DA DA!! Behringer DEQ2496 to the rescue again.
Seriously, its spectrum analyser will show you what your problem is, and can help evaluate any fixes you try. And, in the meanwhile you can shape the frequency response to something you like, which may not be flat at all. |
Tvad's suggestion for the Audio Control C-101 Equalizer is good if you can get it for anything like $30. Don't forget that you will need to add a calibration microphone to fully utilize the C-101. I'm not sure what kind of mic is needed, but I have used an Audio Control "Richter Scale" (a low frequency range 1/3 octave equalizer), and its mic was unique.
Audio control equipment is well designed, and constructed. My Richter Scale served well for more than a decade, and, for that matter, still works. With an old unit like this with sliders (linear pots) you may expect that some of the sliders are noisy. This is usually correctable by a dose of contact cleaner from Radio Shack.
Using an equalizer is not as easy as you might suspect. You can go crazy pushing the sliders up and down! The Behringer DEQ2496 which I suggested will cost about $350 including microphone, but it is a far more capable instrument than the C-100, and one feature is an automatic equalization process that will keep you out of deep trouble. The DEQ2496 has balanced inputs and outputs, and therefore to use it with unbalanced interconnects which you may have (which is perfectly OK) you would need four XLR to RCA adapter plugs, or better yet, buy new interconnects with XLR on one end and RCA on the other, and wired unbalanced.
Others have pointed to deficiencies of your equipment and if they are right the equalizer will be counteracting these deficiencies. However, even if you replaced all the equipment your room's acoustic deficiencies would remain, and an equalizer will remain useful to correct these. |
Jpbach...It's your nickel. But remember that the Spectrum analyser feature of the DEQ2496 is way better than the Radio Shack SPL meter for evaluating the effectiveness of changes to your system/room. Consider its EQ capability as a bonus. |
Mapleleafs3...I don't know if this is what you meant, but the DEQ2496 does have darned good A/D and D/A hardware, and if the Sony player's D/A is inferior the DEQ2496 could provide the DAC function, as well as all the other things it can do. Just feed the DEQ2496 digital from the disc player. |
Trelja...Digital algorithms can implement filters and other sorts of processing that are simply not possible with analog circuits. The Behringer has 24/96 A/D and D/A and a floating point DSP module, so forget about resolution. And all the bad things you seem to expect from an equalizer just aren't there with the Behringer. For one example: Signal/Noise is more than 113 dB. Few if any analog circuits are this good.
Obviously I cannot convince you it sounds good by talking about it. Why don't you spring for the $350 and try it? The spectrum analyser alone is worth this much, and can be used to evaluate and adjust non-electronic tweeks. Your system may be perfect, but I doubt your room is, and that is what the EQ is aimed at. |
Trelja...As I have commented before, I bought the thing just for the spectrum analyser, and I have analog parametric equalizers which I fully intended to use, based on the spectrum analyser data. But once I heard the DEQ2496 eq results I was hooked.
"You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink" :-) |
Trelja...The mic to use is Behringer ECM8000, available from Parts Express (and other places). Don't forget that you also need a mic cable. I think that it is not included because most professional users of the DEQ2496 will have more than one in their setup, but only need one mic.
If you need a bit of gain (so as to avoid using a preamp) the DEQ2496 can provide this. However, unless you feed the DEQ2496 a relatively high line level signal you will only be using the lower order bits of the 24-bit converter. If you only play CDs with 16 bit data this probably won't matter.
Viridian...The A/D and D/A converters of the DEQ2496 are very good, and you should not be afraid of using them. Just put the DEQ2496 between your preamp and power amp, turn down the power amp gain so that the preamp gain can be cranked up (as necessary to use all the 24 bits) and give it a try. What the hell...$350!! |
Trelja...Are you using analog or digital input? On the I/O menu make sure the proper one is selected. If you are using digital you must configure the Behringer for the appropriate sample rate (I/O menu again). If the sample rate is wrong the outputs will be muted.
My unit is dead quiet. The S/N spec is 113 dB. You probably have too much gain following the Behringer. Remember this is a pro sound unit and likes to run at higher line level than the typical home audio equipment. A low level input will also result in not using all the 24 bits of the converters, which probably affects sound quality. Are you using single ended or balanced interconnects? I use single ended for input and balanced for output. If you use single ended make sure that the (-) pin is grounded.
I understand your frustration! This is a very complex and flexible unit, which is good, but it does take a while to figure out how to use it. The real fun will start when you get the mic. |
Trelja...It took me months of fiddling around to learn how to set up and use the DEC2496. And I are a engineer!
The line level setting is one thing that I found very important, but which many users probably don't bother with. You can monitor the input (electrical) levels using the METER mode. It will, among other things, log the maximum level seen during the course of playing a CD. The procedure I used is as follows. It applies when the Behringer is between the preamp and the power amp, and is cited to illustrate the basic idea. (If you use the digital input this may not be necessary).
1..Mute, or turn off, the power amp.
2..Play a CD that includes some loud parts. (I actually used a test CD put out out by Denon that includes test signals at specific levels like -20dB).
3..Crank up the volume control until the level runs around -20 dB on the green LEDs. (Remember this is dB down from the 0 dB reference). If you use the Denon test CD this -20dB setting can be done exactly.
4..Back off the volume control a bit, and then turn up the power amp gain to what you think is loud.
In my system this setup procedure results in typical music signal running about -20 dB much of the time, and the peak for a whole CD being -6dB or less for both channels. I never see CLIP. However you do the setup, this should be the goal. The basic idea is to make the MSB (bit 16) of a CD correspond to the MSB (bit 24) of the Behringer. Hopefully this will happen automatically if you use the digital input.
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Trelja...And it ain't even broken in!
Were you able to get those green -20dB LEDs flashing? |
