Analog Gear News

Parasound today introduced the John Curl designed JC3+ phono preamplifier, an improved version of the highly regarded JC3. The original JC3 proved problematic for cartridge loading fetishists in that it offered limited fixed moving coil loading of 100ohms or "wide open" 47kOhms chosen via via custom-made NKK selector switches with gold-on-silver contacts.

Legendary designer John Curl insisted on the fixed resistor arrangement to keep noise ultra- low. Potentiometers generally have higher self-noise and for most end-users 100 ohms is the correct or close to the correct loading.

However, some enthusiasts and reviewers complained so Curl and circuit board designer Carl Thompson set about finding a way to include variable load impedance adjustability but only if the arrangement met certain stringent performance requirements and used Vishay low noise resistors.

Unfortunately, no Vishays met the specific requirements but the company agreed to develop and manufacture in small quantities for Parasound the appropriate part, which is a special low noise, dual-gang 50-550 ohm potentiometer.

While the designers were at it, they made other improvements to the new edition including narrowing the spectrum of Johnson/Nyquist noise in the input loading stage's resistor in order to maximize its low noise capabilities and further tweaking the phono module board to include 24 karat gold plated traces where each part is soldered, which Parasound claims provides "unprecedented transparency and musical detail".

MC S/N ratio has been improved from 75dB to 87dB, A-weighted. MM gain has been increased 1dB from 47dB to 48dB while MC gain has been lowered from 68dB to 64dB to prevent possible line stage overload when using high output MC cartridges.

The JC3+ power supply has also undergone a significant upgrade with 47% larger low-ESR power supply filter capacitors for greater current reserves and what the company claims are "head-snapping" dynamics. You have been warned. A new 82% larger R-core power transformer provides greater reserves for low-end impact that the company says is "beyond imagination", so please don't try imagining this at home, especially if you are alone.

To gild the illumination lilly, at the behest of the few, the finicky and the fanatic, the front panel's illuminated "P" logo can now be switched off.

The new JC3+ available in both silver and black finishes has a suggested list price of $2850 and will be available in late December.