DEQX Owners Thread

[frankn]

Best way is nip only, don't try to tuck.

[Satanica]

Best way is nip only, don't try to tuck.

 

I must get around to doing a room measurement with EQ enabled; I'm using a few tucks.

[frankn]

in my comment I used the notation;

nip = remove excessive high/hump to flatten spectrum

tuck = try to increase/raise a trough to flatten spectrum

I think it takes more resources to tuck

 

Only my preference and my way of expressing it in those terms.  Could easily be reversed.     

[Satanica]

Question: For DEQX products with a USB input is there a dedicated ASIO driver provided? Or is one limited to using WASAPI and perhaps ASIO4ALL under Windows?

 

I currently have a DEQX HDP-3 which is being fed digital via a Musical Fidelity VLink-192 USB to AES\EBU and SPDIF converter.

I really love it's Thesycon based ASIO driver for low latency.

On my HTPC I use it between Windows Netflix and Cyberlink PowerDVD to JRiver's WDM driver with JRiver configured to use the ASIO driver.

I've tried using WASAPI but get way too much latency, even using Windows 10.

[Satanica]

in my comment I used the notation;

nip = remove excessive high/hump to flatten spectrum

tuck = try to increase/raise a trough to flatten spectrum

I think it takes more resources to tuck

 

Only my preference and my way of expressing it in those terms.  Could easily be reversed.     

 

Ah, now I get it!  

Yes of course it uses more resources to "tuck" and I do use it sparingly with relatively narrow 4-6db boosts in a few places.

And if you use plenty of nips you're effectively providing more resources, well I think so anyway.

[Darren69]

A little update on my experiences so far.

In my room, I still favour the crossover/time alignment setting only. With my music, in my room, I never use the 'best measuring profile', it doesn't sound very nice to me, measurements or not.

I find the crossover is as good as it gets. My two 12in Ascension subs (driven by 500w Dayton amps)and Focal mains (driven by Parasound JC1's) cannot be separated when it comes to sound output, the end of my living room simply gives off great big amazing sound no matter what the frequency. It has been an interesting journey because in my mind, I thought room eq would be the magic bullet but it has turned out to be good crossover and time alignment, coupled with some strategic room acoustic treatments.

Now heres a funny one. Before when I had a conventional pre and mains only, the soundstage was great but only when standing behind the lounge, haha. Interesting but not practical and I put it down to room behaviour. Now, after Alan has set the whole lot up, inc subs, with the mic set where my baldy head usually is, all of that is gone and it sounds best where my head is, but the soundstage has shrunk somewhat. It's still there but shrunk by maybe 25%. Only I notice this, well-eared friends who drop in are well pleased with the sound. It's no biggie but noteworthy.

The dacs are the second best I have ever heard. The DSD dac is the best I have heard and hope to own one one day when I can afford it, to go with my Perfectwave transport. It would be then that I would need to work out how to keep the DEQX doing crossover from mains to subs because I don't believe there would be any other component out there that does it this good. But how to get the DEQX dacs out of the way? I think Achmea has advised me elsewhere on this. I also still have the XLR Townshend IC's in the cupboard ready for this.

Also, I can listen to the DEQX flat chat and it is loud but I don't think the JC1's are really cracking a sweat, haha. Having said that, it is loud and I maybe should be happy with that as my hearing might get damaged. I mean, last night at the end of Tools 'Vicarious', the house was being shaken by the two 12 in subs, the outside sensor light came on meaning the dog was getting intimidated by the subs rumbling and mains DB level and headed off to her doghouse down the back and I must say I was a tad intimidated myself as well as impressed so I guess one should stop chasing rainbows.

Speaking volume, I find the remote has quite quick gain so only a tap will give you plenty of plus/minus volume, I find myself giving it quick jabs for smaller incremental volume change. Also, it is a weird shape.

So there you have it. The trade off for a slightly less soundstage (which was no good where it had the sweet spot anyhow) is amazing crossover and time alignment and crap recordings sounding much nicer and the flexibility still there to turn the gain up on the subs slightly if the recording is a touch bass-poor. An interesting journey so far and money well spent on a quality Aussie component.

