Jordan O'BrienConnected Distribution is introducing the Parasound ZoneMaster 4 DAX, supposedly the first four-zone DAC for the custom installation industry.
The Parasound ZoneMaster 4 DAX was designed in response to installers who create multi-zone systems based around streamers such as the Sonos Connect, Google Chromecast Audio, Denon Heos or Apple Airport Express and are looking to upgrade their clients’ digital sound quality, while adding connectivity for subwoofers, stereo or mono speakers and system control options.
The 4 DAX is a 1U chassis unit that utilises four premium 192kHz ESS Sabre DACs and four Parasound-designed analogue crossovers with multiple configuration options. Hyperstream jitter eliminators promise better audio clarity, free from input clock jitter that can be symptomatic of low cost DACs often used in audio streamers.
The 4 DAX’s analogue line level audio outputs include full-range stereo, high-pass stereo, full-range mono, high-pass mono and low-pass mono/subwoofer for each of its four zones. This presents the installer with flexibility of installation, using large-scale speakers, in-ceiling bass limited speakers or subwoofer/satellite combinations, all in either stereo or mono.
Each zone has optical and coaxial digital inputs, level adjustments for left and right channels and 12V outputs for turning on additional equipment such as amplifiers.
Parasound’s ZoneMaster line of multi-zone amplifiers have independent 12v trigger outputs for each zone making them compatible with the 4 DAX. Using the bus inputs on a Zonemaster multi-channel amplifier and daisy-chaining multiple amps, provides the possibility of an almost limitless number of speakers per zone.
Previously, installers would have needed four separate DACs and four crossovers, in four separate chassis, taking up rack space and making integration with subwoofers and bass limited speakers overly complicated.
“We’re often asked by installers whether it’s possible to make the streaming system the customer has requested sound better?” says Mike Bonnette, product director for Parasound’s UK distributor, Connected Distribution.
“Until now the only way has been to use multiple stereo DACs and separate crossovers. With the 4 DAX, the solution is now simple and elegantly contained within a single product. Our customers can now provide the best of both worlds with multi-zone, streaming solutions and hugely improved sound quality, plus it provides a great opportunity to improve their margins.”
The Parasound ZoneMaster 4 DAX will be available in January for a MSRP of £1029 inc. VAT.