In December 2023, I took the train from New York to Los Angeles to attend the Los Angeles & Orange County Audiophile Society's 30th annual Gala. I took the trip because it is both stimulating and satisfying to spend an afternoon in the company of more than 200 audiophiles and music lovers; I also wanted to see John Curl presented with the Society's fourth Innovation Award, by George and Carolyn Counnas of Zesto. John was given the award "for his groundbreaking contributions to the field of solid-state audio amplifiers, circuit innovation, mastering recorders and much more."
Bay Area-based Parasound, known for reasonably priced audio components, especially those designed by John Curl, is under new ownership. The new owner, David Sheriff, an entrepreneur who specializes in product growth and supply chain management, has pledged to maintain Parasound's reputation for excellence while shepherding the company to "take the next step." In a conversation with Stereophile, Sheriff, previous Parasound owner Richard Schram, and Jeanie Schram, Richard's life partner, discussed the reasons for the shift and Sheriff's plans for the company.