parasound 3500 verses parasond jc1

A stock 3500 is not in the same league as broken-in stock JC-1's. However, with mods the 3500 is very close to modded JC-1's. Bass control is slightly better with the JC-1's. They are both my personal favorites. The 3500 is actually a very good design and outperforms most amps on the market with mods. For the money, it is hard to beat. See this review:
http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/amp/messages/61129.html

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
Manufacturer

try and audition the Simaudio W-5. I have heard both and for coherence and musicalilty the W-5 sounds better. Admitedly the JC-1's had not had there 1400 hours of break in time.
One of the dealers has both amps and he is of the same opinion.

The 3500 is a stereo JC-1 is about the only difference worth noting in the electronic design. The 3500 has a ton more 2nd harmonic due to the International Rectifier devices in the driver circuit in lieu of the better mannered Harris devices in the JC-1 so the JC-1 is a much smoother amplifier without the glitz and glimmer in the 3500's sound. You are never going to get the 3500 as smooth as the JC-1s due to the devices as well as the layout.

Bob Crump
CTC Builders

I have to disagree with Downunder, I have heard the JC-1 at a friends house multiple times and owned the SIM W-5, and there is no comparison in my mind. The bass authority and the 25watts of Class A make for a very musical amplifier, versus the detailed stark presentation with lite bass (sorry it couldn't drive or control my NHT 3.3's (4-6ohm speaker) to 21hz.

The JC-1 is more refined than the 3500 or two 3500's

"You are never going to get the 3500 as smooth as the JC-1s due to the devices as well as the layout."

Bob - I have to repectfully disagree. These things can all be fixed with the right mods. The 3500 and JC-1's end-up very close IMO. The 3500 has replaced rectifiers in it, although this seems to mostly improve the bass tightness.