Behringer DEQ2496 - worth using in hi-end system?

On 9/21/05, racarlson wrote:

Mine replaced a z-Systems RDQ-1 in this system: Theta Miles > Monarchy DIP Classic > Behringer > Benchmark DAC1 > PS Audio PCA-2 > Bryston 3BSST > Paradigm S2 & ACI Titan subs.

Wouldn't it be preferable to put the Behringer before the Monarchy DIP? I think the DIP is a good piece, and I would want to give it the last shot at reducing jitter before the signal goes to the DAC. I'm thinking of trying the Behringer in a system with a Monarchy Upsampling DIP and a Northstar DAC.

Jayboard: Don't think about it any more. They're a killer bargain. My room is extensively treated with bass traps. You still have some frequency peaks and dips especially in the bass. The DEQ 2496 is wonderful.

If you use the auto eq function be sure to make a curve as you don't want true flat from 20-20khz. This will sound thin and bright. In the real world you'll want the lower end bumped a db or two say to 300hz and from about 2khz up a slight rolloff. This will sound more real. It uses the graphic eq for the auto eq function.Then you can use the parametric equalizer to fine tune. This piece is the tweak of the decade as far as I'm concerned.

Warnerwh...When I do autoequalization I use the "ROOM CORR" feature. This rolls off highs at 1 dB/oct. I agree that this sounds better.
I have not used the parametric EQ. I don't know for sure, but I suspect that there really is only one equalization "engine", (the DSP floating point chip?) and that Graphic and Parametric are just two ways of talking to it. With 1/6 octave resolution on the graphic control there does not seem to be much advantage to using the parametric.

Eldartford: I just used the parametric to fine tune. The 1/3rd octave graphic eq is good but with the extra tweaking of the parametric after the autoeq I've been able to make the sound a tad better.

I end up dialing in my system to sound best with anything it may play. Recordings having the huge sound variation they do makes one setting a compromise but I feel it's not worth having multiple settings as I'm not that much of a perfectionist.

I bought the thing used from another audiophile who had it for four months. 150 bucks with a mike and I'm way happy. These things are a necessity even in a well treated room imo.

Warnerwh...I thought the graphic eq was 1/6 octave like the RTD because I could watch the individual 1/6 oct displays change in a way that looked independent. But checking the manual I see you are correct. Maybe I will fool around with the parametric eq and see what it can do for me.

I agree that using an equalizer to fix recording-to-recording variation usually isn't worth the hassle. That's what tone controls are for.