Forums - New Toy.

magicsound Ex Member	New Toy. 10/20/06 at 06:08:33 I will be receiving my zbox soon. Is there any "rituals" :-*to be performed before connecting it to the chain? What's the sound change that can be expected? ??? TIA, MoN 8)
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Rap Ex Member	Re: New Toy. Reply #1 - 10/20/06 at 07:38:34 I think a small dance followed by the slaugter of a lamb is the normal ritual, after reciving a z-box. Congratulations man As to the sound change, let´s not spoil the surprise. Rap.
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FragrantHead Ex Member	Re: New Toy. Reply #2 - 10/25/06 at 11:23:38 I didn't think much of my ZBox until I started tube rolling. That was an essential "ritual" for me. Ended up with an Amperex Bugle Boy 12AU7 from the 60s. Very happy now.
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ado420

Ex Member

Re: New Toy.
Reply #3 - 10/25/06 at 13:53:20

ya, buy lots of tubes (if you don't got a lot already), and I recommend replacing the power cord, a homemade one I use made a stunning difference.

If you want to tweak the innards, there's a thread somewhere here (not this specific forum, I think) where there's some interesting changes. But that is for the more daring types, I haven't gone that route...yet.

As far as the sacrificing, there aren't many lambs in my parts, so I just went for a wild turkey Cheesy

. Appeasing some gods hopefully.

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veryoldcat

Ex Member

Re: New Toy.
Reply #4 - 10/26/06 at 03:27:39

[quote author=magicsound link=1161324513/0#0 date=1161320913]I will be receiving my zbox soon. Cheesy

Is there any "rituals" :-*to be performed before connecting it to the chain? What's the sound change that can be expected? ???

TIA,
MoN 8) [/quote]

The aural difference the zbox makes is particularly pronounced with cd playback. The overall presentation, as it were, is immediately much more relaxed. By all reports, this is due to the lowered output impedance the pre-amp/amp sees from the source.

The effect, to my ear, is the most dramatic in recordings that contain a lot of high intensity overtones, such as acoustic piano recordings, and perhaps where there are acoustic instruments close-miked playing at a wide dynamic range. You can hear individual pitches in dense vertical sonorities more clearly and evenly. Overtones are not so unpleasantly muddled in pianissimo passages where a lot of notes ring at the same time.

Before you plug in the zbox, listen to a favorite Beethoven piano sonata cd, then listen to the same thing with the zbox plugged in.

You don't realize how very TENSE cd's can sound, until you hear how the zbox relaxes the effect.

I'd start with the 12au7 family of valves, and roll from there.

Karl

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lshawn666

Ex Member

Re: New Toy.
Reply #5 - 11/15/06 at 16:19:04

Maybe I'm not using my Zbox properly, but I connected it between my preamp and power amp so that I would theoretically enjoy the benefits from all my sources and not just the CD player. According to Steve's design notes and such, the Zbox can be connected to any line level source so this is why I connected it after my preamp. Am I out to lunch?

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Mike W Ex Member	Re: New Toy. Reply #6 - 11/15/06 at 16:26:20 No you are not but based on what I have read on the forum you may want to come out of the CD player to the Zbox and from the Zbox directly to the amp. You can then use the Zbox to control the volume. Reports would say the sonic effects would be better by removing the preamp from the signal path.
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lshawn666

Ex Member

Re: New Toy.
Reply #7 - 11/15/06 at 16:50:50

I hear ya but I use my preamp (which is tubed) for switching between my sources and would prefer not having to start plugging/unplugging interconnects every time I switch sources. I have the Zbox volume knob half way and use my preamp as my main volume control because I get some hum if the Zbox volume is too high. Perhaps I'll try this tonight for critical CD listening.

Thanks for your input - I appreciate any and all advice.

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tomp Ex Member	Re: New Toy. Reply #8 - 11/15/06 at 17:09:06 I agree with veryoldcat. I use the ZSLA-1 and it does what veryoldcat says. However I wonder how much more of this effect the ZBOX provides?
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magicsound

Ex Member

Re: New Toy.
Reply #9 - 11/15/06 at 23:55:04

[quote author=lshawn666 link=1161324513/0#5 date=1163607544]Maybe I'm not using my Zbox properly, but I connected it between my preamp and power amp so that I would theoretically enjoy the benefits from all my sources and not just the CD player. According to Steve's design notes and such, the Zbox can be connected to any line level source so this is why I connected it after my preamp. Am I out to lunch? [/quote]

Although it would mean more ICs, but, did you consider having a rotary switch box? You can connect six sources.
I connected the nad pp2 (for the meantime) to the zbox to get that tube sound with excellent result.

Mon 8)

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veryoldcat Ex Member	Re: New Toy. Reply #10 - 11/16/06 at 02:29:46 Hmm, I like the zbox best b4 my CSP. I've experimented bypassing the CSP, but feel it sounds better with the pre in the chain, for cd playback. On the other hand, I prefer vinyl without the zbox in the chain. Karl
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magicsound Ex Member	Re: New Toy. Reply #11 - 11/16/06 at 07:07:02 Because you have the ZP1. Mon 8)
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lshawn666 Ex Member	Re: New Toy. Reply #12 - 11/16/06 at 13:36:43 I guess it is the experimenting that makes all of this fun. I'm zboxing my preamp so am I not getting the benefits by not having the zbox directing connected to one of my sources? Any suggestions where I can get a rotary switch box that isn't crap?
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Rap

Ex Member

Re: New Toy.
Reply #13 - 11/16/06 at 14:15:06

[quote author=lshawn666 link=1161324513/0#12 date=1163684203]I guess it is the experimenting that makes all of this fun. I'm zboxing my preamp so am I not getting the benefits by not having the zbox directing connected to one of my sources? Any suggestions where I can get a rotary switch box that isn't crap? [/quote]

Nope not at all, the important bit is the poweramp likes to see a small load coming into it. The benefit is higher IMHO if you use it after the cd and from there either through the pre and to power amp or straight from cd to power amp. But buffers work well in lots of places.
On the Rotary swich box: Decware still sell one called the RSB6 I think.

You´ll find it in the master catalog.
Rap :)

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« Last Edit: 11/16/06 at 14:16:09 by Rap »

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Mike W Ex Member	Re: New Toy. Reply #14 - 11/16/06 at 14:25:33 I have owned one of the Decware switch boxes and it is a fine one indeed. :)
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