Parasound has introduced its Halo JC 5 stereo amplifier that was designed by audio legend John Curl. Delivering 400 watts per channel, the Parasound Halo JC 5 distills the essence of two top-of-the-line Halo JC 1 monoblock power amplifiers 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 introduced 16 years ago to instant international acclaim. It is acknowledged as the 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,” said Richard Schram, the president and founder of Parasound. “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.”
The Parasound Halo JC 5 stereo amplifier is designed to be powerful and musical. High bias class A/AB provides 12 watts per channel pure class A power and class AB effortlessly 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 nine-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. 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 in June 2018 with a suggested retail price of $5,995.
