Parasnound JC1 or Sanders ESL Mono?

[sharok]

Based on your experience and opinion,

Which one is a better match for ESL speakers (Stage, Summit X or Ethos)?

Parasound JC1 / A51 or Sanders ESL Mono? I don't have the opportunity to audition either one.

The system will be mainly used for movies (5.1) which includes a pair of script i (surr) and either a pair of Summit X or Ethos.

I'd prefer a multi channel amp (5.1), but a three-channel of mono will be fine.

If you know of any other amp that you think will match ESL for MOVIES, please let me know.


Thank You

 

[Rich]

You cannot go wrong with the Sanders mono amp. They are incredibly powerful, stable, and neutral. Never heard the JC1's so I can't provide a comparison for you. But I use the Sanders mono amps with my Summits in a music and home theater setup and I couldn't ask for better amps.

 

[Gordon Gray]

Can't audition? Think not.

I believe Roger will give you a 30 day / money back return option.

Audio Advisors will do the same for the Parasound gear.

GG

PS: Make sure units are fully broken in before you start making judgments on which you like better.

 

[sharok]

Hi Gordon,

You're right about the 30 day trial.

But it is not easy to get three mono amps and return them (shipping is a pain). That's why I asked if anybody auditioned those amps in a home theater before.

 

[asindc]

Haven't heard the Sanders, but you will not go wrong with the JC1s. Great combination of power and finesse. Lives up to the hype.

 

[FoxMulder]

I'll second the recommendation for the Sanders. I love mine. Best amp that I have heard on my CLSIIA's. Very, very happy owner!

 

[TomDac]

I've heard the JC1's and they are NICE. But they get pretty hot. The Sanders is supposed to be awesome too.

 

[robertawillisjr]

Sanders. For a review see TAS and Dagogo.

 

[Rich]

Between the two amps, you get twice as much power from the Sanders, which gives more headroom for sharp transients, a MUST for serious home theater. The Sanders also puts off very little heat, compared to the JC-1 which gets very hot, if that is an issue.

I don't think you will be dissatisfied with either amp, but I think given the information you have provided, the Sanders is a better choice for you.

 

[timm]

wonder if anyone could comment on the sonic signature of the amps... that could be helpful... Rich said the Sanders was neutral - so it sounds like that amp doesn't really add anything to the sound per se - which is a good thing-- whereas the JC1s?? I thought I heard those were a bit warmer soundwise....

Also, what about the topology(think that is the word....) for the amps? Is one class A / one class a/b or class d ... how many watts does it go in class A? could be a reason the JC1s get warmer....

I know a person that went from Spectral amps to JC1s and liked the JC1s better because they were just a tad warmer and more musical...At least that was his impression...

Just some questions to maybe help the OP.....

 

[tsv_1]

Parasound JC1 / A51 or Sanders ESL Mono? I don't have the opportunity to audition either one.

Questions:

Are you limited to just those two options?

If in-home auditioning is impractical, and you're looking to potentially buy based on opinions of others, why limit yourself to just these two offerings?

It sounds like you want plenty of power for (mostly) multi-channel movie use. Do you want identical amplification for all channels, or do you want dedicated monoblocks for the main l/r (for 2-channel music-only sessions)?

Have you considered ICE amps? The are excellent for HT use, low idle power, don't throw a lot of heat, and are quite light/compact as well. Also, MAJOR bang for the buck.

With the wide range of amplification options out there, I guess I'd be looking across a greater variety of amps before settling on two that you haven't heard, and likely won't hear until you get them in-house.

Cheers and good luck

 

[David Matz]

To my ears, the Parasound is a much better amp. It is much more three dimensional and produces much better micro-dynamics. Sanders sounds more mechanical and robotic, while Parasound conveys emotion much better. Parasound is one of the best SS amps out there today.

But I have not watched a movie in years. As others have said, you have to listen and decide for yourself.

 

[Rich]

Sanders sounds more mechanical and robotic

Interesting description. I certainly wouldn't call the Sanders mechanical or robotic. Not even sure what that means in relation to sound. From my experience, it is completely neutral. All you hear is whatever is on the source, completely uncolored by the amp. I would agree that it doesn't have the warmth or liquidity of a tube or class A solid state amp. But I don't imagine that you would care much about either of those things for a home theater amp.

 

[David Matz]

Interesting description. I certainly wouldn't call the Sanders mechanical or robotic. Not even sure what that means in relation to sound. From my experience, it is completely neutral. All you hear is whatever is on the source, completely uncolored by the amp. I would agree that it doesn't have the warmth or liquidity of a tube or class A solid state amp. But I don't imagine that you would care much about either of those things for a home theater amp.