Edited October 31, 2015 by Darren69

[aechmea]

But how to get the DEQX dacs out of the way? I think Achmea has advised me elsewhere on this. I also still have the XLR Townshend IC's in the cupboard ready for this.

SNIPPED

 

 

 

 

Yes I did. I drew a picture, but I'm not sure where it is now.  Maybe in the PS-Audio thread(s).  May still have it here if I look!

 

2 things to be aware of with an external DAC......

 

1.  The digital-out (PCM) from the DEQX is a BNC connector.  The compatible digital-in on the PS-A is RCA.  So one needs a coax cable with RCA at one end and BNC at the other, or some sort of adaptor at one end or the other.  I went for the cable with unlike ends rather than an adaptor.  The DEQX digital-out isn't XLR so the XLR cables in your cupboard won't be of any use.  You will also need 75ohm coax cable not just ordinary analogue IC.  Your spare cables are Townshend; they do a 75ohm digital coax with RCA or BNC.  You might have to convince them to make you a special cable with one of each. Haha.  Or spend a dollar or 2 on an adaptor of the right gender and impedance.

 

2.  The analogue out voltage from the PS-Audio to the power amps is much reduced (probably 10dB) from the output if you were to use the DEQX DACs (assuming they are still at factory setting).  SPL at the chair will be that much down.  That is my only bugbear with the PS-A DS.

 

[Here I am typing this and a DEQX advert appears on the bottom ticker.  Coincidence?]

[aechmea]

 

Found it.

 

You would have to check which models have digital out.  The HDP4 does.  The HDP3 needed an add-in daughter board which was bought separately.  Dunno about the rest.

 

 

[Darren69]

@@aechmea sorry, deena mean to appear sloth, thanks for finding that for me.

So the digital-out from the DEQX will only send the higher frequencies to the DAC and lower to the Daytons once the mids-highs outs were unplugged?

Would be no issue getting the Townshend cable as they do what we are talking about, differing ends-

http://www.townshendaudio.com/digital-interconnect/

It might be prudent to grab Alan again for a re calibration once (if ever) I get to this stage.

[sir sanders zingmore]

Found it.

You would have to check which models have digital out. The HDP4 does. The HDP3 needed an add-in daughter board which was bought separately. Dunno about the rest.

Where is the volume control done- is it done digitally in the deqx?

[aechmea]

Where is the volume control done- is it done digitally in the deqx?

 

Yes thats what I have done.  When I do master volume in the DEQX, the volume to the PS-A and to the subs are ganged together ie one ring to rule them all.  There is no problem (for me) though, if you are thinking about bit stripping since my master volume setting on the DEQX is in the 'white led' zone (between 0 and -10dB) so nothing much is being attenuated there.  The DEQX is passing on close to 0dBFS.

 

My PS is also set to 100% to enable the SPL that I want.

 

Meanwhile the poor old subs are being attenuated by 8dB in the DEQX, and have their own volume set to "5" out of a possible "99", so they aren't even idling.  Mrs A likes the profile without the 8dB attenuation.  To each there own.

 

If doing volume in the DEQX doesn't work to ones satisfaction then the PS-A DS has a volume knob as well, as do the subs, so if you decided that way, you could set the DEQX to 100% and do the volume independently on the PS and the subs.  But then of course you have 3 knobs to adjust instead of one.

 

If you do analogue out of the DEQX then the digital domain simply controls a stepped analogue volume thingy just like in a conventional pre.

 

Anyway to cut a long story short, most of my bits are set close to 100% so it works well for me.

[aechmea]

@@aechmea sorry, deena mean to appear sloth, thanks for finding that for me.

So the digital-out from the DEQX will only send the higher frequencies to the DAC and lower to the Daytons once the mids-highs outs were unplugged?

Would be no issue getting the Townshend cable as they do what we are talking about, differing ends-

http://www.townshendaudio.com/digital-interconnect/

It might be prudent to grab Alan again for a re calibration once (if ever) I get to this stage.

