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Parasound JC 3 Jr. Phono Preamplifier

Parasound JC 3 Jr. Phono Preamplifier

In the interests of transparency readers should know that the $2999 Parasound JC 3+ has been my reference phonostage since I reviewed it in Issue 245. I say this not because I’m partial to Parasound products in general, but because I flat out believe there is no better phonostage on the market within shouting distance of its price. For me, the John Curl designed JC 3+ has consistently drawn forth a wealth of musical and sonic detail from a range of cartridges. Its build-quality is superior and by today’s affordability standards it has a staggering price/performance ratio. So, what happens when Parasound taps Curl and his partner, circuit board designer Carl Thompson, to make lightning strike twice at a cost half as much as the JC 3+? The JC 3 Jr. is what happens.

To understand how they did it I needed to speak with Parasound chief Richard Schram. As Schram tells it the key question was how to allot the more limited resources where they’d benefit sonics the most. Discussions began in early 2016 with wizards Curl and Thompson, and it was agreed the Jr. would employ key core technology of their previous efforts, including a direct-coupled circuit using DC servos and Curl’s signature RIAA EQ circuit with the same REL capacitors and passive parts used in the JC 3+ (and Curl’s iconic Vendetta Research SCP-2), plus a sophisticated power supply with a common-mode inductor and high-speed/soft-recovery diodes.

But something had to give—and first on the chopping block was the costly dual-mono architecture with its individually shielded vaults for each channel. The R-core transformer for the 3+ also gave way to a more prosaic toroidal variant, as did the independent power supplies (Jr. uses a single PS) and larger filter caps for each channel, and lastly the internal AC line conditioner. While many of the parts are the same or similar, the JC 3 Jr. uses a single, high-quality volume potentiometer that’s less expensive compared with the pricey, dual-channel, custom Vishay pot of the JC 3+. Its low-profile chassis also contributed to cost reduction.

Parasound JC 3 Jr. Phono Preamplifier

At a wafer-thin 2.5 inches tall the JC 3 Jr. may resemble a 3+ after a close encounter with a pastrami slicer, but there has been no scrimping on features and configurability. Designed to be optimized for moving-magnet and low-output moving-coil (mm and mc) phono cartridges, the gain circuits feature independent toggle control of gain, load impedance (variable or 47k ohm), plus a small knob for variable mc impedance. The JC 3+ “DNA” is apparent in the Jr.’s circuit topology and many of its parts, including the fine Neutrik locking XLR jacks and Vampire 24k gold-plated RCA jacks. A substantial aluminum partition isolates the phonostage board from the power supply, power transformer, and internal AC wiring. The power transformer is encased in a steel enclosure to prevent emissions that might impact sensitive audio circuits. Convenience features include stereo/mono select as well as auto turn-on with a 12V trigger. Gain is adjustable between 40, 50, and 60dB (unbalanced) for any cartridge. The back panel includes a set of balanced and unbalanced outputs and a set of unbalanced inputs.

Listening note: During my sessions I ran four different cartridges with outputs varying from 0.4mV to 5mV. They included the high-output Grado Prestige Black2, an amazing deal at $75, the Clearaudio Essence mc ($1500), and Clearaudio Charisma mm ($2000), and the Sumiko Palo Santos Presentation mc ($4500). It was in the context of reviewing this phono pre and Clearaudio’s Concept Black turntable (review in this issue) that I came to strongly admire Clearaudio’s new Charisma mm cartridge.

At the JC 3 Jr.’s modest $1495 price another design team could have easily phoned this one in, but Messrs. Curl and Thompson are heavy-hitters in audio with formidable reputations to uphold. (You only need to consider Constellation’s flagship phonostage, the $75k Orion, to appreciate the degree of seriousness they bring to their work.) That said, the JC 3 Jr. was one feisty chip off the old block. With high levels of the 3+’s character coursing through its circuitry, Jr. established a sonic kinship that imparted a wide soundstage with noiseless, black-velvet backgrounds—a prologue for the level of resolving power I later observed. Even as lower-output cartridges were added and the gain was adjusted to compensate, noise was never a factor. Like the 3+, the Jr. manifested a high-energy, dynamically lively, and slightly forward tonal momentum that focused my attention. As I listened to the superb Argo pressing of Stravinsky’s Pulcinella, the family resemblance between the Parasounds was undeniable. Jr. conveyed the warm ambient flavor of the recording venue, an openness rather than a constriction of the hall. Wind and string transients were smooth and naturalistic. Not as dynamically flashy as through the JC 3+, but not flatfooted either. Ultimately I concluded that Jr. can’t quite muster the full midrange sensuality that its elder brother possesses—the ability to extract woody resonances from clarinet and oboe or the fat soundboard decay from a stand-up bass, but at twice the cost, the JC 3+ was certainly deserving of a senior moment.

 

Even on a familiar mono track like The Beatles’ “Revolution” (fast tempo, not “Revolution 1” from the White Album) Jr. hit me with an onrushing wave of guitar distortion and nerve-shredding feedback so fraught with intensity that it was almost like hearing the cut anew. Low-level detail was equally superb while lower mids and bass octaves were taut in pitch, dense in timbre, and brimming with complexity. A prime example was Tony Levin’s marvelous bass playing that closes the 45rpm LP version of the Peter Gabriel/Kate Bush duet “Don’t Give Up” [Virgin]. Jr. was revelatory in expressing the dark, moody character that underscores this track.

