Rives PARC parametric equalizer

Bob,

Biamping should certainly give you huge improvment in clarity in the mid range, as you will reduce interaction from the crossovers and drivers being in one shared complex hard to drive circuit (read much easier load for each amp and way lower IMD, which is very audible)

=> I am not sure this improvement has necessarily a lot to do with the PARC however...surely it should be transparent in the mid and treble range...whereever it is placed?

Shadorne, in my system and to my ears, the PARC is not transparent in the mid and treble as some reputable magazines have claimed. In addition, in my system, it takes some life out of the sound. However, I must hasten to add that using good quality power cord and i.c. to feed the PARC will reduce the gaps to a subtle level. The PC i use on the PARC costs the same as the PARC (isn't it ridiculous?) but it does help to put most of the life back into the sound again. Before that i used a much humbler PC, and the sound was dissaponting.

Shardone

Passive biamping of my speakers does offer a slight improvement in dynamics (mostly in the bass) and imaging. I am told that using an active crossover would have a more profound effect. This setup allows me to bypass the PARC for the midrange and treble and preserve the dimensionality and lucidity that I believe the PARC slightly messes with.

In the biwire configuration without the PARC, the dynamics and overall imaging are not quite as good but I did not experience the 2D effect and loss of lucidity in the midrange and treble.

When using a full range signal from the PARC, I agree that the effects of different PCs can be heard. At 300 Hz and below, PC choice is less critical in my system.

If the PARC was the ultimate solution, there would be little market for acoustically designed listening rooms. The cost of such a room could easily exceed the cost of an additional amp, cables and crossover.

Have either of you tried the PARC set flat and compared it with the bypass function?

Of course, if you have dirty power then adding any powered device may add complications. My experience is that digital devices seem most sensitive to power...

Shardorne

I don't doubt the test results suggested by Rives, but it is not a real useful test to me. You are still passing the signal though 2 extra sets of connectors and introducing an extra set of cables. My system does not sound as lucid and dimensional in the midrange and treble as when totally bypassing (removing) the PARC. This applies both to passive biamping and biwire setups. Whether this signal alteration is bothersome will depend on the overall system.

At the time I was testing this, the PARC was being fed by an Exactpower EP 15A and decent PC - Von Gaylord Chinchilla. I do not believe power quality is effecting my opinion.