Behringer DCX2496 questions

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I've read everything on the DCX2496 that searches have turned up, but I'm still not clear on some of the basics.

1. Would a non-Golden Ear objectivist type person hear a degradation in sound when not using a digital volume control, i.e., using the volume-controlled pre-outs from a pre/pro?

2. Is the output from a typical consumer receiver sufficient to drive the DCX2496?

3. How user friendly is the DCX2496, in particular for adjusting the parametric EQ? Can it be adjusted in real time in one window of a PC while seing the RTA (from TrueRTA) results in another window?

4. Can multiple XO filters be cascaded to get, say, 96 dB/oct (aiming for poor man's DEQX)?

Thanks very much
 
sorry PC going crazy


Noah
I use a yamaha (domestic) pre amp (dsp-e492) to drive my dcx2496 without problem mind you to get it to clip or light up the input level meters some serious gain is required- but it works. (turn the volume control up to 11- al a spinal tap)

I have adjusted the paramterics of the dcx while using a RTA by using a CD (denon CD ) test signal to generate frequency sweeps into the dcx , A laptop adjusts the Dcx whilst at the same time
Running an RTA to measure frequency response - crude but to my ears effective. and cables all over the place.

For measurement I use an ECM8000 mike driven by a phantom power supply feeding into microphone inputs of my cassette deck which in turn feeds into the sound card of the laptop feeding the DCx ,.
The control screen for the dcx is open at the same time as the RTA window.

I know there may be some measuremnt error but its still probably more accurate than doing it by ear.

Once its all done I save all settings into the DCX memory and start tweaking by ear - when happy save to another memory settings.
This way I can have different dcx settings for differing speaker locations..

I dont think you can cascade multiple filters but you can use filters + parametrics to go slightly past 48bd/oct - you will run out of processing power pretty quicky though.- not sure what this will do to the phase response though.

I use 3 ways at 48db/oct + approx 20 paramatric points and run out of steam.
Currently trying LeCleach settings...
Hope this helps..

ps love the DCX - hope behringer brings out a version of the DEQX!! (at a reasonable price)


Cheers
 
george a said:


I use 3 ways at 48db/oct + approx 20 paramatric points and run out of steam.


This has just surprised me; for some reason I imagined that you would only have the power for a couple of parametric bands after the XOs had been taken care of. With so many available I dont see why so many use the DEQ as well (apart from the RTA thing).

George, how do you deal with baffle step correction with the DCX;
is there a specific filter, or is this where you use a lot of parametrics?

Cheers
 
Hi float

In short - approx 9 parametric points on each input channel (L& R)

ths done in conjunction with RTA. after auto time align run.
Sub xover at 84Hz on channel 1
mid goes from 84hz to 3khz on channel 2 -on this channel i apply a 6db/oct shelf filter - all else flat - eq taken care of at input remember.
tweet starts at 3khz but with steep notch filter at 500hz (vifa xt25)

3 way 48db/octave with eq + BS+ auto phase leaves 1% free processing...
You gotta love what this gizmo can do for the price. as for sound quality I have nothing to compare to. But I like it.

Try this - download the DCX contrl software from http://www.behringer.com/DCX2496/index.cfm?lang=ENG and load my DCX file (george setup.xpc inside attached zip file) into it and have a look at the settings!-this should explain it all.

click on driver numbers 1-6 on right to see what's happening on each channel similarly click on inputs to see eq etc etc .

Please don't run your own system with this setup- it is intended for my own installation and the settings may damage another installation......


Cheers
 

Attachments

  • george setup.zip
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Thanks George, you couldn't do that with a passive XO:eek:

This gizmo just got closer to the top of my wish list!
Something you may want to try (and I'd be interested in the result) would be to run the tweets in normal polarity and compensate with delay. Theoretically no different, but in practice...:confused:
 
Thanks very much, George.

I don't quite understand your comment "Running an RTA to measure frequency response - crude but to my ears effective", either on it's own and because you mention using RTA further on.

How is it crude?

On the DCX2496 UI, are PEQ gain/BW values entered as numbers, or are there virtual knobs?

Maybe that's not really that important, what I really want to hear isw that it's easier to use than the BFD, which I have no experience with but have read has quite a learning curve and is a pain to use.

I should be fine on resources, as I need the parametrics only for <80 Hz. I have a HK 635 w/autoEQ, but it doesn't finish the job (only partially improves) on the bass.

My plan is to biamp the three front channels, L/R set to "small", center set to "large" and split again at 80 Hz w/a Rane AC22 active XO.

Thanks
 
Hi Float

Actually I may well have acheived a similar eq result with a passive though more than likely very inadvertantly throught guesstimation and withcurved dramatically different from those desired:cannotbe:
The DCX was a dramatic improvemant over the passive xover i was using (I suspect even allowing for tri-amp issues)

In the DCX all PEQ values are entered as discrete points on the frequency "graph"and dragged ((just click on the points) into position and then altered by changing Q (from memory)

"Crude use of RTA" - You should see my lounge room when all the gear is dragged into place. Also the RTA I was using does not measure a narrow enough band at one time.
EG it measures the freq sweep and plots the level in real time but measurements are affected as the sweep goes from low to high - it sort of smooths things out visually- big valleys can dissappear from the measurement graph .- not sure if this is a good enough explanation.
BTW freq sweep is sine wave off denon test CD.

Also my supplied settings were a trial run, now the actual settings are lost due to PC crash (but are still in DCX) - each channel or band can be altered individually.
Currerntly evaluatingLe Cleach DCX approach (see elswhere on Forum) , one is able to quicklyswitch from one configuration to another via recaling memory settings in the DCx

hope this helps.
Cheers


Wish this thing hada spell chequer...

:whazzat:
 
Hi Noah

Just try dragging my eq control points around with your PC mouse - just seems to easy realyy once you get the hang of what you're trying to do.

Cheers

BTW- one hint - to conserve processing power in the DCX I do not use a LF filter (HP) at 20hz say on the sub nor a 20khz LP filter on the tweet- figuring the digital stream doesn't handle above 20kHz or below 20hz -could be wrong
 
George,

I'd be using TrueRTA with 1/24th-octave resolution.

Do I presume correctly that multiple memory settings consumes minimal resources?

Also, is it correct that there's a third analog input I can use so that I can biamp three channels?

"figuring the digital stream doesn't handle above 20kHz or below 20hz -could be wrong"

I hope that's not the case, I'm going to build subs with two each Avalanche 18, w/strong output down to 10 Hz.

Thanks
 
Noah,
if you can use these other toys the BFD should hold no fear; its simple to use even though the manual may be needed at first.
I've only got the old one (DSP1100?), and its a bit noisy and not totally transparent; the latest model should be much better.
If you only need 12 stereo bands of parametric it may do the job.
 
Hi Noah
Memory I believe is seperate from procsessing issues - the dcx has quite a few memories to play with to retain different settings.

Not sure about the third input - have a look at the manual , it contains descriptions of various config options.

I was very hesitant about buying this unit due to all the negative flack it receives, but in my case i am very glad I took the leap.

Cheers
 
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