It is a really nautral sounding entry level preamplifier, it has sixinputs including a phono stage. It has a direct and normal outputs. It
has deep tight bass, and clear highs with my Sony ES player and Rotel
amplifier. I recommend it highly for any starters...

solid construction, clarity of sound

tiny buttons

As other reviewers have waxed so poetically about this unit's sound quality (which is wonderful), I don't have much to add except to recommend that if you can still purchase one from audioadvisor.com for $250 you'd be crazy not to. I've never heard a preamp for under $1000 that offers the combination of quality construction and refined sound as the P/HP-850. Having sold high-end audio equipment for several years I had the opportunity to hear some of the world's finest preamps, and even owned a couple. Due to finances, I've been relegated to an Adcom GFP-555 preamp for several years, which I use in combination with an Adcom amp, EPOS 11 speakers (extremely sweet, by the way), Fried subwoofer, Rotel CD player and XLO cables. I purchased the Parasound as an Xmas gift for my brother...who now, I'm afraid, will be enjoying the Adcom, because the Parasound bested that little giant-killer. An unexpected outcome, considering how good the Adcom sounds-comparable to many more expensive pre's.

Similar Products Used:

precision fidelity, levinson, adcom

Quite, nice midrange

Weak bass

While this preamp, priced used at $150.00, is not a horrid preamp, for the money I would have to take a pass. Had I not purchased it over the net, that is, had I auditioned it first, I would have never purchased it. I figured that for $150.00 I could take a gamble.

It does produce really nice clean mids, and if you live in an apartment or a row house, it might be a really good choice as the bass is attenuated, so you could turn it up a bit more than a more neutral preamp in a crowded environment.

For about the same money in the used market, you can get an AGI, not the prettiest preamp, but a solid performer, or a Perreaux SM-2 or SM-3. All of which run circles around the Parasound, except in the mids, where these all perform about as well as the others. All give it a 2 star rating as it can reproduce mids quite acurately.

Similar Products Used:

PS Audio 4h, Perreaux SM-2, AGI, Acurus, etc.

Perfectly Clean and Robust Sound. Extremely Easy to Use. Has a Phono Input

Too few inputs.

I like the audio brightness, clean vocals and exacting base reproduction that the Parasound P/HP 850 produces. It's as if there is a concert in my home every day! I am using dual Marantz MA 500 mono blocks to push my (very power hungry) Vandersteen 2C Speakers and this is the first preamp to facilitate a TRUE sound regardless of price!

are you kidding?

For only 250. at www.audioadvisor this lil' puppy kicks a**.
There are those "once in a lifetime" products that come along evry now and then. Well, I don't think I'M going to be looking for another pre amp during this stay on earth. At only 250. (marked down from 450)b GRAB IT!!!TO DIE FOR!! WOOOHOOOO!!!!!!!!

Similar Products Used:

sonic frontiers, levinson, jvc, Technics

Sound dynamics, simplicity

no remote???

What a great pre-amp. This is the quintessential pre-amp for an audiophile. The lack of the remote became a mute point as I listened to it on my ribbon speakers and heard new sounds. If you are willing to get up to change the volume, this is for you, otherwise you may have some problems finding a good pre-amp.

Similar Products Used:

Kenwood KT-8005, Adcom GFA-5800, Centaur Minor speakers, Arcam CD setup

This preamplifier is very, very clean and the controls are simple. The sound is excellent and I think it is well worth the mail order price (about $300 US). A great piece of equipment for budget priced high-end equipment. I also bought the HCA-1000A power amp and they work really well together. It would have been a five star if it had a remote and another tape loop. Again, it reproduces very clean and natural sound.

built like a tank.....simple to use.....great highs, tremendous bass. First preamp Ive used that I defeat the trebile and bass.....and it not even burned in yet....an absolute steal at 250.00

Could use a few more inputs but hey at 250 id be whineing if I was actually upset about that.

Just got it today.......and I love it.....I have been listening to it for the last three hours and am hearing thi ngs ive never heard before.........I have vivaldi the four seasons...isacc stern,zukerman etc.....heard someone clear their thoat........Ive had this cd for 10 years and that was the first time I heard it. I went to a shop near me and was told that parasound wouldnt compliment the anthem amp I have....BS....they wanted me to spend way more money in their shop.....I was told that mid fi was dead.....appears that parasound is keeping it alive quite nicely. I absolutely hate snop shops....wont be going back there anytime soon. My compliments to audioadvisor...great service and nice people....I highly reccomend them.....If you are into great sound and arent willing to mortage the house to get it this is the pre amp for you....if on the other had you want to brag to your friend about how much you have invested into your system and cant sleep at night unless you have the latest gizmotrometer in your stereo this isnt for you....I can give you the name of a shop near me that would love to speak to you.

Similar Products Used:

NAD(UM FORGOT THE MODEL #) no comparison

Just an update to last review. pre-amp has approx 25-30 hours on it now and sounding sweeter everytime I listen to it. ver happy with this unit

the price

no remote

Got this because it was the cheapest preamp available and because I always wanted the preamp/power amp combo. I was using a Yamaha reciever before which is a pretty good piece of hardware considering I paid less than 200 for it. When I hooked it up to my system the first thing I noticed was that the bass was alot tighter. Someone posted a review that the bass is attenuated or something but I hooked up the output to a spectrum analyzer and that most certainly is not true. A preamp is doing its job if your system sounds the same with it in or out (assuming you have some other way to control the volume) and this preamp does seem to do that. I wish it had a remote though but for the price I can't complain. Since this is my first preamp my rating probably isn't very meaningful but since everyone else has give it a 5 star rating I'll just do the same thing.

Similar Products Used:

nothing but receivers