Is DEQX a game changer?

Bifwynne, Even though such an experiment on the surface might appear to provide a correct time / incorrect time value check with everything else being relatively the same: and on the one hand I don't want to discourage your experiment(heck, I'm curious too), but, on the other hand I'm not sure the DEQX by by itself is the ideal way to determine how important wave fidelity is. I would be concerned that unless the speakers were designed from the start towards those aspirations they might not be hospitable to the demands made upon them by such manipulations. The DEQX might(?) actually be in conflict with the speakers designs intentions.
Perhaps, I'm mistaken, but don't think Bob is too far off course here with the idea that a speaker designed from the get go for wave fidelity combined with digital room correction might be the ideal way to go. I suspect that the future might yet provide for digital signal corrected for room considerations into digital cross-overs into class D amps into individual drivers that might provide the ultimate fidelity for listeners in real rooms.

Just to clarify: I participated in the "sloped baffle" thread and mentioned the DEQX, but I don't own it nor have heard it. I've been interested in time-aligned speakers and discussed this with a couple knowleadgeable people who have tried them, and in that context I discussed with an owner of a DEQX who uses it for DRC and as DAC (he doesn't do time alignment though). He has a very expensive system, spoke super highly about this unit, and said it replaced a $30k DAC.

Bifiwyne: how are you planning to set up your audition? I see you have Paradigm S8 and a sub (or two?). Since you have a turntable, I'm guessing you'll have it after the preamp and driving amps directly. It is my understanding such a setup would allow the unit to perform the room correction and set delays between subwoofer amp and S8 amp, but to time-align the drivers in the S8 you would need to disconnect the crossovers and drive each driver with one channel of an amp. I myself am very intrigued by this approach, but realize it's cumbersome and requires more amps to try out.

If I may, I'd like to make the OP's initial question broader: "is DSP as it stands today a game changer?" I'm VERY intrigued. Just as to some who never heard it this makes no sense, to me (never heard it either) makes a lot of theoretical sense. And the few I exchanged with who have tried it speak highly about it.

For those of us with only computer sources, there are cheaper ways to try this. Acourate DSP software + Lynx Hilo is one option. Here are two articles on such use worth reading:
1) doing room correction
2) time-aligning drivers

To me, actively multi-amping always made a lot of theoretical sense, but the incremental cost of amps and cables and XO made it non-practical/economical. But with these software/multichannel DAC packages we could do without the preamp and XO and associated cables, plus we can do time-alignment. Is it worth vs my beloved Lamm preamp? Well...that is what intrigues me!
In full disclosure, this also would open a door for me to build my own speakers, an additional benefit to me. I'm a mechanical engineer and comfortable with the mechanics associated with speakers and drivers and room, and building stuff, but I'm not up to par for building crossovers. So if I can have a software tackle that piece, I could build my speakers - that would be fun!

Anyway, sorry I digressed. I guess I used this post as therapy! I couldn't talk to anybody about these things without them thinking I lost it...maybe I'm not alone here? :-)

Cheers!

08-24-14: Lewinskih01
Just to clarify: I participated in the "sloped baffle" thread and mentioned the DEQX, but I don't own it nor have heard it.

sorry Lewinskih01, I thought you were the fella who had DEQX.
In that case I must have mistaken it with the OP - Psag - of the "sloped baffle" thread who has DEQX.

yeah, Bruce has a few of us waiting with bated breath on 2 of his trials - over a month ago he was going to get some Home Depot thick gauge wire to try out as speaker cables & see if they bested his current audiophile speaker cables & the 2nd is his DEQX experiment (which seems to be delayed to after Labor Day).
Bruce, are you going to do that speaker cables A/B anytime soon? Or, is that just idle talk? Thanks.

@Bombaywalla, not idle talk re romex. Summer has been very busy time. Also, trying to get the DEQX guys to get their act together has been a major PITA. The US rep said after Labor Day. The reasons for the delays are not worth repeating ... too boring.

I haven't forgotten about the DEQX and will report back.

@Lew ... not sure that's the way it works re the self powered sub and my Ref 150/mains. But I'll report back.

@Unsound ... not sure I'm the guy who can respond to your concerns.

I'll copy and pass these Qs along to the US rep.

BIF

Near the end of the "best speaker you ever heard" thread I mention Overkill using DEQX as a "game changer" FOR ME not simply for what the speakers were doing but more importantly for what they were not doing. You start with a spectacular speaker design and take it to the next level of adaptation in the room with DEQX. As I recall the speaker had no internal crossover at all. Both drivers were directly connected to the DEQX as room correction and crossover combined. It would make a crappy speaker better but that's missing the point isn't it.

As a purity/ transparency nut I would have never believed running the signal through an active xover could sound so surreal and "pure" but that remains the most honest (you are there) rendering of seemingly limitless 3Dimensional 2-channel to date. Recently I listened at a friends house to the Fleetwood Mac reunion concert in full Revel Salon 2 surround that was sweet, clear, DIMENSIONAL and beyond powerful. Surround sound quality is outstanding, highly recommended, Lindsey B. leaves the planet. What I heard with a redbook cd in the Overkill room w/DEQX (optimized to the highest level) remains the absolute high bar. BTW The Salon 2 properly optimized can also completely vanish.