How much of bottleneck is DCX2496?

[Omholt]

I'm presently using a Behringer DCX2496 as crossover for some active speakers. Analogue inputs from a Lynx Two-B soundcard.

I'm wondering how much of a bottleneck the converters are in the Behringer. Anyone who has done a direct comparison with something else and can describe what the difference is?

[Kjeldsen]

I have had the DCX and MiniDSP at the samme time and tried in same system. I sold the DCX right away. Noise on MiniDSP is much less, and just sounds better overall. I was pleased with DCX except from noise but MiniDSP is just better.

[Omholt]

Originally Posted by Kjeldsen

I have had the DCX and MiniDSP at the samme time and tried in same system. I sold the DCX right away. Noise on MiniDSP is much less, and just sounds better overall. I was pleased with DCX except from noise but MiniDSP is just better.

Thanks. Apart from noise, did you hear any difference and how would you describe it?
What MiniDSP are you using by the way? Looks like there are different ones with different converterts. Right?

[odeer]

Hi Omholt

last night for the fun of it i used my dcx2496 using the aes/ebu input with digital input from the PC . (coax straight from motherboard digital RCA output socket)
this by passed my preamp (temporary harsh sounding pioneer).
it also bypassed the analogue input of the dcx and the ADC of the dcx .
The difference was amazing! (much better - harshness gone - i thought it was some on the recordings on my PC.)
Also FWIW using Jriver media center software with ASIO output.

try it - you might like it....

BTW i suspect the converters at least the DAC may be part of the crossover process of the dcx and may possibly not easily be bypassed - (some one correct me please ).
sites on the net show how to bypass the analog output though.....

BE WARNED -Volume control is via the PC software

Good luck

[Kjeldsen]

I have one of the first batches of the 2x4 with MiniDIGI and MiniAMP.

With considerable less noise, I naturally have more dynamics. With DCX i did not have an ideal gainsetting since the noise would be too audible. This is not an issue with MiniDSP. DCX is not that bad at all. Stereoimaging, hight and depth was fine, so it's mostly increased dynamics and more clean sound. But as always it's hard to describe a sound difference between two products.

[Omholt]

Originally Posted by Kjeldsen

I have one of the first batches of the 2x4 with MiniDIGI and MiniAMP.

With considerable less noise, I naturally have more dynamics. With DCX i did not have an ideal gainsetting since the noise would be too audible. This is not an issue with MiniDSP. DCX is not that bad at all. Stereoimaging, hight and depth was fine, so it's mostly increased dynamics and more clean sound. But as always it's hard to describe a sound difference between two products.

Are you using the onboard converters in the MiniDSP?
I assume they aren't top notch and that the difference between DCX2496 and high-end converter solution would make the difference larger.

I recently tried a DEQX HDP-4 unit. Comparing it do my Lynx Two-B just using it as DAC and preamp on passive speakers, the difference was quite obvious. The DEQX sounded good but not as transparent as the Lynx connected straight to power amps. I want that transparency.

[SY]

With the DCX, gain structure is ALL. When set up correctly, the noise is inaudible. Problem is, it's designed for pro levels, so you can't just drop it into a standard consumer system and get its best. For true diyers, this is no problem because gains and sensitivities in the chain are easily modified.

Performance limitation is the output stage (though still very good), which is very easily replaced by a passive RC- see Jan Didden's excellent article for details.

[Kjeldsen]

Originally Posted by Omholt

Are you using the onboard converters in the MiniDSP?

No not at the moment. I have spdif input, and I2S to amplifier (MiniAMP)

[Kjeldsen]

Originally Posted by SY

With the DCX, gain structure is ALL. When set up correctly, the noise is inaudible

Here is good link to DCX2496
Why modify the Behringer DCX2496 ?

I tried both analogue and digital input, and no input. I always had background noise in speakers. It was clearly from the analog input and especially the output

[SY]

Yes, bitten by gain structure incompatibility. So were we all when we just plopped it into a consumer-level system.