Z o n e A m p l i f i e r
Protect
L
R
Hi-Temp
Zamp v.3 Zone Amplifier
Power
O w n e r’s G u i d e
1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
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. 2
. 2
3
115v – 230v AC Selector Switch
Ventilation Requirements .
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Rack Mounting .
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3
Rear Panel Connections and Controls .
. 3
. 7
. 8
. 9
. 9
. 10
Front Panel Controls and Indicators
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Typical Problems and Remedies
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If You Require Assistance
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Warranty Repair .
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Specifications
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2
INTRODUCTION
Congratulations and thank you for your purchase of this precision Parasound audio component.
The Parasound Zamp v.3 Zone Amplifier is the third generation of one of the world’s most
popular and proven audio amplifiers. It has been designed for a wide variety of applications,
including multi-room, multi-zone installations, desktop audio, PC-Mac audio, bedroom or den
systems. The versatility of the Zamp v.3 allows many connection and configuration options,
so please be sure to read this manual thoroughly before you begin installation.
Unpacking
Carefully unpack your Zamp v.3 and these accessories:
•
Detachable AC power cord
•
Black trigger wire with a 2.5 mm sub-mini plug at each end
•
3.5mm jack to 2.5mm plug adapter
Please inspect the unit now and contact your Parasound Dealer promptly if you see evidence
of shipping damage. Save the carton and packing inserts in case you move or in the event you
need to ship your amplifier for repair. Before you proceed, locate the five digit serial number on
the rear panel or underside of the unit and record it here for future reference:
Serial #: __________________________________________________________________________
Date of Purchase:__________________________________________________________________
Parasound Dealer: ________________________________________________________________
Phone Number: __________________________________________________________________
3
AC VOLTAGE, INSTALLATION AND RACK MOUNTING
115v - 230v AC Voltage Selector Switch
This switch is found on the chassis bottom. The 115V position of this switch is correct for North
America; most other countries require setting it to 230V. Make sure the 115/230V switch is
set for the correct AC line (mains) voltage before you connect the Zamp v.3’s power cord and
before you install it. The unit may be seriously damaged if this switch is set incorrectly.
Installation and Ventilation Requirements
Install your Zamp v.3 away from heat sources such as heating ducts, radiators, or other heat-
producing components. Always position the Zamp v.3 horizontally.
Observe the following ventilation guidelines when installing the Zamp v.3 in an equipment rack
or any other enclosed space:
You should never install the Zamp v.3 in an unventilated equipment cabinet or compartment because
hot air will not exhaust adequately to prevent overheating. Air won’t often circulate adequately in a
cabinet or enclosure whose front and back sides are open; pockets of intense heat can still develop
around any heat-producing equipment. Therefore, a ventilation fan is highly recommended.
Allow a few inches of empty space on each side and above the unit and try to avoid crowding or
stacking the Zamp v.3 tightly between other components. A ventilation fan is also recommended
where other equipment must be mounted close to the Zamp v.3.
Do not place the unit on carpeting or any other material that could obstruct air flow into the
ventilation holes in its chassis bottom.
Rack Mounting
The Zamp v.3 occupies only half the width of a single rack space in a standard 19" equipment rack.
For rack mounting, you can fasten it to another Parasound Z series model by using the Parasound
SBS (Side-by-Side) mounting kit. You can also mount a single Zamp v.3 in the rack with the acces-
sory Zblank panel. The SBS includes four rack mount bolts plus four pairs of plastic “shoulder
washers.” The washers are important because they insulate the Zamp v.3 front panel (and chassis)
from the metal equipment rack and from the four mounting bolts. Locate these washers on both
sides of the front panel before the mounting bolts are screwed into the rack rail.
Protect
L
R
Hi-Temp
Power
Zamp v.3
SBS Behind Panels
Zblank panel
4
REAR PANEL CONNECTIONS AND CONTROLS
Connection Precautions
Disconnect the AC cord before making or changing any input, trigger, or speaker wire connections.
