Parasound
®
Z Custom
™
Zpre3
Owner’s
Manual
Page 9
12 Volt, IR and RS-232 Connections
12 Volt Output Jack
The 12V Out is used to turn a power amp or other accessories on and off automatically. If your power
amplifier is equipped with a 12 volt trigger input, connect the included trigger cable between the Zpre3’s
12V Out jack and the amplifier’s 12 volt trigger input. When the Zpre3 is powered on, 12 volts will be
present at the 12V output jack and your amp will turn on automatically. When the Zpre3 is powered off your
amp will automatically turn off.
IR Input Jack
Your Zpre3 is compatible with most infrared repeater systems for operation from another room or when the
Zpre3 is installed in a cabinet where its remote handset commands cannot reach its front panel IR receiver.
The IR Input connector is a standard 1/8” (3.5 mm) mono “mini” jack. The center conductor (plug tip) is for
the signal and the outer conductor (plug sleeve) is for ground. Your Authorized Parasound dealer or
custom installer can recommend a compatible IR repeater system.
RS-232 Control Port
This DB9 serial port permits the Zpre3 to be controlled by home automation and control systems such as
Crestron
®
, AMX
®
, Control4
®
, Savant
®
and Elan
®
. When the Zpre3 is connected to such a device, it can be
controlled from keypads or touch-screen panels throughout your house. The RS-232 port is a 2-way signal
for both control and status feedback. The capabilities of such connections, and the programming and
interfacing needed will depend on the automation system you select. Consult your Parasound dealer or
custom installer for more information regarding interfacing an external control system to your Zpre3. The
complete Zpre3 RS-232 protocol can be found at: www.parasound.com.
Front Panel Display and Controls
Multifunction Volume / Select Knob
The knob on the front panel controls several different functions. The default function of the knob is volume
control. Each time the knob is pressed inward the function that the knob controls will change. The knob
functions rotate through in this order with each press:
Volume
Rotating the knob left or right increases or decreases the volume level. The
range is from 0 to 100. A setting of 100 represents a total gain of 12dB. A
setting of 88 is unity gain where the output voltage is the same as the input
voltage.
Input
After pressing the knob a single time, rotating it will cycle through all of the
inputs. Stop on the input you wish to hear then press the knob in to select that
input or simply wait 5 seconds and the input will be selected automatically.
Bass/Treble
After pressing the knob twice, rotate it to increase or decrease the bass. Press
the knob again and rotate it to control treble. Bass and Treble are adjusted in
1dB increments over a +/- 8dB range.
Balance
Press the knob again and rotate it to shift the balance to the left or right.
This can be helpful to compensate for speaker placement or room
acoustics. The maximum adjustment is 15dB.
