Parasound Owners Thread - Page 25

What I get will be decided with what is available down here. I know I can buy HK, which was my last AVR, they're sold in a JBL Pro shop. I haven't look around to see if there are any Marantz stores. I did like the Marantz I had a decade ago.

exactly right

the NAD C272 issue was an isolated event (not to say this type of failure has never happened with another brand). NAD engineer's eventually released a "ventilation guide" in regards to this model:
http://nadelectronics.com/articles/Ventilation-Notice

yeah, my Halo A51 amp runs mostly on the warm side, never hot. I have my amp sitting on the top of my rack, out in the open (I have no air-conditioning in my crappy apartment, in summer it gets hot inside).

that's interesting. I guess this (heat) is the result of video and DSP boards operating, my guess

Hello,
I need a clean faceplate for a parasound HCA 800II
Please email me if you can help.
Millerjeff@ccmhonline.com
Thanks,
Jeff

Does anyone know how the NewClassic Model 5250 and Model 5250 v.2 handle 2 ohm loads?

The specs don't rate it @ 2u. The peak current is only 45 amps, compared to the A51 @ 60 amps. And being the watts don't double, going from 8U ~ 4U, you probably don't want to push 2U.

I'd recommend you read the Parasound manuals very closely about speaker loads like this or send them an email (they are very good about responding to emails) telling them what you are attempting to do.........Sounds like you are considering bridging the amps which creates a special circumstance and I would be very cautious when doing something like that without knowing exactly what I was doing.

Peak current on the 5250 is 45 amps and 60 amps for the A 51? If I check my current A/V receiver's amps, it states it is 85! Are there different ways of measuring current or something or does my A/V receiver actually have more current than these Parasound amplifiers?

A/V receiver specs: http://www.amazon.com/Harman-Kardon-.../dp/B00005Q5X1

I am not planning on bridging. It is just that my speakers have impedance swings to around 2.8 ohms at certain frequencies so I just wanted to make sure the amplifier could cope with that.

Yes - I don't think High-Current and Peak-Current are the same thing. As I learned, there is no way a modern day AVR can provide the PEAK Current that a stand alone amp can........I am not an electronics engineer but the there are different standards or measurements for AVRs compared to standalone amps. PEAK CURRENT should be your main concern regarding power output. A standalone amp that provides 45 or 60 amps PEAK for 2 channels is far superior to any AVR that is driving 5,7,9 or 11 channels. If you go back a few weeks, I posted that my system benefitted from using a separate amp just for the surround speakers - I pulled them off my AVR and noticed a huge improvement. All my AVR was driving was these surround channels! I am a firm believer in separate amps.

Regarding your 2.8 load, you might send Parasound a quick email - I have done this in the past and got a response from the President of Parasound himself.

The JBL L890 has an impedance dip from around 60~250 htz down to about 3U, and my HCA 2205A has no problem driving them with 60 amps peak/channel. And that is all channels driven.

As far as the HK, @ +/- 85 amps, have much better output than most AVRS.

+1

Parasound has always been very responsive to my email inquiries.

What are the differences between the Model 5250 and the Model 5250 v.2? According to the Parasound Web site, there are over 60 improvements.

Anyone?

By the way, I've read that the Model 5250 v.2 is much cooler running than the Model 5250. Is this true?

As I noted before, your best bet is to contact Parasound directly through their website and or email tech support. They are very good about responding to emails and you will get a better response from them on questions such as these.

What is the better amp/ New Classic 2250, or HCA 1500A?

Which amp from the HCA line is equal to New Classic 2250, or Halo A23,21?

Thank you.

Hard to say which is better. But as far as what might be equal to the 2250 in power output, would be the HCA 2200II. 220w compared to 250w of the NC 2250.
I use the HCA 2205A multichannel amp.

What should i look for when buying a amp? is it true an amp with more cuurent capability is what matters more than watts per channel?

Seems like most of the HCA series is higher current than New Classic series.

I cant afford to go with Halo, so its New Classic or used HCA for me.

I have the NC 2125 amp and love it, but looking to upgrade power for the fronts and move the 2125 to center channel duty, the avr can do the surrounds.

so what amps in the HCA series will give me more punch, clarity than the New Classic 2125 or new classic 2250?

