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In Reply to: Re: Behringer DEQ2496 vs. DSP8024 ? posted by Rob Thomas on June 10, 2003 at 11:27:26:
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.
Follow Ups:
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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