I am experimenting with a Driverack PA (not PA2) with a home stereo. I'm using the wizard to set up the EQ mainly to learn some of the things it can and cannot do. I hope to get a much better DSP setup later and use it with better analysis software. But for now, it is interesting to watch this wizard work (this one uses pink noise and sets a 30-band equalizer).
I have found that the wizard gives a good result but in addition I have to set one or two PEQ filters manually to get what I like.
My question s concerns the output level. The output level is much higher than the input level (I would expect this as I used a flat response target and some low frequency boost is required). But sometimes the driverack output is driven to distortion. I think this could be remedied by using the setup wizard to "tell" the driverack that the gain control on my amplifier is set higher than indicated at present. I skipped this step during my initial setup, thinking I could get back to it later. But I can't find a way to use just that part of the wizard, keep my EQ settings, and then stop and store a new setup file. The driverack insists on completing all subsequent steps including the pink noise EQ, etc. Does anyone know how to change just the signal level part of the stored settings?
Thanks,
Tom
I have found that the wizard gives a good result but in addition I have to set one or two PEQ filters manually to get what I like.
My question s concerns the output level. The output level is much higher than the input level (I would expect this as I used a flat response target and some low frequency boost is required). But sometimes the driverack output is driven to distortion. I think this could be remedied by using the setup wizard to "tell" the driverack that the gain control on my amplifier is set higher than indicated at present. I skipped this step during my initial setup, thinking I could get back to it later. But I can't find a way to use just that part of the wizard, keep my EQ settings, and then stop and store a new setup file. The driverack insists on completing all subsequent steps including the pink noise EQ, etc. Does anyone know how to change just the signal level part of the stored settings?
Thanks,
Tom
Are you using true balanced line connections for the input and outputs.
Depending on what input is on the amp your connecting to the distortion may be from that input being
overdriven and not the actual output on the Driverack.
What version Driverack do you have there were a few different versions before the PA2.
For what it's worth I'm not a fan of using the auto eq on those, seen many times where it applies way too much boost in areas that the system can in no way handle as the auto function tries to achieve a perfect flat response.
Depending on what input is on the amp your connecting to the distortion may be from that input being
overdriven and not the actual output on the Driverack.
What version Driverack do you have there were a few different versions before the PA2.
For what it's worth I'm not a fan of using the auto eq on those, seen many times where it applies way too much boost in areas that the system can in no way handle as the auto function tries to achieve a perfect flat response.
Thanks for the reply. Yes, I'm driving an unbalanced amplifier input. According to dbx, the "electronically balanced" output emulates a transformer and grounding pin 3 is OK. I had considered adding attenuators between the driverack and the amplifier, but since the distortion occurs when the output level meter on the dbx is maxed out, I thought it might be better to see if I could get the internal gain down. Nevertheless, you make a good point that some attenuation is in order when driving a home hifi amp.
Yes, I agree that the driverack EQ is rather crude. I can tell from reading discussions on this forum that judgement based on experience plays a big role in determining the best EQ.
I might just run through the entire setup wizard again and this time enter a higher volume setting for the amplifier. And I think I will put attenuators on the outputs. Using some old benchmarks, the driverack nominal output is +4dbm and the "consumer line in" nominal is -10 dbm. That implies -14dB (loss factor of 5). Sound good?
Tom
Yes, I agree that the driverack EQ is rather crude. I can tell from reading discussions on this forum that judgement based on experience plays a big role in determining the best EQ.
I might just run through the entire setup wizard again and this time enter a higher volume setting for the amplifier. And I think I will put attenuators on the outputs. Using some old benchmarks, the driverack nominal output is +4dbm and the "consumer line in" nominal is -10 dbm. That implies -14dB (loss factor of 5). Sound good?
Tom
How loud is your system when your driving the DR to it's max out level?
If you need to drive the DR to it's max output just to get an average level from the
system you need to look beyond the DR outputs. What are you connecting to, it sounds
like there is a lot of attenuation already happening somewhere past the output of the DR.
If you need to drive the DR to it's max output just to get an average level from the
system you need to look beyond the DR outputs. What are you connecting to, it sounds
like there is a lot of attenuation already happening somewhere past the output of the DR.
New information: Since I made my last post, I got to thinking that the attenuation between the DR and the consumer-grade amp is such a reasonable thing to do I couldn't believe that I hadn't done it. So I looked inside the XLR connectors, and there it was - about 17dB loss (13.3K in series loaded by 2.15K). Now I remember taking the time to do it. So I already have appropriate attenuation. You were correct that there was attenuation post-DR. In addition to the passive attenuators, the gain control on the amp (which I am using as my volume control) is set rather low (40 out of 100) so the amp is still getting a very big signal.
I'm not playing the system very loud. In fact, it is my goal not to drive the DR to it's maximum level, but I have no control to adjust the level into the DR (It's driven directly from a DVD/CD player line out). I could attenuate the input to the DR, but the input level indicators on the DR show an acceptable nominal level, and I'd rather not under-utilize those digital bits! I'm trying to reduce the internal gain of the DR, and in conjunction with the passive attenuation between the DR and the amplifier it ought to work. I'm thinking that lowering the internal gain of the DR and then operating the amplifier at a higher gain could address my issue.
There is a part of the DR setup wizard that asks for the position of the gain control on your amplifier. Because I skipped that part of the setup, the wizard thinks my amplifier gain control is set at about 20% and this may be causing the DR try to supply the amp with a big signal. I don't know, but if I edit that part of the wizard and tell it that the gain control on my amp is set higher, I might convince the DR wizard to lower the internal gain. I have actually navigated to that page and edited the setting, but there is no button to push to accept that setting; it seems that all I can do to make the change effective is to continue through the entire setup procedure in order to make the changes.
