ZVOX Audio: Great Sound Made Simple

The 425 is only 36.5” wide by 5 3/4” deep by 7 3/4” high. With optional bracket, you can mount it on the wall below your TV. Or it will easily fit on a shelf above or below your TV. Everything is inside this compact cabinet – speakers, amplifier, virtual surround circuitry and powered subwoofer.

The 425 requires only one connecting cord. Hook it up to the analog audio output jacks on your TV – or the TV’s headphone jack – and you’re virtually done. You can place the 425 above or below your TV, on a stand or shelf – or mounted on the wall (with optional bracket). Then connect the power cord, sit back and enjoy.

If your TV has audio output jacks that can be set to “variable” (check your on-screen menu under “Audio” to see if you have this option), you can use your TV’s remote to control the 425’s sound. If not, use our supplied remote control. Our auto-on/auto-off circuit will turn the unit on about one second after you turn on your TV. Approximately three minutes after you turn off the TV, the ZVOX will go into “idle” mode. Volume, mute, PhaseCue (virtual surround), subwoofer level and treble are all controlled via our credit-card-sized remote. It couldn’t be simpler.

The 425 uses ZVOX’s proprietary PhaseCue virtual surround system to give you rich, three-dimensional sound with movies or music. With music, PhaseCue creates a very wide soundstage – it literally sounds like you are listening to speakers eight feet apart from each other. When listening to a good movie, the soundtrack will envelope you – putting you in the middle of the action. While no virtual surround system – including ours – will give you the surround effects of a good 5.1 system, the ZVOX 425 does a remarkable job. Sound & Vision magazine says our PhaseCue system “mixes different combinations of the left- and right-channel signals in and out of phase and sends them to the various drivers to create an impressive spread of sound, far larger than the box itself…remarkably ingenious,”

Most audio systems in our price category use very cheap speakers in plastic cabinets. But at ZVOX we’re “old school” about things like this. We use nothing but high quality speaker drivers, carefully designed by ZVOX engineers and manufactured to our specification. The 425 uses specially treated long-excursion main drivers. All speaker magnets are powerful Neodymium models that are magnetically shielded. The cabinet is MDF (medium density fiberboard), the same material uses in most high-end loudspeakers.

In the past three years, we know of no other audio systems that have received as many rave reviews as ZVOX. Here’s a short list of review excerpts for ZVOX single-cabinet surround sound systems:

“Superior to most we've tested." - CNET

"Inspires sincere gadget lust." - PC World

"Rich, balanced and clear." - Boston Globe

"An audiophile quality system." - Stereophile

"An awesome system." - Sound & Vision

"Better than some home theaters." - Chicago Tribune

"Remarkable — we're amazed." - Maximum PC

"The best I've heard." - MSNBC

"Great sound." - About.com

• Dimensions; 36.5”w x 5 3/4”d x 7 3/4”h
• Weight: 25 pounds. With box and packing: 33 pounds.
• Amplifier: The 425 uses a 133 watt amplifier.
• Inputs: Two rear “mixing” inputs (if two devices are connected and playing, you will hear both devices): dual RCA jack inputs. One front-panel mini-jack input (3.5mm) for use with portable audio devices (portable CD player, iPod, etc.). When any device is plugged into the front panel input, both rear inputs are automatically muted.
• Frequency range: 35 Hz – 20 kHz.
• Virtual surround sound: The 425 uses ZVOX’s proprietary PhaseCue virtual surround sound system. PhaseCue, as its name implies, manipulates the phase of the separate channels to “fool the ear” into believing that sound is coming from a variety of sources throughout the room. The benefits of PhaseCue vary greatly based on program material. Live music and well-recorded modern movie soundtracks will deliver rich, three-dimensional sound – pulling the sound out from the speakers and into the room, literally surrounding the listener. Unlike many digital virtual surround systems, PhaseCue does not create any “digital weirdness” – rain the sounds like white noise, female singers that sound like they’re standing in a giant tin can. Note: All virtual surround systems – including the PhaseCue system – are limited in their effects when compared to a good 5.1 system. And sitcoms, news broadcasts and soundtracks from older movies often have very little in the way of three-dimensional sound. That being said, PhaseCue is capable of generating a wonderful and engaging virtual surround experience.
• The 425 is bi-amplified, using a specially designed amplifier that includes electronic contouring for superb frequency response.
• The 425’s dual 4” subwoofers use a high-mass long-throw design in a ported enclosure. The subwoofers are side-firing to minimize the effect of sound transferring through to the neighboring room.
• The 425’s five 3.25" main speaker drivers use ferrofluid and neodymium magnets to create remarkably loud, remarkably clear sound.
• S.A.N.E. circuit minimizes sudden bursts of sound. Viewers watching movies and sporting events often have to deal with sudden substantial changes in volume – changes that can disturb sleeping family members. The new ZVOX S.A.N.E. (Sudden Audio Noise Eliminator) circuit, minimizes the impact of these sudden changes by compressing the sound levels.
• The system is magnetically shielded so it can be used near a TV or monitor.
• Unlike most systems in its category, the 425 uses an MDF (medium density fiberboard) wood cabinet - instead of plastic. MDF is the preferred construction material for high-performance speaker systems.
• The 425 uses the ZVOX Infinite Compliance system - which connects the outer two main speakers with an acoustic tube. This system helps create big sound from a small cabinet.
• A subwoofer output jack on the rear allows owners to connect a separate powered subwoofer (optional).
• Auto-on/auto-off circuit senses sound from source (TV, iPod, PC) and turns on the 425 two seconds later. Approximately three minutes after it has received no signal, it automatically shuts the unit off.
• Simple, single-cord connecting system uses a dual RCA jacks on rear panel.
• A 2-meter RCA-RCA connecting cord is included.
• A 2-meter Mini-Mini connecting cord is included (for use with portable audio devices connected to the front panel input).
• The ZVOX 425 is backed by a two year limited parts and labor warranty. For services issues, email info@zvoxaudio.com.