Parasound New Classic 200 Preamplifier Review

Parasound is an audio electronics company that has built a reputation for delivering outstanding pre-amplifiers, power amplifiers, phono pre-amplifiers, and DACS over its many years in business. The New Classic 200 pre-amplifier builds on this concept by bringing to market a $1,000 pre-amplifier with a host of unique features in a value-laden two-channel audio system hub.

Parasound is offering a feature-laden pre-amplifier that brings high-end performance to audiophiles on a budget. It is an affordable product that would not be out of place in a high-end system, something we will explore in this review.

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The Parasound New Classic 200 Preamplifier is well-defined as a form-follows-function piece of audio equipment. It has a phono stage (moving magnet or moving coil), three additional analog inputs, a USB digital input, a coaxial digital input, and an optical input. For the very reasonable entry price of a kilo-buck, it allows one to operate a wide range of signal sources, all of which can be controlled from its excellent remote. The rear panel is well laid out, with plenty of space between inputs that make for ease in putting together one’s system.

The 200 has some unique features that set it apart from most two-channel pre-amplifiers, and these features are very useful. One is a user-adjustable subwoofer crossover network that makes adding a subwoofer an easy task. One can filter out bass from the main speakers at a user-selectable frequency between 20 and 140Hz and send the bass to the subwoofer with a low pass of either 80Hz or full range, depending on the output selected. Further fine-tuning can be done using a powered subwoofer’s own low pass filter. This has many benefits, including lowering the stress on the main speakers by filtering out the deep bass. This also reduces stress on the system amplifier. All these benefits add up to a superior system. Another benefit of this design choice is a building block approach to one’s system. One can start with a pair of high-quality speakers today and add a subwoofer later without having to replace any other components.

Other useful features are the ability to control subwoofer volume plus bass and treble levels from the remote control. Need a little more bass from an older jazz recording? It’s the push of a button on the remote control away, as is returning the bass to flat. One can also bypass then re-engage the subwoofer via the remote and adjust its volume.

Two features of note are the Bypass input which lets you connect a home theater receiver/processor output, a music streaming service output, an additional home audio controller or Bluetooth receiver for increased flexibility with one’s other home entertainment electronics, and the front panel aux input for any portable music player with a 3.5 mm output. This also adds 12dB of boost to the signal to match a typical portable player to that of other components. An excellent manual is included that walks you through all the variable setups that these features afford.

The Parasound New Classic 200 Preamplifier is an exceptionally well-thought-out component with an abundance of features that were a pleasant surprise in such an affordable unit. The 200 even has a built-in, dedicated headphone amp!

Our current reference system consists of four available sets of speakers, Magnepan LRS, Harbeth SHL5-Plus XD, The Heretic Loudspeaker Company AD-612, and the Sonus faber Maxima Amator. To try out the Parasound’s electronic crossover, I also have on hand a pair of line array models from Vaughn. For amplification, we have the Rotel/Michi P5/S5 combination and the Rogers High Fidelity Class A Tube Integrated Amp. The source material is provided by the excellent Yamaha SACD-2100 CD/SACD player.

For the start of this test, the Michi P5 pre-amplifier was swapped out and the New Classic 200 swapped in as the anchor pre-amplifier and was driving the Michi S5 power amplifier. The cables used were Better Cables Silver Serpent RCA interconnects and Blue Jeans Cables 10 AWG speaker cables. We rotated all four loudspeaker systems along with having both a Sonus faber Gravis VI dual 12-inch subwoofer and a Starke Sound Sub 35, a 12-inch subwoofer (with dual 12-inch passive radiators) being used to augment bass. A third subwoofer package from MJ Acoustics will also see some playing time.

One of the first tests with the New Classic 200 was with the 97dB sensitivity-rated AD-612 Loudspeakers from The Heretic Loudspeaker Company. The AD-612s are quite neutral with excellent detail. With their high sensitivity rating, any noise from sources such as pre-amplifiers, power amplifiers, and CD players is much more noticeable than with less sensitive speakers, especially when the volume is cranked with no music being played. The Parasound preamplifier passed this test with ease. No hissing nor other noises were present, even when the volume was turned up to the point that playing music might have caused hearing damage.

