Room correction - what device works best?

05-08-15: Gammajo
Looking at room correction and all the threads I found seem old.

The "Is DEQX A Game-Changer" thread is essentially current, and is on-going. If you want to consider DEQX, and you haven't already seen that thread, I would consider it to be required reading.

Also, for background on loudspeaker time and phase coherence I would commend last year's "Sloped Baffle" thread to your attention. (Bob R., as you'll realize speaker time and phase coherence, as defined in this post, are unrelated to absolute phase (i.e., polarity), to which you were apparently referring in your post. And time coherence is something that only a very small minority of speakers inherently achieve, and is something DEQX attempts to correct via DSP prior to implementing room corrections).

05-08-15: Zd542
I do base my opinion on actual experience, and not just guessing. I have a Behringer 24/96 digital EQ that destroys the sound of my Wadia CD player. I also have a dbx analog EQ that ruins the sound of whatever preamp it gets used with. So, in my opinion, the OP's Ayon CD player is just to nice a player to be run through processing.

ZD, I would not extrapolate anything regarding DEQX or many of the other processors that have been mentioned from your experience with the Behringer or dbx units. As someone having considerable proficiency with computers, I'm sure you realize more than most that DSP and computer technologies have advanced by leaps and bounds since those devices were introduced. And although I'm usually among the first to caution people that in audio price and performance don't necessarily correlate, I think it says something that the flagship DEQX HDP-5 model costs well over 20 times as much as the Behringer.

I have an HDP-5 on order, BTW, which I will be receiving soon, and which will replace my preamp in addition to providing speaker and room correction functions. I ordered it from Nyal Mellor of AcousticFrontiers.com, who has a great deal of directly relevant expertise, offers a free webinar/walk through on the use of the associated software, as well as unlimited phone and email support. And both he and the DEQXpert service Roscoe mentioned can perform the entire correction process on a paid basis, via Skype. Nyal also provides 30-day return privileges, which I have no expectation of having to utilize. I will be chronicling my progress and findings in the "Game-Changer" thread.

Inputs to that thread from several A'gon members having both extensive DEQX experience and very high quality systems, including Psag who posted above, were among the major factors which have given me sufficient confidence in both the transparency and the effectiveness of DEQX to proceed down that path, given that a hardware solution best suits my particular circumstances. Kal's (Kr4's) review in Stereophile was also helpful.

Regards,
-- Al

Thank you very much everyone - very helpful information. I would have gotten back but I was enjoying music all day through my new speakers! I did have a long talk with Tim at SimpliFi about the DSpeaker - he was very helpful. My Ayon would allow digital in and out after the transport section and back into the Ayon DAC which Tim recommended via glass toslink and an enhanced power supply. I can also go between pre and amps. With all the glass in my room I do like the idea of full range correction in case it is needed. I will check out the threads on DEQX and sloped baffle. Going to research this carefully.
Also Albert Von Schweikert (my speaker guy) likes to do it with 2 quality subs in rear of room attached to the speaker terminals and servo'd back to the main speakers so that the subs track the mains perfectly, plus then parametric equalization to even out bass modes. In some ways this appeals more than messing with the signal digitally, so I guess I lean more toward purist but hearing is believing, so an audition would be very sweet with any product. The two sub idea runs into my wife hating the idea of "any more boxes".

Avoid room correction.

Coli Is that advice form experience with a particular piece of equipment?

Well, I read through the DEQX threads - seems intimidating to have to take the speakers (mine about 300 lbs each) into the yard, and then spend month dialing the thing in to get the best from it. But results seem excellent. My speakers are designed for excellent time and phase response across a wide axis. The Lyndorf idea of not changing the character of the speaker and amps etc, assuming people selected them because they liked them, is also logical to me. I am also wondering about waiting for Meridian's MQA to be incorporated into equipment as it sounds like it may be a game changer.