bad Idea to equalize the room; in every case I have seen where room correction was employed the room correction device itself proved to have its own signature.

So I find it easier in many cases to work with the room itself.

atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,640 posts
 
The reason the Parasound is softer on top isn't because it has less high end!

Its because it has less distortion! John Curl (the designer) is well aware that the higher ordered harmonics in trace amounts can cause brightness, since the ear converts distortions of all types into tonality.

This is why tubes tend to sound smooth BTW. They don't make as much higher ordered harmonic distortion.

If I were you I would hang on to the amp- if you want more high end I would look into cables and possibly a preamp with tone controls, or do something with the room to make it more lively (the room is 50% of any system's sound so this might be the place to start).
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