Make sure there is no strain or tension on any wires that could cause them to pull loose.
Audio In Jacks
Connect the cables from your preamplifier or multi-room controller’s output jacks to the Zamp
v.3 L and R audio In jacks.
Loop Jacks
The L and R Loop jacks are convenient output connections for an additional power amplifier.
These jacks eliminate the need for “Y” connectors to drive both your Zamp v.3 and another
amplifier from the same source.
R and L Level Knobs
You can adjust the gain for each channel to achieve the lowest noise and widest dynamic range
in your system or installation. Start with the 12 o’clock mid-position of each knob on the Zamp
v.3 and turn each one clockwise for higher gain or counter-clockwise for lower gain.
Note: We encourage you to experiment with different gain settings for your preamp or con-
troller and the Zamp v.3 to find those gain settings where your system’s background noise is
lowest. Among sound professionals this procedure is known as “gain staging.”
Speaker Connections
Each pair of five-way speaker terminals accepts bare speaker wires up to AWG 12, wires termi-
1
3
nated with ⁄4" spade lugs, and single or dual banana plugs which are ⁄4" (19mm) apart.
1
If you use bare wires, remove only enough insulation, about ⁄2" (12mm) for each exposed bare
wire to insert through the small hole in the side of the binding post. Before inserting a bare
wire, twist the strands tightly between your fingers to prevent strays that might touch the chas-
sis or another terminal and cause a short circuit. If you have soldering experience you may want
to “tin” the stripped bare wire with solder for a cleaner termination and to prevent the wire
from oxidizing.
Mono St
Use
R
Gnd Lift
Auto On
L
R+
L+
Loop
In
115V
/230V
60Hz
/50Hz
5W
Audio Man 12V
Sens
Zamp v.3
R-
R
Level
L
In
Loop
In
Out
3A
Fuse
Only
Zamp V.3 Zone Amplifier
Parasound Products, Inc.
San Francisco, CA USA
R
L-
AC Voltage Selector On Bottom
AVIS: RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE-NE PAS OUVRIR.
Correct Speaker Polarity is Important
As you connect the speaker wires, you can see that the insulation on one of the two wires in
each pair has either printing or a raised ridge. The marking lets you know which wire you con-
nected to the positive speaker terminal at its other end.
Make sure the + wire you attach to each Zamp v.3 + speaker terminal is attached to the +
terminal of the speaker for that channel.
Stereo - Mono Switch
The Zamp v.3 power should always be turned off before moving this switch.
For normal operation this switch must be to the right in its ST (stereo) position.
For bridged mono operation, move this switch left to its Mono position.
Note: Stereo sound will be faint and very distorted if you accidentally leave this switch in its
Mono position.
5
REAR PANEL CONNECTIONS AND CONTROLS continued
Mono Operation
We recommend an 8 Ω minimum speaker load for bridged mono operation. In mono the Zamp
v.3 “bridges” the R channel to amplify only the positive half of the audio signal and the L chan-
nel to amplify only the negative half of the audio signal. In effect, each channel “sees” only half
of the speaker’s rated impedance, so that an 8 Ω speaker in mono is only a 4 Ω load and a 4 Ω
speaker in mono is a punishing 2 Ω load.
Note: Do not attach a mono speaker load that is less than 4 Ω to avoid overloading and over-
heating the Zamp v.3.
Mono Input and Speaker Connections
1. Turn the unit off and remove the AC cord.
2. Connect the single cable from the preamp or controller to the R channel audio In jack.
3. Set the Mono-ST (stereo) switch to its Mono position.
4. Connect the positive lead of the speaker wire to the red R + channel speaker terminal.
5. Connect the negative lead of the speaker wire to the red L + channel speaker terminal.
Note: The R + and L + terminals are spaced too far apart to accept a dual-banana plug.
