Owner's Manual

Parasound
®
ZoneMaster
™
2350 Owner’s Manual Page 10
Channel Level Controls
Each channel 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 deliberately made the Level control
shafts very short so they are less likely to be turned unintentionally. When the 2350 is installed in an
equipment rack you may find it easier to use a small Phillips head screwdriver to adjust the Level controls.
Additional Uses for the Level Controls:
Passive In-Wall Volume Controls
The ZoneMaster 2350 Level controls are especially useful for rooms that have in-wall passive/autoformer
type volume controls. Most wall-mounted volume controls and most speaker selector box volume controls
are this type. By reducing the ZoneMaster 2350’s maximum output level you reduce the amount of power
that has to be absorbed and wasted as heat by the in-wall volume control. Reducing the 2350’s maximum
output level prevents the volume control from overheating or possibly vibrating from the stress of absorbing
extra amplifier power. It avoids wasting amplifier power and reduces distortion. Here is the correct way to
optimize the level settings for this type of in-wall volume control:
1. Music should be playing.
2. Turn the ZoneMaster 2350’s L and R Level control knobs fully counter-clockwise 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 2350’s L and R Level control knobs until the volume level in the
room is as high as it will ever be played. This will prevent excessive volume levels and will
improve sound quality by reducing distortion from over-driving the speakers.
Note: Listening with an in-wall volume control knob fully clockwise might take some
getting used to. This because we’re conditioned to expect much louder sound than
we want whenever a volume control is turned all the way up.
Limiting Maximum Volume for a Room or Zone
By adjusting the L and R 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)
Improving the Audio Trigger Turn-On for Listening at Very Low Volume
You might prefer to listen at an extremely low volume level. The audio signal voltage at very low volume
levels could fall below the ZoneMaster 2350’s threshold for Audio trigger On-Off circuit to function: It will
not remain on or it might continue to cycle 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 control knobs 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 the 2350 powered on, even at very low listening levels.
Reducing Background Hiss or Noise
If you hear hiss or other background noise you can usually reduce its audibility by turning down the Level
control knobs until you no longer hear the noise.
Balance Left and Right to Compensate for Room Placement
Adjust only the left or right channel Level Control knob so you hear both channels equally from your
preferred listening location.