A few questions about Parasound amp A51.

[Zedd]

Hello,

I just received my new set-up cosisting of Parasound C2 and A51 and have been most pleased with the sound quality.

I previously owned a Pioneer 49tx and was satisfied until the upgrade bug hit me so I added an external 5 channel power amplifier (Sherbourne 5210) however, the sound quality wasn't what I wanted as it was quite bright on several recordings.

Since then, I have tried various other combinations: Pioneer 49tx + Classe Cav 180, Pioneer 49tx + Classe Cam 200 Monoblocks, Rotel 1098 + Classe Cav 180, Parasound C2 + Classe Cav 180, Parasound C2 + Classe Cam 200 & Rotel RB 993 and finally settled on the Parasound C2+ A51.

I kid you not, the Parasound combo is as good as anything I've heard for just ease of listening. It really draws you in and has that nice smooth warm sound I'm really fond of. However, when you wind the volume up all hell breaks loose and the neighbours lights all come on.

Sorry for all the rambling but I do have a few questions:

1) What do the knobs at the back of the amp do?

2) Do any of you fellow owners have hissing coming from your tweeters when a source is selected but no played? I hear an audible hiss when I reach the -15 and above.

All in all, I think this is a fanatstic product and would highly recommend it to anyone.


Zedd.

[Chris D]

Hi, Zedd! Welcome to the Guide and Club Parasound! A :banana: for your new toys.

1. Hmmm... are you sure you're talking about knobs on the back of the A51? On the A51, there are a few toggle switches, cable plugs, speaker posts, and the fuse, but no knobs. Now on the A21 and A23, there are knobs for gain levles, which really should just be left on the THX reference standard and control the volume with the processor.

2. Well, there's a few things that could cause hiss. What speakers are you using? It will be more susceptible with highly efficient speakers and/or horn tweeters, such as the Klipsch speakers I use. Cheap cables could also do it, electromagnetic interference, etc. I personally heard hiss when I first started using my Halo equipment in my new theater, but it seems to be going away as it continues to break in.




CHRIS
Luke: "Hey, I'm not such a bad pilot myself, you know"

[Omen]

Zedd,

Regarding your hiss - do you use the RCA or XLR connections between your C2 and A51? The XLR connections have a higher gain than the RCA connections. This might give you hiss if you're using very efficient speakers.

I have Sonus Faber Grand Piano Homes (90 db sensitivity) with my C2/A52. From my listening position at 9 feet, I can't hear a hiss from either the RCA or XLR connections at normal listening volumes.

[Kingdaddy]

Zedd,

Regarding your hiss - do you use the RCA or XLR connections between your C2 and A51? The XLR connections have a higher gain than the RCA connections. This might give you hiss if you're using very efficient speakers.

I might be wrong, but is't my understanding that higher Input Gain will give you better S/N ratio, or quiter noise floor. It's Output Gain (Preamp Volume) that will give you more noise. If this is true then the XLR connections should be quiter, if they do operate at a higher voltage level.

[Zedd]

Hello again,


I am currently using B&W 603 s2 for the fronts, LCR6 s2 centre & 602 s2 rears. I don't think the hiss is speaker dependant as I didn't have a problem with my previous set-up (Pioneer 49tx). I am convinced the noise is being introduced from another source, probably satellite. Since I have had both the Parasound C2 and Rotel 1098 hooked up to different amplifiers and the hiss was still there, I believe my system is at fault not the equipment. (Still not sure why the Pioneer was not affected.)

Anyway, I don't want to harp on about it too much as this equipment is superb and one of the best bang for the buck out there. By the way, the prices here in OZ are bloody expensive but I would still do it all again given half the chance.

Chris, sorry about the intial question as I have been playing around with both the A21 & A51 before settling on the 5 channel version. Do you notice any difference between the two for 2 channel music?

By the way, I read part of a review that summed the Parasound up very well: "It may not be the most detailed sound but damn it's good to listen to."

Zedd.

[Scarp]

A hiss at very closeby distance is very common. I've used a variety of equipment (Onkyo/Integra, Rotel and Parasound) and always had this. But always it cannot be heard at listening position. Also changing from RCA to XLR on my C2/A51 system did not help at all.

Do note that when switching from RCA to XLR, you really should recalibrate, since it makes a major difference (6 dB to be exact ).

You could try disconnecting everything and building up step by step. So start with amp and speaker cables to the speakers. Then add a connection to a C2, then add your sources, etc etc. Turn off the system first before changing cables!!!

Anyway, as long as you do not have a hum, then its not a big issue.

[Chris D]

Hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm mmmmm
Hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm mmmmmm


(Hey, do you hear a humming sound?)




CHRIS
Luke: "Hey, I'm not such a bad pilot myself, you know"

[Scarp]

I did hear a Hummer H2 a while ago ...

[Kingdaddy]

Do note that when switching from RCA to XLR, you really should recalibrate, since it makes a major difference (6 dB to be exact ).

Do you mean a +6db boost in input gain over the RCA connections, if so this should lower the overall noise floor. I'm very interested in the hiss issue as I sit very near-field sometimes.