One of the reasons I jumped in with DEQX was because every review I could find was 'enthusiastic' (rather an understatement, read John Atkinsons previous comment here: http://www.stereophile.com/content/gob-smacked-deqx). Then I heard what it did for myself and I knew it was what I needed - initially just to sort out the bass my room. The speaker correction part was a bonus
Showing 50 responses by drewan77
Responding to Roscoeiii - using the 4 DEQX presets as part of the setup process, this has been my experience over the past 2 1/2 years: 1. With DEQX processing switched out of the system, I thought music sounded OK but imaging was rather flat and 2 dimensional. The subs were blended pretty well but occasionally a particular low frequency jumped out or there was some boxiness or a dip. The speakers didn't cope so well with the different frequency wavelengths and room reflections, as well as imperfect time alignment between the drivers themselves 2. With just DEQX speaker correction (I use active crossovers sub-mid-treble) the system sounds very different, images become much more pin-point and the soundstage sounds more natural. Music starts to sound 'realistic' 3. With time correction added (set manually after measuring) it is like turning the focus on a lens and at the right setting the difference is quite stunning, even from the last stage above. Images sit in a believable 3D soundstage (if on the original recording). The acoustics of the recording venue become very apparent for the first time. Vocals sound like the performer in front of the listening seat and even in a complex passage you can hear all the instruments individually and clearly. This is not like being at a live venue however (which I do A LOT), I guess it must be more like being in the original recording studio 4. Room equalisation becomes almost unnecessary even though at stage 1 there were dropouts and humps, especially in the bass. At most I have only needed +/- 2db in a few of the lower frequencies. Switching room eq in/out actually makes relatively little difference. With this in place, I have a system that betters anything else I have heard in over 40 years of trying. Not to say that there isn't something better of course I use 3 of the 4 preset settings to subtly alter bass response to accommodate different recordings (some albums are bass light, others heavy) - listening most of the time to setting 2 of 4 which is 'flat'. The final preset (same settings as preset 1) uses very steep crossover slopes which give faster dynamics and transient attack on an appropriate recording or when I feel like it! Time delays have a very marked impact on a speakers' output and in fact you can tailor the sound quite dramatically using this alone. Delaying mid-treble to sub-bass slightly longer than 'correct' will create a quite pleasant 'growl' to bass guitars if that is what you want. Likewise it is worth tweaking the sound slightly beyond 'flat' to give exactly what you prefer...always retaining a smooth response, unaffected by the room in any way. That is a real benefit of DEQX - you only hear the recording via natural sounding speakers, not the room you are in. If you use low order crossover slopes, music is generally more laid back whereas with the steepest slopes, transients can become quite spectacular. Yes, a more forward or laid back sound can easily be produced from any given set of speakers, in fact I have discovered that you can tailor to EXACTLY what you want. For me, DEQX combined with Open Baffle speakers and subs does that Answering the final point about different brands of speakers, I tried that too back in 2012 (B&W, Shahinian, Royd, Castle, some floorstanders, some not) and in 3 different rooms. All end up sounding remarkably similar which makes sense I suppose because you start the process measuring (outdoors in my case) and calibrating 'flat' and then again in the room. DEQX creates a set of filters that replicate the same 'flat' response, adjusting driver phase and timing accordingly for each type so the end result is much closer than you would expect I implied it previously in this thread but I will repeat it again - DEQX repays the effort you put into understanding it fully as long as you take advantage of everything it has to offer. This is as near to ideal as I could possibly hope for and in the past few years I tend to just listen to the music itself. Isn't that the whole point of this? |
Al, great to hear. I am confident that you will be equally impressed when you get the HDP4. If you need assistance with any part of the configuration or interpreting the graphs, I am more than happy to help There are some really useful features that even the enormous manual doesn't make clear. I am also much cheaper than the DEQXpert service (ie free !) Regards Andrew |
