Parasound | SKU: NEW-PAJC3PLUS-BLK | Barcode: 791084211283

Parasound JC 3+ Phono Preamplifier - Black

Herb Reichert of Stereophile called the JC 3+ "the best commercially available phono preamplifier I've used — period." It's a John Curl design, built on decades of analog expertise, and it won The Absolute Sound's Golden Ear Award in 2025. For anyone serious about vinyl, this is the phono stage that lets your turntable and cartridge perform at their full potential.

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✔ 60-Day Money-Back Guarantee — Try it risk-free for 60 days
✔ Free Shipping on orders over $49
✔ Financing Available — Pay over time | Learn more
✔ Price Guarantee — We match authorized dealer pricing | Details
✔ Expert Help — Call us at 800-942-0220 weekdays 9am–6pm EST

$3,350.00

Condition

New Demo Factory Refreshed Used

Order by 2pm EST and ship same day.

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Herb Reichert of Stereophile called the JC 3+ "the best commercially available phono preamplifier I've used — period." It's a John Curl design, built on decades of analog expertise, and it won The Absolute Sound's Golden Ear Award in 2025. For anyone serious about vinyl, this is the phono stage that lets your turntable and cartridge perform at their full potential.

✔ 60-Day Money-Back Guarantee — Try it risk-free for 60 days
✔ Free Shipping on orders over $49
✔ Financing Available — Learn more
✔ Price Guarantee — See policy
✔ Expert Help — 800-942-0220, weekdays 9am–6pm EST

Features

Premium-quality MM/MC phono stage
Variable MC load adjust independent for each channel from 50-550 ohms with dual gang potentiometers specially made for Parasound by Vishay*
Curl-Thompson tweaked circuits to further reduce its silent background noise*
24k gold plated copper traces on phono module boards for utmost conductivity and most transparency/detail in the music*
47% larger low ESD power supply filter caps greater reserve for head-snapping dynamics*
82% larger R-core power transformer greater reserve for low end impact that’s beyond imagination*
Three-position input impedance switch (47 k ohm MM cartridges; 100 ohm MC cartridges; 47 k ohm MC cartridges
Manual or auto turn-on via a 12V trigger input
AC line polarity reverse switch
Switchable 115 V-60 Hz / 240 V-5 0Hz AC power input
Ability to turn off illumination of the front panel P logo*
Available in black and silver*

*Upgrades from the JC 3 to the JC 3+

Specifications

Frequency Response

20-20Khz, +/- 0.2dB

Total Harmonic Distortion

< 0.01% at 1 kHz

Signal to Noise Ratio, MM

>87 dB, input shorted, IHF A-weighted
>78 dB, input shorted, unweighted

Signal to Noise Ratio, MC

>87 dB, input shorted, IHF A-weighted
>67 dB, input shorted unweighted

Inter-channel Crosstalk

>72 dB at 1 kHz

Input Impedance

MM: 47k Ω
MC: 50- 550 Ω variable, 47k Ω fixed

Output Impedance

Unbalanced: < 100 Ω
Balanced: < 100 Ω per leg

Input Sensitivity at 1 kHz

MM: 4mV for 1V output
MC: 600μV for 1V output

Total Gain

MM: 4mV for 1V output
MC: 600μV for 1V output

XLR Pin Identification

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

AC Power Requirement

Standby: <1 watt

Power On: 12 watts

115 VAC or 230 VAC 50 - 60 Hz (Selected on chassis bottom)

Dimensions

Width: 17-1/4” (437mm)
Depth: 13-3/4” (350mm)
Height, with feet: 4-1/8” (105mm)
Height, without feet: 3-1/2” (89mm)

Weight

Net: 19 lbs. (8.6 Kg)
Shipping: 26 lbs. (11.8 kg)

Recommended Component 2025 – Stereophile

"The Halo JC 3+ is a true dual-mono design with a large R-core transformer power supply. Construction quality is first rate, top-shelf parts are used throughout, and the stout, heavy case is beautifully finished."

"JA [Jon Atkinson] noted superb measured performance. Of the Halo JC 3+, which adds variable cartridge loading for the MC input, HR [Herb Reichert] wrote: 'The John Curl-designed Halo JC 3+ is the best commercially available phono preamplifier I've used—period.'"

- Stereophile, March 24, 2025

Golden Ear Award Winner 2025 – The Absolute Sound

Editors’ Choice Award – The Absolute Sound

High-End Audio Buyer's Guide 2022 – The Absolute Sound

"For those who are prone to swapping exotic cartridges and seeking the last work in resolution, the new '+' is simply overflowing with positives."

"With every rotation from an LP collection, the JC 3 conveys a heady mix of profound silence and kick-butt energy, a kiss of romance through the mids, and an ability to extract low-level information and define it in acoustic space."

- Neil Gader, The Absolute Sound magazine, September 2014

Part-Time Audiophile - "Reviewers Choice Award" Winner

"I’ve had several phono stages in that looked very similar to the JC 3+, that silver box with a nearly bare front panel. For some strange reason, they all wound up sounding fairly neutral. That connection was somehow cemented in my brain, and I needed to dispose of it. So when I started listening more deeply to the Parasound, I was surprised and relieved to hear that velvet, that warm and snuggly sound that was so inviting to these ears."

"The Parasound excels at dynamics, partly in due to the supremely low noise floor, and it was particularly strong in the low bass... Those dynamics also contributed to an overall sound that was open and clear and so revealing of the tiniest of details. But the wonderful icing on top was that smooth undercurrent of romanticism, that slight lushness that a tubed phono stage would be obliged to provide for you without so much as a nod."

"Three grand is a lot to spend on a phono pre for some people. For others, it’s not enough. I think the Parasound JC 3+ is a good argument for ignoring price tags. Like other Parasound products that are far closer to the state-of-the-art than the price would suggest—the big Halo monoblocks come to mind—you have to treat the JC 3+ as something of a gift, a product from a great engineering mind produced by a company that keeps impressing me over and over. Highly recommended."

- Marc Phillips, Part-Time Audiophile, March 19, 2021

"The enduring design of the Parasound JC3+ breathes new life into well worn platters, and maximizes the performance of virtually any commensurate turntable. Its incredibly low noise floor and transparency are unmatched at this price. Is there better? I would venture to guess so, but at a steep cost."

"It is a stone cold bargain. Finding fault with the sonics and build is a fool’s errand. If you want pure solid state, accurate vinyl playback, the JC3+ is a standard bearer. If you want colored sound, tube flabbiness, or audio jewellery, look elsewhere. If you have spent upwards of ten grand on your turntable and cartridge, the JC3+ is a must audition."

- Andre Marc, audiokeysreview.com, June 2025

"My original JC3 review compared it to far more expensive phono preamps including the Pass XP25, the Ypsilon VPS100 and one from Allnic. I did so because I felt it was good enough to play on the same field. I concluded 'The JC3 tucks it in ever so slightly on both ends, losing some shimmer on top and punch on bottom.' That's how the JC3+ performed as well compared to other way more expensive phono preamps."

"If you go from one of the modest priced phono preamps analogplanet.com surveyed last year to the JC3+, you'll have no trouble hearing the sonic improvement. And as you upgrade cartridge and turntable the JC3+ will comfortably go along for the ride… At least until you hit the lottery."

- Michael Fremer, AnalogPlanet.com, April 17 2014