6. Do not connect anything to either channel’s – speaker terminal.
7. Reconnect the AC cord.
Automatic Turn On Options
For convenience, there are two ways the Zamp v.3 can be triggered to turn on automatically.
- When a suitable voltage is applied to its 12V In (input) jack.
- When an audio signal is present at the L and R audio IN (input) jacks.
When automatic turn on is selected the Zamp v.3 front panel Power button is disabled so that
on/off is determined solely by the triggering preamp or controller.
Mono St
Use
R
Gnd Lift
Auto On
L
R+
L+
Loop
In
115V
/230V
60Hz
/50Hz
5W
Audio Man 12V
Sens
Zamp v.3
R-
R
Level
L
In
Loop
In
Out
3A
Fuse
Only
Zamp V.3 Zone Amplifier
Parasound Products, Inc.
San Francisco, CA USA
R
L-
AC Voltage Selector On Bottom
AVIS: RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE-NE PAS OUVRIR.
12V Position
When the Auto On switch is set to the right in its 12V position, the Zamp v.3 is turned on and off
with an external +9 V to + 12 V voltage from your controller. When the external voltage ceases the
Zamp v.3 will turn off immediately. The 12V switch position disables the front panel Power button.
Man (Manual) Position
When the Auto On switch is in its middle MAN (manual) position, the auto turn on function is
disabled and the Zamp v.3 must be turned on and off manually with the Power button on its
front panel.
Audio Position
When the Auto On switch is set to the left in its Audio position, the Zamp v.3 will be turned on
whenever an audio signal is present at its Left and Right Input jacks. After audio signals cease,
the Zamp v.3 will remain turned on for about ten minutes. This prevents it from shutting down
during pauses in the music. The Audio position of the Auto On switch also disables the front
panel Power button.
6
REAR PANEL CONNECTIONS AND CONTROLS continued
12V In Connection
The Zamp v.3 12V input uses a 2.5mm sub-mini jack. To trigger the Zamp v.3, plug one end of
the provided cord into this jack and the other end into the source component’s trigger output.
Some components may use a 3.5mm trigger output jack, so we have also included a 3.5mm
plug - 2.5mm adapter.
If the control component’s trigger output is a + and - terminal, you can cut the 2.5mm plug off
one end of the included trigger wire and attach the bare wires to these terminals. The lead with
the white stripe on it corresponds to the plug’s tip and the unmarked lead corresponds to the
sleeve of the plug.
Note: If the trigger voltage source is DC, the trigger plug tip must be + (positive) and its sleeve
– (negative). The Zamp v.3 trigger current draw is a negligible 15 mA.
12V Trigger Out Connection
The Trigger Out jack lets you loop or “daisy-chain” the incoming trigger voltage to an additional
Zamp v.3 or other component.
Note: The total load on your preamp or controller’s trigger output is the sum of the current
drawn by the trigger circuits of each of the components you’ve linked together.
Audio Trigger Sensitivity Knob
The Auto On Audio Sensitivity knob adjusts the incoming audio level or the “threshold” required
to turn on the Zamp v.3. Its 12 o’clock position will be suitable in most cases. To increase sensi-
tivity to respond to lower level audio signals, turn the knob counter-clockwise toward +.
Turn the knob clockwise toward – to decrease its sensitivity. This will prevent spurious noise and
switching transients in your system from turning on the Zamp v.3.
Mono St
Use
R
Gnd Lift
Auto On
L
Loop
In
Audio Man 12V
Sens
R
Level
L
In
Loop
In
Out
Zamp V.3 Zone Amplifier
Parasound Products, Inc.
San Francisco, CA USA
R
AVIS: RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE-NE PAS OUVRIR.
Gnd (Ground) Lift Switch
Gnd is the normal position for this switch. If you hear background hum in the speakers connected
to the Zamp v.3, try setting the Ground Lift Switch to its Lift position. The Ground Lift Switch dis-
connects or “lifts” the audio circuit ground from the chassis ground. This often helps to eliminate
audible hum that results from ground loops. Ground loops are multiple ground paths such as the
metal-to-metal contact with the panels or chassis of other components combined with the ground
connections of the audio cables or even the ground wires of the various AC cords.
