Hi guys,
I will be buying DCX 2496 soon, can someone recommend mod upgrade and where to buy them? Maybe new power supply and output/input mod, nothing really crazy, I want to keep cost around 150-250USD.
btw are these good?
Behringer Mods - Upgrade DEQ2496, DCX2496, SRC2496
Home
have many mods, including power supply which one is must buy?
Can someone please tell me?
Thanks
I will be buying DCX 2496 soon, can someone recommend mod upgrade and where to buy them? Maybe new power supply and output/input mod, nothing really crazy, I want to keep cost around 150-250USD.
btw are these good?
Behringer Mods - Upgrade DEQ2496, DCX2496, SRC2496
Home
have many mods, including power supply which one is must buy?
Can someone please tell me?
Thanks
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I think I saw a MOD that dropped in 3) ES9023 DACS all can terminate in RCAs that way, it was not all that hard to do if you can solder well, which I can. You CAN beef up the existing supply and lower it's noise. Another way to have some fun is get a stack of Behringer DSP series amps; the Inuke NU1000DSP [NU3000DSP is nicer but you need 2-3 units to have any fun], if you have a stack of them, would allow active cross and EQ and amplify. The DSP series has active cross and EQ built-in. Also look at the MiniDSP site before you pull the trigger.
If you read this thread, you're certain the DCX is a POS. But if you believe Behringer's specs and my repeated measurements, it is notably transparent.
Seems weird to me to distrust Behringer's engineers but think some guy wiring boards in his basement is a genius. It's like believing in homeopathy "medicine" rather than conventional.
Having said that, I get disconcerting HD results when run with L-R48 crossover. Might be an artifact of REW software. Anybody know? I'm not ready to post until I've worked through the fault-tree a bit more.
B.
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I've done the "BerhingerMods" pcb replacement upgrade and it's just the 4 pcbs (discrete components) that basically replace the input/output board but the wiring uses the existing sockets on the back panel - lots of small/neat soldering required with the ribbon cable connections but quite 'do-able' as they say - excellent improvement - not all that cheap tho
I'm contemplating the new version upgrades by Ki Tan (AMB Laboratories) called the k-dcx, I think - it's a complete renovation with the '96 dac chips and new adc, clock, input/output board, etc - lots of smd so some practice required
I'm contemplating the new version upgrades by Ki Tan (AMB Laboratories) called the k-dcx, I think - it's a complete renovation with the '96 dac chips and new adc, clock, input/output board, etc - lots of smd so some practice required
Hello i have emailed BerhingerMods, the price of mod only for 1 stereo output and input. To do 6 outputs, you need to 3x the price, total will be more expensive than the units itself. How much improvement do you get? Will it more than $1000+ unit?
Thanks
I did 2 of these upgrades and the only 'downside' is the length of the ribbon cables to/from the new boards - apart from that, and the 'fussy' soldering of the ribbon cables to the existing boards, the improvement in the sound is quite substantial
As for the equivalent of a $1,000 unit, I haven't any experience with one in this price bracket myself but in comparison to the more expensive units, no, it's not as good by quite a margin but there doesn't seem to be much in that area - maybe a 'Ground Sound" or a "Wizard" but the others that I've heard are about the $2k+ mark - there's a new one from Sydney called the "Audio Precision" that uses the new sharc4 chip and California Analogue program and is supposed to be very good (uses the 9032 dac chips) and is about the U$2500, I think.
I see that there's a couple of 'new computer versions' using the i5 'heart but haven't actually heard one yet and a bit hesitant of the 'ease of use' programs that are sometimes mentioned - early days for these I think but expect much lower prices.
Sorry can't be more help
As for the equivalent of a $1,000 unit, I haven't any experience with one in this price bracket myself but in comparison to the more expensive units, no, it's not as good by quite a margin but there doesn't seem to be much in that area - maybe a 'Ground Sound" or a "Wizard" but the others that I've heard are about the $2k+ mark - there's a new one from Sydney called the "Audio Precision" that uses the new sharc4 chip and California Analogue program and is supposed to be very good (uses the 9032 dac chips) and is about the U$2500, I think.
