2. digital
  3. 1111728131

Behringer DEQ2496 - wow

Has anyone forked over the $300 for this unit? I was using a Z-Systems RDQ-1 between my CD transport and preamp, and decided to try the Behringer mainly because it has 10 channels of parametric EQ vs four for the Z-Systems. I cannot tell a difference in sound quality between the Behringer (digital in-out only... the DACS might not be of the highest quality) and the many times more expensive Z-Systems. In fact, the Behringer is much better ergonomically and has many more features than the Z-Systems. It also has an auto EQ mode which I tried, but prefer to trust my own ears. The Behringer does not have the kind of build quality that the Z-Systems has (the Behringer is very light), but it works very well, and am amazed at the number of features it has and how inexpensive it is. By the way I'm using the unit in a very high-end audio system. I'm curious what others have experienced with this unit. It seems like an incredible value to me.
smeyers
rgodin
85 posts
 
I had the Behringer 2496 and the mic in my system for a couple of months. In the end, I found it seriously lacking in transparency and it had a high noise floor. The build quality is just not there, the DACs are cheap, and the PC-based user interface needs work.

The EQ functions are impressive, but the side effects were worse than an unequlaized system. The auto-EQ function didn't work well in my system, but I suspect that the bi-polar radiation pattern of my ribbon speakers caused problems with their algorithms.

The DBX DriveRack EQ products sound much, much better, as about 3 times the price...
smeyers OP
181 posts
 
Rgodin, have you been able to try the Behringer in pure digital mode without going through the DAC's? I have not tried going through the DAC's, but find the unit to be very tranparent if kept in the digital domain. I cannot hear any difference between this unit and the many times more expensive Z-Systems RDQ1 when used in this manner.
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Rgodin...When I was shopping I got turned off on the DBX because of (would you believe) high noise complaints. My Behringer is dead quiet. Maybe yours was defective.

The auto equalization works perfectly, even in the SW range where Behringer suggests that there might be a problem. My three front speakers are bipolar MG1.6, with three colocated SW.
abrahavt
101 posts
 
If I wanted to use the DACs in my CDP then would I be using the pass thru. How would I connect this? Would it come between the CDP and the preamp? In that case am I using the DACs in the Behringer?
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Abrahavt...If you use the DAC in the CDP you have an analog signal, which must be input to the DEQ2496 as an analog signal. If you did not want to use the DAC in the CDP you could input a digital signal to the DEQ2496, and you could take a digital output from the DEQ2496 to some other piece of equipment with a DAC...even to a power amp with provision for digital input.
More to discover