Another area that pointed to the quality of the New Classic 200 was in using the controls. Switching from the CD player’s analog input to the optical input used for television watching was done without any noises, clicking, or other possible undesirable artifacts. The same applied when engaging the remote-operated bass, treble, and subwoofer controls, including when the subwoofer was disconnected, which then sends a full-range signal to the amplifier and speakers. Round One of testing was a complete success; the Parasound New Classic 200 pre-amplifier offers a high-quality feel with absolutely no unwanted noises from any setting or change of source.

The built-in electronic crossover (aka high pass and low pass filters) in the New Classic 200 is nothing short of a wonderful idea, especially since it is so well executed. The bass range below 80Hz is difficult to reproduce for most domestic loudspeakers. At that frequency, the wavelength of the music or movie is over 14 feet long and lengthens to over 56 feet by the time we get to 20 Hz. Using a product specifically made to handle those frequencies, especially if we can take that burden from the main speakers and transfer it to the subwoofer, can pay a lot of dividends.

Home theater systems have been doing this for years through receivers and processors. Parasound has made this available for those who want a high-end, two-channel system while having the ability to get deeper bass combined with better sound quality from one’s main speakers.

Two systems of note that I have in-house are the Magnepan LRS (roughly $700 per pair) and the above-mentioned Vaughn Loudspeaker Line Array ($9000 per pair). Both speakers are designed to achieve bass to about 70Hz, and both had tremendous results with the Parasound sending the material above 80Hz to the main speakers while sending the bass to the dedicated subwoofer. The Magnepan speakers were mated to a single Starke Sound Sub 35.

This combination, for about $2,500, makes beautiful music with an exceptionally deep and wide soundstage from the Maggies, a great improvement over using them solo. The ability to bypass the subwoofer, which causes the speakers to run full range, via remote was quite useful for this test. When one hit the subwoofer off button on the remote, not only did the deep bass disappear, but the sound stage became much smaller. Another benefit is the Maggies can play louder without audible distortion when the two octaves from 80 to 20Hz are sent to the subwoofer.

The Vaughn Line Array speakers were augmented by a pair of MJ Acoustics Kensington subwoofers. The $1,000 Parasound was not out of place with this $9,000 speaker system and $8,000 subwoofer pair. Over the last few days, several friends and family members stopped by, and I had to show off this system. This is a special loudspeaker, for which there will be a full review posted in late winter. Suffice it to say for now that the Parasound New Classic 200 had no problem being the $1,000 pre-amp in which the rest of the system was close to $25,000.

The addition of the electronic crossover, or high pass/low pass filters if you prefer that title, is something that sets the New Classic 200 apart in the world of two-channel pre-amps. It is a true value-added feature and one that will have value for many audiophiles. Now let’s discuss the 200 as a preamp and DAC.

We started this portion of the test with the $7,500 Michi S5 power amp, a $3,800 Yamaha SACD player, and a pair of $15,000 Sonus faber Maxima Amator speakers. The $1,000 for this pre-amp represents 3.7% of the price of the system.

The Yamaha was using its own internal DAC while I took our 75-inch Samsung HDTV’s optical output and ran that into the optical input on the Parasound. There are a variety of programs available through this television, including a lot of music tracks from Netflix, Amazon Prime, HD Radio stations, and HBO Plus. I was instantly hooked by the incredibly detailed sound quality of all forms of source material through this fantastic value of a preamp.

The movie Gladiator is available on Netflix, and it was a sonic masterpiece. Soaring orchestral music, battle scenes with thunderous bass, whispers in dark corridors and dialogue abound. What started out with my wanting to sample a few scenes had me watching the entire movie. I have seen Gladiator several dozen times, but never with anything matching this level of pure clarity. The ability of this unassuming, budget preamplifier to take the digital signal from a TV and turn it into high-end audio was mesmerizing. When Lucilla is whispering to Maxima in the prison (near the movie’s end), the Parasound sent such a tremendously well-done analog signal to the Michi amp and Sonus faber Maxima Amators (which were NOT used in the movie, despite the lead character and speakers sharing a common name) that I became reminded again why I love movies in two-channel. Every word she spoke was crystal clear. All the emotion from the score came through in a manner that brought excitement or dread, depending on the scene.

