Parasound Halo JC 5 Stereo Power Amplifier

Reviewers Choice Award – Part-Time Audiophile

"Outstanding Product Award" – Hi-Fi News

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A Chip Off the Old Monoblock

Parasound's Halo JC 5 distills the essence of two Halo JC 1 monoblocks into a single-chassis stereo amp with outstanding sound quality, power, and value.

The JC 5 is a 400-watt per channel stereo amplifier designed by John Curl that combines design elements of two top-of-the-line Halo JC 1 monoblock power amplifiers into a single chassis the same size as one JC 1. The JC 5 combines high power and ultra-high bias Class A/AB sonic quality at roughly two-thirds the price of a pair of JC 1s.

"The Parasound Halo JC 5 Stereo Power Amplifier is a winner. If you are looking for a beefy solid state power amplifier under $10k I suggest giving the JC 5 an audition. Highly recommended," notes Graig Neville in the April 30, 2021 issue of Part-Time Audiophile, which honored the JC 5 with its Reviewers Choice Award.

"It’s more than possible to have an absolute blast with this amplifier," raves James Parker atHi-Fi News, which gave the JC 5 its Outstanding Product Award. "Those who think nothing of using for parties the kind of five-figure system at the heart of which it will sit won’t be disappointed in the least – it will just keep on going as long as you can. However, there’s so much more refinement than that on offer here, and the JC5 will please even if you never explore the limits of its performance envelope."

An Enviable Heritage

The Halo JC 5 boasts an enviable heritage. The Parasound Halo JC 1 monoblock was designed by John Curl and introduced 16 years ago to instant international acclaim. It is acknowledged as the benchmark for amplifier performance and value. In 2003, Stereophile awarded it 'Amplifier of the Year' and has honored it as a ‘Class A Recommended Component’ twice a year for fifteen years - far longer than any other audio component.

"Hits a New Sweet Spot"

"The JC 5 is a remarkable amplifier that creates a new sweet spot in our Halo product family," said Parasound's founder and president Richard Schram. "Our customers often tell us they love everything the JC 1 offers, but they wondered if we could deliver comparable performance in a no-compromise stereo amplifier, while saving them money and space. We challenged John Curl to distill the essence of two JC 1 mono blocks into a single chassis, and the result has exceeded everyone's expectations."

Profoundly Powerful, Supremely Musical

The Parasound Halo JC 5 stereo amplifier is profoundly powerful and supremely musical. High bias class A/AB provides 12-watts-per-channel pure class A power and class AB effortlessly to its 400 watts per channel 8 ohm rating. The output stage employs 24 beta-matched, 15 ampere, 60 MHz bipolar transistors to deliver a formidable peak current of 90 amperes.

The power supply employs a 1.7 kVA shielded toroid power transformer with a premium H18 grade steel core. It has independent secondary windings for its dual-mono power supply. As with the JC 1, the input stage B+/B- rails are 10 V above the output stage rails to eliminate any chance of distortion caused by voltage sagging when the amp is under load. Independent power supplies for left and right channels input stages employ filter caps totaling 8,880 μF. Driver and output stages employ massive Rubycon filter caps totaling 132,000 µF.

Direct-Coupled Design

The Halo JC 5 is direct-coupled, protected by DC servo circuits to eliminate coupling capacitors, while extending bass response down to 5 Hz. Its balanced inputs use discrete circuits with Neutrik locking XLR connectors, and Vampire 24k gold-plated RCA input and loop output jacks. “Propeller” type 5-way speaker binding posts are 24k gold-plated and accept 7-gauge bare wire. They are custom-manufactured by CHK Infinium to Parasound’s exacting specifications.

The JC 5 is available in silver or black. Rack mount hardware for its four rack space chassis is included. Shipping weight is 95 lbs.

• 400 watts x 2 @ 8 Ω RMS, both channels driven
• 600 watts x 2 @ 4 Ω RMS, both channels driven
• 1200 watts x 1@ 8 Ω, in bridged mode
• Circuitry designed by legendary John Curl
• Ultra-high bias Class A/AB operation
• 12 watts per channel of pure Class A power
• 90 amperes peak current per channel
• Stable with speaker impedance dips to 1.5 Ω
• Balanced inputs with discrete circuits
• CHK Infinium, custom 5-way speaker binding posts
• Neutrik locking XLR input connectors
• Vampire gold-plated RCA input & loop output jacks
• Direct-coupled signal path, no capacitors or inductors
• DC Servo and relay protection circuits
• AC turn-on inrush surge protection with relay bypass
• Dual-mono input stages with ±110 volt DC rails
• JFET input stage, MOSFET driver stage
• 24 beta-matched 15 ampere, 60 MHz bipolar output transistors
• 1.7 kVA shielded toroid power transformer with independent windings for each channel
• Independent power supplies for left & right channel input stages, driver stages, output stages
• 8,880 µF Nichicon Gold Tune filter capacitors for input stages
• 132,000 µF Rubycon filter capacitors for output stages
• Full power is rated all the way down to 5Hz for unrestricted low-end bass
• Harris hyper-fast soft-recovery bridge diode rectifiers
• Automatic turn-on by 12 V trigger or audio sensing
• 4 rack space chassis with rear carry handles
• Rack mount hardware is included
• Premium quality 9' (3m) 12-gauge IEC power cord, with silver soldered connectors
• Available in silver or black

