I know this may be a difficult question. How does Parasound JC1 compare to new equipment? Still a great pair of monoblocks? I heard the seller’s opinion that it is an old design and, for example, Parasound 23+ is much better. Is JC1 really outdated equipment? (Price level up to 5,000 Euro/USD)
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Most important is speaker synergy, it was a fine unit in its day, and could be a bargain on the resale market. Depends on one’s priorities.
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My question is whether for the same money we will get equipment that will be much better
Hard to say, but considering the current impact of inflation it will be difficult to find something better at the price. It also depends on one’s sonic priorities and their definition of “better”. By no means do I consider the JC1 an ultimate amplifier, but a nice unit at its price. What would you seek out as a current day competitor at the price of $5,000.
One dealer told me that the Parasound Halo A23+ beats him hands down. That it’s an obsolete design…
I got that from your initial post, but have you compared them personally?
Your expert’s opinion is that the “23+” is much better. Exactly how?
Unfortunately, I didn’t have such an opportunity. These are some of the ones available on hifishark.
I guess they are better because at 23+ he will earn his margin 
He won’t make anything on used ones. That’s why I’m asking you whether this equipment is worth considering
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Read the many reviews on the JC1. And if the reviews were positive then (they were)----well you see where I’m going, right?
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A good close friend of mine had tried the Parasound JC1 a whle back along with a Bryston 28B to replace his Lamm 2.1s. He needed something more powerful than his Lamms eventhough the Lamms had 200 watts output. It kept shutting down on him with stressful music. He likes to play his music on the very loud side.
The Bryston had the power, but the sound from these mono’s were too warmish for his taste. He wanted the sound to pop out more and the Brystons was too laid back. The Parasound JC1s also could not match the sonic performance of the Lamms. He ended up keeping the Lamms and now he bought new speakers from the former Revel Salon 2s to the Legacy Focus XD with powered woofers. But the Lamms were still shutting down. The tweeters survive though unlike like his previous speakers. Yes, all his previous speakers he had in the pass had the tweeters burned out before.
Now he bought the Parasound JC1+ and so far so good. No more amp shut downs and the AMT tweeters are very robust. The JC1+ also sounds a whole lot better than the orgnal JC1s. It’s a whole different animal in resolution and clarity even beating out his old favorite, the Lamms which cost more. The price of the JC1+ has increased quite a bit from the $8,999 JC1s to $17,999, so quite a jump.
The insides of the JC1+ are quite impressive.
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Hey urban…
When I upgraded my very wonderful sweet Parasound A21 to the
JC5 ( essantially two JC1+ onto 1 chassis)…the added refinements
over and above the A21 was not a small upgrade at all sonically.
Very very satisfied with my JC5.
The JC1+ will be a substantial uptick in sound quality over the JC5!!
Interior pick of JC5
Backside of JC5
Hope this helps you some
Best wishes
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Yes, David, Parasound has really refined their lastest offerings of amps. They are really not that close in sonic performance as the old. My friend is very critical when it comes to sound quality and he is very impressed with the JC1+.
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I have a Parasound A23+ and a pair of M1200’s.
The M1200’s completely blow away the Parasound A23+
Violins sound more like real violins with the M1200, for instance.
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I would like to buy a pair of JC1+ for USD 5,000, gentlemen, we are talking about JC1
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Keep looking on the used market and maybe something will show up. Could take a while, but one never knows. (if you wait for a JC1+)
I am looking for best equipment I can buy up to 5000 USD… I found JC1. If I were to buy new equipment, I would probably buy Moonriver 404
I ditched the ‘old design’ argument for rationalizing spending more money on a ‘new design’ just to spend money a long time ago. If we want to get down to brass tacks, vacuum tubes for small signal applications in preamplifiers and power tubes for power amplifiers are, relatively speaking, old as the hills. Yet tube designs are as popular as ever in the high-end market (I count three pieces in my current system with vacuum tubes). Good design is good design. If it continues to sound great, keep it (or buy it and save money). I expect a seller, btw, to diss the JC1 because that’s what sellers tend to do to … push what they’re offering with the ‘new design’ schtick. I will make an exception to what I’ve said for digital products. Digital continues to evolve quickly because that is what everyone going all the way back to the semiconductor manufacturers is pouring R&D into.
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Your M1200 are in a power league above the 23+…
Would be surprised if the M1200s didn’t …
Would be a different ball game if compared to JC5 let alone JC1+
JC5 outputs up to 90 amps/channel the JC1+ up to 180 amps…
JC5 first 12 watts Class A then on to 400 in AB…JC1+ 25 watts Class A
then on to 450 in AB
M1200s maybe some over 35 amps…
Best wishes
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What do you own now and what will you be partnering the new amps with?