I know this is heresy, but...

You may want to contact Rives or Realtraps. If you buy something from them they'll be very open to advice for you.

Warnerwh, I think that is a good plan but once I take that step I will find myself committed. That is whay I like Audiogon forums...it takes me years to make a change or a decision. I am not a compulsive tweaker and tend to approach everything from an engineering perspective. This is why your advice is so important to me before taking any steps. Unlike many on these forums, once I settle on something, I will likely stick to it for a minimum of 10 years or more.

Well having plenty of fore thought can only help. Btw bass traps are essential and will help the sound of the bass alot. Not only that but the clarity of the midrange often improves dramatically too.

Once you do get the room treatments there's no going back, no way no how.

Can someone tell me if the DEQ2496 connected between the CDP and preamp is worse than between pre and power amp?

I am a little disappointed that, while the DEQ does not add colorations per se, it does add a slight haze to everything. Sound is slightly less clear, less crisp, and a bit more shut-in.

Would it work better in the digital domain vs. analog?
Or is everyone here using it as an analog eq?

Thanks

If you put the DEQ2496 between the preamp and the power amp its A/D will be working with only a few low order bits. The advantage of 24 bit hardware will be lost. You may not like the sound.

The solution to this is to attenuate at the input to the power amp so that the signal going through the DEQ2496 is at a healthy level. Set things up so that the peak level throughout a CD, indicated by the DEQ2496, is about 3 dB below cliping.

Eldartford, if I follow you it is better the way I have it - in analog mode between CDP and preamp? Using my CDB's digital output instead, the DEQ2496 DAC sounded horrible. My ear was hurting (like my B&W's) within 5 minutes. Guess I'll have to buy another component :-(, DAC, so I can use the DEQ2496 digitally without its on-board DAC. I think the [http://enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0705/behringerultracurve2496.htm] review said there was some loss in analog mode but none digital. Although I can't find the exact quote now.

The haze in analog mode is not as bad as, say, the Creek 4330R's "Mosfet mist". Got rid of the Creek in a hurry May keep the DEQ but still don't like it though.

I noticed sometimes the DEQ2496 meter goes into the red. So you are saying I can adjust this on the DEQ so this does not happen? There is no such adjustment on my CDB. Burning yes, playing, no.