Yep thats the sort of cable that you would want but with RCA at one end and BNC at the other.

 

The digital out on some DEQX models ...

 

On the back panel there is a "passthru" digital out socket.  This means that the whole freq range is being passed on to the next device.  I suppose that means you could use it to digitise analogue sources.  I haven't used it so I don't know its ins and outs or full capabilities.

 

There are 3 digital out sockets that are "hi", "mid" and "low" (or something like that) and they are analogous to the 3 analogue outputs.  So they are just a digital version of the analogue.  They contain all of the digital correction filtering, XO slopes, EQ, individual volume matching, handset EQ and whathaveyou still in the digital domain.  That means that the external DAC only has to do DACing and only gets the piece of the freq range that it is supposed to.

[Addicted to music]

I love this thread,

Can't wait till I can afford a 4......

[Darren69]

Yep thats the sort of cable that you would want but with RCA at one end and BNC at the other.

 

The digital out on some DEQX models ...

 

On the back panel there is a "passthru" digital out socket.  This means that the whole freq range is being passed on to the next device.  I suppose that means you could use it to digitise analogue sources.  I haven't used it so I don't know its ins and outs or full capabilities.

 

There are 3 digital out sockets that are "hi", "mid" and "low" (or something like that) and they are analogous to the 3 analogue outputs.  So they are just a digital version of the analogue.  They contain all of the digital correction filtering, XO slopes, EQ, individual volume matching, handset EQ and whathaveyou still in the digital domain.  That means that the external DAC only has to do DACing and only gets the piece of the freq range that it is supposed to.

At the moment on the HDP4, I have the subs into the Low analogue outs (RCA) and the mono's are hooked up to the 'Mid/full' analogue outs (XLR).

Just checked the manual (crazy, I know) and I think the digital thru is thus described- 'this output allows the signal input of the DSP to be passed out with no processing to enable multi way DEQX system in conjunsion (sic) with the RS232 stsem control interface'.

I assume I would simply choose the 'mid/full' digital out to select the digital version of what Mr Langford is currently sending to the matching analogue outs. yeah, too easy.

Volume, oh yes, who doesn't like 100% bits.

Thanks Achy, as always. I owe you six schooners by now, methinks.

Then it will all sound freaking great!

[Darren69]

I often wonder, for Redbook CD's, if the Perfectwave dac would be fine for me. I don't have hi res, don't do computer music etc.

@@aechmea have you ever compared the DEQX dac to your PS Audio somehow?

[aechmea]

I often wonder, for Redbook CD's, if the Perfectwave dac would be fine for me. I don't have hi res, don't do computer music etc.

@@aechmea have you ever compared the DEQX dac to your PS Audio somehow?

 

Not in any A/B formal or controlled way.

 

It requires rewiring in behind the rack,  The rack is immoveable brick and granite, so I have to do it with a mirror, one handed, resting on my dodgey knee.  By the time I have finished that and then adjusted the volume I have completely forgotten any fine detail which was the point of the exercise.

 

I borrowed a PS-A DS for a few days and convinced myself over time that there was enough in it to warrant a purchase.  Its very good, but really it is just icing and the last thing on my bucket list.  I don't see that an external DAC is all that necessary; more of a luxury, a completeness item, an end game, a full stop.

 

I only ever spin CDs too, even though I have the capability to do other stuff.  It's the music and the recording/mastering that's more important to me than the medium.  Don't fret about a DAC. There is plenty that you can squeeze out of the DEQX yet.

 

[aechmea]

At the moment on the HDP4, I have the subs into the Low analogue outs (RCA) and the mono's are hooked up to the 'Mid/full' analogue outs (XLR).

 

Yeah same as mine used to be until I went to dig out for the mid/full

Just checked the manual (crazy, I know) and I think the digital thru is thus described- 'this output allows the signal input of the DSP to be passed out with no processing to enable multi way DEQX system in conjunsion (sic) with the RS232 stsem control interface'.

