A novel top down approach was developed to fabricate dense ZrB2-SiC-BN (ZSN) composites with a fine-grained (<1 mu m) microstructure using coarse-grained (similar to 10 mu m) ZrN and Si precursors that reacted with fine (similar to 0.5 mu m) B4C powders at 1850 degrees C. The results show that the "reaction" and "densification" mechanisms acting during sintering could be separated or happen simultaneously by changing the pressure loading strategy. Loading cycles not only have a substantial influence on the microstructure homogeneity and the strength reliability of as sintered composites, but might alter the electric current path during the Spark Plasma Sintering process as well. A residual compressive stress of 361 MPa, generated upon the SiC grains in the ZSN composites, was measured by Raman spectroscopy. The fine SiC grains tended to form larger clusters in the dense microstructure if the loading cycle is inappropriate, which was further employed to interpret the observed scattering of strength values in one batch of ZSN. The 48ZrB(2)-24SiC-28BN (number in vol%) composite has an average strength of 473 MPa, which was 94% of that of in situ densified ZrB2-SiC ceramics (ZS). Considering the corresponding Youngs modulus was only half of that for ZS, the in situ ZSN composite owns a better mechanical strain tolerance. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.