I recently decided to order one of these Tascam players from Steve. After the initial "leap of faith" some 6 yrs ago for a Zen Select, I've gotta believe the ZCD is in the same league. I bought my first hi-fi nearly 36 years ago, the Select has been the best amp I've ever had.
Anyway, there seems to be relativley few listening impressions posted, and I'm wondering if I've missed 'em, or hopefully someone has something to add.
Apparently there's currently a 4-6 week wait, so plenty of time to reply!
                                                                                     Thanks, Don

Thanks, Lon. I do wish that the ZCD supported dvd, etc, but having read many other glowing reports on the 685's, I'm hoping the new player is at least as good. I always regretted not buying a 685 when they were available!
                                                                                                                             Don

I’ve had the ZCD for approximately three weeks now, and feel it’s finally time for a review (since so many people are waiting for reviews!)  In summary, buy it!  The End. Period. Nothing else to say!  
A little background to put things in context.  I’ve had two CD players since 1994: A Carver mult-idisc player from 1994-1999, and a Jolida 601 tubed output player from May 1999 to the present. The Carver wasn’t bad.  The Jolida, while a touch warm, was the best value I purchased, prior to the ZCD. As a $349.00 demo from Sound Factor that lasted nine years (and is actually a 10 year old player), the 601 has been through every variety of equipment/room change. It’s played with a CJ MV75/PV-5/Spendor combo, a Select/Klipsch Forte combo, a Cayin TA-30/HornShoppe combo, and a Transcendent Sound SEOTL/GG/Horn Shoppe combo.   I can’t remember all the interconnect/cable combos, which included second-hand and/or mid-level Monster, DH Labs, Tara Labs.   I’ve settled with the TS equipment and Anti-cables.  Stunning clarity and, with the power of Audiogon prices, ridiculously affordable for the performance.  Ed’s Horns are a no-brainer.  Despite the utterly cheap build quality of the Jolida 601, and being so far removed from it’s successors (the 602, 603 and the now six-year old  JD-100), it continued to be the one thing I didn’t want to change through all the combinations.  Go figure. But age has finally caught up with it, and the skips and stutters have increased to the annoyance point.  Naturally, I contemplated the JD-100 as a replacement, which I could get new for $850.00, but when Steve came out with the ZCD, I decided to apply funds there.
The day the ZCD arrived I listened to some of my favorite discs and tracks for approximately 2 hours. I ordered it with the IEC option but it didnt come with a cord.  No problem I used a common power cord then order the $49.00 Source power cord from MAC Audio.  The ZCD sounded alright, bit did not sound much different from the 601 (to which I applied Dynamat about a year ago, switched from a variety of 12AX7’s to Mullard 12AU7/CV4003’s from Upscale Audio). There was a bit more clarity, but the emphasis seemed to be towards the upper end, making the mid range seem a bit recessed.  There was a tad more bass, but it sounded a bit muddied.  The soundstage seem alright, but not strikingly so.  I wasnt disappointed because as a previous Select owner and a owner of Ed's Horns, I know the power of break-in time.  I figured I'd turn on the ESP Shock protection for comparison.  Things cleared up a lot. I went back and spent about 30 minutes listening to individual favorite tracks, and found more sound staging and clarity in each one.  I dont know if there is a technical reason for it, but thats what I heard.  In looking into the manual (finally) I discovered I actually turned the ESP OFF, since ON is the default mode.  After the initial listening session I devoted about 50 hours to the ZCD with my Isotek burn-in CD, swapped out the JJ with one of my well broken-in Mullard (I've always been biased against all JJs), and the transformation was stunning!  I had a new system!   More accurately, I finally began hearing the net sum of my system:  Lush, rich mids; airy, sparkling highs without edge; deep,  solid, rich, bass.  Everything sounds tone perfect. I think CJ said it a long time ago: It just sounds right.  I keep hearing a richness to the sound.  Some call it "organic."  All the things that I thought were exclusive of each other are present in harmony. Bass but not muddiness or boominess; rich, lush mids (when present) without cloudiness or honey-coated distortion; Clear, extended, toneful (who would have thunk!) highs without etch or that slightly warm but barely noticeable razor-sharp pain in my ears.  But what I still can’t get over, and am baffled by, is the depth and width of the sound stage and the placement of instruments and sounds within it.  Ed’s Horns were always reviewed as masters of this, and while I occasionally heard it in the past, the ZCD allows the Horns to image in full glory.  Descriptions of bass, mids, and highs are almost meaningless until you place them in context with sound staging.  I’m not talking about cheap, hyper-exaggeration of a sound stage, but one that simultaneously sounds solid and real and still spreads the entire width of the wall and, on many recordings, extends 10 feet forward and backwards.   When I mention sounds within the sound stage I'm talking about Oscar Peterson leaning on the bench (the direction of lean is clear!) and Abdullah Ibrahim softly humming along as he plays.
Now, does this mean the ZCD betters players 2-3 times its cost?  I have actually no ideal, and don’t care. My comparison is to the Jolida.  Within the context of my experience, my system, my room, and my music, it supplants the Jolida as the best value component I purchased. One could argue I simply removed a glaring weak point and finally achieved system synergy with my other components.  That may be true, being that I know my other components are no slouches.  I listen to a lot of vinyl, and had a policy of seeking out CDs only when I could not find the record at a reasonable price.  The ZCD has changed that.  Actually the ZCD may endanger my whole vinyl mindset.  
Regardless, price alone, when compared with other tube players, makes the ZCD a bargain.  How it fits in your system may vary  But I seriously doubt it will detract from anything you have.
Side note- The MAC Source+ power cord is the business!  Icing on the cake.

