Parasound
®
ZoneMaster
™
450 Owner’s Manual
Page 12
Channel Level Controls
Each of the four channels has its own Level control. Fully counter-clockwise is full attenuation and no
sound will be heard from that channel. Fully clockwise is maximum volume. We made the Level control
shafts very short so they are less likely to be turned unintentionally. When installed in a rack you may find it
easier to use a Phillips head screwdriver to adjust the Level controls.
Additional Uses for the Level Controls
:
Passive In-Wall
Volume
Controls
The Level controls are particularly useful when an in-wall passive volume control is used to adjust
the listening level in a room or zone. By reducing the ZoneMaster 450’s maximum output level you
reduce the amount of power that is absorbed by the in-wall volume control. This prevents the
volume control from overheating or even vibrating from the stress of absorbing extra amplifier
power. It avoids wasting amplifier power and reduces distortion. For a room or zone with an in-wall
volume control the correct way to optimize the settings for the Level controls and the in-wall volume
control is this:
1. Music should be playing.
2. Turn the ZoneMaster 450’s Level knobs for that room or zone fully counterclockwise to their
minimum settings.
3. Turn the passive in-wall volume control knob fully clockwise to its maximum setting.
4. Slowly turn up the ZoneMaster 450’s Level controls until the volume level in the room or zone is
as high as you or the home owner might ever want it to be. This is the most appropriate setting
for the Level controls because it will improve sound quality and prevent the home owner from
over-driving the speakers.
Improving the Audio Trigger Turn On for Listening at Very Low Volume
You might prefer to listen to music in some zones at an extremely low volume level. The audio
signal voltage at very low volume levels could fall below the
ZoneMaster 450’s threshold for the
Audio trigger On-Off circuit to function and the zone will not remain on or it might continue to turn on
and off every few minutes because the amp
“thinks” there is no source playing. To overcome this,
simply turn down
both
the L and R Level controls for that zone by the same amount. Setting the
level controls to 12 o’clock is a good place to start. This way the Audio On-Off function will keep
that zone powered on even for very low listening levels.
Limit Maximum Volume for a Room
By adjusting the channel level controls you can limit the maximum volume in a zone regardless of
how high someone turns up the volume on the preamp or whole-house controller.
(See
Passive In-Wall
Volume
Controls above)
Reducing Background Hiss
If you hear hiss or other background noise you can reduce its audibility by turning down the Level
controls until you no longer hear the noise.
Balance Left and Right to Compensate for Room Placement
Adjust only the left or right channel Level knob until you hear your music equally from your
preferred listening location.
