Parasound Zdac Owner's Manual

Zdac

192 kHz Digital to Analog Converter

OWNER’S GUIDE

2

INTRODUCTION

Congratulations on your purchase of this precision audio component and thank you for selecting
Parasound. We are proud to offer you this versatile audio component, knowing that it will bring
you many years of enjoyment and dependable operation. Please take a few moments to read the
following instructions so you can enjoy the benefits of your new Zdac’s advanced performance
capabilities.

You can find details of the Zdac’s specifications and advanced technology at

www.parasound.com.

Enjoy.

The Parasound Staff

www.parasound.com

Keep your Purchase Receipt/Bill of Sale and Keep the Carton for Future
Reference

Record the 5 digit serial number located on the bottom side of your Zdac in the space below. Also note

your Parasound dealer’s name and telephone number. Your purchase receipt/bill of sale is required to

determine if your Zdac is eligible for Parasound warranty service. We recommend that you make an

extra copy of your original purchase receipt/bill of sale and store it inside the Zdac’s carton. If the Zdac

should require warranty repair you will need its original carton and foam packing inserts to ship it.
Please do not throw away the carton or foam packing inserts.

Parasound Zdac Serial # ______________________________
Parasound Dealer: ___________________________________
Parasound Dealer Phone Number: _______________________
Date of Purchase: ____________________________________

Important Warranty information

There is no Parasound warranty for this unit if it was not purchased from an Authorized
Parasound Dealer. Investigate warranty coverage statements made by unauthorized dealers very

carefully, as Parasound will not provide service under our warranty and you will need to depend
entirely upon the unauthorized dealer for warranty service. A list of Authorized Parasound Dealers and
detailed warranty information is available at www.parasound.com or you can call Parasound at (415)
397-7100 between 8:30 am and 4 pm Pacific time.

A missing or altered serial number could indicate that this unit was re-sold by an unauthorized
dealer or is stolen merchandise. If this unit is missing its serial number or the serial number has
been altered, you should return it to your dealer immediately for a full refund.

3

Table of Contents

Introduction .................................................. 2

Placement and Ventilation Guidelines .............................. 4

115V / 230V AC Mains Voltage .................................... 5

Connecting Your Zdac .......................................... 6

Operating Your Zdac ........................................... 8

Zdac Headphone Listening ....................................... 8

USB Computer Setup ........................................... 9

Use With a DVD or Blu-ray Player ................................. 9

Frequently Asked Questions and Troubleshooting ................... 10

If You Require Assistance or Warranty Repair ....................... 11

Specifications ................................................ 12

4

Unpacking your Zdac & Placement Guidelines

Unpacking Your Zdac

Carefully remove your Zdac from its shipping carton and locate its AC power cord and USB cable.
While you are unpacking your Zdac, inspect it thoroughly for possible shipping damage and tell your
Parasound dealer immediately if you find any. If possible, save and store both the inner and outer
cartons and–most especially–the foam packing inserts, to protect the Zdac if you have to move it or ship
it. This would be a good time to make a copy of your sales receipt to store with the Zdac’s original
packing.

Again: Do not throw away the Zdac carton or foam packing inserts.

Placement Guidelines

Install your Zdac away from heat sources such as heating ducts, radiators, or other
heat-producing components. Always position the Zdac horizontally. Observe the following
ventilation guidelines when installing the Zdac in an equipment rack or any other enclosed
space:

You should never install the Zdac 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. Allow a few inches of empty space on each side and above the unit and try
to avoid crowding or stacking the Zdac tightly between other components. A ventilation fan is also
recommended where other heat-producing equipment must be mounted close to the Zdac.

If you’re installing the Zdac yourself, use input and output cables that are long enough to
leave at least two feet of slack; that will enable you to pull the Zdac out of a cabinet to check
or to change connections without inadvertently disconnecting cables. If you’re putting the
Zdac inside a cabinet, it needs a space that’s at least 11 inches wide so you’ll be able to
turn it around for access to its rear panel connections.

Rack Mounting Your Parasound Zdac (black Zdac only)

The Zdac 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 model by using the Parasound
SBS (Side-by-Side) mounting kit (sold separately). You can also mount a single Zdac in the
rack with the accessory Zblank panel extender. The SBS includes four rack mount bolts plus four
pairs of plastic “shoulder washers.” The washers are important because they insulate the
Zdac front panel (and chassis) from the metal equipment rack and from the four mounting
bolts. Place these washers on both sides of the front panel before the mounting bolts are screwed
into the rack rail.

Note: Only black Zdacs can be rack mounted. Silver Zdacs cannot be rack mounted.

Note: Tighten each bolt just enough to keep the unit secure in the rack to avoid deforming the

shoulder washers. Eliminating metal-to-metal contact reduces the likelihood of creating a ground loop
that might introduce hum into your system.

5

AC Voltage Selection

Check the 115V/230V Voltage switch before plugging in the Zdac’s AC power cord!

Make sure the 115V/230V Voltage Selector switch on the Zdac’s bottom side is set for the correct
AC line (mains) voltage before you plug in the Zdac’s power cord. The unit can be seriously
damaged if this switch is set incorrectly for your AC mains voltage.

In the 115V position the Zdac can safely operate with AC Line voltages between 110V-120V which is
correct for North America, including Mexico, and also in Taiwan. In some countries, such as Brazil, AC
voltages are different by region. Most other countries require setting it to 230V. With the 230V setting
the Zdac can operate safely with AC line voltages between 220V-240V.
If you are not certain of your local AC voltage call your dealer. The following website will also be helpful:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mains_electricity_by_country#Voltage_ranges

Note: A Zdac that has been damaged by connection to the incorrect AC voltage is not covered
by the Parasound warranty.

(Zdac Bottom)