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Parasound Model 2100/2125 amplifier test

Parasound Model 2100 and 2125 components can be considered as inexpensive hi-end with excellent for its class playability, functionality and sound.

Parasound 2125 power amplifier

Parasound Model 2100/2125 Preamp/Power Amplifier

FEATURES

Both devices belong to a wide range of New Classic, the motto of which may well sound like: “high quality for reasonable money,” in any case, the developers of Parasound try to make the components of the series as functional as possible. Both units have steel chassis and aluminum front panels with a central LED display.

The Model 2100 preamplifier possesses a gigantic number of settings one can hardly find another unit in its class so equipped that it can simultaneously operate as part of a stereo system or serve to expand the capabilities of a home theater electronics kit. Seven pairs of RCA line inputs, plus an extra subwoofer input, are clustered on the rear of the unit. Input 1 can be switched from line-level to phono by selecting the MM or MC cartridge type. The range of outputs is also unusually wide: there is a fixed level output for recording , unfiltered output to the amplifier and one more, more clever, double output. With its help you can arrange a triphonic – the signal from one jack goes through a high-pass filter with a cut-off frequency from 80 Hz, a subwoofer output is equipped with adjustable LPF with a cut-off frequency in the range of 20-140 Hz. In addition to the above-mentioned connectors the Model 2100 has several other service connections intended for more complex installations: RS-232 serial port, input and output for external IR receivers, trigger loop for 12 volt signal with mode switch.

The Model 2100 front panel has a lot of controls: there are volume, channel balance and tone controls separately for woofer and tweeter , a subwoofer channel level knob and tone-block mute buttons. Another button controls the Mute function. The already considerable number of preamplifier inputs is further increased by a mini-jack connector for an MP3 player. And next to it we have another headphone output.

The Model 2125 AB-Class amplifier stage uses Sunken complementary transistors and a toroidal transformer in the power supply. Like all New Classic power amplifiers except the younger Model 275, the Model 2125 is Ultra THX 2 certified and is capable of handling a maximum current of 35 Amps per amplified channel.

The front panel of the termination is not so rich in all sorts of switches, except for the power button and a small display, there are only two small keys for the selector of acoustic outputs A B. Only one of them can be activated at a time, so Bi-Wiring is not an option. But the amplifier is not as simple as it sounds. On the reverse panel, besides two sets of output terminals, there is a load resistance switch, and the inscriptions next to it show that the “power amp” can even work with 2-ohm loudspeakers. The input signal can be routed through a third-order VFD with a tunable cutoff frequency of 20/40 Hz and a position that removes the filter from the circuit. An infra-bass cut might be useful if you connect the amplifier to a bookshelf speaker that already doesn’t do bass sound, but the amplifier is designed to be very forgiving. You can adjust the level of each input individually with a couple of small knobs. There’s a line-out repeater right next to the input, from which you can route the signal to another power amp. A bridge mode switch lets you turn a stereo amp into a mono amp with the appropriate power boost. While the Model 2125 can send up to 200 watts into two channels with a 4-ohm load, in bridge mode the amplifier delivers twice as much power – 400 watts – to the same load.

Just like a preamp, the power amp has a pretty good selection of useful auxiliary outputs and tweaks: an earth loop opener, a trigger loop with a mode switch, and input level sensors setup in one mode, the amp turns on when a user-selectable level signal appears at the input .

SOUND

The sound of PARASOUND components has impressive dynamics and both bass and treble are easily and freely reproduced without noticeable roughening of timbres even at high volume. At the same time the pair does not forget about the informative sound, quite clearly reproducing the quiet moments of the recording and the fine structure of the timbres. Importantly, the detail does not grow into an alienated analytical sound – the system captures the emotionality of the vocal and instrumental parts quite well. The solid bass is still intelligible up to the lower octave, where the articulation gets a little worse. The same is true at the top of the audio spectrum: overall the clear cymbal loops look slightly shorter with a gradual drop in sonic detail at the very top.

The middle section is wonderfully articulate, with a slight agitation at the top, which becomes more noticeable at high volume, but thankfully rarely gets screamy.

The components’ ability to build a broad, three-dimensional musical scene is nothing short of applauded. Even complex orchestral compositions are reproduced with an echelonized and localized sound field and well-defined backgrounds, including accurately positioned and believably sized bass groups.

Of course, the PARASOUND preamplifier and power unit have small timbre roughnesses and obscurities of the picture on the periphery of the scene, there are, as we mentioned before, defects in the sound at the far edges of the sound spectrum, but if you look at the cost of electronics, all complaints fall away – for its class the American pair shows excellent playability, functionality and performance.

Price

: 16,490 Dollars. Model 2100 , 22 370 Dollars. Model 2125 .

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John Techno

Greetings, everyone! I am John Techno, and my expedition in the realm of household appliances has been a thrilling adventure spanning over 30 years. What began as a curiosity about the mechanics of these everyday marvels transformed into a fulfilling career journey.

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Comments: 2
  1. Tatum

    Can you please provide more information about the Parasound Model 2100/2125 amplifier test? I’m curious to know about its performance, features, and any notable characteristics. Additionally, does it have any specific applications or compatibility requirements? Thank you.

    Reply
  2. Dylan Hughes

    Can you provide more details about the Parasound Model 2100/2125 amplifier test? Specifically, what criteria were used to evaluate its performance? Were different audio formats tested, such as stereo or surround sound? And how does it compare to other amplifiers in terms of sound quality and overall performance? Thank you!

    Reply
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