Am now using the DSP8024 as a DAC between my HK8550 CD changer and my Adcom GFP-555 preamp, which limits D/A conversion to just one step instead of three. Sounds great. As a DAC, it doesn't seem to be any worse than that built into the HK. Haven't yet had a chance to do an instantaneous A-B comparison with the unit switched in and out of the signal path and EQ turned off. Based on my one-person A-B comparison (listen, get up, switch, sit down, listen), I'm very happy with the DAC's performance. And, the EQ has made such a noticeable improvement in neutrality and imaging that it's painful to switch it out. BTW, there is absolutely no noise or hum in my system, with or without the Behringer.
Initial impressions of Behringer DSP8024
I've added a DSP8024 digital EQ to my system to offset an annoying room resonance, and it seems to work pretty well. I picked it up on eBay with the matching calibrated microphone for $150. El cheapo cabling was another $70.
The system:
Martin Logan Aerius i speakers biwired & vertically biamped with a pair of Adcom GFA5200 50W/ch power amps driven by an Adcom GFP555 preamp. Front end is an HK8550 CD changer (to be replaced with a used Rega Planet 2000 when I can scrape together $500). For this beer-budget bargain-hunting audiophile, this system is a dream.
I've put the DSP8024 between the preamp's Normal outputs and the bass channels of the power amps, so any signal degradation is limited to the woofers. The panels are fed normally from the preamp's Lab (high-bandwidth) outputs. The panels really don't need any EQ. But, the woofers suffer from a significant room resonance at around 80Hz.
It took a couple hours of reading the manual and fiddling with all the buttons and menu items to figure out how to use the DSP8024. The manual's not all that helpful. So far, I've settled for leaving the graphic EQ flat and using two of the three parametric EQs available through the Feedback Destroyer function. I centered one para on 80HZ with a bandwidth of 1/3 octave and dialed it down -6db. Then, after seeing a trough around 40Hz on the analyzer (reading pink noise with the mic), I set a second para at 32Hz with bandwidth of 1/3 octave and dialed it up 3db.
Acoustic bass on Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue" is now a lot cleaner. The 80HZ emphasis on certain notes that was distracting me from the music is now gone. I'll do further tweaking after listening to a wider range of music. In particular, I'll probably boost the 25-40HZ region a bit more, as I know there's more energy there on "Kind of Blue" and the Aeriuses do reach comfortably down to 32Hz, but I'm not quite feeling it.
Purists will probably scoff, but this seems like a good solution to me. My speakers are four feet from the back wall and 18" from the side walls, so there's not a lot more I could do in terms of positioning to mitigate the room resonance. I love what the panels do, but the mid-bass boom was making them sound cheap. Now I can enjoy the flat, detailed midrange in peace.
If I discover anything else useful, I'll post again, in case anyone else is struggling with room resonance and considering EQ as a solution. I searched the forum for info on the Behringer digital EQs but didn't find much. So, here's my chance to offer some useful info to others on the forum.
The system:
Martin Logan Aerius i speakers biwired & vertically biamped with a pair of Adcom GFA5200 50W/ch power amps driven by an Adcom GFP555 preamp. Front end is an HK8550 CD changer (to be replaced with a used Rega Planet 2000 when I can scrape together $500). For this beer-budget bargain-hunting audiophile, this system is a dream.
I've put the DSP8024 between the preamp's Normal outputs and the bass channels of the power amps, so any signal degradation is limited to the woofers. The panels are fed normally from the preamp's Lab (high-bandwidth) outputs. The panels really don't need any EQ. But, the woofers suffer from a significant room resonance at around 80Hz.
It took a couple hours of reading the manual and fiddling with all the buttons and menu items to figure out how to use the DSP8024. The manual's not all that helpful. So far, I've settled for leaving the graphic EQ flat and using two of the three parametric EQs available through the Feedback Destroyer function. I centered one para on 80HZ with a bandwidth of 1/3 octave and dialed it down -6db. Then, after seeing a trough around 40Hz on the analyzer (reading pink noise with the mic), I set a second para at 32Hz with bandwidth of 1/3 octave and dialed it up 3db.
Acoustic bass on Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue" is now a lot cleaner. The 80HZ emphasis on certain notes that was distracting me from the music is now gone. I'll do further tweaking after listening to a wider range of music. In particular, I'll probably boost the 25-40HZ region a bit more, as I know there's more energy there on "Kind of Blue" and the Aeriuses do reach comfortably down to 32Hz, but I'm not quite feeling it.
Purists will probably scoff, but this seems like a good solution to me. My speakers are four feet from the back wall and 18" from the side walls, so there's not a lot more I could do in terms of positioning to mitigate the room resonance. I love what the panels do, but the mid-bass boom was making them sound cheap. Now I can enjoy the flat, detailed midrange in peace.
If I discover anything else useful, I'll post again, in case anyone else is struggling with room resonance and considering EQ as a solution. I searched the forum for info on the Behringer digital EQs but didn't find much. So, here's my chance to offer some useful info to others on the forum.
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