Thanks to you both for your impressions.

Luckily so far no one has compared it to the DEC685 and enticed me to replace that unit.

I'm so there if Steve decides to modify the Sony ES Blu-Ray player!

Don, I would not consider the DEC685 "sweet" sounding. . .it's pretty accurate and as such "sharper" than "sweeter."  Very good player.  I have a feeling that this ZCD is a better player for several reasons, but I sure enjoy the "universal" aspect of the DEC685.

Well interesting development on my part, non ZCD related.

I have taken the DEC685 out of the system and replaced it with a Sony ES Blu-Ray Player, the Sony BDP-S2000ES.

I have wanted to buy this player for some time, have been able to, but held back worrying about it's cd playback in comparison to the DEC685.

But ultimately, with Neil Young's Blu-Ray "Archive" series on the horizon and after seeing Blu-Ray movie playback at a friend's,  was pushed over the edge and bought this player. As the flagship Sony Blu-Ray player I was hoping that the cd audio quality would be up to the Decware system. . . .

Well, it's the second day in the system and it's sounding very good. Tonally it's just a tad warmer (and thereby perhaps a bit less accurate) than the DEC685 but that's not a problem, the tonal balance is very good, just about what I would want an ideal machine's to be.  There is about a 10% reduction in sound-staging and imaging in comparison to the DEC685, which outclasses every other player I've heard in those departments.  But this machine is hardly broken in so there's potentially even less than a gap.

This is a very well-built machine with a strong chassis and a great transport, center-mounted.

The picture from this machine is stupendous!

If Steve were ever to decide to modify a Blu-Ray player (and maybe he should consider doing so, it is a format I predict will grow and grow) then this machine would be a great candidate.  I'd send him one to modify in a heartbeat!  His version would be another giant-slayer.

Oh yes, like with the DEC685 I use this new machine through the ZBox.  I'm making those comparisons between the two machines with the ZBox between them and the CSP2.

I don't miss having the changer and loading multiple discs. I miss not having SACD capability a little, but only have about three SACD discs that aren't hybrids.  And the difference between cds and SACDs on the DEC685 is not that great.  The DEC685 and this Blu-Ray make cds sound great.

Definitely Don.

Now back to ZCD impressions.  Pile them on.

One of the (many) strengths of the ZCD is it's soundstaging. It's simply as good as I've heard. It's a perfect compliment to my (any?) Decware amp(s) They ability to project an image both side to side, and front to back is amazing. The quality and quantity of the bass output is also very noticeable. I've no idea why this is so, but there it is! To this point, I prefer it with the "esp" disabled, and it sounds so good overall, I've not tried the stock outputs,,to compare. Still settling in, more to come.
Don