Power Output – Stereo Mode

• Both Channels Driven: 400 watts x 2, 8 Ω
• Both Channels Driven: 600 watts x 2, 4 Ω

• 1200 watts x 1, 8 Ω
• Bridged 4 Ω operation is not recommended
• Power measurement parameters are at 120
• VAC: 0.05% THD, RMS continuous power, full audio band (20 Hz - 20 kHz)

• 90 amps peak, per channel

• > 130 volts per microsecond

• 5 Hz - 100 kHz, +0/-3 dB
• 20 Hz - 20 kHz, +0/-0.25 dB

• < 0.05 % at full power
• < 0.03 % at typical listening levels

• < 0.04 %

• Unmeasurable

• > 87 dB at 1 kHz
• > 72 dB at 20 kHz

• Unbalanced: 33 kΩ
• Balanced: 66 kΩ (33 kΩ per leg)

• 29 dB

• Unbalanced 1 V
• Balanced 1 V per leg

• > 116 dB, input shorted, IHF A-weighted
• > 111 dB, input shorted, unweighted

• > 1200 at 20 k Hz

• +9 Vdc to +12 Vdc, 5 mA

• 2 mV - 10 mV

• 1 = Ground (Shield)
• 2 = Positive
• 3 = Negative (Return)

• Width 17-5⁄8"
• Height without feet 7-1⁄8"
• Height with feet 7-3/4"
• Depth: 20"
• Depth with cables: 21-1⁄2"

• 73 lb.

• Standby, 1 Watt
• Idle (no music playing), 225 Watts
• Typical listening levels, 400 Watts
• Maximum 1500 Watts

"The JC5 is the best amplifier I've ever listened to in my own home. I am keeping it, and I am pleased to have it. Well done, Parasound."

- Greg Simmons, stereotimes.com, March 23, 2022

"However, on rare occasion, we unbox and plug in a piece that truly elevates our entire listening experience—this sums up my time with the Parasound JC 5. Yes, at $5999, it represents an investment that one might also consider elevated, though I find it to be worth every cent of that asking price. Considering the build quality, the design, the parts within, and most importantly, the sound of this power amplifier, $6k is a bargain for what you're getting in the JC 5."

- Michael Laurance, Positive Feedback, January 1, 2022

Part-Time Audiophile - "Reviewers Choice Award" Winner

"I really enjoyed what the Parasound Halo JC 5 Stereo Power Amplifier brought to my rig. It provided a fine balance between the fork in the proverbial audiophile road of good sound and accuracy. Inherently neutral, accurate without being dry, no solidstate etching or harshness whatsoever, and imaging and soundstage that could compete with similarly priced tube amps – this all adds up to what I think is a big win for Parasound."

"...the Parasound Halo JC 5 Stereo Power Amplifier is a winner. If you are looking for a beefy solid state power amplifier under $10k I suggest giving the JC 5 an audition. Highly recommended."

- Graig Neville, Part-Time Audiophile, April 30, 2021

Hi-Fi News - "Outstanding Product Award" Winner

"It’s more than possible to have an absolute blast with this amplifier. Those who think nothing of using for parties the kind of five-figure system at the heart of which it will sit won’t be disappointed in the least – it will just keep on going as long as you can. However, there’s so much more refinement than that on offer here, and the JC5 will please even if you never explore the limits of its performance envelope."

- James Parker, Hi-Fi News, December 2019

"...having heard the JC 5, I realize that it’s worth every penny. There was an absolute sense of effortlessness as sound flowed smoothly and steadily from it, regardless of what speakers I used or music I played."

"Not only was the sound exquisitely smooth and natural, it never ran out of steam, regardless of how loud I cranked it. From the moment I began listening to the Halo JC 5 until I had to pack it up and send it back to Parasound, its sound delighted me in ways that few other components ever have. By any measure, the Halo JC 5 is a superb power amplifier. For $5995, it offers reference-quality sound, and enough power to easily drive any loudspeaker."

"Often, in the Conclusion of a review, I offer a few qualifying thoughts or caveats. This time I have none. I can’t recommend Parasound’s Halo JC 5 highly enough."

- Roger Kanno, SoundStage! Hi-Fi, January 15, 2019

HomeTheaterReview.com - "Best of 2018"

"...the Parasound JC 5 is a stunning amplifier. I heard next to no distortion whatever the material I flung at it. It plays clean and neutral, a living embodiment of how close we've come to the ideal of straight wire with gain. That is, it maintains its musicality and never gives off that sterile sound you hear from many amps trying to attain surgical precision while sucking the life out of your music. The JC 5 just plays whatever you want the way it was meant to be played."

- Myron Ho, HomeTheaterReview.com, November 5, 2018