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Parasound Zpre3 SQ

Hi all,

I'm not sure if this is a good place for this, but it appears that I don't have many options anymore, since Parasound no longer supports their products unless you order from them direct.

I have a Zpre3 - its in a stack with a Zamp and a ZDac.  I've determined that the pre is the culprit here.  It is injecting a lot of overprocessing noise and totally thins out the highs and the lows.  It reminds me of what a home theater receiver with one of those overprocessed DSP modes turned on sounds like.  I don't see any settings that would cause this on the unit, and I'm suspecting it may be a defunct piece.

I have a NC 200 that sounds absolutely wonderful in the same setup.  Does anyone have advice about this particular unit? (Zpre3)  I've seen a number of different people on the forums here talk wonderful things about it, and am worried I may be missing something.

128x128historykid
lanx0003
831 posts
 

Yes, the Zpre3 (and Zpre2 as well) smooths out the edges but also tends to thin out the bass, something to do with its relatively higher output impedance (470 ohms) I think.  It is still a very good preamp at its price point. You could boost the bass to compensate for this. If you’re considering a replacement, the new Schiit Saga 2 (come with relay-potentiometer, LPS, a remote, 100% discrete) might be the best bang for your buck.

historykid's avatar
historykid OP
3 posts
 

Thanks for the reply!  I know that it smooths things out, but this doesn't sound like that.  It really sounds like someone has turned a movie DSP setting on.  I liken it to how Yamaha's "Sci-Fi Movie" mode sounds.  Lots of echo, lots of processing, there isn't even sort of a comparison between the 200 and the 3.  I've found on multiple tracks that the vocals disappear entirely.  I'm just baffled, in my mind there shouldn't be a way for a 2-channel pre to be trying to emulate a surround processor like this is seeming like its doing.

I was also looking at the Loki Mini and Lokius as candidates.  Really sad about this whole experience.  I'm convinced there has to be something I'm missing, but I've tried just about everything I can think of.

lanx0003
831 posts
 

I've found on multiple tracks that the vocals disappear entirely.

I purchased the Zpre3 new and never found the mid-to-high frequencies to be a problem. Its clarity and richness in the mids and highs made me a believer in preamps. When I connected the DAC directly to the amp, the bass came back alive. I think this has something to do with the Zpre3's higher output impedance (470 ohms compared to 75 ohms in the Saga), which might be softening the bass.

To compensate, I’ve been boosting the bass by +2 to +3 on the Zpre3 to achieve a tonal balance equivalent to the direct connection, but the texture of the bass still suffers. The Lokius might be a solution, but I personally prefer transparency over a colored tone. Hopefully, the Saga 2 will resolve that deficiency.

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