Follow-up impressions.
I've had the ZCD for just over a month now, and have close to 200 hours (with about 100 hours from the Isotek breakin CD).  The unit is stunning! Clarity, soundstaging (particularly depth in the soundstage), and tone have prompted me to make additional CD purchases.  That's what it is all about.  Also, and I hate to use the phrase, but I am re-discovering my current music; In many cases I'm in the studio with the performers!  People moving in seats in anticipation, sheets moving, slight taps on furniture...and then there is the music itself.   I've never been happier.  The ZCD has unleashed my system to myself.   Several days ago I pulled out an old Decware DSR cable I purchased in 2003, but hadnt used in years.  Aside from a slight reduction in bass, the music became even more real, and the soundstage blossomed.  This from a cable that I had grown not to like.  I then had the opportunity to insert a friend's MAC Palladium cable to the ZCD...and I immediately ordered one ($180 new versus the regular $349 price....I think a new model is coming out)   Forget about what you hear about silver cables being strident, harsh, etc....this cable and the ZCD has all the richness, warmth and harmonics I remember from previous gear (CJ, Spendor), yet with speed, clarity and openess that leaves me smiling and speechless.  I previoulsy mentioned I purchased jazz on CDs only after I couldnt find affordable LPs.   Now it doesnt matter.  CDs of recordings made from the 50's and 60's are now satisfying,both my newly purchased ones and older ones.  Thats what I have re-discovered.
Two things I've noted about my ZCD.  The Mullard CV4003 (12AU7) works perfectly for me.  Since I had two for the Jolida, I'm set for many years (I think they were $40 each from Upscale Audio, but many other outlets have them). Secondly, I still prefer leaving the ESP off..it just does something that I really cant point my finger on. At first I thought it was just reducing the soundstaging and clarity, but It is something I feel, not just hear.  Might be irrational, but hey!  One additional thing...the Isotek disc is an outstanding investment.  It quickly shows what your equipment can do by greatly reducing that "Did I make a mistake" breakin time frame that music alone just didnt do quick enough for me.

Congrats, Lon on ordering a ZCD! Be sure and post your impressions vis a vis your 685!
Don

Decware's 30 day return policy makes it a no-brainer, though. And who knows, you might decide to keep it!
Don

Well, for like the fourth time in a row with important shipments, UPS has let me down.  I'm going to ask DeVon to use another shipment method next time I buy a Decware machine.

UPS called and said be around 7 to 7 because the package was coming yesterday.  I was housebound that entire time.  Nothing.  The tracking showed it was in Austin and out for delivery.  It just is so frustrating and disappointing.  Now I have to do the very same thing on Monday.  I'm so disgusted with UPS right now.

So hopefully I'll have some impressions to relate sometime next week.

Hi Randy,

Glad your machine is in place, and thanks for the initial impressions.

For three weeks or so I've been listening to Sony's flagship Blu-Ray player as a source and it has turned out to be quite a nice cd source (and an incredible dvd and Blu-Ray source, fantastic pictures!)  It compares tonally to the DEC685 very very well, being perhaps a bit warmer and a bit more dynamic, though it lacks that last bit of three dimensionality that Steve's output stage provides. So it will be interesting indeed to see how the ZCD fares!

I am nearly 99% certain it's going to gently nudge the Sony ES player out of the way for cd playback.  ;)

Please keep us informed with further listening impressions (and I know you will!)

Yes, a looooong holiday weekend.  Although other than the arrival of the player one day is pretty much the same as another in important ways since I've retired May 1!  I can wait for the player. . . what bothers me is being tethered to the house an additional day.  One day is bad enough. . . now another day.  (I've developed a habit of getting the Harley out early in the morning and being away from home for some hours!) As this is part of a continuing problem I've had with UPS for a time it's very frustrating.

Well, at four o'clock the ZCD was finally delivered. . . more than a week after it was sent.  (Have I mentioned I hate UPS?)

I installed it and it's running straight into the CSP2, in other words I'm not using it with the ZBox at present.  

It sounds very dynamic and forceful, full sound, and wide sound stage.  That "dimensionality" that Steve's machines do so well is there.  I'm sure it will sound progressively better over the week.  I forgot to order this with the option for an IEC socket . . .just using the stock Tascam captive cord.  

I'm glad it's finally here and will update as I have more impressions.

Glad it arrived safe and sound! Let that baby play! Oh, I think the "extra connection" reference Eli made re; your power cord makes a lot of sense. I doubt you'll regret it either way. You can always spend the 60 bucks on more music!
Don

Today I'm running it through the ZBox first, then from the ZBox into the CSP2.

