Audio Video News

San Francisco-based Parasound, long noted for making great-sounding products at affordable prices, has announced updates for two of its most highly regarded home theater products, the AVC-2500 preamp/processor and the HCA-2205A power amp.

Versatility in bass management is one of the many benefits of the upgrade. The $3495 ACV-2500u, as the improved preamp is known, has selectable crossover points for high/low pass frequencies, and allows the subwoofer to operate even when the speakers have been designated "large" in the setup process. The original design offered only a fixed 80Hz crossover point. Owners of the original AVC-2500 can have the bass management feature, known as the BMU-2500, added as a factory installed upgrade for $125.

A volume control circuit card is available that will allow home theater fans to control the levels of individual inputs in a 5.1 surround sound system. The 5.1-VC volume control card will fit either the AVC-2500u or the AVC-2500 with BMU-2500 upgrade. Suggested retail price of the 5.1-VC Volume Control Card is $200. Another addition is the SAM-2500 PhastLink Serial Access Module, which allows the AVC-2500 to communicate with PhastLink Systems via an RS-232 port.

Parasound has restyled the front panel of its top-of-the-line HCA-2205A home theater power amplifier so that it now matches the look of the AVC-2500u. The updated model is known as the HCA-2205AT, and produces the same 5 x 220 watts as its predecessor.