I see that there's a couple of 'new computer versions' using the i5 'heart but haven't actually heard one yet and a bit hesitant of the 'ease of use' programs that are sometimes mentioned - early days for these I think but expect much lower prices.
Sorry can't be more help
I might add an 'opinion' - There's quite a few retail products that are actually 'preamps' in that they have the ability to do everything like phono inputs, various analogue and digital inputs, dsp and Xover, etc - full house dsp, I call it aimed at the 'top end' audio market from the prices
On the other hand, there's the really basic dsp/Xover units like the 'minidsp', berhinger, etc aimed at the 'pro-audio' market - there's a bit of a gap in the middle that's about the $1000+ area, hence the aftermarket upgrades - one of the best things about the berhinger (in my opinion, remember!) is the 'easy to use' program so that even if it isn't the best sound quality available, the overall improvement to your/my sound system is well worth the trouble of upgrading the basic units
Again, my opinion - if you're thinking about going the 'Berhinger-Mods' way and want a 3 way Xover, then I'd suggest you go all the way - 3 stacked output boards and a separate input board - the cost was just on A$400, I think - the instructions are pretty good but tend to be a bit confusing but he's excellent about answerering emails
I have a misbehaving unit here that was upgraded with the full Selectronic modules that were about the 1000 Euro cost but rather good sound - the total cost of this unit came pretty close to the A$2000 (maybe U$1500) and yes, this thing is rather good sound in comparison to the original unit but the revised new k-dcx kits from not AMB are really good indeed - that's where I'm headed myself but hoping there's rapid development in the new computer-based dsp area
We seem to suddenly be getting lots of advertising about Liberty Audio, Devialet, etc but none of it's cheap and some of it needs an engineering degree to operate
All the best ...
On the other hand, there's the really basic dsp/Xover units like the 'minidsp', berhinger, etc aimed at the 'pro-audio' market - there's a bit of a gap in the middle that's about the $1000+ area, hence the aftermarket upgrades - one of the best things about the berhinger (in my opinion, remember!) is the 'easy to use' program so that even if it isn't the best sound quality available, the overall improvement to your/my sound system is well worth the trouble of upgrading the basic units
Again, my opinion - if you're thinking about going the 'Berhinger-Mods' way and want a 3 way Xover, then I'd suggest you go all the way - 3 stacked output boards and a separate input board - the cost was just on A$400, I think - the instructions are pretty good but tend to be a bit confusing but he's excellent about answerering emails
I have a misbehaving unit here that was upgraded with the full Selectronic modules that were about the 1000 Euro cost but rather good sound - the total cost of this unit came pretty close to the A$2000 (maybe U$1500) and yes, this thing is rather good sound in comparison to the original unit but the revised new k-dcx kits from not AMB are really good indeed - that's where I'm headed myself but hoping there's rapid development in the new computer-based dsp area
We seem to suddenly be getting lots of advertising about Liberty Audio, Devialet, etc but none of it's cheap and some of it needs an engineering degree to operate
All the best ...
Thanks for the info. I will need 3 units of 2496 to XO 4 atmos and 4 surround speakers ( 2 ways). Main speakers will use XTA 448. Sometime I can find XTA 448 around 2000USD in ebay, so I wonder how good the modified 2496 compare to XTA.
Hope someone can tell more.
Also would love to know k-dcx kits vs Berhinger-Mods if anyone have compared them.
Would you recommend PSU mod as well? If yes which one?
Thanks
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Using AES/SPDIF to Input A accomplishes a lot of what those very tricky and sometimes expensive "mods" do.
If you don't already have such a source, you can buy a Breeze USB-to-SPDIF converter for maybe us$40 if your music is in a computer. Works like a charm for me, even without the independent power supply that comes with it. Naturally, measures perfect, just like the DCX.
AES to Input A might also be a smarter strategy than "mods" even if you are mostly analog.
B.
Why don't you try it stock first? I would suggest any mods will only give a marginal improvement if any.