Interesting comparisons.  Today I think i actually may prefer the Blu-Ray straight into the CSP2 to the ZCD through the ZBox by a hair.  It's less forward. Though the bass is stronger on the ZCD the Blu-Ray seems warmer and the piano sounds a bit better on the Blu-Ray.

But the ZCD is still breaking in bit by bit.  Be weeks before it will "be all it can be."

That's interesting, Lon. My ZCD was good right from the beginning, and sort of out of left field a few weeks ago, it got REALLY good - it just seemed to open up and the soundstage expanded in all directions. It was a pretty clear example to me of the much discussed "burn-in".
The BluRay player is intriguing.
Don

Quote:


Hi Don,

Do you have a ballpark figure as to hours played when the ZCD went to the next level ..... ?

Thanks,

Randy

Just a quick note to say that there has been a jump forward in fidelity and the ZCD is sounding very very good.  

There is a faithfulness to this player that can be ruthless:  if you have a bad recording. .. well there's nowhere to hide.  This machine does not impart a "signature" over the music as others can.

I agree, I think this is going to be a period of improvement.  I also agree that there is nothing "tubey" about the sound of this player except the fleshed out images and soundstaging qualities that I think I only really find in tubed gear this way.

I have mine sitting in my Samson rack, in the center, it's arranged this way from the bottom up:

Mapleshade Isoblocks and maple platform, Herbie's Audio Lab "Iso-cup" feet under the Sony ES Blu-Ray Player (I've moved away from brass feet to these and I prefer them) and then the ZCD sits on top of the Blu-Ray player on the Herbie Isor-acups, and the CSP2 and the ZBox are on top of the ZCD on the Herbie Isor-cups.  I actually am using two different types of "balls" in the Iso-cups.

I may in time move the Blu-Ray player to the top shelf underneath my Sony TV. . .and see if that makes a difference to the system. If it does I'm guessing it will be a very subtle difference.

I too find there's plenty of depth to the sound from this player. . .despite its slightly forward nature.  I'm getting used to this. . .right now it's a bit too clinical for me to totally relax into it, but this may change.

I'm running the same cryo'd RCA 12BH7A that I used in the DEC685 and that I use in the ZBox. . . after rolling a lot of tubes that has been my favorite.  Karl uses it too.  I have the JJ stock tube that came with the machine breaking in in the DEC685 in my bedroom system.

Lon,

I've been following your comments for awhile now, and feel obligated to suggest some tube rolling.  The signature you describe is the tube, the player can easily go from dry to warm and of course sound stage varies widely (get it) from tube to tube.  Not that what you have is bad, but likely you can find a similar signature with a touch less dryness and a better sound stage with some work.

Steve

Despite the fact that there is a good amount of debate concerning the benefits (or not) of an "upgrade" power cord, the captive cord may (or may not) be responsible for some of the results Lon is getting.

When Parker Audio Dave visited my abode the other night, one of his remarks was that it seemed the guitar player on one of the CDs went into the adjoining room to get himself a cold one .....  ;)

So ..... soundstage width is not an issue for me.  At the time, the ZCD was getting AC through one of Dave's power cords.

I also would not use the term "dry" to describe the sound I am hearing .... maybe "precise" for lack of a better term.  The sound is very clear and focused.  On some CDs this is desirable, on others not so much.

Tube rolling produced some very interesting results.  The Amperex Bugle Boy gave us a sweet, very listenable sound.  The Mullard had wonderful bass and lower midrange ..... but was a little rolled off at the top compared to some others.  The Telefunken was the hands down favorite of both Dave and myself ..... lively, extended and full bodied all at the same time.  The Seimens was very similar ..... with just a little bit less of everything.

The real surprises to me were an RCA clear top (which is highly regarded in some circles) and a humble Sylvania that neither Dave or I expected much out of.  They both sounded very good.  Not as good as the Tele ..... but nipping at the heels of the Siemens ..... at least to my ears.  The RCA is better than the Sylvania, but not by a mile.

