Parasound AVC-1800 (1 Viewer)

[ChrisB]

I was considering purchusing a Parasound AVC-1800 paired with a Parasound HCA-1205A. Has anyone here had any experience with these two together? I am looking to do some major upgrading within the next 6 months, as my new house gets built I will have to have all new equipment to go along with it I see the 1800 also does multi-room, would I need a seperate amp to drive the other rooms? If anybody has any other ideals on a good pre in the same price range as the 1800(cant beat the new price of 899) I would like to hear what they are. I have a budget of about 2k, would have more but am going across the border for some studio 60's. Its to bad the unit replacing the 1800 will be so much, but the room that will be the theater room will be small for a year or so until I finish the basement, so I dont think I will need the 6.1 or 7.1 for awhile. Thank you in advance for any help!

 

[Mike Walters]

I never had any luck with the 1800 no matter which amp I used. The company, however, bent over backwards with replacement units but I still had low level noise. I have heard the unit work perfectly at the dealer's location but we could never resolve the source of my problem. I paid the difference and upgraded to the 2500 and it is fantastic.
I love Parasound's amps ( I own one) but through an incompatibilty problem I could never use the 1800 with my equipment- (amp didn't matter- it was something else - tried cheater plugs, reversed grounds, line conditioners, different DVD player, etc. If you buy one, make sure you have return privileges. It does work, but apparently not in my system. I couldn't have dealt with a better company (Parasound) and would never hesitate to buy anything from them. I suggest you look for a good price on the 2500 or one of the new Marantz or Rotel processors. The larger Parasound amps are dynamic, unstrained, etc. I've always heard "Buy the best and cry once"

 

[rodneyH]

I just got a AVR-1800 and love it!! I have heard of some problems with the earky editions, but the problem has been fixed since, e-mail parasound and they will tell you to look for a # on the top of the back of the unit that will say if it is a revised (improved) edition or not. I love mine, I got a demo for $650 and have nothing but good things to say about it (btw, I don't care much for all the 6.1, 7.1, 10.2, thx-es, dts-es, dpl-II, etc). My dad has the rotel $1200 unit, and I would say it is slightly more user friendly than the parasound and comparing them at the same price (the avr-1800 use to be $1200 as well), I would get the rotel, but at the great price it is now, it is a great product. (btw, a big box dealer "good guys" near me has a new one at $771, I just saw it today, I don't know if they have good guys were you are, but you might find out, that is an amazing price!!, I thought the $899 was great going from $1200, but at $771--WOW!!) Good luck. BTW, the company is great, they always returned my e-mails when I was worried about some early problems.

 

[ChrisB]

Rodney I was looking at the rotel also, but it is a hard item to find on the net. I dont think there are good guys here in Michigan, I will check though.
Mike, I saw the 2500 on there web site, what a diffrence in price.
I guess there are not to many people who pair Parasound with Parasound. As I was looking at "Audioadvisor.com" I found a demo Denon 8000DTS for 1495, hummm, and there in Michigan so I could drive out there to listen to it along with the HCA-1205, and maybe pick up a Salamander rack to go along with it. Anyways, thanks for the input, and any more would be greatly apreciated!
[Edited last by ChrisB on July 15, 2001 at 08:25 AM]

 

[rin]

I'm using the 2500 pre with the 2205 amp and it is one of the best sounding combos I've heard. I did a lot of listening however, and had decided on the 1800/1205 combo as it was the best sounding in my price range IMO.
The dealer unfortunately had a 2500/2205 combo floor demo and the price they asked for it made it too hard to say no. Even though it was a bit of a stretch for my budget, I don't regret it at all. I could NOT have afforded to buy it new in a million years. I do have the full mfg warranty on both peices(5yrs labor/10yrs parts. I think Parasound makes great equipment and you can't go wrong with either model you choose. They have great customer service too.
rin
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My Home Theater

 

[rodneyH]

rin, I would agree, If I could choose between the 1800 and the 2500 I would choose the 2500 (at the same price or even if the 2500 was less than $1600), but it wasn't even close. A note about the Rotel, they made a $2000 model as well, but it has been mysteriously "unavalable" the last few months (from the factory), this is what a friend of mine told me that sells rotel, he went on to explain that he thinks it is b/c the $1200 unit is so good, people aren't willing to payt he differnce, they say the $1200 is worth much more, I don't know, but it is interesting.

 

[rin]

There is quite a gap there between the $899-1800 and the $3500-2500. What I meant to say is that I would have been completely happy with the 1800 and had already decided on it. I was very impressed with it's performance and kind of amazed at the price which put it in reach of guys like me who wanted to get into separates but aren't independently wealthy. I just got really, really lucky and was able to take it up a notch. E-mail if you want to know how lucky.
rin
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My Home Theater

 

[rodneyH]

rin, thats great. congrates. I actually felt like when I got the 1800 for only $650 that was a deal I couldn't pass up, I was still trying to decide on it vs a couple others, and then it went down to $899 and I decided It was "the one" then I got lucky to find one at $650, new. infact, i bet if I were to price out my whole system and what I actually paid vs retail, I would find that I paid about 1/3 the price (some hand me downs, gifts, 20% off from a friend who has a dealer, and other "bargain hunting"), it is fun, isn't it-GOOD LUCK. I will agree, the $2500 plus pre/pro are very nice (like comparing a $110,000 S class Benz to a $35,000 Acura, I just have to settle on the Acura, which I am not too ashamed of). GOOD LUCK

 

[rodneyH]

I hope my previous post didn't come aCROSS wrong, what I am trying to say is that the 1800 is a fine piece of equiptment, but not as nice as the top of the line stuff out there, but definately an upgrade from a good reciever. Also, I am in no situation (financially) to get that top of the line stuff, in fact if I were to buy according to what I make, I would probably be stuff with a ghetto blaster, but you know how it is, you always have a couple hobbies that you stretch a little. Hope that clearifys