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AUDIO FORUMS >> General Discussion and Support >> The Weakest Link (in my system)
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Message started by DanG on 12/08/21 at 02:25:47

Title: The Weakest Link (in my system)
Post by DanG on 12/08/21 at 02:25:47

Hi. I'm looking for help in deciding what to a do next for my system. It occurred to me to ask, what is the weakest link in my system?

My room is #1. I have some bass traps on order as a start.

Got good cables, Decware silver.

Have a ZP3 phono stage on order for my turntable.

I have a Marantz 8005 SACD player. Output for SACD is 1.7 V, for CD is 2.4 V. It sounds like the ZSTAGE might be of benefit to the voltage on the SACD side. I'm confused as to what to get, a ZBOX or a ZSTAGE. I'd want to get the voltage regulation mod for certain either way.

SE84UFO.

My thoughts are the room, and the ZBOX or ZSTAGE.

Opinions welcome!

Thanks. - Dan

Title: Re: The Weakest Link (in my system)
Post by Lon on 12/08/21 at 03:14:34

Dan, depending on how efficient your speakers are and how loud you like to listen you may be okay without a ZBOX or ZSTAGE, but if you feel you need more gain from the source a ZBOX won't provide extra gain, and a ZSTAGE will.

Title: Re: The Weakest Link (in my system)
Post by DanG on 12/08/21 at 11:30:12

Lon,

I've been considering a CD transport and DAC as an upgrade to the Marantz SACD player. But CD transport/DAC appears to rule out SACD. The Marantz 8005 SACD was a definite upgrade for me; it was my introduction to SACD, which I like, and it played CDs better, too.

Both the ZBOX and ZSTAGE are described as an improvement to an existing source, such as a CD player or DAC. Plus, with the Voltage Regulator mod, it would deliver cleaner power. So instead of upgrading to a CD transport and DAC I started to consider a ZBOX or ZSTAGE as an upgrade to my existing SACD player.

Title: Re: The Weakest Link (in my system)
Post by Lon on 12/08/21 at 11:47:53

Sounds like a good plan to me. (To get SACD playback out of a transport/DAC combo is an expensive proposition; it can be done, but the transports that can accomplish this are expensive).

The ZBOX will improve the sound, giving it a measure of tubed richness and holography it just does not add gain, that is not part of its design. In fact for me it works best when it is starving the voltage a bit, so that won't help you with the lower gain of SACD playback.

The ZSTAGE is desgined to provide additional gain and would be a boon to the SACD playback gain. Of course a CSP3 would also be a great addition, at additional cost. You could also consider a ZROCK2 to give you what I would think is enough extra gain and also EQ flexibility. But the ZSTAGE is designed for just such a situation as yours.

And yes, I have the voltage mod on two ZROCK2 components. A nice addition! You can never have too much clean power.

Title: Re: The Weakest Link (in my system)
Post by Tommy Freefall on 12/08/21 at 21:12:11

DanG, if your Marantz player has balanced outs, the ZBit - similar to the ZStage - will also give you some additional voltage.

Title: Re: The Weakest Link (in my system)
Post by Lon on 12/08/21 at 21:44:50

I had thought of that. . .but I believe the 8005 has only single-ended outputs.

Title: Re: The Weakest Link (in my system)
Post by DanG on 12/08/21 at 23:58:16

Optical, coaxial, RCA, no balanced.