With that selection of tubes, it wouldn't be too hard to dial in a sound that would make most people happy .....  8-)

To this point, Bobaloo immediately preferred the ZCD over my combo rig ..... and after about 3 hours of listening, Dave was leaning toward the ZCD (especially with the Tele 12AU7).  It is a different sound for sure than most of the other digital gear I have had in my system ..... and it grows on you as time goes by.  I'm convinced that it is an extremely accurate player ..... and as it breaks in, it is proving to be a player that reveals subtlety in a very nice manner while having impressive dynamics.

Dave is still running the Camelot / Anagram Uther DAC.  For a certainty, my Channel Islands DAC is no Uther.  We haven't done a head to head yet between the ZCD and Dave's front end (and I have a strong suspicion that Dave's rig would win out) ..... but when you consider that the retail price of that front end is approaching 10 times the cost of the Decware player, it puts into perspective just how good the ZCD is.

Kudos to Steve on a job well done.

I'm really interested to see if a different AC cord and some additional break in changes things much from Lon's perspective.

Randy

FWIW, I'm using a 1950's (Canadian made ) Marconi 12au7 .
A huge soundstage, excellent separation of instruments/musicians, and an overall non-fatiguing, "listen for hours" musical presentation.
As an aside, I'm using mine with ESP off- haven't spent any time comparing it with the "on" setting yet.
This is one fine player, IMHO!
Don

Oh I know Steve, but see I'm going to use the player with the PS Audio power cord, so the ZCD has to compare to that. . . .

Thanks for your impressions.

I hear almost all you hear in the ZCD. I think it's a fine player.  I don't mean to appear to be ragging on the player, I think it's an achievement and so much better than the usual players below this price point, probably some above.  Still, for me, I don't quite get the right sound on piano for me, yet, and piano is what I judge a system by.  Nor have I gotten used to the forward nature.

I'm also using the same interconnects you are.  I've rolled the tubes I have and I have enough that I don't think I should buy more just to see how they work here.  

I must say though that at this point the ES Sony Blu-Ray is a better player for me, has that ease and the bit of laid backness I don't have in the ZCD . . .yet.  It's getting a bit better day by day.

I'm likely to keep it, there's always a need for a spare and it would jazz up my bedroom system. (I'm spending a lot more time in my bedroom than ever which is a good thing.)  I've also decided to try out a NAD model that is heavily discounted that seems to do SACDs RIGHT, the price is very nice at Audio Advisor, and I have a lot of SACDs that I miss a bit. . . .

http://nadelectronics.com/products/dvd-players/T585-Universal-DVD-Player

I'm looking for the best source for me. . . it was the DEC685 for a long time, and if it hadn't started to exhibit some digital distortion on some discs and skips on others I'd still be using that nonstop.

Glad you're that happy Randy.

I must say I'm relaxing deeply into the sound of the NAD player. . . no fatigue.

I've been using it with all the players and without all the players, using it both with and without all the players, to see what each sound with and without it.

They each sound best WITH the ZBox to my ears.  The ZBox is one helluva product Steve!

I have the ZCD spinning a mono cd for almost exactly a week, under my bed.  I'll put it back in the system soon and see how it sounds.  This week I've been enjoying playing SACDs and HDCDs on the NAD.

Randy,

Yes it probably could be done but. . . using the ZBox as a preamp in this system in this room in the past has been . . . well. . . not really as effective, I can't get the volume range right and in the very best range for the amps etc. and there's a brittle thinness I can't abide now.  (This wasn't made clear to me until I added the CSP2 and it diedn't add forwardness necessarily).(Also, I don't live alone now, and this system serves as the dvd/Blu-Ray source for the house, and I need to have the CSP2 for switching and control and will not use another amp and speakers.)  I may try it again in the future but I don't believe it will be any different.  Also. . .the Sony ES player and the NAD don't have that forward nature through the CSP2 or through the ZBox and the CSP2.  So I'm not sure the CSP2 can be fingered in that manner.

I'm going to let the ZCD spin and season for a while longer then try it again.  But I think that the problem is the very accurate and revealing nature of the machine, coupled with the same in the amps and speakers . . .more and more I need something that is just a bit less so, and can make recordings sound "good" rather than just what they really are.  I have thousands of cds that aren't going to be relaxing and endearing sounding through the ZCD as it was a week ago when I put it aside, but do sound nonfatiguing through the NAD (and did for the most part through the DEC685, at least the last three or four years).

