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Thread: DBX Driverack PA

  1. #16
    Senior Señor boputnam's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tim Rinkerman View Post
    What comes out doesn't sound like what went in...I'm glad they discontinued it.
    +1 Actually, stuff comes out that was not sent in...

    Quote Originally Posted by Andyoz View Post
    Big differences sonically between the Driverack PA and 260 apparently. Save up for the 260...
    +1, that is, if you must have a Driverack...

    Quote Originally Posted by cooky1257 View Post
    The dbx will do what it says on the tin but it wont do it as well or as sonically satisfying as the equiv XTA. That said the base level XTA will run you a cool £2500 but wont sound 8x better.
    Make the 10x, and I agree.

    Quote Originally Posted by macaroonie View Post
    Thanks for the replies fellahs. Thats the kind of info I was looking for. I'm guessing that the digital processing is not as tidy as it could be..
    Yup and in the digital realm it's all about the A/D and D/A converters. Cutting costs there is like cheapo head-amps on mixing consoles...

    Quote Originally Posted by cooky1257 View Post
    Mac, you may be able to pick up a s/h Tannoy TDX2 oop there-which is a rebadged XTA 226 (minus the card slot). I use one on xover/peq duties, it sounds great, transparent and flexible-it certainly isn't 'spitty or untidy..
    A great plan, if true - news to me.

    I've used xta for many, many years. I own 3 of them, and always hand-carry one 448 when on a fly-dates tour. It is the most powerful tool in my arsenal. I nightly am re-building PA systems on-the-fly, quickly, and invariably always get a result vastly improved on the install. Time-alignment, good control over the band passes, and phase, coupled with those powerful PEQ's is a wonderful experience.

    Plus, the AudioCore software (free) is incredible. Conversely, I've owned one KT DN9848 for over 5-years and have never, ever been able to get it to handshake with my laptop.
    bo

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  2. #17
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    More news and true!

    http://www.audiocore.co.uk/tech-supp...to%20DP226.pdf
    Though not on that list the Funktion X01 is also a rebadged 226.

  3. #18
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    Not a lot of love for the old PA eh...

    Well while I don't have anything to compare it to, I will say I'm very satisfied with mine, for the price I payed - $230 USD (used) with a behringer measurement mike.

    My only complaint thus far is that it'll send a whopping massive pop through you drivers if you accidentally turn it off first. I leave mine on 24/7 connected to a UPS just in case the power goes out.

    Honestly I have this thing connected to some mighty fine amps and drivers, and it sounds really freaking good. I bet a more expensive processor might give a little better resolution. I'd like to compare it to the deqx one day.

    Drivers are: Gauss 1502 HF horns above 7.2Khz, Altec 288 RWB CD on 1003 tar filled horns (300-7Khz) and Altec 515G's in DIY 80hz bass horn.

    Some pics of my speakers in their current form.
    http://www.audioheritage.org/vbullet...re-these/page2

  4. #19
    Senior Señor boputnam's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Steve71 View Post
    Not a lot of love for the old PA eh...


    Quote Originally Posted by Steve71 View Post
    My only complaint thus far is that it'll send a whopping massive pop through you drivers if you accidentally turn it off first.
    Yeah, that is a really bad idea. Not bragging, but the xta does not do that - and, when it comes back up, it restarts with the latest settings, even if you haven't saved them. Those features have saved me from a few unintended disconnects!

    Quote Originally Posted by Steve71 View Post
    Honestly I have this thing connected to some mighty fine amps and drivers, and it sounds really freaking good. I bet a more expensive processor might give a little better resolution. I'd like to compare it to the deqx one day.
    Yes, it does. Just realize none of these were intended for HiFi - they are not audiophile quality, but are damned good. All of these give increased control over the system response - control not possible otherwise - which can really improve the matching/mating of system and room. Use can be very gratifying!
    Last edited by boputnam; 11-08-2010 at 05:18 PM.
    bo

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  5. #20
    Senior Member jerry_rig's Avatar
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    A friend let me borrow a Driverack PA recently to bi-amp my hi-fi setup. I was using it to test in concept my plan to run 2 JBL 2235s active with a low pass cutoff around 80Hz, essentially creating a subwoofer. (I'm running the top section full range since it naturally rolls off around 80Hz.) The concept worked brilliantly. But based partly on threads on this forum, I decided to buy an Ashly XR-1001. To my ear, the analogue Ashly sounded much better than the digital Driverack PA. Note I was only using it for low end pass band duties, but the bass was much deeper and tighter. Frankly, I was shocked. It also sounded more natural. The controls are of course much easier to use to boot. Brought a big smile to my face.

