Moving on from Parasound A21 (maybe?)

I want to love the A21, I really do. It does a lot so well and then it does something stupid like burying detail that's been experienced with another amp. It's good to know somebody else knows what I'm talking about. I'd hate to think I'm going deaf along with being slightly crazy.
I've decided to wait a week or two before settling on exactly what to purchase. I'm getting some quality advice from personal experience about amps that people are sold on. I need time to do homework on everything that's been suggested (some stuff I've never heard of). This will probably be the last piece of equipment I ever buy and I want be confident in my decision.
If anybody else wants to chime in, I'd welcome insight on a few more amps. Your ears and experience with quality (or lack of) mean more than a pro review.

professosvsu,

Perhaps you can turn off the stereo and listen to a jam box while you are pondering which direction that you need to take to achieve amplifier nirvana. The truth is, I am on a similar pilgrimage. I am fortunate, or not, to have a sidekick with wooden ears who couldn't care less about sound quality.  For her, music isn't something she appreciates. So, spending money on a sound system is carefully scrutinized before committing to buy that next best component.

Currently I am using two A23's to bi-amp a pair of older JBL speakers. This a great match up of power requirement and clean power output.  Yes, I raised an eyebrow from  the boss when I spent over $200.00 dollars for supplies to build two pairs of Helix cables that build instructions were published in another tread. By the way, the cables are a major improvement over the bulk Monster cable that I was using.

I might be opening a can of worms and a subject for another thread.  You stated above, " This will probably be the last piece of equipment I ever buy and I want be confident in my decision ".  Are you sure that the amplifier is really the piece of the puzzle that is missing? In my mind, a superior pre-amp is the Holy Grail of components that motivates my quest.

As I was told when my Vector Research bit the dust, it is important to have good amplification but the pre-amplifier is a more significant factor if one has balanced power need and output.  I use a Wyred4Sound DAC to feed files from my PC into a Parasound P3. The P3 is the component I question in my system. Before I spend over $5000.00 for a pre-amp that "MIGHT" take my listening experience to the land of bliss I will try upgrade power cords. I can assemble three power cords using the Helix instructions with an added tweak for under $400.00.  They can be used with new equipment if my listening experience still falls short.

Back to the jam box.  Take your time and evaluate the shortcomings of the boom box compared to your stereo system. After careful contemplating and the Spring thaw begins you may realize that your system sounds great and and you were just delirious from cabin fever. :D

I owned the Parasound A21 and I submit it's okay for the money. My problem was to my ears it was on the dark side of neutral and too many details were masked. The soundstage was relatively flat and limited front to back placement. I think better amps are more open and provide details that makes the music come alive.

Belles .

sweetoldboy
I've been down the Yellow Brick Road of power cords and outlets (Cardas grade copper), decent preamp (Parasound JC 2 BP), etc. The most dramatic positive change happened when I went from a Rega tonearm to SME. That was like a lightning strike. My TT is atop a 3" thick solid maple platform with Sorbothane feet which in turn is set atop a Solid Tech stand. That aspect of the system is "tuned" as far as I'll take it along with most everything else except the amp.
This hobby is turning into buying/selling equipment instead of listening to music which is a path I didn't want to take. Until the spring thaw or a stock market crash, I'll probably be in search of the missing link amp. Then I'll call it a day.