I know we have different tastes regarding playback texture and detail, and I'm very happy the ZCD has been so successful in your system.

Hi to all (especially Randy and Lon),

It's been a long time since a post from me. But, I'm very interseted in your ZCD impressions thus far.

I have not seen any comment on the factory adjustable output levels available on the ZCD. Does it come standard with 2 mcv and with up to 5mcv available? That was my impression from the product info. Does anyone have a higher mcv level and are you happy with that option?

Thanks, Gary

Lon,

Thanks for the reply.

I extend my sympathies to you for the loss of your wife. When I last was envolved with the forum I know you were struggling with issues of her illness and care. My thoughts are with you.

I still have the radial 1.5s, but continue to find the right amp to drive them. I have a Vaughn Audio Carina (1.8 watts in triode, 3.5 in ultralinear) which Eddie eventually sent me after struggling to build a more powerful EL34 based amp. Gee, that was almost 4 years ago now. The radials seem pretty under-powered to me in my room. Anyway, I was thinking I could get more out of my current cd player/amp combo if I had a cd player with a higher output.

Do you think that would help improve the amp power to speaker sensitivity (92db/w) equation? Just how much of a difference would that make? I am ignorant on this issue. But, thanks in advance for any thoughts - from anyone.

Gary

Hi Randy,

I'm glad to see your still around. You may not remember, but we meet at Decfest '04 - where I meet you, Steve, Zigi and Eddie. Not to make too much of it, but I thought you had a Vaughn amp yourself.

Anyway, the Carina seems just too underpowered for my setup and I am just loking for an economical way to boost the output.

Steve, can you give some insights on the ZCD output and its effect on the overall spl output? What could that do for me?

Thanks for your help.

Gary

Thanks Steve,

I do have an intetgrated amp, but it looks like the ZCD may not help me that much. Regretably, I know you are right  ::). I have tried valiently to get the amp I need, but it just hasn't worked out.

Well, not all of us get it right every time  :-[

Thanks for your advise. (I am still very happy with the 1.5s  ;D

Gary

Hi Randy,

Thanks for the update.

Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend this year. I live in southern Oregon and it's just too much for me to travel out there right now.

But, I know you'll most likely be there and I will be thinking of all you chaps.

Gary

Thanks for posting those impressions.  (And the kind words).

I'm still letting the ZCD spin away and season in another room.  I think of adding it back in, but remember the bite and the fatigue, and I'm happy with the NAD player I'm using (very) (and enjoying SACDs and HDCD discs quite a lot) and so I'm not in a hurry.  And if as you say the machine is still breaking in after three months, then I'm doing the right thing.

If I still can't relax into it when I finally do put it into the system, I'll probably consider parting with it.

Doorman,
I fogot to add that part about the soundstage.  I was away for a week and had my system turned off at the isolation transformer.  When I turned it on I noticed a slightly deeper and wide soundstage that persisted over several CDs.  I checked my left speaker, thinking I had left the connections reversed (I sometimes reverse a speaker connection on albums and CDs, which often widens the soundstage at the expense of tight base).  The connections were not reversed.

I believe the dac is 16 bit/ 8 times oversampling.

Lin

Okay, i'm continuing to try to get a handle on this player.

I can see why Randy would sell his front end in favor of this one, especially as I think Randy loves a tight and focused sound more than I (I admit to liking more a relaxed and laid back sound, sounds more like actual music than reproduced music to me that way). This machine with Steve's mods really give you the real deal on the disc.  Which often is not a good thing in my case; I have thousands (literally) of discs that could use more sweetening than this machine will allow.

I've discovered that the listening fatigue I had experienced the first weeks with this machine has somehow dissipated.  The six weeks of running constantly under my bed must have accomplished that.  

In comparison to my other favorite sources, this machine remains a bit more "forward" than I'm apparently comfortable with, and there is less bass presence* than I'd like.  I've rolled tubes and these features remain within the tonal changes that tube rolling brings about. . . . I think this machine is very neutral and is showing me the problems that I have with my system and room.  I do tend to shelve down the ribbon tweeters in my RL2s a lot, and the geometry of my large room must be hampering me.  I'm not really able to add room treatment and I'm not changing speakers soon it appears so. . .I'm trying to get used to this as I don't want to add a subwoofer (don't think that's the cure) and I really do want to like this ZCD machine.  It's a quality playback device, no doubt of that!

