Howdy I2. I was in your place a couple few years ago. I bought the amp first, then the zp3 and last but not least, the speakers. I would definitely get the zp3 before the zrock2. In my opinion, I like a little volume every now and then so I went with the Torii MKIV witH 25 upgrades. My vinyl rig is my weak link now with an Audio Technical AT120 but with an Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge. I love my Decware gear and I believe it’s a bargain sound/dollar spent. I have a Zrock2 now but I just use it for digital. Cheers!

I2 - Welcome. Once I had made the decision to get heavy into Decware I sold off my ARC, Krell, NYAL, Sequerra gear and ordered my Rachel, ZP3. I purchased a ZMC1 off off of a forum member for my LOMC and then bought a CSP3 off another forum member and had it sent to Steve for a check up, warranty change over and new set of stock tubes. I am driving Omega Super XRS 7mkII speakers and a Deep 8 sub. I have had a SOTA Star Saphirre Vacuum turntable with a Fidelity Research FR-64 tonearm and a Dynavector 17DX cart. I have never looked back on my Decware conversion/purchase. I bought a SE84CS 2 watter to prove out the concept about low power about five years before the conversion. I read darn near everything Steve wrote and was active on the forum asking questions and getting data. When in doubt, get a call into Steve and talk speakers/amp. I have been involved since I was 18 and have never had a better system or more enjoyment from music/video ever. Happy listening, Chris.

Great turntable. Enjoy it.

HK

I thought ZMC1 is for low resistance mc’s and the ZMC3 is for high resistance mc’s. ZMC2 For high output mc’s. What I wonder about are high resistance mc’s that have a low output. That might not work well with a 42 dB gain tube phono stage?? The Kiseki blue has 0.44 mv but 40 ohms. That doesn’t seem to fit well with either the 1 or 3??

Quote:


You are correct that high impedance low output moving coils do not work well with the 42dB of gain.  The ideal output hitting the input of the ZP3 is 4mV or higher.  If the combo of cartridge/stepup transformer is below that and you are not having any hum or noise issues with your turntable, you can run a ZTAGE at the output of the ZP3 to increase it's gain and dynamics.

Steve

Hey Instinct,  

 My set up: SE84UFO25 (caps upgrade)  VPI traveler 2. Cart/soundsmith zephyr mkIII es.  ZP3 (stock).  Zrock2 (caps upgrade).  Zstage (stock).
mapleshade double helix + spkr wires and jumpers. Decware DM947 (mid range option).
Absolutely heaven in my well treated 11' x 16' mad cave. Last upgrade was the soundsmith!

Here's mine:

Cables: all power cables are PS Audio PerfectWave AC-12; interconnects are all VooDoo Cable Stradivarius Amati except one pair of WireWorld XLR between NuWave and ZTPRE. Signal Tubes: Decware tested and matched 6N5P in ZTPRE, CSP3 and Monoblocks; Amperex 12AU7 in ZROCK2  

It all starts with a PS Audio P10 regenerator. Then. . . .

Rega RP3 with white belt, Groovetracer Reference sub-platter, Delrin platter, counter-weight and record weight, Elys 2 Cartridge, TTPSU. Captive RCA cables into

PS Audio NuWave Phono Converter. I had a ZP3 but I wanted to try out the NuWave Phono Converter and found it very satisfying and kept it because I can use the balanced output into my ZTPRE. So I am using balanced cables into

Decware ZTPRE. The ZTPRE makes the NuWave Phono Converter sound fantastic, nearly as good as the very best tube complement in my ZP3, and it also has mono and phase selection options and can handle MM and MC cartridges. Balanced out into the ZTPRE is a great boon for the system and the combo of NuWave and ZTPRE gives me great sound. From the ZTPRE the signal goes to

Decware ZBIT. The ZBIT allows me to take advantage of the balanced output of the ZTPRE and fine tuning the gain from the ZTPRE and to the

Decware ZROCK2 with the 25th Anniversary Mods. I can't sing the praises of this unit enough. It gets the sound just right and allows me both tonal and gain adjustment as it goes to

Decware CSP3 with 25th Anniversary Mods. This preamp is 95 percent transparent and the 5% that isn't is 25th anniversary dense goodness. I have further gain adjustment (and it really matters in tuning the sound) AND it is the very best headphone amplifier I have . . . powering ZMF Ori phones excellently, the ZROCK2 letting me dial away the bit of leanness and tartness I find in these phones ohterwise. From the CSP3 the signal goes to

Decware SE84UFO3 Monoblocks with the 25th Anniversary mods. I have fallen deeply in love with these two year old suckers. They are my sonic world. Tube-rolling in these amps alone can give me a half dozen exciting amplifier signatures. I settle on one. . .and then the allure of new vistas makes me discover another. . . .I can't recommend experimenting with these highly enough. Finally the signal goes to

Decware/Turning Point Audio HR-1. My second pair, my first production pair, my new benchmark for speaker performance.

Overall I don't listen to LPs as often as I should with this great set up. But when I do, I'm transported to audio happiness.