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I recently purchased at Kenwood Sovereign 5080 and Paradigm Monitor series speakers (thanks to the advice of several individuals here!), and am thrilled with the setup. However, I think a graphic equalizer may be the next item I will purchase. I don't know squat about them and need your input please.This is my receiver...
Would their $100 graphic EQ provide the additional tools I need?
Do you have any other recommendations for an EQ? Eager to hear your opinions!
Thanks,
Follow Ups:
Perhaps you folks should tell me how you REALLY feel? hehe.. ok, I won't touch a thing! Thanks for your input. :-)Joel
Very few people are thrilled with their systems. Consider yourself ahead of the game right now. Wait at least 6 months before you do anything with your system except play it.
a
hours on your new system to consider it broken in? You do realize that the sound and performance will change over the first 100 hours or more, don't you?
that device should already have a EQ built in. If you what you desire is additional sound tweaking you might want to start looking at your speakers as the culprit of bad vibes.
My experience with graphic equalizers is that they did more harm than good. Yes, I could correct for gross frequency aberations, especially in the bass region, but at the expense of microdynamics, added grain and hardness, soundstage and depth reductions, etc. It was like adding tubes in reverse: it made my SS amp harder, thinner, shallower, and narrower, IMHO. Of course another, much better EQ might have performed better.
"Do you have any other recommendations for an EQ?"Apart from strapping Bin Ladin to a table and getting the KY Jelly out no; it's a retrograde step and whatever problem you think you've got will have a better solution, if indeed you do have a problem.
Why do you need an equalizer? What frequency aberrations do you need to correct? Why do you think a $100 cheapie eq will help your decent equipment sound better?
Get the Behringer 8000 test mike as well for $40.BNC to RCA adaptor cables from Markertek.com. If you only use cd/dvd source you can hook it up with Toslink...
A simple "graphic" eq can do more harm than good.
Your receiver doesn't have some sort of CinemaEQ already?
What exactly is the difference?
Why, it's new!Mostly better faster, higher res 24/96 processors.
Plus Digital i/o built in.Get thee to the Behringer Website...
(These are under $300 w/o mic.)
DEQ2496:
Ultra high-resolution processor for all EQ, RTA and dynamic applications, especially for PA and audiophile mastering4 concurrently selectable EQ modules (31-band graphic EQ, 10-band parametric EQ, Feedback Destroyer plus three Dynamic EQs per stereo channel)
Flexible Compressor/Expander function with Peak Limiter per stereo channel as well as additional Stereo Imager and Stereo Delay for delay line applications
Unique VPQ (Virtual Paragraphic EQ) option allows parametric control of graphic EQs
Ultra high-resolution 61-band real-time FFT Analyzer with additional auto EQ function for room and loudspeaker equalization
Multi-functional level meters (peak/RMS, VU and SPL meter with dBA/dBC weighting via RTA mic input)64 user memories for complete setups and/or individual module configurations
Separate RTA mic/line input with phantom power, professional wordclock input and MIDI connections for full remote control, preset dumps and system updates
Ultra high-quality AKM® 24-bit/96 kHz A/D- and D/A converters (113 dB dynamic range)
Open architecture allowing future software updates via MIDI
Two high-performance 32/40-bit floating-point SHARC® digital signal processors for ultimate sonic resolutionBalanced inputs and servo-balanced outputs with gold-plated XLR connectors, stereo aux output, AES/EBU and S/PDIF inputs and outputs (XLR and optical)
Internal switch-mode power supply for maximum flexibility (100 - 240 V~), noise-free audio, superior transient response and lowest possible power consumption
Designed in Germany. Manufactured under ISO9000 certified management system
And the 8024:
The DSP8024 features a 31-band graphic EQ with a real-time analyzer and an Auto-Q function for automatic room measurement and correction plus three bands of parametric equalization. Further highlights include a peak limiter, an adjustable delay of up to 2.5 seconds, a noise gate and BEHRINGER’s renowned Feedback Destroyer.And the optional AES8024 adds digital inputs/outputs to your DSP8024
Well, they have good specs but, quite frankly they sound pretty bad as far as DSP's go, and Behringer's customer service is nonexistent. A DBX Driverack PA would be a better choice for a few dollars more.
Looks great, I'm debating trying a unit to experiment with, primarily for the para eq, to utilize for low end correction like the new Rives unit.The fact that this DBX is built by Harman bodes well.
Apparently you've done listening tests between the two units?