AC Power Connections and AC Grounding
If possible, plug your Zamp v.3 into the same AC outlet that your accompanying audio components
(especially the system controller) are plugged into. The ground potential between different AC
outlets may be higher or lower, resulting in audible hum.
7
FRONT PANEL CONTROLS AND INDICATORS
Power Button
Press the Power button once to turn the Zamp v.3 on, press it again to turn it off.
Note: The Power button is inoperative when the Auto On switch is set to Audio or 12V.
L and R Channel Indicators
L and R will illuminate green when the Zamp v.3 is turned on and is operating normally. The
green L or R indicator will not light if the fault condition is only in that channel. Neither L or R
will illuminate if there is a general fault or if the temperature is too high.
Protect
L
R
Hi-Temp
Zamp v.3 Zone Amplifier
Power
Protect Indicator
Protect will illuminate red when the Zamp v.3 has experienced either an internal or external fault
condition which has also activated its protection circuit to prevent internal damage.
Note: It is normal for Protect to flash on for 1 – 2 seconds after the unit is turned on.
Hi-Temp Indicator
Hi-Temp will illuminate red when the Zamp v.3 reaches its maximum safe operating temperature.
If the heat persists the unit will soon shut itself off for protection and will remain off until the
temperature drops. If Hi-Temp appears, the unit has been over-driven at too high a listening level
and/or too low impedance speaker load or has not been provided with sufficient ventilation.
Headphone Jack
1
The headphone jack on the front panel accepts a ⁄8" (3.5 mm) plug. Its high current headphone
circuit will easily drive headphones with an impedance of 8 Ω or higher. The output to the
speaker terminals is disconnected when you plug headphones into the Zamp v.3.
MaintainingYour Zamp v.3
Your Parasound Zamp v.3 power amplifier requires no periodic maintenance other than to
receive an occasional flattering remark. It has no user-serviceable parts inside. To avoid the risk
of electric shock, do not remove its top cover. The exterior can be cleaned with a soft cloth
pre-moistened only with a few drops of water or glass cleaner.
8
TYPICAL PROBLEMS AND REMEDIES
No sound
-
-
-
-
-
-
Check that AC is live.
Check that input cables and speaker wires are secure at both ends.
Make sure the control preamp/receiver is switched to the correct input.
Is the unit on? Check setting of the Auto On switch.
If using Auto turn on, increase the sensitivity of the audio trigger.
Is the Hi-Temp or Protect (or both) illuminated? Check for excessive temperature, short circuit-
ed speaker wires, low impedance speaker load, and inadequate ventilation to remove heat.
Background Hum
-
-
-
-
-
Move the Ground switch to Lift.
Move audio cables and AC cords away from each other.
Try different routes for the audio cables and AC cords.
Make sure insulating shoulder washers are used if unit is rack mounted.
Try reversing the direction of the AC plugs in other components, one by one.
Distorted and Weak Sound
-
-
-
-
Check the position of the Mono-ST switch. It must be in ST to play stereo.
Make sure the load impedance is not below 4 ohms.
Make sure the gain of the preamp is not set too low.
Make sure the gain controls of the Zamp v.3 are not set too low.
9
IF YOU REQUIRE ASSISTANCE
Call your Parasound dealer first. If the dealer can’t help you with your problem we encourage
you to call Parasound’s Technical Service Department, toll-free at 1-866-770-8324, Monday - Friday,
7am - 5pm Pacific time. We can suggest other diagnostic tests you can easily perform. If we
determine that your Zamp v.3 should be returned to Parasound or an Authorized Parasound
Warranty Center for inspection and possible servicing, we will provide the location of a warranty
center near you or shipping instructions for the unit’s return to Parasound.