I've ordered a fresh tube of my favorite tube and I'm sending my ZBox back in for attention (and the ZCD DOES sound better with the ZBox than without).  I'm going to keep spinning discs and listening and "acclimating" myself as best I can.  I really WANT to love this thing!

* well, maybe there's less bass presence. Maybe there's just something that's fundamentally different in the way this player interprets things than the DVD player sources (DEC685, Sony ES Blu-Ray player, NAD T585) I've been using and used to.  DVD players always seem to present cds in a certain way that is a tiny bit smoother, warmer, than dedicated cd players, at least to ME in my system.  I do miss a tiny rounding, a tiny bit of warmth that I think I'm used to and just isn't there with the ZCD and shouldn't be if it's a "coloration" of a DVD player. . . . The Decware products are just so clean and clear, I mean the ZCD, the CSP2, the SE34L Monoblocks just don't color the sound. . . maybe I'd be happier, get that touch of warm sweetening I seem to be missing, with a more classic sounding tube amp, Eddie V's, a revamped vintage one, etc. with the ZCD giving me the unvarnished truth on the disc?  Something to ponder I guess.

Oh yes, my Decware system is my entire entertainment system in the living room-dining room area and I'm using the Blu-Ray player for Blu-Ray and DVD discs. . . comparing it to the ZCD on occasion the last few days as well.  It is smoother and warmer and a bit more laid back than the ZCD. . . I could easily live with just it, but the ZCD continues to improve and has more "depth" as far as stage and image.

Looks nice.

I've never liked the sound of sand and lead but then I may not have gotten the tuning right ever.  I have decided I prefer Herbie Audio Lab Isoball footers to the Mapleshade brass AND Isoblocks so I use those under components and platform, and have the CSP2 sitting on top of these on top of the ZCD (the ZBox is by now back at Decware).

Sounding good.  Still not completely satisfied, but may be in the near future if the ZCD keeps improving.  Of course I don't have (and wouldn't be able to in this house) SO Imperials, a definite "deficit"!

Happy listening as you heal my friend!

Randy,

None of my other players have stock cords.  I have PS Audio XStream cords of two types and Decware power cords on all my other units.

I have a sort of IEC converter I can wire in to use other power cords and probably will.  I'm trying to get a handle on the sound of the unit just as it is. . . and decide if I'm ultimately going to keep it forever (I probably will) and will then splice in t hat IEC plug and use a PS Audio cord on the machine.  I believe that power cords DO make a difference. I regret not ordering this machine with the IEC option!

As for the additonal mass and weight for the player, I really find that using the big brass Mapleshade footers necessitates adding some sort of weight to most components.  I haven't found that necessary with teh Herbie's Audio Lab Isocups, which is nice.

Lon,

I've been following your comments on the ZCD and have been a little surprised and I guess disappointed that the adjectives "forward and tart" or "lacking warmth or smoothness" have remained a consistent theme in all of your posts.  Usually when something like this happens I get to read a post about "finding the culprit" and all is good... so I have to wonder why it's not happening here.

After pondering this for some time, I wondering if the difference between output of the various players is causing this impression.  I would be willing to bet that if I made the output level of the ZCD adjustable so you could find the sweet spot with your CSP2 that we could make the player sound considerably warmer.  

If I was at your house right now, I would probably be experimenting with the CSP2 output level controls on the back vs. the volume control on the front to find where everything sounds and works best for the warmest sound.  Then if that didn't work, drop the output level of the ZCD.  This can be also be done by using a 12AU7 in the ZBOX and adjusting the output level control to about 1/2.



Steve

Steve, thanks again for your attention.  In the last few days I have been tampering with the gain on the CSP2 and I find that with very little gain the ZBox sounds very rich and warm on most well-recorded material and most of my archive.  It has also been breaking in over the last few weeks and getting nicer overall.

A wonderful machine (I've really been saying this all along) that is fast becoming irreplaceable in the system.  If only it played SACDs!

Thanks for your guidance and insight.  Here's hoping it's this good or better when I have the modded ZBox back from you.

Bob, thanks.  I have 6N2Ps in all the appropriate sockets on my CSP2 and my SE34L Monoblocks. . . and cryo'd RCA 12BH7A in the ZCD, very close to what you have.  I have so so many tubes I don't want to buy another N.O.S. or two but if I see reasonable ones I'll look for RCA 12AU7As.

