For last 7 years I've been using "regular" audio system which consisted of CD player, equalizer, SS integrated amplifier and speakers. Every element in this system was purchased as new for the price ranging from 600 dollars for CD player to 1K for amp. Now I replaced everything by Oracle Turntable, DK Design integrated amp and M.Logans speakers. The turntable connected to amp with 700 dollars cable and speakers use 500 dollars version. Everything is above an average...or at least better than I had before. The soudstage now is wider, deeper... The overall sound is - I would say - more intelligent, sophisticated.. Like a good old wine.....Most likely I didn't yet grow to the level of expertise to start to appreciate the real hi-fi quality...but I really do miss those bass and treble knobs I had on my old amplifier. While (according to what I read here) having them on amplifier would ad some unnecessary electric circuity...I really think they play important role in creating richer and more colorful sound. On top of bass and treble controls of my old Yamaha amplifier I used equalizer which probably tripled colorization of sound. Many of you could say that those equalizers and bass/treble controls just distort the music throwing it away from real, flat sound a good amplifier delivers...away from the sound of real unamplified instrument. I wonder what you guys use to substitute missing treble/bass controls? Are there any electronic devices(may be equalizers?) which let control (to add or to subtract) tones of music? Please correct me if I am wrong.
Thanks Eldartford! I found the manual somewhere on Internet. It looks like my amp doesn't have pre-out and power-in :( Here is the link to its manual in case if you would have time to look at it http://www.dkdesigngroup.com/manual-large.pdf But I am almost sure it doesn't have it. Too sad. Then I will have to play with tubes replacements till I get what I want....
1...I think I made the manual download from the website of WWW.samedaymusic.com which is where I bought mine.
2...The connectors on the Behringer are XLR type, but these can be used for single ended electrical interface (as well as for balanced). You can use XLR/RCA adapters if you want to use existing single ended RCA interconnects, or you can have single ended cables made with XLR terminations on the ends that go to the Behringer, and RCA terminations on the other end. www.a2zcables.com is a good source. I have single ended going in from my Rotel SS processor, and balanced going out about 25 feet to my power amps which are near the speakers.
3...You cannot connect a phono pickup directly into the Behringer (or any other equalizer for that matter). You need to connect it where the signal is at "line level" (about one volt) and this is between the preamp and the power amp. If you have an integrated amp the preamp and the power amp are all in one piece. Some integrated amps have "pre out" and "power in" connectors that are normally jumpered, and some have switch-selected "Tape Monitor" outputs and inputs.
I was unable to download the user manual...the web site is asking for user name and password.... What is "pre-out point" of the amplifier? I took a look at the image of the rear panel of Behringer eqaulizer. It look like it has only balanced in and out (not RCAs). Do I have to use balanced calbe connectors to connect it to amp and turntable? Thand for any tips!
Sputniks...Did you download the owner's manual? The DEQ2496 can be controlled as either a 31 band graphic or 7 band parametric equalizer. (And it can do other clever things that you might have fun playing with).
The input and output can be either balanced or unbalanced, but they do operate at line level, so you will need to find the pre-out point of your integrated amp. To use the auto equalization feature you need to buy the Behringer calibration mic, and a suitable mic cable.
I agree the DK is a little cool-sounding. However, I don't think your equalizer will fundamentally change that. I bet you end up with a different amp in the end. Let us know how it goes. Arthur
Thanks guys! I just placed an order on Behringer DEQ2496 parametric equalizer. I just have to make sure I will able to use it since the equalizer should be pluged between turntable and intergrated amplifier wich has a built in phone-In (DK Desing). I am leaning to think that DK Design is "cold" sound amp. I am sure with this Behringer I will able to change tonal quality of the sound....if I just would know how to do it properly! =)
I can't recall seeing any provisions for adding an equalizer to the DK integrated amp. If I'm correct you would have to insert it between the source and the amp, but you have two sources....
If I'm wrong, get an equalizer and put it an a tape loop where it can be switched in and out as necessary.
However, reading into your post what I detect is that you are unhappy with the overall sound of your speaker/amp combo in general. If this is so it could be due to several reasons. Proper speaker set up is a big one. Neither your speakers nor your amp are particularily euphonic (warm) tonally speaking and could easily sound cold in combination. Proper set up and room treatments are essential.
Tube swapping referred to above might help also. Get some tubes reported to be warm in tone. FWIW the Siemans generally recommended are not, as a brand, known for being warm. Think something like Mullards.
And when all of that fails, think of getting a warmer toned amp. Everything that I have read about the DK so far doesn't suggest to me that it has an overly warm mid range, but then I'm a tube amp enthusiast so maybe my expectations are too different to judge.
Equalizers today are not your father's equalizers. All the talk about degrading the signal is left-over myth from long ago. Rather than argue with people whose minds are made up, I suggest that you simply try one and see for yourself. Personally I like the Behringer DEQ2496, which will do the room equalization chore automatically.
The signal that was put on your CD or LP has been equalized, or worse, by the recording engineer. Also, even if the recording engineer did his job well, he had no way of knowing about the peculiarities of your system, your room, and your ears.
Given that your DK Design integrated is a tube solid state hybrid, you might want to try swapping in different tubes to taylor the sound to your liking. Tube replacement can be expensive, but for the less technically inclided, it is an easier way to customize your sound that swapping caps and resistors.
Speaker positioning, room treatments, cables, and even components, can be used to impart any "desired" colorations to various systems.
While colorations might not be "desireable" by many audiophiles, all systems do have them to some extent.
The thing about most audiophiles not liking the tone controls, is perhaps not so much about the colorations, as it is the loss of signal that is present in the potentiometers used for these puposes. If they didn't cause signal loss, I think more audiophiles would accept some tone controls. Potentiometers are one of the most offensive items for causing signal loss in the circuit. We always try to have as few of them as we can. Thus, we resort to other methods to "color" our systems(if we want them "colored").
A parametric equalizer can greatly improve the bass response of any high end, full range system. Lo-pass filters can also help with poor source material.
Sometimes I think 75% of retail sales were created when they took our tone controls away. Now you get the same result (a tone that suits your preferences) the hard way. If you listen to enough components and spend enough time matching things together, you can end up with a high end system proporely 'colorized' to match your preferences. Other thing, sometimes you can call the folks who made your stuff and they can reccomend a capacitor here or a different resistance value there and help you get what you want on the cheap. Great Luck!
This is interesting: we don't usually consider the fact that 'hifi' may still means something if we intentionally change the sound that's coming from the source. When you do that, is there any point in having nice equipment at all? I think the answer might actually be yes- just an extreme case of choosing soul over honesty.
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