Parasound Preamp

I would pass on it.

The Zpre is a great pre as is the P7.  The P5/6 not so much, especially for the cost.  Even if you aren't doing 5.1, the P7 is still a better pre.

The parasound preamps are good performers but they don't Excel in any way except for features you may want to look at a nice used tube preamp

WOW that took the all the air out of the room.. Better here than in his system I guess. Sure nice looking lots of options for sure. Heck I even liked the remote layout.. Simple but everything is there.. Not to simple..:-)

Regards

Parasound P6 uses op amp and a small switching power supply. Not to say the Zpre is any better as it also uses switching power supply. It’s not even close to the Halo JC2, which uses huge linear power supply and fully discrete FET analog stages.

The old P3 is the last "good" budget level Parasound preamp. The P7 is also good, but it’s a 7 channel analog preamp. Both would be used, but P7 is likely not going to be as old as P3.

I had  Parasound P5 and found it to be very clean sounding, but it did not sound involving at all.  I sold it. Fast forward a few years and I bought a Parasound Halo Integrated amp and it was the same sound..  It sounded clean but very uninvolving.  I sold the Parasound and bought a Mac integrated. Now your talking.