Published On: August 28, 2016

Parasound to Debut a Four-Zone DAC Called the ZoneMaster 4 DAX

Published On: August 28, 2016
Last Updated on: October 31, 2020
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Parasound to Debut a Four-Zone DAC Called the ZoneMaster 4 DAX

In September, Parasound will launch a new product called the ZoneMaster 4 DAX--a four-zone DAC designed for the custom-installation market, for easier setup of multi-zone audio systems. A single chassis contains four 192-kHz ESS Sabre DACs, and each zone has optical...

Parasound to Debut a Four-Zone DAC Called the ZoneMaster 4 DAX

By Author: Home Theater Review
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Parasound-ZoneMaster4-Dax.jpgIn September, Parasound will launch a new product called the ZoneMaster 4 DAX--a four-zone DAC designed for the custom-installation market, for easier setup of multi-zone audio systems. A single chassis contains four 192-kHz ESS Sabre DACs, and each zone has optical and coax digital inputs, level adjustments for the left and right channels, and 12V outputs for turning on additional equipment. The ZoneMaster 4 DAX will carry an MSRP of $995.

From Parasound
Parasound has introduced the ZoneMaster 4 DAX, the first four-zone DAC with crossovers for the custom installation industry. The 4 DAX was designed in response to custom installers who create multi-zone systems based around the Sonos Connect, Heos Link, BlueSound Node or Google Chromecast Audio, and are looking to upgrade their clients' digital sound quality, with unique connectivity for subwoofers, stereo or mono speakers, and system control options.

The Parasound ZoneMaster 4 DAX is a single chassis unit that achieves superior DAC performance by using four premium 192-kHz ESS Sabre DACs, four Parasound-designed analog crossovers with multiple configuration options, and four 12V outputs, each triggered when analog audio is present in that zone.

"This is the industry's first four zone DAC," said Richard Schram, President and Founder of Parasound. "When working with installers using our ZoneMaster multichannel amplifiers, we'd noticed that the popular wireless systems were frequently upgraded with multiple stereo DACs and separate active crossovers for adding in-wall subwoofers. This complexity and cost has just begged for a multichannel DAC."

The 4 DAX's analog audio outputs include full-range stereo, high-pass stereo, full-range mono, high-pass mono and low-pass mono/subwoofer for each of the four zones. Each zone has optical and coax inputs, level adjustments for left and right channels and 12V outputs for turning on additional equipment, such as amplifiers and cooling equipment. Parasound's own ZoneMaster line of multi-zone amplifiers has independent trigger outputs for each zone, making them perfect companions to the 4 DAX.

Previously, installers would have needed four separate DACs and four crossovers, in four separate chassis taking up precious rack space and making integration with subwoofers and bass limited speakers overly complicated.

The Parasound ZoneMaster 4 DAX will be available in September for $995 MSRP.

Additional Resources
Parasound Halo Integrated 2.1-Channel Amplifier Reviewed at HomeTheaterReview.com.
Parasound 275 v2 Stereo Amplifier Reviewed at HomeTheaterReview.com.

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