ParaSound
Parasound JC-1 amplifiers are outstanding products, easily competition for amplifiers twice their price or more. They have excellent dynamics, and a very smooth and extended top end, free of the fine “grain” that becomes apparent after extended listening to many high-powered solid state amplifiers. The JC-1 is a superb match with Sound Lab electrostats and with Gradient Revolutions, among others. The JC-1 was designed by John Curl, with careful ears-on component selection by Bob Crump of TG Audio. The amplifiers are built in a highly automated (robotic) factory in Taiwan, which lowers their production cost to about 1/3 what it would be in this country. Hence the excellent price/performance ratio. At this time (September 2005) I don’t have experience with any other Parasound Halo products, but hope to soon