anyone here tried Parasound "New" JC-5 amp

I had a chance to audition the JC5 against a Parasound A21. The amps were driving Vandersteen Quatros. Not surprisingly, the JC5 produced sound that was more articulate, intense, and palpable than the A21. Liked the JC5. I also had a chance to compare the JC5 to the Audio Research VT80 SE, which is a couple of thousand more. I thought that the Audio Research amp sounded dark compared to the JC5, and produced bass that was less articulate.

The JC-5 is essentially 2 JC-1's in a single box. The JC-1 Mono's have been discontinued. You can bridge 2 JC-5's as mono blocks and get 1000 wpc.

Sad to see no high-bias mode on the JC-5.

They are not JC1s at all. John Curl has redesigned the amplifier and those that I trust who have heard the JC1 and JC5 have much preferred the latter amp. As far as I’m concerned I view the 5 as an upgrade to the 1. 

I am am sure they share similarities but it is a revised circuit. 

I heard the JC5 at RMAF last year.  I also have owned JC1s and A21 amps.  They are all relatively similar, though the bigger amps with bigger power supply will have more solid sound.  I have also read that JC1 amps require an enormous amount of hours to burn in (some say 400+, some say 1200 hours!)

That being said, the Parasound amps are very refined and excellent sounding amps, but they are voiced slightly on the warm side and the highs are very slightly rolled off and softened. So, yeah, I agree that the top end lacks that sparkle and resolution.  My JC1s definitely had over 1000 hours.