Parasound
| Privately held | |
| ISIN | 🆔 |
| Industry | Consumer electronics |
| Founded 📆 | 1981 |
| Founder 👔 | Richard Schram |
| Headquarters 🏙️ | , Las Vegas, Nevada , United States |
Area served 🗺️ | |
| Products 📟 | Audio amplifiers, preamplifiers, phono preamplifiers |
| Members | |
Number of employees | |
| 🌐 Website | Official website |
| 📇 Address | |
| 📞 telephone | |
Parasound is an American manufacturer of high-end home audio components. Founded in 1981 by Richard Schram, the company specializes in power amplifiers, preamplifiers, and phono preamplifiers.[1][2]
The company utilizes a business model where products are engineered and designed in the United States and manufactured in Taiwan. All products are imported into the United States for domestic sale and international export.[3]
In December 2022, ownership of Parasound transferred from Schram to entrepreneur David Sheriff.[3] In 2024, the company relocated its headquarters from Northern California to Las Vegas, Nevada.[4]
History
Parasound was founded in 1981 by Richard Schram and operated for more than four decades under his leadership.[2][3] Following Schram's retirement in 2022, David Sheriff acquired the company.[1] Industry coverage noted the transition as a significant development for the long-standing brand.[4]
Engineering and design
John Curl
Since 1989, audio engineer John Curl has served as the principal circuit designer for Parasound’s flagship "JC" series.[5] Curl's design background includes the "Wall of Sound" for the Grateful Dead and the Mark Levinson JC-2, which informs the high-power amplifier topologies used by the company.[6] In a 2003 evaluation of the Halo JC 1 monoblock, Stereophile discussed Curl's engineering approach and provided technical measurements of the product's performance.[7]
Darren Myers
In 2023, Parasound appointed Darren Myers as vice president of research and development.[8] Myers previously held design roles at PS Audio, Classé Audio, and Bowers & Wilkins.[9]
Professional and cinema applications
Parasound components have been utilized in professional film and sound production. The company's equipment has been used by major motion picture studios, including Pixar, Sony Pictures, and Warner Bros.[10]
The company maintains a historical association with Skywalker Sound and Lucasfilm. Parasound received on-screen technical credits in the closing sequences of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999), Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002), and Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005).[5] Additionally, several of the company's multi-channel amplifiers are THX Ultra2 certified, meeting reference standards established for cinema-quality audio reproduction in home environments.[11]
Reception
Parasound products have received recurring recognition in specialist audio publications. The Halo JC 1+ monoblock and Halo JC 3+ phono preamplifier have appeared frequently in Stereophile’s "Recommended Components" listings between 2022 and 2024.[12][13]
In 2025, The Absolute Sound awarded the Halo JC 3+ its Golden Ear Award, citing its performance in analog signal reproduction.[14] The company's engineering history was also featured in the publication's Illustrated History of High-End Audio.[15]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Parasound Under New Ownership". Stereophile. December 14, 2022. Retrieved March 8, 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Parasound Sold to David Sheriff". Residential Systems. December 16, 2022. Retrieved March 8, 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Parasound Founder Richard Schram Sells Company to Entrepreneur David Sheriff". audioXpress. December 14, 2022. Retrieved March 8, 2026.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Parasound CEO: Making Progress, But Wait Until You See What's Coming". Strata-gee.com. March 20, 2024. Retrieved March 8, 2026.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Parasound Model 2250 v.2 Review". AVForums. January 27, 2023. Retrieved March 8, 2026.
- ↑ "John Curl: A Legendary Audio Engineer". Parasound. Retrieved March 8, 2026.
- ↑ Michael Fremer (February 16, 2003). "Parasound Halo JC 1 monoblock power amplifier". Stereophile. Retrieved March 8, 2026.
- ↑ "Parasound Adds Darren Myers to its Audio Design Team". Residential Systems. March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 8, 2026.
- ↑ "Parasound VP of R&D Has Fresh Ideas to Expand the Company & Grow High End". Strata-gee.com. November 30, 2023. Retrieved March 8, 2026.
- ↑ "2007 Product Line" (PDF). Pymble Hi Fi. Retrieved March 8, 2026.
- ↑ "THX products finder". THX.com. Retrieved March 8, 2026.
- ↑ "Recommended Components 2024 Edition: Power Amplifiers". Stereophile. March 15, 2024. Retrieved March 8, 2026.
- ↑ "Recommended Components 2022 Edition: Phono Preamplifiers". Stereophile. March 17, 2022. Retrieved March 8, 2026.
- ↑ "2025 Golden Ear: Parasound Halo JC 3+". The Absolute Sound. October 21, 2025. Retrieved March 8, 2026.
- ↑ "The Absolute Sound's Illustrated History". Positive Feedback. Retrieved March 8, 2026.
External links
Category:Audio equipment manufacturers of the United States Category:American companies established in 1981 Category:Consumer electronics companies of the United States Category:Companies based in Las Vegas
This article "Parasound" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Parasound. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