Al, for the configuration you plan on using you won't need to worry about any manual time alignment as the 3 sets of outputs won't be feeding multiple power amps or subs (which is what they are really designed for). The only graphs you will need to interpret manually will be the in-room measurements at the listening position and that's very easy That makes your setup much simpler as the HDP-4 will automate correction to speaker drivers driven by one power amp. It will hear your speakers as a single set of frequencies with any passive crossovers included in the signal path and adjust accordingly. You won't use the active crossover facility, just speaker correction to one stereo pair and the potential for room equalisation as you see fit At a later date you have the opportunity to try all the other features, adding more power amps, speakers without passive crossovers, maybe subs etc. As long as you always measure with the power amps and cables linked to the drivers they will be running, you can even use different brands and wattages of amps for bass-mid-treble and DEQX calibrates and adjusts accordingly. Better to stick to one brand/rating though but it does allow you to adapt the system without needing to purchase 3 new sets of power amps in one hit Regards Andrew |
Yes Al, you can be confident that your Ulysses will sound so much better with the HDP-4. Unmodified Shahinian Obelisks were my first foray with DEQX and I was amazed at the improvement in clarity and realism it brought to them Bi & tri-amping is the ultimate but nevertheless this manages to transform literally every type of speaker & room I have tried You have an enjoyable time ahead - just be prepare to lose the rest of your life to the music :) |
Good to read your comments Denis and you have reminded me of an important aspect that Almarg may want to consider A full range speaker such as the Ulysses that he describes will benefit from DEQX (automated) phase and time alignment, however the larger drivers will still need to handle all lower frequencies up to the passive crossover point If you can reduce the number of frequencies a driver has to cope with and use a steep crossover, each cone has less work to do to reproduce the remaining range cleanly Adding a sub to such a speaker gives the facility to remove deep bass frequencies via DEQX (in 'our' case below 100hz) which means the larger drivers will only concentrate on mid-bass upwards and this makes a significant difference to transient attack and overall cleanness of the sound. It is exactly what I originally did with my old Obelisks ad still do with the OBs Your points about voicing are very valid and yes crossover frequencies and slopes can be tested via the presets as part of the configuration process until you arrive at your optimal voicing. For all the uninitated reading this - it means your system can sound exactly how you want it, in my case clean fast, dynamic & punchy right down to a measured -2dB at 16hz |
Hi Bruce. If you mailed me your configuration file I could have a look at how it's been set up (its a .mzd file stored in the DEQX folder on your PC/Laptop). This would allow me to see all your measurements and how Larry set it up. If the file is too large we could use Dropbox or similar (my working config file is 9MB but this has measurements for 4 sets of speakers and 3 types of Sub, yours should be much simpler) This doesn't mean I would change anything unless you wanted me to but if you then asked questions about any of the features, I could modify the file, save another version and send it back to you to load and try out Cheers Andrew |
Unsound - yes programmes like Dirac can achieve a similar result but require a computer to be running the system whereas DEQX is an elegant 'hi-fi, one box' solution. Because everything can be automated via widgets, it is also quite logical & easy once you get the hang of it I would be nervous about adding a potentially 'noisy' laptop or PC into my high end system when listening. I connect my Macbook (running a windows emulator) during setup or modifications, then unplug once I have everything sounding the way I want it. The best DEQX products also contain a linear power supply and are very transparent |
Lewinskih01 is partially correct if Almarg is only using a pair of full range speakers. There will be no opportunity to manually adjust time alignment but DEQX will still take care of this The processor will automatically phase & time align what it hears during the measurement and calibration processes but there can be no manual time alignment as there would be when using 6 channels or 2-way plus sub(s) |
Very glad Larry was able to improve things Bruce. With DEQX in circuit, even slight changes in positioning or speaker angles can have an impact, especially noticeable when you re-run a room measurement, adjust time alignment and listen to music I noticed from the files you sent me that Larry appears to align the sub with the first impulse peak of the main speakers (step response measurements). Although many people time-align this way and it is easier to calculate, I find the result is more realistic sounding when aligning subs to the first impulse rise rather than the peaks. I believe this is also generally held to be more correct (ie Green Mountain and others) |
Bifwynne: ...He didn't touch the original time alignment adjustments... Bruce: Your previous post said you moved the couch so this will have changed the relative positions of speakers/subs and therefore alignment to some degree (we are talking milliseconds so any rearrangement will have affected this) |
Bruce, I agree with you. Time alignment and room eq can be adjusted independently - whenever I have moved the listening seat slightly, it had an impact on the timing but very little on the eq and I have hardly ever changed that. If your sub sounds like it integrates perfectly and bass is natural - that is what really matters The working DEQX file can have the time alignment tweaked (via the configurator) but eq is adjusted via the control panel and only affects the configuration if it is 'saved to DEQX' and then the original file is saved again. That's one of the features of this software, you can play about endlessly if you want and return to any previously saved version |