 

Bloody hell - not the manual!  Makes sense tho'.  Back in the old days cascaded DEQXs were configured via the 3 digital outputs.  The passthru socket is new, to me anyway.

I assume I would simply choose the 'mid/full' digital out to select the digital version of what Mr Langford is currently sending to the matching analogue outs. yeah, too easy.

 

Yes.  There is a switch in the 'control panel' to have both the analogue and digital outputs active.

Volume, oh yes, who doesn't like 100% bits.

 

What was that you said.  Speak up a bit.

Thanks Achy, as always. I owe you six schooners by now, methinks.

 

No problems.  Someone that has been there done that should be able to improve understanding and solve the odd problem.

Then it will all sound freaking great!

[Guest]

Just dropping a link in here to the upcoming VIC and QLD demonstrations:

 

VIC: http://www.stereo.net.au/forums/index.php/topic/91709-december-4th-5th-deqx-roadshowgtg-melbourne

QLD: http://www.stereo.net.au/forums/index.php/topic/91710-november-28th-29th-deqx-roadshowgtg-queensland/

[Darren69]

Well, as some of you may, or may not know, I have managed to get a Perfectwave dac.

Will be interesting to hear what difference it makes, if any, to what comes out my mains, as opposed to the DEQX dac.

Once this is on play, DEQX will be doing phase alignment and crossover duties only, sending bass to the subs and the rest to the PW dac. Need another digital cable first, more $$ to Clearer Audio, haha.

I shant die wondering anyhow.

[Satanica]

Well, as some of you may, or may not know, I have managed to get a Perfectwave dac.

Will be interesting to hear what difference it makes, if any, to what comes out my mains, as opposed to the DEQX dac.

Once this is on play, DEQX will be doing phase alignment and crossover duties only, sending bass to the subs and the rest to the PW dac. Need another digital cable first, more $$ to Clearer Audio, haha.

I shant die wondering anyhow.

I believe by doing this you may be putting your mains out of time alignment with the subs and this had already been mentioned to you. If this is the case then measuring will detect it and the DEQX can be configured to correct it.

[sir sanders zingmore]

Just dropping a link in here to the upcoming VIC and QLD demonstrations:

VIC: http://www.stereo.net.au/forums/index.php/topic/91709-december-4th-5th-deqx-roadshowgtg-melbourne

QLD: http://www.stereo.net.au/forums/index.php/topic/91710-november-28th-29th-deqx-roadshowgtg-queensland/

Is there a location yet for the Friday night in Melb ?

[Darren69]

I believe by doing this you may be putting your mains out of time alignment with the subs and this had already been mentioned to you. If this is the case then measuring will detect it and the DEQX can be configured to correct it.

Forgive me, something shiny may have flew past, where would I have read this? I cant remember being advised that.

Does make sense though, the signal will be a bit 'behind' I guess, going through the dac instead of straight to the monos.

No biggy, can chat to Alan/go to an edumacation day sometime anyhow.

[Satanica]

Forgive me, something shiny may have flew past, where would I have read this? I cant remember being advised that.

Does make sense though, the signal will be a bit 'behind' I guess, going through the dac instead of straight to the monos.

No biggy, can chat to Alan/go to an edumacation day sometime anyhow.

 

I can't remember the exact post, between this thread and your sub-woofer thread there's been a few

No, it could well be a biggy and if not isn't that the point of tweaking? That is the small things add up to a big thing.

I personally think to get the most out of DEQX and your system you need to start thinking in terms of soundwave performance and not necessarily new pieces of gear.

Edited November 14, 2015 by Satanica

[Guest]

Is there a location yet for the Friday night in Melb ?

 

Yes, as mentioned in the link.

[Darren69]

Cranky with myself that I cant make the Qld ones.

Have put the manual under my pillow to see if it will get into my crusty brain that way. Will start reading it a lot and maybe something might click.

@@wanta911 when you used the Vega dac, did you notice any time alignment stuff happening or do you know how to pilot the DEQX well enough?

Edited November 14, 2015 by Darren69