Quote:


Well ..... it's about time .....

I know that we don't always hear things exactly the same, but the sound you were describing was not at all what I was hearing ..... I have to wonder how much of it was due to the power cord  ?

Whatever the reason, I am extremely happy to hear that the ZCD is working for you ..... goodness knows that you have paid your dues to get it where it needs to be .....

The fact that you were not ecstatic about the sound initially does nothing but enhance the respect that your opinions deserve ..... it proves that you are not a "homer" for everything that has the Decware name plate ..... the stamp of approval has to be earned.

Tim Adams paid me a visit last week and was very complimentary about the sound I am getting from the ZCD ..... and Tim is not easily impressed these days.

Having owned some pretty respectable digital front end equipment as a basis for comparison, I am extremely pleased with the sound I'm getting from the ZCD ..... it is a screaming bargain and I can't imagine it being the weak link in any high end audio system .....

I think we have "chosen well" ......

Happy listening,

Randy

Lon,

There may be one more factor that is affecting the overall sound I am hearing from the ZCD ..... for the past few months, I have been treating my CDs with a product I heard at the last HornFest at Ed Schilling's place ..... Ultra Bit Platinum CD Treatment.

I have no idea what this product does, but one of the claims is that it makes CDs sound "more analog" and based on my experience I feel that it's a fair claim.

As you correctly observe, the ZCD adds none of the coloration that many players do (especially tubed units) and is very honest in its presentation.  It's possible that the ZCD is "honestly" portraying whatever the beneficial effect is on the treated CD.

Everyone who attended the HornFest heard a dramatic difference (read improvement) in the treated CDs and it seems reasonable to me that the more accurate and resolving the player, the more obvious the difference would be.

Whatever the case ..... I am very happy with the results .....

As far as I know, Ed is still a distributor for this product and it can be ordered from his website.

Randy

Quote:


What a nice "problem" to have ..... I hope to have the same problem some day .....

I can appreciate why you don't want to get started with this.  Truthfully, it not only involves a financial investment to treat the disks but the time to do it.  To treat 10,000 CDs ..... I would probably be old and gray long before the job was finished .....

With that many disks, you have no doubt chosen the best course by making changes in your system to get the desired sound ..... and healthy food and clothing are always a wise investment .....

Randy

Glad you've got everything dialed-in, Lon!
Now, back to the 10k +/- cd collection--- !
(green with envy) Don

Well ..... last night, my ZCD player attained a higher level of excellence (for the second time) .....

I was pleasantly surprised to hear the following :
Greater depth of soundstage (beyond the already very fine depth)
More space between the instruments and vocalists
A greater sense of the 'recorded space"
An increased sense of "clarity" and resolution.

Without having my previous digital front ends to compare side by side, it would not be prudent on my part to rate the ZCD against them in terms of absolute performance ..... but I can safely say that this player will not have to hang its head in the best of company ..... it's that good.

To anyone looking for a very musical and resolving digital front end and who has been sitting on the fence concerning which way to jump, the ZCD should be on your very short list.  With some break in time and judicious system setup, this player will give many hours of enjoyment .....

Highly recommended,

Randy

Long time since posting.    I've long settled on a power cord for the ZCD: the IEGO L70530 cable with the silver-plated 8065 connectors.  After 10 months of use and comparison with the MAC HC during that time, it has all the jump, clarity, and tone of the MAC, with a smoothness and chime thats hard to describe.  The MAC sounds better with my Carina.

I've since moved away from the Mullard CV4003 tube which, along with a Siemens 12AU7 I've had for several years, were the flavors I've prefered.  In experimenting, I've puchased a RCA 12AU7 Cleartop, an RCA 12AV7, and an Amperex 7062.  The 7062 expands the depth and width of the soundstage, with great tone and a "dynamic smooothness" (hard to describe).  Its both comfortable and spunky.  The 12AV7 seems to do the same thing, on a slightly smaller scale.  The Cleartop seems more detailed, but slightly tipped up to me.  None of the tubes sound are bad...just different flavorings. The CV4003 has the richest, warmest midrange, although a touch veiled in longterm listening..  The Siemens is the clearest and most detailed, and really exposes average to poor recordings.