Altec 1650 vs Behringer FBQ6200?

[Guy in WNY]

I am getting an EQ. The choices are a pair of Altec 28 band 1650 (used)OR one Behringer 31 band FBQ6200 (new).

What do you all think? The Altec does not have all the bells and whistles as the FBQ6200, but the Altec may be a better unit sonically? I have NO idea which one sounds better, however, the FBQ6200 would be under warranty and has a limiter and lots of LEDS, etc.

On the other hand, the Altec units may sound better, but I don't know. They both look in pretty good shape, with the cover plate intact and not too scratched up. Being used, they are sold "as is".

If the price ends up being the about the same for either unit, which do you think would be the better buy and WHY?

There is no EQ in my system now; I adjust the gains on the active Xover or on the power amps. Not really a good solution, a bit "rough", so to speak.

[Guy in WNY]

OK, I've used the search of this site and turned up no posts about the Altec 1650 EQ, except these ones. So is/was it an unpopular unit?
Or was it just not that good? :dont-know
Going into the library on this site I've located and read the Altec lit for this unit and found out it is an attenuator or filter, with gain on the output. It will not offer "gain" on the sliders, only attenuation. Perhaps that is what made it unpopular? In otherwords, you can't turn up a portion of the band that is low, all you can do is lower the rest of the bands to that level and then turn up the output gain.

Has anyone out there actually used one of these things? What did you like about it? Dislike?

Still wondering out here in frozen Lockport, NY...:help:

[Ben Clarke]

Guy,
Fun day up here in Appleton, too. I'm going nowhere till Monday.

I'd avoid pretty much any Behringer if you can. Ashly makes some great graphs. Maybe look for White eqs as well. They are excellent and are all over ebay. They have some rotary 1/3 octave units that seem to go for around $200, IIRC.

I prefer parametric eqs generally, and prefer none at all when possible. Check with Tone Doctors and see what they have laying around. He seems willing to deal as well.

Cut-only graphs are common for pro-sound, but kind of a pain for hi-fi.

Regards,
Ben

[Mr. Widget]

I'd avoid pretty much any Behringer if you can. Ashly makes some great graphs.True and true...


Maybe look for White eqs as well. They are excellent and are all over ebay. They have some rotary 1/3 octave units that seem to go for around $200, IIRC.Absolutely... once you get used to the rotary knobs there is little difference... and sonically a properly working set of Whites is better than just about anything and they are readily available these days at fire sale prices.


Widget

[Guy in WNY]

Thanks for the replies, Ben & Mr.Widget.
If the price is right, I'll go with the pair of 1650's ($81 right now) for now or an Ashley GQX-1502 15 band ($51 right now) that is also for sale. The White and Ashley 31 band units are going too high for me already, so maybe I have to set my sights a bit lower for now. There is a DBX-1231 going for about $107 right now; it should end up going for about $150 or so, but I think that unit may be too much like the Behringer FBQ-6200 (should go for about $125) that you all suggested I shy away from.

I'd like to upgrade to a digital unit in the next couple of years. Maybe by then, I'll have found a Home Theater unit I can afford that has the outputs I want.

I'll be wanting to get an RTA w/mic soon as well so I can actually measure changes in my setup. More eBay hunting...

Ben, I'll stop in Tone Doctors next week. I didn't know there was a music store in town still!

Thanks again for your suggestions. :hmm: Food for thought...

[Zilch]

Behringer DEQ2496 is RTA and EQ.

Under $300 new complete with mic at Guitar Center or equal.

Its AutoEQ is little short of amazing.

Yes, Mr. Widget can hear it in line....

[Guy in WNY]

Bid is now at $132.50 for the pair of 1650's. Two bidders, a jamilama and rawall are getting in to a bidding war. They have really run the bid up a lot over the last few hours. Jamilama is in France, Rawall is in the US.
36 minutes left!

[Mr. Widget]

Behringer DEQ2496 is RTA and EQ.


Yes, Mr. Widget can hear it in line....There is nothing wrong with using the RTA function, but even a deaf monkey could hear the Behringer screwing up the sound when it is in the signal path... the Behringer is really only for those who love blinking lights and are more enamored with a "low price" than actually listening to the music.

There are so many alternatives available for just a little more...


Widget

[Chas]

There is nothing wrong with using the RTA function, but even a deaf monkey could hear the Behringer screwing up the sound when it is in the signal path... the Behringer is really only for those who love blinking lights and are more enamored with a "low price" than actually listening to the music.

There are so many alternatives available for just a little more...


Widget

I would completely agree with Mr. Widget. While it may seem off topic, the DEQ2496 is so-darned versatile it's worth having over here IMHO, but definitely NOT in the signal path. Just its DAC on its own (yes, the AES balanced input accepts your favaorite unbalanced input from your CD player, etc. (simply connect the - pin to ground) is worth the price...let alone a built in RTA, etc...:) I'm still waiting for mine to crap out like one of their crossovers did to me.:(

[Guy in WNY]

The bid SHOT up in the last minute; that's to be expected most of the time.

I'm going to keep tracking these White EQ auctions. Perhaps there will be a "Buy It Now" at the right price within the next couple of months and if not, well, by then I will have saved enough to get a fairly good low end (under $500) EQ used, on the 'bay.

The DEQ2496 is still what I would have to consider for the RTA function. I don't know the cost, used, of a lab grade RTA, but it has to be a bit more than the DEQ2496 new. I would just transpose the AutoEQ settings into the White EQ, and monitor it on the DEQ.

I prefer vu meters myself; nice big ones like on the front of a German monoblock amp I saw on the 'bay a few years ago. The name slips my mind at the moment :blink: but they were beautiful! And the amps were CHROME! 220vac line. Very powerfull.

The ladder LED ones are OK, but just not my style. I see them all the time under $100, but haven't bought one yet. I think you'd want a dimmer control on them.

Thanks again for all your input(s). :)

[Mr. Widget]

I'm going to keep tracking these White EQ auctions. I'd suggest you only look at their rotary knob models... they have active and passive versions, they have cut only models, they have 1/3 octave models and models with finer and coarser resolutions... they even have models that take plug in crossover filters... but the digitally controlled analog models don't sound particularly good.... these are obviously different looking as they do not have a bank of rotary knobs.


Widget

[Ben Clarke]

...even a deaf monkey could hear the Behringer screwing up the sound when it is in the signal path...

That actually works out pretty well 'cause they can tell you so in sign language.

[Guy in WNY]

THAT was the name I couldn't remember. It bugged me all night, and when I woke up this AM, I remembered. The entire front is a giant VU meter. Very nice, I thought.