Lewinskih01, If I remove the time alignment, imaging and soundstage collapses to a much flatter representation - something I hadn't fully appreciated until I included DEQX in the chain. Recordings which include original acoustics sound quite stunning when DEQX has time aligned all drivers and frequencies For a three way system + subs you would need to add something like mini DSP for 8 channels as one DEQX unit will only cover 6 channels (ie HDP-4). Use DEQX on the main speakers where the benefits are most significant and another device to time align the subs. Alternatively, leave a passive crossover between treble-mid or mid-bass on the main speakers and use the remaining two HDP-4 channels for the subs When an initial DEQX measurement is taken, the software will attempt to correct whatever it hears so if there is a passive crossover in the chain and any drivers are out of phase or timing, it will automatically correct that in the calibration it makes. Doing this process outdoors 'anechoically' produces the best results Subsequent time alignment to subs and then room equalisation will enable you to remove almost all the damage done by your room so whatever speakers you listen to will perform closer to optimum, as Bruce has experienced |
I am bound to agree with Ptss I suppose, given my experience with DEQX. A few hours to get an initial great sounding setup is only the start, it can do so much more than that Time put into understanding and perfecting a system in this hobby is paid back many times over in the realism of music playback. DEQX does it for me but I am sure other people gain great pleasure by taking a different route I must admit that both my Turntables also benefitted from hours of attention, to say nothing of a rigorous RCM regime with every used and many new LPs I own |
Yes I admit I am very fussy, maybe it's just the way I am. Most of my life I would buy some new gear, love the sound for a while, then start to notice some other shortcoming, upgrade, buy or adjust something else, try to convince myself it was improved and then the whole thing would start over again. Why? Well, partly because I listen to a lot of live music, often several times a week & I am a perfectionist wanting to replicate that as closely as possible I guess the fact that I no longer find reason to tweak anything, no longer think about the system & just enjoy the music means adding DEQX may have finally cured me! |
I have just read these posts about the DEQX power supply and yes, I too had noticed the apparent 'downgrading' from the supposedly superior linear power supply in the HDP4 & HDP3 models In support of Nyal, he also gave me some excellent advice when I was setting up my DEQX back in 2012 even though I am back in his 'mother' country and not a USA customer. He seems a true professional to me I have a suspicion that the reason for his evasiveness is that he doesn't actually know and would rather not give a definitive response without knowing the facts. Whilst I absolutely endorse the products, most times I have emailed the manufacturer themselves a direct question I have received a (late), oblique or non-answer so maybe Nyal has the same experience? Their one major weakness appears to be 'retail' customer interaction, it may be different for the pro or OEM market I also guess that listening differences in power supply would probably be very small in real world listening rather than worrying about specs alone. I have heard a system with the original PDC 2.6, an older Premate, the HDP3 and a different system with an HDP4 and all share the same remarkable transparency, clarity, imaging and realism I also know from another European manufacturer that legislative bodies seem have an ever tightening influence on the types of PSUs being acceptable so possibly DEQX are reacting to this in the HDP5 |
Ptss, what you say is logical and I understand why this concerns you. I guess I am fortunate that my HDP3 uses the same linear power supply as the HDP4. However the PDC 2.6 I first listened to and the Premate others here refer to both have 'inferior' power supplies, nevertheless all seem happy so I guess it's a question of personal expectations or the different things each listen for. I recommend anyone who is concerned about this email Alan Langford and ask DEQX directly: alangford@deqx.com He has always replied to me, sometimes after several days and not always with a first response that answers my question but he is helpful. |
Roscoeiii: Very curious to hear more about others' use of the analog input into the DEQX. As a vinyl guy, I worry about losing some of that analog magic.... I also prefer to listen to vinyl and can confirm that DEQX has only enhanced 'that analog magic'. The TT phono stage is connected directly into the RCA unbalanced analogue sockets. All my other devices are input from a preamp via the balanced analogue XLR connections and I also use the analogue volume control feature. There is certainly no digital glare The benefits of removing room/speaker influences are astonishing. As an analogy, some years ago I took an eye test because I felt my night driving vision had deteriorated a little but I thought everything was OK the rest of the time. When I first tried the glasses, I was amazed how everything was suddenly pin-sharp even though I hadn't noticed it over the preceding years and didn't even realise For me that's exactly what DEQX does - "spectacles for my ears"! |
