The Wonder Add-on. The Behringer DEQ2496

[gobble]

Well, I had to try it before I made up my mind, Gobble . But I guess we are in agreement.

15K on IC's and 3K on power cords? You are in a different league, man. My XLR to RCA cables are Rs. 600 a pair. And thats it.

For the price, see my previous post. It costs $300 in the US. And I got it through ICC World. That too in a matter of 8 days!

So instead of 19K on this thingie, 12K spent on ICs and power chords may bring many of the same benefits? Besides your "poor mans version" of the ICs may still be restricting the scope of improvements the Behringer is able to deliver

Just thinking out aloud

Cheers

 

[thevortex]

So instead of 19K on this thingie, 12K spent on ICs and power chords may bring many of the same benefits? Besides your "poor mans version" of the ICs may still be restricting the scope of improvements the Behringer is able to deliver

Just thinking out aloud

Cheers

Well, I dont think so, Gobble. I have yet to experience a set of cables and/or cords which contributed so much to soundstaging, imaging, dynamics, depth and bass control. And its not that my system was hard to hear in the first place.

But we can always agree to disagree.

 

[psychotropic]

ICs and powerchords are still slighty controversial, especially about their price-to-performance ratio. Room correction, there's no controversy, the improvements can be substantial if you know what you're doing. So if I had to pick between 19k on the Behringer and 15k on ICs and cables, i'd pick the Behringer any day, and then I'd read about the stuff like a maniac (like I am sure Bala has been doing) and then fiddle around for eternity.....this sounds like a lovely thing. Perhaps somewhere down the line when I can afford one I'll try it out

 

[gobble]

ICs and powerchords are still slighty controversial, especially about their price-to-performance ratio. Room correction, there's no controversy, the improvements can be substantial if you know what you're doing. So if I had to pick between 19k on the Behringer and 15k on ICs and cables, i'd pick the Behringer any day, and then I'd read about the stuff like a maniac (like I am sure Bala has been doing) and then fiddle around for eternity.....this sounds like a lovely thing. Perhaps somewhere down the line when I can afford one I'll try it out

You have so many Chennai HFV meets .. easy to ask folks to bring their ICs next time and test.

cheers

 

[psychotropic]

no no i am not saying ICs and powerchords are not a good thing. they probably are.

but they can do only one thing and sound only one way. The thing with the Behringer is, it takes whatever set up you have, includinng your ICs and all that, and lets you bring it closer to ideal within the room. It is this flexibility and tweakability, and the sheer importance of room interaction that would make this a winner of a gadget.

You can always say that I will just get different speakers instead of the Behringer, but that's beside the point. The Behringer will take whatever set up you have and help it achieve it's potential to the maximum. ICs and power cords can't really claim that.

In short, they're not interchangeable, you probably need both, and if you can afford both, by all means go for it, but if I personally had a spending decision between fancy ICs and power cords and a Behringer, I'd pick the Behringer in a heartbeat.

 

[gobble]

Well, I dont think so, Gobble. I have yet to experience a set of cables and/or cords which contributed so much to soundstaging, imaging, dynamics, depth and bass control. And its not that my system was hard to hear in the first place.

But we can always agree to disagree.

You mean agree to disagree to agree

Ok All your points from subsequent posts taken. Hifi is a journey of discovery to be undertaken by the self, you cant go by others claims ....

cheers

 

[mahiruha]

Yes.There was more depth and a wider soundstage The sweet spot has increased also.The last time I heard the system the sweet spot was quite small.

I was comparing the bass quality of the system to what I had experienced earlier.


One would have to spend substantially more to improve on Bala's amp.

A couple of friends have very high end mega buck systems,that have expensive signal correction devices from DEQX and Tact. I am convinced that digtal/analog equilasation done right improves any system.

The Berhinger for the price it is sold at is amazing value and is quite transparent when inserted into the audio chain.It does not degrade the signal in any way at least to my ears.

Flanker is absolutely right when he says that, "Truly the DEQ has the capability to turn an average system into a good one, a good one into better and the best system into a stunner. Forget all that you have heard about equalizers, audio processors, etc. This unit has to be an audiophiles ultimate tool. It definitely is a swiss knife. There is very high chance that you are not realizing the true potential of you system if this unit is not part of your setup."

I wish I could afford the DEQX or Tact,but given that is not possible,I would seriously consider the Berhinger .

