Anyone own one of these preamps ?

I don’t disagree with you, it’s like a mish-mosh of different kinds of sounds.    He can get his own Agon account lmaooo.    But his amp (Parasound A21+) is pretty solid IMO.   The Parasound P5 preamp is a weak spot, again IMO.   

I’ll just throw out the Spatial Audio Raven because it’s in his price range and will likely be a substantial across-the-board upgrade from the P5, and they offer a generous 45-day return period that’s a nice option to have.  There’s also the Backert Rhumba or Rhumba Extreme that also offer a return policy and very worth a look. 

I just want to support what @stevehardy1 said in his earlier post. The PS Audio PMG Signature preamp is wonderful and would be a great addition to your friend's list. This preamp is transparent, dynamic, sweet, and non-fatiguing, and there are many strong, positive reviews online.

It is an interesting connection to your friend's Parasound gear that Darren Myers, the engineer/designer of the PMG preamp, was lured away from PS Audio to Parasound after he designed the circuits for the PMG pre.

Message received on the PS Audio.   It’s a solid contender IMO and probably fits better on his short list than one or two of the others.

Thanks all.   

If you were to use batteries made by Lirpa Labs in the remote, that alone is a complete game changer.  Try it and report back.