I've not heard the NC series, only read about them. Any HCA model with 220~250 w will work. I would think ANY Parasound amp will be good.

Do look on AV site, you can find many times demos and factory rebuilt Parasound products there at a quite good reduction in price.

http://www.audioadvisor.com/products.asp?dept=199

Is the Parasound HCA 1205A a much better amp than the New Classic 5125?

Seems like the specs for the HCA 1205 are far better.

The older HCA amps were designed by John Curl but the new classics aren't. Maybe that has something to do with it?

Just bought my first Parasound products. HCA-1000A amp and the little Zpre2 preamp

Recently my Parasound Halo A21 has been emitting some odd noises from the speakers. It sounds like a ticking/clicking sort of even scratching noise and it comes in drips. Best I can describe it is sort of like turning on a faucet just enough for a slow drip and every time the water hits the sink it makes this droplet noise like a tick or click or scratch. It's odd, and I'm sorry I can't better describe it. Also, the idle hum is a little loud too.

I have disconnected everything from the amp besides the speakers and the power and the noises all remain. The other weird thing is that if I unplug the amp for a while (like overnight) then the next time it turns on the noises (with the exception of the idle hum) will be gone for a few hours, but they will inevitably return.

Does anything think they may know what this could be or has experienced something similar?

Ugh...all my audio problems lately, lol. Blown tweeter, amp making noises...grrrrrr. It never rains but pours. At least the new subwoofer is putting a smile on my face, even though now that my tweeter is blown I can't appreciate the full system.

Hello,
The Halo Series were Designed from existing HCA Series Amplifiers. The A51 is unbelievably close in specifications to the HCA-2205. The A51 uses a 2.2 kVA Toroidal Transformer and 164,000uf of Capacitance whereas the 2205 uses a 2.0 kVA Toroidal Transformer and 150,000uf of Capacitance. Also, almost all of the HCA Models were Designed by John Curl.

The Halo does add XLR's and upgraded Cosmetics, but the guts of it are very close. The same can be said of the A23 and the HCA-1000a and so forth.

The HCA Series are more powerful than the New Classics on the whole. It is just you have a Warranty on the New Classic. However, the HCA-2205 is a good bit more powerful than the NC 5250.
Cheers,
AD

I've had the HCA 2205A for 10 years now, a very good amp, especially when mated with the Halo P7 pre-amp, as I have it now.

Hello,
Me too. Right now I have MartinLogan Vantages, MartinLogan Stage, and MartinLogan Vistas all hooked up to it and it drives this cruel load with no problems whatsoever. Mind you the Vantages and Vistas can dip below 1 Ohm.

There is a reason HCA-2205's sell on Audiogon just about as soon as they are listed. They truly offer 95% or more of the performance of the 4500 Dollar A51 for around 1000-1200 Dollars used.

Compared to the very popular Emotiva XPA-5, the 2205 has almost twice as large of a Toroidal Transformer (2.0 versus 1.2 kVA) and almost triple the amount of Capacitance (150,000uf versus 60,000)

Granted the 2205a retailed for 2500 Dollars new as opposed to 799, but used the prices are quite close and my Parasound has been on 24/7 for 10 years as well.
Cheers,
AD

My P7 pre came with a 2~3mm trigger connection for a power amp. Problem is that cable has the same pin on both ends and the 2205 only has bare wire screw connections. And I'd just rather not cut one end of that cable.
I need to fine an adapter for one end so I can connect it to the 2205.

Please help me make a decision:

Would two new classic 2125 amps in briged mono one for each front speakers, be better than one new classic 2250 in stereo?

Im thinking the 2125 for each speaker with 400 watts power a dedicated power 880 kva / additional combined capactitance / will be better than an 2250 run stereo at 250 watts and sharing 1 kva power

i can buy refurbished 2125s but would have to pay full price for the 2250.

even at full msrp for both the 2125 and 2250 the 2125 should be better right?

Is there some down side to sing amps in bridge mono to get the power?

If an amp is designed to be run bridged, there is no down side. And separate mono blocks are always better, if the quality of those mono amps are equal to a stereo amp. They just take up more real estate than a stereo amp.