A few questions after reading the manual

Stage & Studio ZMACS
1

I’ve read the manual to the ZMACS, but I still have a few questions.

  1. I’m still confused as to how/if the impedance matching works when using an attenuator in the loop. When the manual refers to using an attenuator, it uses the term “impedance compensation” as opposed to “impedance matching.” Is there any difference between these two terms, or am I just reading to much into it? From what I’ve gathered the ZMACS does the impedance matching after the attenuator loop before the cabs. Does that mean that to truly have matched impedances you need all your amps to be running on the same impedance as the attenuator, then your cabs can be any impedance? The manual says to set the attenuator at 8 ohms regardless. I find that confusing because it seems like you would have a mismatch if your amps are running at 16 ohms.

  2. The link function is another area I’m confused about. If I ever want to expand my rig and get a second ZMACS, will both ZMACS’s work together, or will they only work independently? Meaning can I play amp 1 on ZMACS 1 through cab 1 on ZMACS 2, or can you only mix and match amps and cabs in their own respective ZMACS unit. Also, if you only have one attenuator, will it work in both ZMACS units, or just in the one who’s loop it’s plugged into?

  3. My last question is about MIDI. What MIDI channel does the ZMACS default to, and how do I change it?

Thanks

1 Like
2

Still very curious about this. Hoping someone can help me. Thanks

3

I hate to be a bother, but could someone please help me? Thanks

4

In the direct support category, which is not open to the public forum, you asked those same Part 1 impedance questions and we provided detailed and pretty expansive replies, which you replied to and acknowledged. So, I’ll skip that first part.

  1. You can get an amp on unit 1 to play into a cab on unit 2, but it’s a little more complex to program. You basically use a cab out on one to an amp in on the other one. That becomes your cab link. And vice versa on unit 2. The attenuator part is more complex. We’ll post some detail about that soon, but you can see that it uses up ins and outs pretty quickly.

  2. I believe it’s in Omni mode, but I’ll double check on that.

Dave

5

Thanks for the reply. I did ask about impedance matching/compensation in the direct support category. However, I didn’t fully understand your answer, so I asked a follow up question for clarification, but got no response. That’s why I asked it again here. I was hoping someone could clarify for me. Thanks

6

Go with the description on page 8 in the manual which is a somewhat simpler explanation. Specifically:

“To take advantage of this feature, first set the AMP and CAB impedance to match the selected amps and cabs.” This is referring to the AMP and CAB impedance settings on the ZMACS.

https://fryette.com/content/ZMACS_Owners_Manual.pdf

Probably the part that’s is troubling you is the use of the word “compensation” which is simply syntax which you can ignore.

Dave

7

Yes, I see that, thank you. My confusion is when the manual says to set the attenuator to 8 ohms. Tell me if I’m wrong, but the way I understand how the ZMACS works is that the impedance matching takes place after the attenuator loop and before the cabs. Doesn’t that mean you’ll have an impedance mismatch between some of the amps and the attenuator if the amps aren’t all running at 8 ohms? Sorry, I’m really not trying to be difficult. Just very confused

8

I can only reiterate that this is the way it works, and the only way to expand on that is to go deeper into the weeds. It’s not something that you will understand without a working knowledge of transformer theory. Don’t feel bad though, even the patent examiner didn’t get it at first :slight_smile:

9

Okay, so there won’t be a mismatch between the amps and the attenuator then? I guess I don’t need to understand why, just PFM I guess :laughing:

11

Uhhhhh the patent examiner have to understand this… :sweat_smile:

12

I’d love to know the answer to that first question and can’t find the direct support section. Any way you’d be able to provide the link to that thread?