Behringer DEQ2496 - worth using in hi-end system?


I am considering trying it in a digital chain. I want to correct for room and any system internal dependencies. I am tired of using cables as tone controls, there has to be something better to make those minimal changes.

I am looking for opinions and short system desriptions.
spraglow
Eldartford: The bass is where the parametric can be where it really shines as you can tame the room modes at the exact frequencies. Also Behringer doesn't recommend using the auto eq mode for any frequency under 100. Didn't try it that way though anyway. Thanks again as you're one of the people who made me think about trying one. What a great tweak. People pay more for cables.
Warnerwh...I don't know why they discourage autoeq below 100 Hz. It seems to work for me. However, your point about the parametric at low frequency is well taken. In fact you are supposed to be able to calculate the frequencies from the dimensions of your room.
Jayboard - I tried it both ways, and preferred the Monarchy ahead of the Behringer. All is not equal here, though, because by putting the Monarchy first I am converting formats to AES/EBU prior to the Behringer. It would be interesting to try adding another Monarchy or similar after the Behringer. My guess is that where a single one works best is system-dependent.

Eldartford - I suspect you're right that there is a single EQ "engine" with graphic and parametric interfaces. I use the parametric for two purposes - to remove a particular bass mode, and I've set up two bands that I occasionally use as bass and treble controls for particular recordings. I don't have any tone controls elsewhere in my system.

Finally, let me echo the others - this thing is an amazing value. I like mine so much I bought another for a second system.
In the middle of this page is a place to get modecalc. It will tell you where your room modes are at. Just punch in the dimensions of your room.

http://www.audioholics.com/techtips/roomacoustics/ModeCalculatingroommodes.php
Racarlson, Thanks very much for your response. All systems are different, but for now your experience will do nicely as an excuse for me not to go to the trouble of trying my DIP fore and Aft of the Behringer DEQ. That, and the fact that if I want to place my DIP after the DEQ, I'll need to get another cable or an adaptor. I'll monkey around with that variable some other time. For now, the DIP must go before the DEQ.

As it is, the DEQ gives me plenty of ways to chew up my time. As a toy, this machine certainly excels. All this power--can I use it responsibly? Bwah hah hah hah hah!

I performed the autoeq for 100hz and up, as recommended. But I also did a separate autoeq trial for only the frequencies below 100 hz. This matched up with my Radio Shack meter analysis pretty well (thank goodness). I ended up making up a parametric eq curve to do this bass correction job rather than use the Autoeq process' graphic eq curve, mainly because I trust my calculations of the frequencies of bass standing waves in my room, and the para eq lets me target them more precisely.

I also severely cut levels for low frequencies beyond my monitor speakers' abilities, thinking it can't hurt to save the downstream equipment from doing work that won't have a hifi payoff.

So far, the results are good and certainly worth the costs, which include postponing getting those corner treatment thingies for my living room that I came _this_ close to buying before I succumbed to digititis. An open, transparent sound is something I prize, and countering an excess in a couple of midrange and lower treble bands helped in that department. Bass improvement is noticeable, too, although (oddly?) I care more about the midrange/lo-treble correction than I do about the bass.

Unlike some folks who have posted here, I will be using my DEQ for other tone control purposes. The first extra was programming a loudness contour for quiet hours listening. Then, there are those albums I really like but simply can't stop wishing they were recorded differently (maybe 30% of albums I own?). For example, with an MFSL recording of Dr. John's Gumbo I picked up recently in mind, I made a brightness booster. I made a warmth preset that mildly boosts bands in the 80 to 300 hz range for some thin-sounding recordings I have. I'll probably end up with one or two more of these tone-control presets.

I really like the flexibility of saving different graphic equalization presets. You can program different presets, like the "tone controls" modules I mentioned above, and apply them additively as you like. So, I have my basic room correction curve as my default setting. Late at night, I can "add" my loudness contour to that if I want. If I decide to play Gumbo, I can "add" my Gumbo brightness module. And so on.

A question: I notice that the clipping indicator flashes more than infrequently when monitoring the equalized digital output, even when it's the DEQ's Autoeq equalization curve that's in effect. It doesn't flash at all when the equalization is flat (as one would expect). I can't hear any nasty things happening. Any thing at all to pay attention to here?

This has been an informative thread. Thanks to all who have posted.