"In the midst of marveling at a sound stage that went back some 30 feet... two of the musicians playing shakers walked up and sat on either side of me about 8 feet off each shoulder. They grinned as we listened together.

When I hit the stop button...  everyone vanished.  Not many players can take you here...  this one can."

This is the Decware modified Tascam professional CD player.  It features a single ended triode analog output stage that completely replaces the original analog section of the machine. 

The Zen CD Player comes in two flavors - The ZCD200 and ZCD200i with integrated IPOD dock.

The Tascam units have enjoyed a long reputation with recording studios as the reliable red book CD player and when compared to consumer grade players it easy to see why they don't break. Huge power supply, steel transport and it even sounds OK stock.

With such a solid platform the unit was an ideal candidate for the extensive tweaking and modifications it got.  The actual analog tube output section was based on the success of our previous two players but scratch built especially for this players DAC section.  It was good but the perverbial question "could it be better?" drove the R&D through 7 completely different circuits with each one slightly better than the previous and each one carefully voiced at the cost of many late evenings.  

The ZCD was designed to be a "real sleeper" and completely untouchable at the price.  It's performance is impressive in all categories but one - imaging.  This players imaging and sound stage are highly refined making it absolutely exceptional for those SET purists.  The holographic abilities of our amplifiers and speakers are well served by this players presentation.

FEATURES ZCD200 & ZCD200i

One of the best features of this player is the ergonomics and ease of use.  No excess complications or delays.  It responds instantly to your wishes.  Yes the CD drawer actually opens at the precise moment you press the button...  it doesn't test your patience by having to think about it for several seconds.

Easy to read from across the room and fully operated by a simple (included) remote.

It can be rack mounted or the ears can be easily removed to fit inside conventional audio cabinets.

Tube replacement is from the rear.  No access to the inside is needed.  Uses 1 12AT7 and is also compatible with 12AU7's.

Analog tube stage runs at reduced voltages for extended tube life and to eliminate any heat. Even the tube itself only gets barely warm to the touch.  The tube stage has been designed for 24/7 operation 365 days a year.  Tube life is 2 years minimum but likely to go several more. It stays on warmed up for peak fidelity even when the CD player is off.  There is an indicator LED on the front panel that shows the status of the tube stage.

High quality Gold/Teflon RCA jacks are included for the analog tube outputs and the stock OP AMP driven outputs are left in tact and operational on the stock RCA jacks.

An isolated ground is incorporated that separates the audio ground from the digital ground. The digital ground is tied to the chassis.  This has sonic merits that will become self evident once you've heard it.

The stock variable headphone jack was left in tact and un-modified.  Also the pitch control has been left active with a bypass (on/off) switch.  This means any studio using a stock Tascam CD160 or CD160MK II or CD 200 can replace it with a Decware ZCD200 without loosing any features and gaining an unreal improvement in sound quality.

High output level from the analog tube stage is a bonus.  It develops enough drive and dynamics to ensure that anything you hook to it is sure to be woken up!  The output level is adjustable from 0 to a minimum of 5 volts.

THIS IS A RED BOOK (standard CD's) CD PLAYER ONLY.  It plays all red book format CD's including ones you burn yourself.  It also has a feature for playing MP3's and handles them very nicely.  This player will not play DVD's or SACD's.

FEATURES ZCD200i only

The ZCD200i features an integrated IPOD dock on the front of the machine.  A drawer slides out to receive the IPOD.  When the IPOD is docked it is automatically charged and kept that way.  You can change from CD to IPOD and back again on the fly.  The IPOD can be controlled with it's own facilities or from the players front panel and or remote control.  Very handy.

Getting the output of the IPOD to work with the machines stock output and the added tube stage was a bit tricky, but what's the point of having an IPOD if we can't take it's output directly to the tube stage without anything in-between?  To make happen we installed a silver contact switch located on the front of the player to switch the tube output stage from CD to IPOD.  You would be surprised how good an IPOD TOUCH can sound when direct coupled to a good analog tube stage!

There is also an AUX input located on the front of the player for 3.5mm mini stereo jack used by IPODS, Phones, MP3 players etc., that can be used with any line level device.  The aux input is directly fed to the tube output stage.

VIDEO

In addition to the ultimate analog IPOD dock for music, a composite color video jack and SVIDEO jack are provided on the rear of the player so you can watch anything you normally see on the screen of IPOD, on your TV set.   That means videos and movies, internet access, your own picture collections, etc.

NOTE ABOUT LAST YEARS ZCD160MKII


This years Zen CD player has just a few changes over our debut model...  while it looks the same on the outside it is a completely new machine on the inside! 

The transport has been replaced by a superior TEAC soft load.  It's using a new DAC chip and clock, all new circuit boards with improved layout and wiring.  In fact the only thing that remains the same on the inside of this machine is the rather huge power supply which we loved so much! This new machine, besides being a leap forward in build quality, makes an equally strong leap forward in sound quality.  The reduced jitter, increased bit-rate and general character of the new DAC chip makes the ZCD sound overall smoother, slightly warmer and a bit more organic than our original model.

SPECIFICATIONS FROM TASCAM BEFORE MODIFICATIONS:

A super-professional, industrial-quality CD player—now with MP3 support!

MAINTENANCE:

This unit requires no adjustments or maintenance other than changing the tube every few years. It is a self biasing design.  Tube life is several years.

The ZCD player now comes standard with a user adjustable output level. This used to be a very popular custom option for the ZCD.  It allows you to dial in the amount of gain for any amplifier or preamp while you listen so you can find the sweet spot.  This is actually a profound improvement over a fixed output in most cases that allows you to shape both dynamics and frequency balance when a preamp or amplifier with a volume control are used.

The ZCD can now be built in 240Volts 50/60Hz! 240 Volt models require the IEC removable power cord option.

There are now some custom options available...

A removable power cord (IEC) connector so you can use a hi-end power cord. that adds $60.00  (Buy the Decware power cord and get this option for half price!)
Variable output pots can be replaced with either single or dual stepped attenuators for $200.00
Tube regulation can be added to the power supply which cleans the power better than an expensive power conditioner. $90.00 - this would be by far the most noticeable tweak of the three listed here. (Note the cost of the mod is $120 if you send the unit back to have it done at some future date vs. having it built this way from the start)

SUPPORT

This modified in the USA by DECWARE / High Fidelity Engineering C0. It comes with a one year warranty to the original owner. 

We also have a support forum with many people who's experiences you may benefit from. 

REVIEWS