  6. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by jerry_rig View Post
    A friend let me borrow a Driverack PA recently to bi-amp my hi-fi setup. I was using it to test in concept my plan to run 2 JBL 2235s active with a low pass cutoff around 80Hz, essentially creating a subwoofer. (I'm running the top section full range since it naturally rolls off around 80Hz.) The concept worked brilliantly. But based partly on threads on this forum, I decided to buy an Ashly XR-1001. To my ear, the analogue Ashly sounded much better than the digital Driverack PA. Note I was only using it for low end pass band duties, but the bass was much deeper and tighter. Frankly, I was shocked. It also sounded more natural. The controls are of course much easier to use to boot. Brought a big smile to my face.
    Just a thought, but did you have the gain structure set up correctly when using the dbx? In other words, when listening to music were you lighting up some/most of the input & output LEDS on the unit?

  7. #22
    Senior Member jerry_rig's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Steve71 View Post
    Just a thought, but did you have the gain structure set up correctly when using the dbx? In other words, when listening to music were you lighting up some/most of the input & output LEDS on the unit?
    Please don't take my comments as a bonafide review of the DriveRack. I was simply noting what I perceived as cleaner deep bass from the Ashly. All lights on the dbx indicated very low operating levels. As I recall only the first level was lit up. Note that the crossover is being used to match a pair of 2235s to my other speakers. All are driven from the same pre-amp and the low-end power amp does not have attenuation, so I don't have much flexibility to push (or limit) signal strength at the crossover. It is what it is...

  8. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by jerry_rig View Post
    Please don't take my comments as a bonafide review of the DriveRack. I was simply noting what I perceived as cleaner deep bass from the Ashly. All lights on the dbx indicated very low operating levels. As I recall only the first level was lit up. Note that the crossover is being used to match a pair of 2235s to my other speakers. All are driven from the same pre-amp and the low-end power amp does not have attenuation, so I don't have much flexibility to push (or limit) signal strength at the crossover. It is what it is...
    Yeah, it's impossible to set up correct gain structure on the dbx if your amp doesn't have gain controls. That might account for the poor performance.

    Then again I cross to a sub at 80hz so I don't actually listen to <80hz bass through my unit.

  9. #24
    Senior Señor boputnam's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Steve71 View Post
    ...it's impossible to set up correct gain structure on the dbx if your amp doesn't have gain controls.
    Not so.

    Each band pass you establish in the crossover has separate gain (output), so you can control each band pass gain relative to one-another.

    While using Pink Noise on a system, I make coarse adjustments on band pass gains to get the system output as smooth as possible (and as desired...) before applying any PEQ's (or GEQ's). This often reduces the number of filters needed (and avoids their intrinsic phasing anomalies) for optimal response.
    bo

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  10. #25
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    I think the DR PA has internal analog gain adjustment jumpers. I know the DR 260 does. Don't wast your time with "auto EQ".

  11. #26
    Senior Señor boputnam's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Caldwell View Post
    Don't wast your time with "auto EQ".


    Unless you're ... lol

  12. #27
    Senior Member macaroonie's Avatar
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    Well in the end I could not find enough positives for the driverack PA and quite a few cons. The power up thump is a concern as is the audio quality , so I caved in and went for one of these :

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    On the go here for all of £75 at that price I don't suppose I can go terribly wrong. Plusses are it has CD compensation and delay as well as the usual L/R filters.
    On the minus side it is a little cheezy on build quality so fingers crossed.
    My M553 stays firmly on the shelf in my lounge.

    Thanks everyone for you input.

  13. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by boputnam View Post
    Not so.

    Each band pass you establish in the crossover has separate gain (output), so you can control each band pass gain relative to one-another.
    Sure you can, but since it's done in the digital domain, it's unless for setting up correct gain structure (unless you already happen to be in the ball park). IE it does nothing to reduce the noise the DRPA adds to the chain.

  14. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Caldwell View Post
    I think the DR PA has internal analog gain adjustment jumpers. I know the DR 260 does. Don't wast your time with "auto EQ".
    Well if it does, there is no mention of it in the manual.

    And while the auto EQ function is far from perfect, it's not a bad starting point. Of course if you have better measuring equipment, then I'd use it instead.

  15. #30
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    It would make sense that the 260 has the gain adjustment jumpers since that it is the next step up the DBX ladder.

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