In a market filled with DACs, Parasound has set a new standard for performance and value with the help of acclaimed Danish digital experts Holm Acoustics. The Zdac sounds more natural and less "digital" than DACs selling for far more because of its innovative design and high quality parts. Its unique re-clocking system preserves the original source audio data by eliminating jitter contamination that is picked up along the digital signal chain. This is accomplished through the synergy of two premium parts, an Analog Devices AD1895 asynchronous sample rate converter and an AD1853 DAC IC, the same DAC IC that Holm selected for our Halo CD 1 CD player. To further improve sound quality the signal is up-sampled to 422kHz. This highly effective jitter-reduction system works on all inputs, not just the USB input, as in many other DACs.
Vintage Zdac
Features
Specifications
Supports Incoming Digital Word Lengths:
16 bit - 24 bit
Supports Incoming Digital Sampling Frequencies:
Opt & Coax: 8 kHz, 11.025 kHz, 16 kHz, 32 kHz, 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 88.2 kHz, 96 kHz, 176.4 kHz, 192 kHz.
USB: 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 88.2 kHz and 96 kHz
Upsampling Frequency:
422 kHz / 24 bit (all inputs)
USB Streaming Controller:
Texas Instruments TAS1020B
Sample Rate Converter:
Analog Devices AD1895
D to A Converter:
Analog Devices AD1853
Headphone Amplifier:
Texas Instruments TPA6120
Frequency Response:
20 Hz to 20 kHz ±0.2 dB
Channel Balance:
< 0.05 dB, 20 Hz - 20 kHz
Channel Separation:
> 95 dB, 20 Hz - 20 kHz
Signal to Noise Ratio:
110 dB, A-weighted
THD + Noise:
< 0.015 %
Audio Output Level, RMS (maximum):
Unbalanced Variable: 2.4 V
Balanced Variable: 4.8 V
Unbalanced Fixed: 2.2 V
Balanced Fixed: 4.4 V
Output Impedance:
Line out: 160 ohms, unbalanced or balanced
Headphone out: 10 ohms
AC Power Requirement:
110-130 VAC 60 Hz or
220-240 VAC 50 Hz (voltage is selected on the chassis bottom)
Operating: 10 watts
Standby: < 1 watt
Dimensions:
Width: 8.5" (220 mm)
Depth: 10" (254 mm)
Height: 2" (51 mm) with feet, 1.75" (45 mm) without feet
Weight:
Net: 5 lbs (2.3kg)
Shipping: 8 lbs (3.7kg)
Support and Downloads
Reviews
Fidelity (Norway) December 2015
"The price is the nothing less than a miracle. Zdac .2 confirms Parasound's ability to create musical and extremely well sounding products at affordable prices. Here they have worked to achieve exceptional sound from the analog output of all our digital sources, including Apple TV, high res and regular TV sound. No small feat!"
inner Fidelity Gift Guide November 2015
"A compelling experience whether using it with headphones or to drive active monitors in a desktop system."
Stereo+ (Norway), January 2015
"A solid upgrade. The Zdac v.2 does a great job of recreating the full sonic potential of a PC or Mac, and I highly recommend it to anyone using a Sonos system or an Apple TV at home. As we have written previously, the built-in DACs in these devices aren't very good, and with a Zdac v.2 your music will become much smoother, cleaner and more detailed—and far more enjoyable! If you have some expensive headphones that you can't get to sound good with a typical amplifier's headphone output, it will also demonstrate that this device is a real problem solver. Recommended!"
Inner Fidelity, June 2015
"This is a smooth, fatigue-free device which places listening pleasure ahead of micro-detail overindulgence. It feels right at home whether acting as preamp for my Adam Audio active monitors, as a straight DAC feeding my electrostatic setup, or just driving headphones directly as a compact all-in-one."
Enjoy the Music.com (Jan. 2015)
"At $549, this product "sings" and is another example of what the good folks at Parasound are churning out in the way of quality products with down to earth pricing. Be careful though and do not let that modest price tag fool you into thinking it is not all it should be, as it is that and more."
Home Theater Best Of 2013 Award (Dec. 2013)
"The Zdac is a true overachiever whose performance bests that of
much more expensive DACs."
AV Forums (Sept. 2013)
"This is a one of the most refined, controlled and above all, easy to
listen to DAC’s I have spent time with in quite a while."
Audio Fi (Sept. 2013)
"The options at this price range are plentiful but the Parasound Zdac
deserves a listen. With headphone amp bundled in, the Zdac dishes
out versatility and price bracket busting value."
Everything Audio (August 2013)
"The Parasound Zdac is a best buy D/A converter that offers
surprisingly good audio via its line outputs, considering its price."
Audio Express (July 2013)
"The Parasound Zdac is an excellent product. I think it has raised the bar for affordable digital-to-analog converters."
Home Theater Review (April 2013)
"Based on its overachieving performance, especially in its tonal richness/timbres and 3D imaging, the Zdac competes with DACs that are really priced around $3,000 to $5,000."
Hi-Fi Choice (April 2013)
"This proved to be an absolute delight with the Zdac reveling in the timbre, tone and texture, and dynamics of the guitars, percussion, brass and voices available to it. As with the classical track that preceded it, the entire presentation appeared utterly natural and rich in both musical and aesthetical terms."
Audio Stream (March 2013)
"The Zdac offers a muscular and concise-sounding presentation with a very nice amount of attention paid to pace and edge without being edgy. ...Again think concise and resolute with a very clear sense of attack and edge. A real toe tapper."
Inner Fidelity (March 2013)
"In summary, the Zdac looks, feels, and sounds like it could be a $1000 unit. It certainly didn't feel out of place in my rack with numerous competitors in that range."
David Susilo Uncensored (March 2013)
"All I can say is that if you claim to be an audiophile, you will want to hear everything as it is recorded in the studio. I can tell you for a fact that the Parasound ZDAC is the only DAC that is brutally honest and faithfully reproduce anything you put into it without adding any sweeteners or sonic enhancement for less than $500."
In a market filled with DACs, Parasound has set a new standard for performance and value with the help of acclaimed Danish digital experts Holm Acoustics. The Zdac sounds more natural and less "digital" than DACs selling for far more because of its innovative design and high quality parts. Its unique re-clocking system preserves the original source audio data by eliminating jitter contamination that is picked up along the digital signal chain. This is accomplished through the synergy of two premium parts, an Analog Devices AD1895 asynchronous sample rate converter and an AD1853 DAC IC, the same DAC IC that Holm selected for our Halo CD 1 CD player. To further improve sound quality the signal is up-sampled to 422kHz. This highly effective jitter-reduction system works on all inputs, not just the USB input, as in many other DACs.
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