I guess wizards are handy, but I'd rather just have control. I suppose I'll get out my measurement microphone and just repeat everything.
I'm not playing the system very loud. In fact, it is my goal not to drive the DR to it's maximum level, but I have no control to adjust the level into the DR (It's driven directly from a DVD/CD player line out). I could attenuate the input to the DR, but the input level indicators on the DR show an acceptable nominal level, and I'd rather not under-utilize those digital bits! I'm trying to reduce the internal gain of the DR, and in conjunction with the passive attenuation between the DR and the amplifier it ought to work. I'm thinking that lowering the internal gain of the DR and then operating the amplifier at a higher gain could address my issue.
There is a part of the DR setup wizard that asks for the position of the gain control on your amplifier. Because I skipped that part of the setup, the wizard thinks my amplifier gain control is set at about 20% and this may be causing the DR try to supply the amp with a big signal. I don't know, but if I edit that part of the wizard and tell it that the gain control on my amp is set higher, I might convince the DR wizard to lower the internal gain. I have actually navigated to that page and edited the setting, but there is no button to push to accept that setting; it seems that all I can do to make the change effective is to continue through the entire setup procedure in order to make the changes.
I guess wizards are handy, but I'd rather just have control. I suppose I'll get out my measurement microphone and just repeat everything.
Make sure before You mess with the EQ settings You set the speakers and crossover frequency first.
Are your speakers full range, bi-amped or tri-amped?
Take a look at how much EQ boost the auto EQ may have applied.
Select custom for the amp selection.
Take a look at how much EQ boost the auto EQ may have applied.
Select custom for the amp selection.
Speakers are beyma 10xc25, a 10-inch coax, sealed box. Using passive factory crossover for now, so the driverack is doing EQ only. The EQ bands are generally increasing for lower frequencies, and there are some with quite a bit of boost (is the max 12 dB?) True, that is a reason that the output could overdrive. But at times the sound has little low-frequency content and I still see the output level significantly higher than the input level. I hear the distortion when there is strong low-frequency content. Certainly, under some conditions with loud LF signals, the low-frequency boost could cause distortion (i.e., exceed the digital or analog dynamic range). Now if the internal architecture of the DR implements the EQ ahead of the variable gain for the output, and if the distortion is occurring at the output of an EQ boost stage, then a reduction in the input level or a reduction in the LF boost is the only thing I can do. But I think that there is an internal gain setting and depending on how and where it is implemented, I might be able to optimize the gain structure to get better results by reducing the internal gain.
Thanks for the suggestion; I'll select Custom for the amp and see if I can make the DR expect a higher gain amp and thereby convince it to lower its internal gain.
Thanks for the suggestion; I'll select Custom for the amp and see if I can make the DR expect a higher gain amp and thereby convince it to lower its internal gain.
Also keep in mind that speaker is not sub woofer and will a lot of low frequency boost you could be pushing the speaker physically too hard.
I would set a high pass filter at around 50hz with at least an 18db BW filter,,,,,,maybe 24db.
I would set a high pass filter at around 50hz with at least an 18db BW filter,,,,,,maybe 24db.
been a while since i played with a DriveRack but as i recall that knob to the right of the lcd will allow you to scroll thru settings and values and to select or store you press it,no?
and by the way what gain setting are you using on the inputs you know the switch on the back near the left input?
and by the way what gain setting are you using on the inputs you know the switch on the back near the left input?
Are You also using its calibrated mic for the measurements ?
Subharmonics switched off ?
There is also an input gain setting.
It affects the frequency response and the DBX can be trying to compensate what is missing.
Subharmonics switched off ?
There is also an input gain setting.
Recommended for those speakers or a generic one ?
It affects the frequency response and the DBX can be trying to compensate what is missing.
I have only had the "pleasure" of trying to use a DRPA a couple times and that ended with frustration and me buying a Behringer DCX2496... which is functionally superior and is much easier to use... any parameter can be directly selected and adjusted. It doesn't have an AutoEQ function but that is a good thing because this feature is really not well executed in this first version of this product, it doesn't know what speakers you have so you have to limit the audio range available to them with high or low pass filters before running the AEQ program or it will attempt to make the speakers do things they cannot with hugh EQ boosts. Low frequencies are particularly problematic as it is easy to position the measurement microphone in a room null where bass is cancelled, so any maxed out EQ adjustments it generates should be zero'd out. The PA2 has improved functionality.. apparently, but I still wouldn't recommend using the auto EQ function. If you want to learn why simply move your microphone a foot or two to the left or right and run the program again, you will get a totally different EQ profile because the combined room/speaker response is different at that listening position. If you only care about 1 listening position that is fine but you have to understand that it's really only mids and highs you can fix with EQ, low frequencies interact with the room to create interference patterns that can only be relocated(not fixed) by moving the speakers or the listening position.
I looked through the user manual for this thing and I can't find anywhere to adjust the output gains, it just seems incredible to me that this device won't let you adjust the relative levels of your outputs.. how does one balance a 2 or 3-way sound system with it?
Last edited:
Conaski,
After learning on the DRPA, I found it harder to navigate on the Behringer DCX2496 😉
Page 22 of the user manual shows how to edit crossover parameters- each Xover output (Low, Mid, High) has gain adjustment from off (-inf) to +20dB.
If you don't look at the little boxes in that picture, you won't find anywhere to adjust the output gains in the manual.
Art
After learning on the DRPA, I found it harder to navigate on the Behringer DCX2496 😉
Page 22 of the user manual shows how to edit crossover parameters- each Xover output (Low, Mid, High) has gain adjustment from off (-inf) to +20dB.
If you don't look at the little boxes in that picture, you won't find anywhere to adjust the output gains in the manual.
Art