Bruce - I believe that Al's measurements are of full range speakers and the amp & cabling running to the speaker in the photos (+ the descriptions in the plots themselves) seem to confirm this. I don't see separate step response graphs for tweeter/mid and woofer but two graphs of the same measurement where Al has changed the scale (0-10ms on the 1st, 0-40ms on the 2nd). Group delay is the time that it takes for the modulation signal to pass through the system/air and arrive at the microphone, measured against frequency. In simple terms, it's an indicator of how much the signal will be distorted - the DEQX introductory video on their website demonstrates this 'smearing' effect. |
I have linked here to the same measurements for my speakers (midrange-treble only) for comparison. These were taken outdoors and you can see a similar reflection from the mic (or maybe the grass surface), starting at 26ms. Almarg, from your measurements I would initially window just before the reflection at 14ms and calibrate from there |
A word of explanation when viewing the plots I have posted and comparing with those of either Bruce or Al who use manufacturer optimised speakers: These are Open Baffle speakers for only midrange & treble frequencies. The outdoor measurements are of the raw speakers themselves, containing only one (ribbon tweeter) capacitor per speaker, no passive crossover components and with no phase, time or group delay correction whatsoever. I have let DEQX handle all of that - which it does superbly |
Yes Al your interpretations are correct. It's also worth pointing out that my graphs are the 'sum' of tweeter and midrange readings taken concurrently for each speaker so I could produce comparative graphs to your own (I am using six channels of amplification in this setup and these graphs relate to four of them). When I look at the individual midrange or tweeter plots, the Group Delay variances are quite a lot lower than the summed result you see. I am also able to view each measurement graph per driver and that helped me during the prototyping phase of developing the speakers to arrive at both the measurement and the sound I was after. In each measurement I took, it was gratifying to see how close the plots of each speaker became. I had specified matched pairs of drivers when I purchased them and the workshop cutting the various speaker panels programmed the CNC to very fine tolerances based on my drawings. The finished speakers measured to be virtually identical even before DEQX calibration (not to imply that they sounded good until after correction). |
Good progress Al. As you mention, over the coming days when you start to evaluate by listening, I recommend you play familiar music, preferably with a fair amount going on in the bass frequencies. It's at this point that you may choose to vary the correction limits slightly and load four marginally different configs to compare how they sound side-by-side. As you become more familiar with the software, you may repeat this several times until you arrive at exactly what you want. Nothing beats playing the most 'challenging' music in your collection and making minor corrections until you have eradicated every possible irritation. In my case, I am quite inquisitive and experimented by slightly changing the correction limit frequencies, amplitudes, crossover points, slopes etc until I learned the impact of each variable. All the time keeping close to the original recommendations of Alan Langford and the DEQXperts I consulted. The only aspect that I have never modified is the original measurement window boundary. This took around six months or so because I am also dealing with digital crossovers and time alignment to two separate subs which in themselves needed alignment together so the setup has more complexity and variables. More than two years later I have not found any music that needs me to change anything so the effort was well worth it. |
User observations about 'transparency' always seem to generate controversy on internet audio forums. People who have not listened to a DEQX corrected system often assert that absolute transparency is not possible with the amount of digital correction taking place. However, those of us open minded enough to own and use DEQX seem to notice transparency and clarity as some of the most apparent features. Too often, audio equipment is pre-judged by specifications and not by listening. |
I have recently completed new Open Baffle speakers utilising both DEQX processors as mentioned in previous threads. Linking master-slave by RS232 + digital cabling was straight forward. The HDP-5 controls the main speakers, the HDP-3 two subs at <50hz. Currently I have only measured outdoors at a relatively low height because of the weight of these speakers. At a later date I will re-do this at 1m height. Rather than move the entire system outdoors I used 15m speaker cables and two interconnected 7m microphone cables (to Earthworks M23) from the music room. New images are posted in my Audiogon profile |
