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CSP3 vs ZTPRE (Read 10611 times)
Matchstikman
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CSP3 vs ZTPRE
04/11/16 at 20:21:25
 
Why would someone choose one over the other?  I'm interested in both but I'm wondering if the ZTPRE is more than I need.  I currently on an original CSP that works well.  I'm pondering why I would even upgrade.

I'm a casual listener.  I was once an avid audioholic but I've since fallen off the wagon or maybe jumped back on it.  Don't know at the moment.

At the moment I have some SS amps in consideration to replace a very old, original blue TORII.  It still works well;however, tube maintenance is something I want to remove myself from doing.

But, tubes are tubes, right?

Any advice?
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Lon
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Re: CSP3 vs ZTPRE
Reply #1 - 04/11/16 at 21:09:40
 
I think the new pre has a clear advantage if you use balanced connections. And need a remote option. Otherwise. .. I don't really see anyone needing to replace one of the CSP3 preamps.
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HR-1,ZTPRE,ZBIT,ZROCK2,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod,Taboo MkIV;Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD,P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls,Reference spkrcbls;Mapleshade SamsonV3;VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects, IsoPods; headphones:Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1
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Matchstikman
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Re: CSP3 vs ZTPRE
Reply #2 - 04/11/16 at 21:47:30
 
What does a balance connection give me as far as sound?  Some of the power amps I am considering come with balanced options.

BTW, Lon, very nice pic of you and your girlfriend.
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Lon
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Re: CSP3 vs ZTPRE
Reply #3 - 04/12/16 at 01:47:36
 
Thanks. That is an OFFICIALLY APPROVED BY LUCY picture. They are rare! We are now man and wife as of February 20, 2016.

Balanced really imo gives a solid benefit over long distances. Noise is eliminated (in theory). You find these connections most often in pro applications where you can run into long lengths and also clusters of wire badly placed which can lead to noise.  Most audio applications feature single-ended, not balanced, and are fine as long as you are not running dozens of feet of cables.
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HR-1,ZTPRE,ZBIT,ZROCK2,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod,Taboo MkIV;Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD,P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls,Reference spkrcbls;Mapleshade SamsonV3;VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects, IsoPods; headphones:Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1
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Matchstikman
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Re: CSP3 vs ZTPRE
Reply #4 - 04/12/16 at 15:37:54
 
Congrats, Lon.

You look very happy in that picture.
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Lon
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Re: CSP3 vs ZTPRE
Reply #5 - 04/12/16 at 16:17:57
 
Thanks MM. Yes, I'm very happy. I knew Lucy in the 'seventies as the girlfriend of a coworker. Always liked her. Moved to Texas in '80. . . married in '90 to the first woman I fell in love with, in college, seventeen years after I met her. Lost her in '08 to lymphoma and MDS, and then in '13 moved back to Ohio to care for my parents. In '14 I finally got a few evenings off a week from that "job" and looked around for people I knew in the 'seventies. . . found Lucy, who was about three years divorced from an asshole and "trough with men . . . took me some time to get her to agree to meet me and sparks flew for both of us when we did, and my life became bearable again. After losing my Mom and getting my Dad settled in assisted living (where he is THRIVING) I moved in with Lucy and we've been very happy. We're so alike, in all the good ways, and love being next to each other.

I have both balanced and single-ended outputs on both my PS Audio DirectStream and my killer Denon universal player. . . but I use the single-ended. I'd try Steve's ZBIT out if that didn't mean such a big expense for that AND a comparable quality interconnect. . . I just don't think the benefits (especially as I don't seem to like the "thickened" sound that seems to be the goal as much as others seem to) outweigh what the financial clobber would be for me right now. Perhaps in the future.
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HR-1,ZTPRE,ZBIT,ZROCK2,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod,Taboo MkIV;Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD,P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls,Reference spkrcbls;Mapleshade SamsonV3;VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects, IsoPods; headphones:Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1
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Matchstikman
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Re: CSP3 vs ZTPRE
Reply #6 - 04/13/16 at 17:19:07
 
I see how a balanced connection would be useful with long distances but my amp and pre will be no more than a foot apart.  However, if I do get a new pre I might as well get the best one I can.  This may be the last pre I every buy.

