The by-pass mod Parasound does to the JC-2 lets you set any or all channels to unity gain and takes the JC-2 volume control out of the loop for a by-passed channel. Kal Rubinson claims the pass through is completely transparent as far as he could tell.
In my application, stereo from an Oppo BDP-105 goes through the JC-2 whereas the surround channels go directly to Proceed HPA amps. Setting the input the Oppo uses to by-pass means only the Oppo volume control that controls all the Oppo output channels is active. I had marked the JC-2 for unity gain with the Oppo, but too often failed to reset it after using the Ayre or Thorens. So I didn't expect any change in sound quality with the mod -- but Pete Seeger is again singing in my room now that the C-5xeMP - JC-2 chain is back.
db
In my application, stereo from an Oppo BDP-105 goes through the JC-2 whereas the surround channels go directly to Proceed HPA amps. Setting the input the Oppo uses to by-pass means only the Oppo volume control that controls all the Oppo output channels is active. I had marked the JC-2 for unity gain with the Oppo, but too often failed to reset it after using the Ayre or Thorens. So I didn't expect any change in sound quality with the mod -- but Pete Seeger is again singing in my room now that the C-5xeMP - JC-2 chain is back.
db