Parasound Halo JC 5 Stereo Amplifier Preview

 After 16 years of legendary reviews from their JC1 amplifier, Parasound has finally given consumers exactly what they want: Two top-of-the-line Halo JC 1 monoblock power amplifiers integrated into a single chassis that is the same size as one JC 1. The new Parasound Halo JC 5 combines high power and ultra-high bias Class A/AB sonic quality at roughly two-thirds the price of a pair of JC 1s. The Parasound Halo JC 1 monoblock was designed by John Curl and since then has garnered an amazing amount of popularity and notoriety as a benchmark for amplifier performance and value.

The new JC 5 is a remarkable amplifier that creates a new sweet spot in our Halo product family. Our customers often tell us they love everything the JC 1 offers, while wondering if we could deliver comparable performance in a no-compromise stereo amplifier, and save them money and space. We challenged John Curl to distill the essence of two JC 1 mono blocks into a single chassis, and the result has exceeded everyone's expectations.

- Richard Schram, the president and founder of Parasound.

The Parasound Halo JC 5  comes with high bias class A/AB and is designed to provide 12 watts per channel pure class A power and class AB to its 400 watts per channel 8 ohm rating. It can also deliver 600 watts per channel into 4 ohms, and it can be bridged to mono for 1,200 watts into 8 ohms. The output stage employs 24 beta-matched, 15 ampere, 60 MHz bipolar transistors to deliver a formidable peak current of 90 amperes.

The power supply employs a 1.7 kVA shielded toroid power transformer with a premium H18 grade steel core. It has independent secondary windings for its dual-mono power supply. As with the JC 1, input stage B+/B- rails are 10 V above the output stage rails to eliminate any chance of distortion caused by voltage sagging when the amp is under load. Independent power supplies for left and right channels input stages employ filter caps totaling 8,880 µF. Driver and output stages employ massive Rubycon filter caps totaling 132,000 µF.

The Halo JC 5 is direct-coupled, protected by DC servo circuits to eliminate coupling capacitors, while extending bass response down to 5 Hz. Its balanced inputs use discrete circuits with Neutrik locking XLR connectors, and Vampire 24k gold-plated RCA input and loop output jacks. Five-way "propeller" speaker binding posts are custom-manufactured for Parasound by CHK Infinium. They are 24k gold-plated and accept 7-gauge bare wire. The premium-quality 9 foot detachable IEC 12 gauge power cord features silver-soldered connectors.

Parasound's refined Halo design aesthetic is evident in the JC 5. Slim, hand-milled solid aluminum endcaps with gold highlights amplify its grace and elegance. The JC 5 is available in silver or black. Rack mount hardware for its four rack space chassis is included. The net weight is 73 lbs. The Parasound Halo JC 5 Stereo Amplifier will be available from Parasound US dealers and international distributors starting this month with a suggested retail price of $5,995. This product has the type of guts we love to see in a high end amplifier. Is this the power amp your seeking to upgrade your system? Share your thoughts in our related forum thread below.

Unless otherwise indicated, this is a preview article for the featured product. A formal review may or may not follow in the future.