Pass Labs vs Mark Levinson vs Parasound - best 2 channel amp used under $2,500?

May want to look at Threshold and Forte amps as a sub to Pass Labs. Echo Audio has a Threshold T-100 for half your budget. My system still has a pair of modified Threshold T-50's and a Forte 6 running. I also had a Forte 4A which I sold a couple of years ago. Hard amp to find but a great pure Class A amp.

Honestly between Pass and Parasound, you need to listen.

I have gotten to hear a LOT of Pass gear lately, and none of it worked for my ears. I found Pass to be like old Audio Research. Clinical and not particularly robust. Parasound is much warmer, richer and lively to my ears. You don't have to agree, but I _really_ don't agree it's a matter of high-end vs. mid-fi. Pick what you want to come home to. 

The idea of which is in a better league is not a good answer here.

I will say, there are plenty of Class D amps I would listen to as well. For sound quality, size and being environmentally friendly they are very competitive.

Best,

Erik

Threshold s/500 II. The one with optical bias. It should be in your price range recapped.

Have to agree on the Class D amp suggestion.  

I've got a Class D Audio (brand) SDS-470C and for $700 you get a great amp that sounds virtually as good as any of the others mentioned above.  Truly remarkable amplifiers - giant killer.

And... they're much easier to handle and manage - much lighter weight... and... run only slightly warm compared to all the rest. 

My Pass is far from clinical or cold. To say they sound like older ARC amps is the first I’ve heard of that. As far as not being robust my amp has no problem making my Aerial Acoustics speakers which need power to come alive with plenty of authority. Now to say it has the slam as some older Krells and others, no. Pass have plenty of slam but better balance and disappear - not bringing a lot of attention to one thing over another. I’ve had amps amps that really made the bass really stand out but I felt it was overly done and brought too much attention to it. I personally want my gear to disappear or get out of the way so I can enjoy the music.

I’ve listened to the Parasounds and I felt they sound very good but not as open or refined as mine and other Pass amps I’ve heard on my and other systems. No doubt system synergy has a lot to play with how one piece sounds with others. I had an ARC 100.2 which is only 100 watts and I’d take that over a Parasound A23 in a heartbeat, even being a much older amp and a little less power . Again not bashing Parasound... they make very good equipment for the money. I have not heard the JC1’s so I can’t speak for those but I know they also get great press and probably more direct competition with Pass and others.

Most my listening with Parasound amps has been on Magnepan 3.7i and 1.7i’s and several Monitor Audio’s which they’ve played very well with. Just mentioning this because I think a lot of people compare their gear to stuff they really haven’t heard. As always it best to hear for yourself and understand some gear regardless how good it is, it may not have the synergy with some gear.