Regards
Rajiv

Hi Rajiv,
thanks for posting your observation regarding Behringer. 6-7 months ago I was quite interested to use this product in my system but didn't receive much encouragement. What I am interested to know is the performence of a device like Behringer or DEQX in a vinyl based setup. What I broadly understand is this device converts the analogue signal from vinyl to digital do some stuff and then convert it back to analogue. In you experience in the entire process does it preserve the original sound signature we get from vinyls or the resulting sound changes it signature closer to CDs. I have no first hand experience about this product just trying have an idea what people normally do with it.
Thanks.

 

[psychotropic]

at a principle level yes, an ADC-DAC process means the sound becomes digital, because sampling has to take place. Sampling will happen, and the analog signal will become a digital signal...once analog is sampled and becomes digital it can't go back to being analog....So if you go by the arguments of some vinyl proponents, this 'destroys' the sound etc.,

but that's usually not the reason why people prefer vinyl, it's for the stuff that vinyl adds to the sound (even order harmonics and so on), and that should be intact in spite of this ADC-DAC process.

Hi Rajiv,
thanks for posting your observation regarding Behringer. 6-7 months ago I was quite interested to use this product in my system but didn't receive much encouragement. What I am interested to know is the performence of a device like Behringer or DEQX in a vinyl based setup. What I broadly understand is this device converts the analogue signal from vinyl to digital do some stuff and then convert it back to analogue. In you experience in the entire process does it preserve the original sound signature we get from vinyls or the resulting sound changes it signature closer to CDs. I have no first hand experience about this product just trying have an idea what people normally do with it.
Thanks.

 

[madman29]

Here is my little questions to the users of the DEQ2496.
1. If this unit is used as a DAC for my Pioneer DVK 400 DVD player for audio - will ther be any improvement over the built in DAC of pioneer.
2. Can it work as a pre-amp?
3. If not where does it fit in the chain?
a. In between the DVD palyer and the pre-amp?
b. In between the pre and power amp?

 

[psychotropic]

and mahiruha, just for your information...flanker, the person who started this thread is a huge vinyl buff, who has around 1500 LPs. So make what you will of that

 

[mahiruha]

at a principle level yes, an ADC-DAC process means the sound becomes digital, because sampling has to take place. Sampling will happen, and the analog signal will become a digital signal...once analog is sampled and becomes digital it can't go back to being analog....So if you go by the arguments of some vinyl proponents, this 'destroys' the sound etc.,

but that's usually not the reason why people prefer vinyl, it's for the stuff that vinyl adds to the sound (even order harmonics and so on), and that should be intact in spite of this ADC-DAC process.

Well not too sure. But the difference between analogue to digital can be breached if the sampling frequency is high and to do that that one needs a bigger storage. That's why high sample rate audio files needs to be stored in a dvd. This device has one advantage though that it is doing the conversion on fly which means no need for storage so it can achieve fairly high sampling rate with ease. At the end of the day only people who has tried this thing in a vinyl setup can share their experience.Good to know Flanker is a huge vinyl fan and achieved good result with this product.

Thanks.

 

[Rajiv]

What I am interested to know is the performence of a device like Behringer or DEQX in a vinyl based setup.

Hi Mahiruha,

My friend who has the DEQX in his system sends the signal from his TT/phono stage to the DEQX which does the signal processing,the signal is then fed to his ATC SCM100 active speakers.

He also has a McIntosh C46 pre/phono stage and can feed the signal from the TT(TECHNICS SP15/Obsidian base with EPA 5000 tonearm and ShureV15 or Grado cartridges) to the McIntosh pre and an unprocessed signal from the Mcintosh pre to the ATC's.

I have heard both setups and believe you me its a tough call to make.The sound is very good,from both.

After all the digtal signal correction by the DEQX(a tube phono stage it certainly is not) the sound is AWESOME. There is a slight loss of the Analogue signature but given the resultant sound I can live with it.

The sound through the Mcintosh is equally good and has a little more warmth,but is not as clean as from the DEQX.


Regards
Rajiv

 

[madman29]

After a little digging I came to know about the REFERENCE AMPLIFIER A500
from Behringer. The price quoted for India is $300 excluding vat. If vat is calculated at 12.5% then the price is surprising low than other high grade power amp in the home audio market. Any thoughts?

 

[gobble]

After a little digging I came to know about the REFERENCE AMPLIFIER A500
from Behringer. The price quoted for India is $300 excluding vat. If vat is calculated at 12.5% then the price is surprising low than other high grade power amp in the home audio market. Any thoughts?