Lon, that is quite a string events, both happy & heartbreaking, that has led you to where you are.

I know this is off topic, but...what did your new wife have to say when you moved in with ALL of your stuff?  I bet moving that CD collection of yours is a bit of a struggle.
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Lon
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"Love without
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Re: CSP3 vs ZTPRE
Reply #7 - 04/13/16 at 17:28:28
 
Good question that. My wife was not happy about it. . . and I only brought about half my collection with me at least initially. I have a large storage unit full of stuff that I will be whittling down over the next years. . . and or we'll be building a garage with storage above it on the property. She has gotten used to my stuff. . . somewhat. . . . I've set it up with her direction and it's been okay.

I hear you about the preamp. I personally love my CSP2+ with beeswax caps, but wouldn't need it if the Torii had 3 instead of 2 inputs. And I'd be much more interested in this new preamp if it were simply single-ended and incorporated the ZP3 and had a phono and two line inputs. So I'm happy using my CSP2+ to allow me three sources for my Torii. . . and don't need balanced connections.
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HR-1,ZTPRE,ZBIT,ZROCK2,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod,Taboo MkIV;Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD,P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls,Reference spkrcbls;Mapleshade SamsonV3;VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects, IsoPods; headphones:Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1
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Matchstikman
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Re: CSP3 vs ZTPRE
Reply #8 - 04/14/16 at 17:01:41
 
Lon, what about your music gear.  Do you jam out when your wife is out of the house?  I had a live-in girlfriend a few  years back that would leave the house while I jammed out.  It was appreciated on both ends.

I think I am going with the ZTPRE.  My heart wants that.

The amp is another story.

I would love the ZMA but tubes take so much maintenance.   I still consider an SS amp with hopes the ZTPRE can give enough tube juice to make it all work.  I'm not the avid listener I was years ago, but I still get the urge several times a week.
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Lon
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"Love without
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Philip K. Dick

Posts: 23307
Re: CSP3 vs ZTPRE
Reply #9 - 04/14/16 at 19:09:19
 
MM, my wife works still, wants to keep working for six or seven more years, and I'm "retired" in that I don't have to go anywhere except where my Dad needs to go (he has tons of medical appointments and I spend at least two half days with him, sometimes more). My system is audio and video so I watch a lot of TV (much of it on Blu-ray too) and listen to CDs and LPs. .. a lot. I don't "jam out" much. . .most of my listening is at moderate levels, but I listen a lot. The system has been worth the expense in that it cost a lot, but is used a lot.
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HR-1,ZTPRE,ZBIT,ZROCK2,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod,Taboo MkIV;Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD,P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls,Reference spkrcbls;Mapleshade SamsonV3;VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects, IsoPods; headphones:Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1
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Matchstikman
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Re: CSP3 vs ZTPRE
Reply #10 - 04/15/16 at 18:34:17
 
The more I read about what the ZTPRE does and what I need, the more I lean towards the CSP3 which is simple and direct which is what I want.

So, I think that is the way I am going to go.

However, I wish the CSP3 laid flat.

Lon, how is the bass playing these days?
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Lon
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"Love without
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Re: CSP3 vs ZTPRE
Reply #11 - 04/15/16 at 19:53:43
 
I think the CSP3 suits your needs best as well.

To be honest, since I have Lucy to play around with, I've been playing with my basses and guitars a lot less. Wink There are two bass guitars I've been messing with, one is a "Wishbass" made by Steven Wishnevsky that is a hollow body with a fretless neck. I can get Jaco sounds or I can get upright bass sounds or a lot of other things. And the other is a Warmoth parts bass that is a Precision with a black limba body and a wenge neck and fingerboard, and a Seymour Duncan pickup. The woods just give a fantastic tone that I love to hear and fool with. I never quite took to a Precision with such gusto before, I'm most a Fender Jazz guy but the woods make this one worth the effort to adapt. I love the sound via my Fender Bassman TV 15 amp.
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HR-1,ZTPRE,ZBIT,ZROCK2,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod,Taboo MkIV;Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD,P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls,Reference spkrcbls;Mapleshade SamsonV3;VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects, IsoPods; headphones:Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1
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