With either of these units, dbx or Behringer, how do you interface with single-ended components? I would like to use either unit with my current gear which is all single-ended.TIA
BTW, I think I like the dbx 260 a little better. Has the PC interface option. Trying to control all those functions with the on-board controller looks to be a pain!
I don't know if these cheaper devices are "truly" balanced, so there may be no big downside...
We've "played around", with them, as it were. (no controlled doubleblind testing, just brief listening) My thoughts - DEQ was noisy (hissy) and a little bright, DBX was pretty quiet and a little smoother. We are getting ready to install the driverack PA in a local church. Of course, if the church had the money we'd have spec'd an XTA unit, but at $2500 it was way out of their price range.Now the other news - Behringer's factory service pretty much sucks, and their quality control is bad too. We spoken to quite a few wholesale people who have had up to 20% return rates on the Behringer products. At one point I had 3 Quad Gates, 4 Composers, and 3 Multicoms in our house rack. Over 3 years we lost 2 of the composers and 2 of the gates. In the "Pro" industry Behringer products have become throwaways - use them till they break, then buy some more. At their price point that's actually not a bad thing for a sound company, but for a home system I would question using that logic.
DBX, OTOH, has always had great tech support, and I had never, over an 8 year period, had a DBX piece fail.
My long winded 2 cents...
Any thoughts on these units? See link.
The BSS seems pricey at $3699 list. However with a tri-wireable speaker and a six channel amp it could be interesting...The Clarity looks to be pricey, more audiophile "packaged" and requires a PC.
I've heard from others as well that Behringer products are virtually disposable.
The DBX PA, built by Harman, seems a bargain at around $400 and apparently sounds OK... The DBX 260's ($700) GUI is nice and apparently has a big delay buffer, but is GUI worth the extra $300? Anything else unique to the 260 that's relevant?
Time to sell my useless P-1A.
Well, maybe I'm becoming an "old fogey" but I think there is a point where we overcomplicate things. For a home system the only things *I* see as potentially necessary here are an EQ and a crossover. Doing it in the digital domain, assuming good a/d and d/a conversions, certainly eliminates most, if not all of the phase distortions created by analog EQ's and crossovers. The delay is nice, but as most people's rooms are small I don't see it as even necessary - unless the speakers are more than 20 feet apart. If you have to use the delay to time align your drivers then you've probably bought an inferior set of speakers (I know - flame suit on).So to answer your question - no, I don't see the advantage in a home system. Now, in a live situation, where you might be in a different venue every night, with different room sizes and different sound system configurations....heck yes. But that's a different subject. Sorry it took so long to answer..
I was thinking of it as a poor man's Tact 2.2xBut patience and time tested careful speaker placement refinement are giving me phenomenal response, (it seems.)
These devices seem to be an inepxensive way to get an RTA look at things as well.
Perhaps just in the tape loop for set-up and tweaking problemmatic recordings...
...But patience and time tested careful speaker placement refinement are giving me phenomenal response, (it seems.)...Yes indeed. I just spent 4 hours in my music room repositioning speakers and my listening seat. My house is fairly new and I've yet to get the optimum placement. I made significant improvents today by just moving speakers inches. System includes Conrad Johnson Preamp, Threshold amp, and VMPS speakers.
...These devices seem to be an inepxensive way to get an RTA look at things as well...
You know, if you really want to play around with a DSP maybe you should look up a local sound provider. They would probably rent you one, assuming one is in their inventory, for a couple of days. Just a thought...
Al
An RTA might be worth renting or borrowing.Above my system before Meitner PA-6i Pre, BiDat and Transport and a second Vibraplane...
Cool. The job you did on the picture is excellent! My room is bare by comparison. We built our house last year, so I was able to design the room somewhat, still being limited by the overall house design. There is a 10 foot long closet for all my albums, so only the CD's are out. The system is in the room, alomg with a small TV mounted on the wall over the rack, and a couch. That's it. Room tunes all around. The room is only 13' x 14' with a 10 ft ceiling. Am still working on it to get the best sound.How does the McCormack phono stage sound? I am becoming less and less pleased with my CJ preamp, as its reliability is becoming unacceptable. Thought I'd maybe go to a line stage, with a separate phono pre. Also, I like the Dunlavy's! Nothing like real bass :+)
The BSS is the industry standard and was "first" in the pro sound world. All the BSS units sound very good. I'm not familiar with the Clarity unit, although from the like you provided it sure looks like a home unit and not a "Pro" one.
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