That makes it a great budget buy even with 25% duty!! Anyone heard it? Is it musical?

300W at 4ohms may be like 15oW at 8ohm load good for most folks.

cheers

 

[thevortex]

Hi Rajiv,
thanks for posting your observation regarding Behringer. 6-7 months ago I was quite interested to use this product in my system but didn't receive much encouragement. What I am interested to know is the performence of a device like Behringer or DEQX in a vinyl based setup. What I broadly understand is this device converts the analogue signal from vinyl to digital do some stuff and then convert it back to analogue. In you experience in the entire process does it preserve the original sound signature we get from vinyls or the resulting sound changes it signature closer to CDs. I have no first hand experience about this product just trying have an idea what people normally do with it.
Thanks.

Well, it does convert it back to analogue in the sense that you can take analogue outputs from it at the end. As to whether you will like the sound signature after the ADC/DAC conversion only you can confirm. After trying it out.

I think this could be a question for Rajiv. Or Flanker. I have not heard Vinyls too closely. Purposely too because I dont want to develop a taste for that - because I know I wont do justice to that sort of setup. I cannot maintain them the way these enthusiasts do.

Rajiv and Flanker are perhaps the two guys who have extensively listen to vinyl and have now listened to the Behringer unit as well.

Here is my little questions to the users of the DEQ2496.
1. If this unit is used as a DAC for my Pioneer DVK 400 DVD player for audio - will ther be any improvement over the built in DAC of pioneer.
2. Can it work as a pre-amp?
3. If not where does it fit in the chain?
a. In between the DVD palyer and the pre-amp?
b. In between the pre and power amp?

Answers:

1 - YES . I think the DAC is super for the money paid.

2 - Yes it can work as a pre-amp. It does have a form of volume control. Though not as intuitive as an actual pre-amp.

3. You could use it theoretically only for equalization and room correction while still taking the digital out and passing it to a DAC.

 

[thevortex]

After a little digging I came to know about the REFERENCE AMPLIFIER A500
from Behringer. The price quoted for India is $300 excluding vat. If vat is calculated at 12.5% then the price is surprising low than other high grade power amp in the home audio market. Any thoughts?

The Behringer amps generally do not receive very high quality feedback. Not sure why that is.

Generally these are used for driving PA setups and perhaps concert setups. Am not sure whether this will work for home audio.

Having said that somewhat similar conditions apply to the DEQ2496 unit as well. But then it is said to work well for a home studio as well. Guess I will take it based on that.

 

[arj]

although this is for the SRC2496, check this out Behringer

 

[captrajesh]

So instead of 19K on this thingie, 12K spent on ICs and power chords may bring many of the same benefits? Besides your "poor mans version" of the ICs may still be restricting the scope of improvements the Behringer is able to deliver

Have you guys heard of Lyrita I/Cs. I have one.

We had once compared these to Nordost & Kimbercable.

One of the senior members of the forum has commented with whom I readily concurred that these were sounding far better. There was more detail and the lushness in the tone of the instruments was very apparent.
(I'm not taking names here as I do not know if he would be comfortable with that)

 

[gobble]

Have you guys heard of Lyrita I/Cs. I have one.

We had once compared these to Nordost & Kimbercable.

One of the senior members of the forum has commented with whom I readily concurred that these were sounding far better. There was more detail and the lushness in the tone of the instruments was very apparent.
(I'm not taking names here as I do not know if he would be comfortable with that)

Personally I heard one in my setup for a few day and did not find it better than what i already had then ... I think it was a solid copper core. But I will not say they are bad ... good VFM for sure!

Cheers

 

[arj]

Have you guys heard of Lyrita I/Cs. I have one.

We had once compared these to Nordost & Kimbercable.

One of the senior members of the forum has commented with whom I readily concurred that these were sounding far better. There was more detail and the lushness in the tone of the instruments was very apparent.
(I'm not taking names here as I do not know if he would be comfortable with that)

nordost and Lyrita would definitely sound very different as they are designed around a different philosophy.. so any system you will get very different results with each. Liking and not liking are too system and ear specific so cannot really say which is good or bad.

I think I had heard Lyritas on my system and i was using a transparent musiclink plus IC and the Lyrita sound comparatively more muddled...but i do know folks who have felt it to sound really good on their systems.

but from a cost point of view..they should ideally be compared to cables with a retail price 2-3 times more...am sure they are VFM