Imaging and spatiality go hand-in-hand with this phonostage. To be sure, it lacks the full dose of hall ambience conveyed by the 3+ but Jr. taps an appreciable amount of front-to-back depth and dimension in its own right. For example, as I listened to the track “I’ll Be Seeing You” from the marvelous reissue of Rickie Lee Jones’ Pop Pop, the delicate interplay of the classical guitar and clarinet conveyed a wealth of expressive harmonic weight and acoustic realism. Even years after its release, the abundance of ambience and micro-information that emerges from this LP continued to surprise and astound me. Jr.’s resolution of inner detail was similarly excellent. For this I often key on background harmonies. One of my guilty pleasures is the prog-rock band Yes and its 90125 album (the Bob Ludwig/Masterdisk pressing). This LP was not only a Top 40 success but with hits like “Owner of a Lonely Heart” it is laden with weird cross-pans, phase shifts, and plunging bass lines. And on tracks like “It Can Happen,” I key on whether a phonostage can adequately resolve the layers of vocals and high-pitch harmonies—details that are easily smeared. In its ability to clarify these things, the JC 3 Jr. proved its mettle.

Turning to the challenge of classical music reproduction, I listened to the Solti-conducted Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus performing Beethoven’s Ninth. In this setting the JC 3 Jr.’s character added a slightly darker element to the string sections and a more forgiving top end. The famed Chicago brass section didn’t quite have the sparkling pop and transparency that the 3+ captures nor the extension and definition at the frequency extremes, although the difference is relatively small. The signature kettledrums were not quite as lively and textured. And there was a slight veil around the bass-baritone soloist, which the 3+ did not have. Image retrieval was also of a high order, although at the lowest levels that magic “open window” sense of transparency has a bit of soft shading. In soundstaging Jr. didn’t quite gather in all of the ambient cues to deliver back-of-the-hall dimensionality, but was very good, nonetheless.

A Chip off the Old Block
Truthfully the JC 3 Jr. is not a 3+. But it comes uncomfortably close to the original JC 3, the phono pre that would later evolve into the 3+. For the vast majority of vinyl owners, Parasound’s JC 3 Jr. will stand the test of time and be a willing partner to cartridge or turntable upgrades that might accrue along the way. Its winning musicality proudly upholds the family name. As a side note, in my exchange with Richard Schram I had to ask whether he now considers the Parasound phonostage lineup complete or whether there might be something new in the offing. His answer was playfully noncommittal: “The definition of a ‘complete’ lineup is a moving target for an independent audio company that’s as customer-centric as Parasound. I wouldn’t rule out the possibility.” Being an optimist, I think I’ll take that as a “yes.” At least, I sure hope so.

Specs & Pricing

Phono input impedance: mm, 47k ohms; mc, 47k ohms/variable 50–550 ohms
Gain: 40dB/50dB/60dB (unbalanced output); 46dB/56dB/66dB (balanced output)
Dimensions: 17.25″ x 2.5″ x 14.75″
Weight: 13 lbs.
Price: $1495

PARASOUND PRODUCTS, INC.
2250 McKinnon Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94124
(415) 397-7100
parasound.com

Tags: PARASOUND

Neil Gader

By Neil Gader

My love of music largely predates my enthusiasm for audio. I grew up Los Angeles in a house where music was constantly playing on the stereo (Altecs, if you’re interested). It ranged from my mom listening to hit Broadway musicals to my sister’s early Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Beatles, and Stones LPs, and dad’s constant companions, Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett. With the British Invasion, I immediately picked up a guitar and took piano lessons and have been playing ever since. Following graduation from UCLA I became a writing member of the Lehman Engel’s BMI Musical Theater Workshops in New York–working in advertising to pay the bills. I’ve co-written bunches of songs, some published, some recorded. In 1995 I co-produced an award-winning short fiction movie that did well on the international film-festival circuit. I was introduced to Harry Pearson in the early 70s by a mutual friend. At that time Harry was still working full-time for Long Island’s Newsday even as he was writing Issue 1 of TAS during his off hours. We struck up a decades-long friendship that ultimately turned into a writing gig that has proved both stimulating and rewarding. In terms of music reproduction, I find myself listening more than ever for the “little” things. Low-level resolving power, dynamic gradients, shadings, timbral color and contrasts. Listening to a lot of vocals and solo piano has always helped me recalibrate and nail down what I’m hearing. Tonal neutrality and presence are important to me but small deviations are not disqualifying. But I am quite sensitive to treble over-reach, and find dry, hyper-detailed systems intriguing but inauthentic compared with the concert-going experience. For me, true musicality conveys the cozy warmth of a room with a fireplace not the icy cold of an igloo. Currently I split my time between Santa Fe, New Mexico and Studio City, California with my wife Judi Dickerson, an acting, voice, and dialect coach, along with border collies Ivy and Alfie.

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