From there, I experienced episodes of The Crown, Peaky Blinders, and even the movie Battle: Los Angeles (not a great movie, but one with so many state-of-the-art sound effects that I could not stop watching) with a smile on my face. If you think a two-channel system isn’t good for movies, try it using a quality DAC and you just might change your mind. The Parasound New Classic 200 handled every video source with such ease and palpability that I started to wonder how I would feel when I had to give it back after the review.

The Parasound once again did a magnificent job as a two-channel preamplifier. The vocals were crystal clear; the guitar work inspiring. Each track was a fun listen, and the added nostalgia (even though we all know while high school wasn’t that much fun at the time, the memories are) added up to a treat within this review process. Even getting caught air drumming didn’t cause me to miss a beat (pun intended), this was too much fun.

It was also at this point of the review that I started to appreciate even more just how much fun this New Classic 200 Preamplifier is. The Sonus faber speakers, as spectacular as they are, are really a 35Hz speaker. Let’s play something REALLY stressful on these Italian beauties and use the remote control to switch quickly between full range and crossed over at 60Hz. One of the features of this preamp is making these adjustments is a matter of seconds, in terms of changing the crossover from 80 to 60Hz. Another is it’s an INSTANT switch between full range to the main speakers and the crossover switching in to send the deep bass to the subwoofer.

Taking the combination of the Sonus faber Maxima Amators plus a single Sonus faber Gravis VI subwoofer, we set out to explore in an instant A/B switch from running the Maxima Amators full range to crossing them at 60 Hz, sending the material above 60Hz to the main speakers and below 60Hz to the Gravis VI subwoofer.

The concert opens with the first side of the original “The Wall” from Pink Floyd in 1979. The Maxima Amators on their own present this performance with clarity and well-defined bass, but with a bit of difficulty in achieving high output levels. That seven-inch woofer hitting hard on a 40Hz kick drum or the menacing chopper track (which is even deeper) is a tough task. Remotely turning the subwoofer on demonstrated several improvements:

1. Bass was now deeper and much more palpable.
2. Sound stage was deeper and wider.
3. The Maxima Amators gained a solid 6dB in clean output, elevating them from fine small towers to incredibly capable full-range super speakers.

After “The Wall, side one” was done, we went down a memory lane of both bands’ songs. “Dogs” and “Wish You Were Here” come much more alive with the subwoofer engaged. The guitar work allowed the subtle infrasonics through, which contributes to this larger sound stage by adding the subwoofer. The opening guitar lines in “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” have that ‘coming down from the sky’ feel to them with the subwoofer engaged. The effect was much lower with the subwoofer out of the system.
Keep in mind this is with using tower speakers that are already quite capable. The ability to not only add a subwoofer but to be able to instantly compare the performance with and without a subwoofer is a rare treat in the high-end audio world and was much appreciated.

The Parasound New Classic 200 Preamplifier sets a high bar for performance and features with a high-end DAC and phono stage for just $1,000.

Functionally, the Parasound New Classic 200 Preamplifier operated without a flaw. When switching inputs, subwoofer on/off, bass, and treble using the remote, there are no noises when making the switch. It’s exceptionally quiet, passing the full-volume test on a pair of 97dB sensitivity speakers with no audible sound coming from the speakers (no music playing).

It accepts up to three digital sources (the optical input for most HDTVs is a real plus), two high-level analog sources, and a turntable with its built-in phono pre-amp.

The ability to adjust bass, treble, and subwoofer level on the fly is a real plus, especially to bring life to older recordings that need some help. At no time during this review did I feel as if something were missing from the reference preamps from Michi and Cambridge Audio. Those units have a lot more features, including streaming, which the Parasound lacks. But for sheer system performance, the New Classic 200 demonstrated the ability to fit into a very high-end system.

There are few things that are more rewarding as a reviewer than finding a component that punches well above its price class, and the Parasound New Classic 200 Preamplifier is one of those components. The entire New Classic line is filled with high-value, terrific-sounding components. I can see a variety of stand-mounted speakers along with a subwoofer that, along with Parasound New Classic components, would allow one to build a system in the $4000-$10,000 range that would be hard to beat.

This is a great piece of audio gear and gets an exceptional recommendation.