Zone 2 Question

[jdbaker]

New member,

I have a C2/A51 that I upgraded from an Integra DTR 8.2. I use an Integra zone 2 amp and with the Integra receiver I had plenty of output at the zone 2 volume controls (1 deck and 2 rooms with Niles speakers and controls). With my Parasound equipment I have to adjust the zone 2 volume on the C2 from the default of -20 to a +10 and still have to turn the Niles volume control almost all the way up to get decent volume. Any ideas why this is so and is there anything I can do about it?

Thanks,

[Chris D]

Hi, JD, welcome to the Guide and Club Parasound! :banana:

first, you have some awesome equipment, so congratulations! I also am using my zone 2 to drive an all-home audio system. In my case, I've got 5 zones of impedance matching volume controls--can't remember the brand, but I'm pretty sure they're not Niles. They're powered by an old Kenwood stereo receiver of mine.

I also have to turn up my Zone 2 volume to make it work. For me, I crank it all the way up to the max--I think it's +16db. If I have it lower, and instead crank up the volume on my Kenwood receiver, the receiver trips its power load and shuts itself down. So I've been guessing it was because it was an old, cheap receiver.

What can you do about it? Well, not much, I don't think. If I were you, I would crank the Zone 2 volume up to the max also, to give your Nile controls a good dynamic range control. I realize the problem that anytime you turn off Zone 2 and then back on, it defaults to -20. So I just leave my Zone 2 on and turn off all amps and equipment. (Zone 2 stays on when you turn off the main part of the C1/C2) Then you're not drawing any power, and you don't have to keep turning up your Zone 2. You can also make a macro with your MX-700 remote so that whenever you turn on the Zone 2, it also turns up the zone 2 volume to wherever you want it. This is even easier with the latest Zone 2 discrete code update.

[jdbaker]

Chris,
Thanks for the suggestions, I like the idea of the macro from the remote. I have not yet updated the C2 and remote software. It is something I would like to do but just have not had the time to figure out how to go about it. Does the download come with instructions? Is it something as a novice I should try to do myself? Any instruction would be appreciated.

[Chris D]

Yeah, the new software updates do come with instructions. Read the thread here in Club Parasound for information about the DPLIIx update and the Zone 2 discrete code update.

You don't even have to do the update to make a macro, though. What you would do is create some sort of macro like this:

Zone
Power On
Volume +
Volume +
Volume + (you would add 36 or so volume +'s)

You could just create a LCD button on your remote main menu like a component. (example when you press "DVD" the C1 switches to your DVD input and switches the remote into DVD player control mode) But instead, the LCD button would power on and set up Zone 2 for your purposes.