Hello,
I will using AES EBU outputs from my preamp in the future. Right now I will be using it with Marantz 8805's analog outs.
Can all channels receive AES EBU input in 2496?
Thanks
Hi all: I bought and made mods from Behringer Mods - Upgrade DEQ2496, DCX2496, SRC2496, on two DCX2496 units, the result was good compared to the original NJM4580 IC. At the time the seller Mr. Simon Ashton claimed to be AD797, LM4562 and LME49724 ICs. However on delivery a heatsink fell from one of them and I did not find the numbering of the expensive AD797 IC . At the time, claimed to have to scrape the chip to be able to glue a nut, such as heat sink. Well, the assistance provided was regular but in the end it resulted in a sort of noise, a squeak in the speakers, which increased and slowed, like a small hiss. After questioning Mr. Ashton several times, he lost his temper and told me to settle it myself. Unfortunately that's not what a buyer expects from a manufacturer. I hope others are luckier. This is my testimony. Thank you.
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AES includes both channels into a single plug. Input A (and only A) recognizes that AES (or the SPDIF) signal and skips it right past the DCX first analog stage (which some folks think is a weak-link, but I do not agree).
The aim is to have the fewest a/d and d/a conversions in your path.
B.
Hi Augusto,
Sorry your project was so troublesome - I don't remember these 'nuts on top' of the ICs before (as per post 4213) - was this something special you had installed?
The first upgrade unit I attempted was a bit awkward as I reversed the output order but still relatively simple to fix. The second unit was a breeze and completed in about 4 hours and there have been no problems about reliability or performance since - no 'nuts' on the ICs
I did a quick rough estimate of the cost of the new kDCX upgrade 'kits' using the new boards from AMB and most of the parts from Mouser - they came to about U$400, this is a reasonably economical upgrade with better performance ICs all round and a better clock with own regulators with reported excellent performance. I think the assembly of the boards and troubleshooting won't be so easy tho ...
For this new version upgrade, there's no mention about a main power supply upgrade apart from local onboard regulators so maybe it's not necessary - the Jan Didden designed upgrade power supply (kit) is supposed to provide a superior performance, but isn't cheap.
Sorry your project was so troublesome - I don't remember these 'nuts on top' of the ICs before (as per post 4213) - was this something special you had installed?
The first upgrade unit I attempted was a bit awkward as I reversed the output order but still relatively simple to fix. The second unit was a breeze and completed in about 4 hours and there have been no problems about reliability or performance since - no 'nuts' on the ICs
I did a quick rough estimate of the cost of the new kDCX upgrade 'kits' using the new boards from AMB and most of the parts from Mouser - they came to about U$400, this is a reasonably economical upgrade with better performance ICs all round and a better clock with own regulators with reported excellent performance. I think the assembly of the boards and troubleshooting won't be so easy tho ...
For this new version upgrade, there's no mention about a main power supply upgrade apart from local onboard regulators so maybe it's not necessary - the Jan Didden designed upgrade power supply (kit) is supposed to provide a superior performance, but isn't cheap.
Dear jameshillj: The screw nuts as dip8 sinks were placed by developer/ salesman Mr. Ashton. On the trip from England to Brazil must have come loose. But it seems to be a feature to avoid overheat in ICs dip8. I reaffirm that the result was good: only this variable hiss bothers you when you listen close to the speakers and without music, of course. Maybe it can produce some distortion. I did not perform an oscilloscope test.
It provides up to 6 outputs, 3 per channel. Here is the manual https://www.parts-express.com/pedocs/manuals/248-669-behringer-dcx2496-manual-41812.pdf
Jeez, a couple of glue-on mini heatsinks wouldn't cost much - nuts!
Don't know what that 'variable hiss' is about - I don't like the idea of that at all - can you reduce it with a high freq low-pass filter, isolate it with a change of inputs, or is it a characteristic in all 6 of the outputs?
Don't know what that 'variable hiss' is about - I don't like the idea of that at all - can you reduce it with a high freq low-pass filter, isolate it with a change of inputs, or is it a characteristic in all 6 of the outputs?