As an audio manufacturer that is very proud of its ability to design high-end audio components for the very discerning ears of Hollywood's engineers, Parasound is also insuring that their power amplifiers for the consumer market are second-to-none. The 5250 five-channel power amplifier weighs in at over seventy pounds and features THX Ultra2 certified sound for professional surround-sound listening pleasure.

With the availability to buy this "New Classic" power amplifier for around $2,000 retail, the serious audiophile should take a much closer look at the features that Parasound's design team implemented while developing the 5250 five-channel power amplifier for the consumer marketplace. This specific amplifier is the most powerful amp in the "New Classic" product line, easily delivering 250 watts into eight ohms and 385 watts into four ohms.

Standing at over seven inches in height, eighteen inches deep and over seventeen inches wide, the 5250 design also contains a very streamlined front panel that speaks to the true power of this power amplifier with its simple front-brushed aluminum panel. Another of its more prominent design features is the 5250's heavy-duty gold plated five-way speaker terminals for each channel. The amplifier's fully discrete circuitry contains two toroid transformers that result in clean audio dispersion and precise sound clarity, a major selling point for the 5250.

This five-channel power amplifier's DC servo and relay protection circuitry eliminates any hints of noise distortion or audio blurring that inferior inner circuitry design sometimes causes. A good thing to consider when you are looking to purchase a high-end power amplifier that also converts audio to the THX-certified level is the durability factor of the power amplifier itself.

And since the 5250 contains automatic on/off using the DC trigger with a looping output, power surge problems and high levels of voltage streaming are greatly reduced with this amp's sensitivity level adjustments built in to the amplifier's circuitry. All of these factors result in a high-quality power amp that will stand the test of time as you hook up more and more audio components and speakers as time progresses.
The high-end audio that the 5250 delivers is filled with a clarity and vibrancy that speaks volumes about Parasound's ability to bring quality high-end audio components to the marketplace at an affordable price.

High Points
• The overall power of the 5250 never overrides the smoothness and natural audio that this five-channel power amplifier delivers.
• The design of the amplifier has a very modern and dark element to it, allowing the 5250 to integrate with ease into almost any home theater system.
• Power distortion or "muddy audio" signals flowing into your speaker system via the 5250 are virtually eliminated due to this power amp's discrete audio circuitry.
• High-end power amplifiers can sometimes deliver too much vividness and brightness to the listening area, but the 5250 contains damping factors that negate this common problem from the onset.

Low Points
• Due to the 5250's weighty size of almost seventy pounds, some consumers might not be able to place this power amplifier in their current power rack.
• The 5250 can heat up quite substantially, so placement of this amplifier in an area with a lot of ventilation is critical.

Conclusion
This power amplifier has a great ability to perfectly duplicate genuine-sounding theater surround-sound no matter how big or how small the room in which the 5250 is being used happens to be. The THX-certification that the 5250 contains is the main reason that this power amplifier should be at the top of the list for anyone desiring to turn their living room or media room into a home theater showplace.

But the 5250 also does a good job in delivering the exact type of sonic dynamism that the hard-to-please audiophile is looking for as well. So this five-channel amplifier can also replicate a 'live' rock band without any effort and disperse audio signals that result in a wide range of high and low-end musical elements while listening back to any audio source that the 5250 is integrated with. Not to mention the excellent job it does at duplicating professional theater surround-sound. When it comes to developing power amplifiers to perfectly compliment and upgrade overall sound quality, that type of all-around versatility is exactly what all audio designers are striving to achieve. With the 5250, Parasound has achieved that goal and they should be commended for it.