Before You Return Any Unit to Parasound for Service
Before you send your unit to Parasound, you will need to obtain a specific Return Authorization
(RA) number and shipping instructions from Parasound’s Technical Department. The RA number
must be clearly marked on the outer carton. Use the original factory packing materials and
arrange adequate insurance to cover its value. You must include a copy of your purchase receipt,
since this document establishes the validity of this unit’s warranty. Warranty repairs are only
performed by Parasound or Parasound Authorized warranty centers when your purchase receipt
is from a Parasound Authorized Dealer or Parasound Authorized Reseller.
Units Will Be Refused by Parasound Under the Following Conditions
1. Unit was sent without the Parasound-assigned RA number marked on the carton.
2. Unit was sent in an unsuitable shipping carton, likely to have been damaged in transit.
3. Unit has inadequate packing, unit likely to have been damaged in transit.
4. Unit was shipped collect for shipping charges. We do not accept collect shipments.
5. Unit was shipped via the US Postal Service.
6. Unit was sent to an address other than the address instructed by our Technical Department.
Note: The shipping address is not the same as Parasound’s office address.
Warranty Repair
Read your accompanying Parasound Limited Warranty carefully to understand the applicable rights
and limitations. This section provides instructions for obtaining repairs, both for units covered
under the Parasound Limited Warranty and for units or situations which are outside the Warranty.
Unit is not eligible for repair under the terms of the Parasound warranty if:
1. Unit was not purchased from a Parasound Authorized Dealer or Parasound Authorized Reseller.
2. Unit’s serial number was removed, modified, or defaced.
3. Unit shows evidence of abuse and/or misuse.
4. Unit was modified in any way.
5. A prior repair was attempted by an unauthorized repair station.
10
PARASOUND ZAMP V.3 SPECIFICATIONS
Continuous Power Output – Stereo
Dynamic Headroom
45 watts RMS x 2, 20 Hz-20 kHz, 8 Ω,
both channels driven
1.5 dB
Inter-Channel Crosstalk
60 watts RMS x 2, 20 Hz-20 kHz, 4 Ω,
both channels driven
80 dB at 1 kHz; 60 dB at 20 kHz
Continuous Power Output – Mono
Damping Factor
90 watts RMS, 20 Hz-20 kHz, 8 Ω
minimum impedance
400 at 20 Hz
Audio Trigger Sensitivity
Current Capacity
5 mV to 200 mV
12 amps peak per channel
12V Trigger Current Requirement
Frequency Response
15 mA
5 Hz - 100 kHz, +0/-3 dB, 1 watt
AC Power Requirement
Total Harmonic Distortion
110 – 120 V / 220 -240 V, 50 – 60 Hz
1 watt standby; 220 watts full output
0.07%, at 8 Ω, 0.1% at 4 Ω, full output
0.02%, average listening levels
Dimensions
IM Distortion
1
9 ⁄2" Wide
0.05 %
10" Deep with connectors
3
2" High with feet, 1 ⁄4" panel only
Transient IM Distortion
241 x 254 x 50mm, 44.1mm panel only
Not measurable
Net and Shipping Weight
Slew Rate
6.65 lbs., 3 kg; 9 lbs., 4.1 kg
90 V/µsecond
Rack Mount Accessories
S/N Ratio
May be Purchased Separately
116 dB, input shorted, IHF A-weighted
SBS: Bracket and bolts to attach two
Z series units side-by-side in a standard
19" equipment rack.
Input Impedance
33 k Ω
1
3
Zblank: 9 ⁄2" x 1 ⁄4" blank panel, required
to mount a single Z series unit; Zblank kit
includes one SBS.
Input Sensitivity
600 mV; 1.5 V for full output
Parasound Products, Inc. 950 Battery Street, San Francisco, CA 94111
Customer Service 415-397-7100 / Technical Dept. 415-675-7272 / Fax 415-397-0144
Rev 0.91
© Parasound Products, Inc. 2004
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