Rich,

I guess I would describe the Parasounds as neutral also - whatever than means. But the way I judge gear is by how much it gets out of the way so that it can convey the emotion of the musicians.

Yes, the Sanders is tonally neutral in the sense that it presents a midrange, the bass, and the highs. But Parasound has much better timing that makes the Sanders sound less involving. When this timing is combined with an ability to convey the slightest microdynamic shadings of the music in a surreal 3 dimensionality (for a solid state amp), it does a much better job of conveying the truthfulness of the music to my ears.

I know you own and like the Sanders, and that's totally cool. But do give Parasounds a listen, and you may be impressed.

 

[Rich]

Rich,

I guess I would describe the Parasounds as neutral also - whatever than means.

The Audiophile Dictionary defines "neutral" as: "Free from coloration." That is how I would describe the Sanders amp. No coloration, just a perfect recreation of what is on the source.

I have no doubt the JC-1 sounds great (although I would be surprised if it was truly neutral -- usually Class-A amps are on the warm side of tonality). I am very fond of the Class-A sound of my Pass Labs X-350.5, which I suspect is probably similar to the sound of the JC-1. But I still believe the Sanders amps would be a much better choice for a home theater environment, where microdynamics and 3-dimensionality of soundstage is not near as important as it is with 2-channel music. In home theater, you really need a lot of power for dynamic peaks, and the Sanders has twice as much power on tap as the JC-1. And it puts out the wattage with very little associated heat, while the Class-A amps put out heat like an oven, which is not generally a good thing in a home theater environment.

 

[David Matz]

The Audiophile Dictionary defines "neutral" as: "Free from coloration." That is how I would describe the Sanders amp. No coloration, just a perfect recreation of what is on the source.

I have no doubt the JC-1 sounds great (although I would be surprised if it was truly neutral -- usually Class-A amps are on the warm side of tonality). I am very fond of the Class-A sound of my Pass Labs X-350.5, which I suspect is probably similar to the sound of the JC-1. But I still believe the Sanders amps would be a much better choice for a home theater environment, where microdynamics and 3-dimensionality of soundstage is not near as important as it is with 2-channel music. In home theater, you really need a lot of power for dynamic peaks, and the Sanders has twice as much power on tap as the JC-1. And it puts out the wattage with very little associated heat, while the Class-A amps put out heat like an oven, which is not generally a good thing in a home theater environment.

Rich,

You may be correct. Personally, I don't care one bit about the underlying technology one bit. If it's a couple of smurfs rubbing their hands together, that's good enough for me - if it moves my soul. Subjectively, though, the Parasounds sound pretty neutral using your definition.

But you do raise a good point about home theater. Since I do not watch many movies, and never through my system, I do not really know what a home theater fan is ultimately interested in. I would guess one could break movie fans into a couple categories. First, for someone who is into action movies, there is a desire for slam/ bam, explosions, and effects. There is also someone who is more into the "film is art" thing. For them, there is less need for HUGE dynamic swings, but a desire to faithfully reproduce music and sound effects to increase the emotional impact of the visual experience.

So Sanders would be a good choice for the reasons you mention for folks in the first category, and so would something like Bryston, which could be probably found on the used market for a steal.

 

[timm]

You don't mention your sub or processor. What do you have or what are your plans there? Reason I ask is from my point of view - if I was thinking HT - I don't think you can go wrong with a sunfire cinema grand signature. I would get one used for 1500 or so and take the rest of my money and look at the jl audio subs. The sunfire will run cool / will handle the esl load / and give you dynamics galore. I also think the processor is uber important for HT.

 

[sharok]

My Sub is a Descent i and the processor would be either a Krell S1200 or a Denon AVP-A1HDCI.

And Yes, Sunfire Grande Cinema or Anthem P5 are excellent choices also (more cost effective that the others and require less space), but I was not sure about their performance with Summit X or Ethos in a home theater. Thanks for the suggestion. I'm looking for an amp that does a good job at reproducing music and sound effects. But an amp that does not take an hour to warm up for it to sound good.

From your comments, I get the impression that I really don't need to use mono amps for a home theater. I thought it would make a noticeable difference using mono vs multi channel. But I guess not.

So between the home theater amps (multi channels), you'd prefer Grand Cinema 7401. I read a review on 7401, but the review was not as impressive as the reviews for Anthem P5. But I think people in this forum have a good experience with Carver's amp since it's been mentioned many times and not the Anthem P5.