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CSP3 or ZBox or ZStage .... .? (Read 7232 times)
KobeeDog
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CSP3 or ZBox or ZStage .... .?
01/11/14 at 19:55:19
 
Hey guys,

I am in need of a very simple pre-amp for my system.

My amp is a Cary Rocket-88, which I probably plan on keeping they put me in my grave or it stops working, whichever comes first.

I don't need multiple inputs, or outputs ... all I basically need is volume attenuation. But, there is a catch - the Cary has an unusually high input voltage. It needs a lot of gain to be driven properly.

I understand that the CSP3 has gain attenuators, but the rather large price jump in the current model keeps me from jumping on that, and it has features (that I will pay a lot for) that I will never use.

Would the ZBox or ZStage be up to the task of being the very simple preamp that I am looking for?

Thanks.
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Lon
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Re: CSP3 or ZBox or ZStage .... .?
Reply #1 - 01/11/14 at 20:16:54
 
Hello!

Well, I'm not the best to answer this but I think not the ZBox. The ZStage has gain, the ZBox is just a "near unity" gain, won't add gain.

The ZStage may do it for you if you just need one source. (Steve may be able to custom make one with two inputs?)
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Lin
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Re: CSP3 or ZBox or ZStage .... .?
Reply #2 - 01/11/14 at 22:14:38
 
3.2v for full output
You are going to need some gain, depending upon your source(s) the ZStage with 5v max may or may not be enough.

Lon is right about the ZBox, it would be a waste of $ with your amp, if you had the 88R it would probably work.
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KobeeDog
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Re: CSP3 or ZBox or ZStage .... .?
Reply #3 - 01/12/14 at 01:42:22
 
Thanks for the reply, guys.

Yeah, the 88R (from what I read) only needs 1.2v to come to life, but mine needs 3.2.
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