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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

Showing 1 response by housteau

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housteau
3 posts
 
I use Behringer DCX for crossover, room and speaker correction. Mine is a highly modified unit, but my following comments are for the fully stock version. Although not a 2496 it has similar characteristics.

If used as a DAC it does sound thin, bright and sibilant just as mentioned in an above post. However, if used going analog in allowing both the internal ADC and DAC to work together, it sounds very transparent. In fact the quality is so good that several speaker manufactures use this unit specifically in this way and supply it with their systems.

VMPS is one company, although they also offer modified units. Another is Roger Sanders of Sanders Sound. I had the chance to listen to one of his demos at the RMAF and it was quite good. I had asked him about modifying those units and he told me that there was absolutely no reason to.
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