Multiple amplifier and speaker cabinet selector systems have been around for decades and offer a wide variety of features and functions. Yet, in all that time, not one of these products has been designed to address the single most important application question surrounding mixing and matching tube amps and speakers: “It is safe to mismatch the impedance of my prized vintage amps and cabs?” Most vacuum tube guitar amplifiers require that the user manually set the amplifier output impedance to match the impedance of the speaker cabinet. Moreover, tube amplifiers require connection to a specific impedance load to operate properly, maintain tone and avoid damage to the output tubes and transformer. Today’s users own a wide variety of vintage and modern vacuum tube amplifiers, all of which exhibit lesser or greater degrees of sensitivity to their applied external loads. This is an esoteric operating condition not well understood by producers of amp switchers, let alone the average user, and raises the possibility of damage to expensive, and possibly irreplaceable vintage gear, as well as expensive to service modern tube amplifiers. Even when running at conservative volumes, an impedance mismatch will at the very least cause highly apparent tonal alterations. Given the importance of this inescapable tube amp operating requirement, why don’t any amp switcher producers offer a solution? The truth is, all of these products answer this question the same way: “It really doesn’t matter.” At Fryette Amplification, we strongly disagree. It does matter! Here’s why: In order to safely use any of the currently available amplifier/cabinet switching systems, the user must either manually set each amplifier to operate correctly into the desired load, or operate a given amplifier or speaker cabinet (load) at a relatively benign mismatch and hopefully avoid any potential consequences. If the selected alternate cabinet is not the same impedance as the amplifier connected to it, the user may be unable to select the correct impedance to maintain optimum safety and tonal quality for that cab. Furthermore, in a complex system involving many amplifiers and cabs/loads, the wiring and electrical connections are all in the rear of the units and are often difficult to access, especially when one wants to change quickly to an otherwise incompatible combination. Thus, to avoid user interruption during play and/or performances, the user may choose to overlook the resulting impedance mismatch, rather than stop to make the necessary settings changes for optimum tonal response. Players who have complex home, studio, and/or live performance systems need a simple, reliable and safe solution that eliminates the shortcomings and inconvenience of currently available switching systems. Enter the ZMACS. A patent pending high quality, simple to operate and enormously flexible solution. Once you hear the ZMACS difference, you’ll never want to go back. FEATURES Allows switching between any of 4 amplifiers, 4 cabs and 2 attenuators.Allows selection of 2 cabs simultaneously.Safely handles 100 watts of continuous amplifier power.Built-in high-fidelity audio grade impedance matching transformer.Selectable Amp impedance - 2/4, 8 and 16 Ohms (programmable).Selectable Cabinet impedance - 2/4, 8 and 16 Ohms (programmable).Safety internal load for each unused amplifier output.Switched and unswitched attenuator loops.Front and rear panel instrument inputs.Passive and active (buffered) instrument inputs. Link Out for ganging multiple switching units.Fully MIDI programmable and simple to operate.Last used preset memory. Long cable load transfer.Silent switching in all modes with no dropouts, pops or clicks.Transformer isolated amplifier input sends eliminate annoying ground loop issues. Remote switching control port controls Power Station PS-100 channel and loop select functions.QuickSwitch mode allows simple preset selection when MIDI is not required.100% analog signal path
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