Since I last posted on here I have added an HDP-5 processor/preamp and as Almarg mentions, this has a low noise switch mode power supply. My HDP-3 uses a linear supply and both sound equally transparent with no top end glare that I can detect. Most of my listening is analogue input from two turntables and my various power amps & subs are also connected via unbalanced RCA cabling. The HDP-5 has slightly greater clarity and openness to the soundstage than the HDP-3 & I will be using them together in a 4-way stereo setup (0-60hz, 60-200hz, 200-3100hz, 3100khz+), the HDP-3 managing just the subs. |
Hi Jeff Although I do not use my HDP-5 & HDP-3 processors in a home theatre setup, you have the facility to use one of the four (remote control selectable) config setups as a bypass. If the Main Filter is set to "Bypass correction or crossover for this loudspeaker, but still use filters" & then against Limit Filters, untick both low & high pass filters (a new config defaults to this anyway), the speakers will still operate but in bypass fashion. Any further queries, I recommend you contact Alan Langford at DEQX to confirm: alangford@deqx.com Please also note that Roon for DEQX is shown as 'coming soon' on the Roon site. As a largely analogue listener, digital processing is undetectable in my setup. Clarity/transparency is outstanding & I suppose that the things DEQX corrects have far greater benefits than any DSP impact, even if it's there. Let us know how you get on..... Andrew |
I am using an external DAC which processes CD and FLAC files via the balanced analogue inputs on the HDP-5. The DEQX DAC is excellent but my preference is for something which is almost indistinguishable from other analogue sources - without any sense of digital glare which is present in every other DAC I have experienced. In my system, the HDP-5 RCA analogue input takes the main turntable & the balanced XLR analogue input has the external DAC which also has a pass through for a second turntable & an SACD player. I do not use any of the digital inputs. |
I see that my recent post may have confused a few people so I will attempt to clarify. Most of my listening is with vinyl rather than digital and I prefer a very natural analogue sound whereas (to me) a lot of digitally reproduced music has a slight glare to treble which sounds unnatural. Different DACs can either exaggerate or lessen this. As a result I’ve auditioned and used a variety of these over the years until I found something that, in my opinion was as close to the pure ’analogue’ sound I was after. That is what inputs to the HDP-5 via balanced analogue connection. Therefore I prefer to use the balanced XLR input where digital sources (CD, FLAC etc) are already processed so in effect the processor sees everything as analogue. Processing of digital inputs to the DAC in the HDP-5 is certainly a step up from the HDP-3 - both are very good. It’s just that I am rather picky & have a setup (using the external DAC) where it is pretty difficult to tell the difference between a vinyl or digital copy of the same album. Using any digital inputs into the DEQX DAC, treble is a little more ’brittle’ (I just did a swap to make sure I could qualify this remark - the DEQX processors are so good that we are talking small degrees here & I continue to be astounded by the life-like realism that the system produces). note: from the DEQX product overview of the HDP-5... "provides transparent analogue pass-through.......Analogue inputs utilize Cirrus Logic’s reference ‘professional’ ADC to provide absolute transparency for analogue sources such as vinyl preamps and surround receivers"....I agree with that. For sure, in theory removing the sequence that I use (external DAC =>A/D =>D/A =>out) should benefit from reduced processing. From living with DEQX & comparative listening for over 4 years, that isn’t the case for me. |
"Roscoeiii: drewan77, Sorry if I missed it, but have you tried DEQX digital out --> external DAC --> preamp (if volume control is needed)? If so, how did that compare to the setup you are currently using ( external DAC =>A/D =>D/A =>out)?" No I have not - My setup would require at least 3 external DACs & a multi-channel preamp. I have no need to change anything except daisy-chain the HDP-3 to the HDP-5 at some future point to add additional mid-bass amps/drivers (for now the HDP-3 is running a system in another room). |
Yes Jeff, DEQX inspired me to build my own speakers. I had always been impressed with Open Baffle designs because of the lack of cabinet colouration and great transient speed so I set about building various prototypes several years ago, using my original HDP-3. Once voiced exactly as wanted, I then commissioned a CNC workshop to produce the final frames in zebrano bamboo. When you master the workings of DEQX (no mean task!), speaker building and tweaking is fascinating. I recommend going to the trouble to take measurements outdoors which produce an almost pure anechoic response (in my most recent example, windowing calibrations to 31ms before even a slight reflection, only from the mic stand). The cleaner the initial data, the better will be the final result. Being able to use 4 preset configs with differing crossover types, frequencies and slopes enables you to listen instantly ’on-the-fly’ with music playing, although I suggest newcomers start with the DEQX defaults until you understand the various interactions. You can then go much deeper, configuring for minimum phase or minimum delay etc and learning exactly how to bring the best out of each individual driver. It’s also great that DEQX measurements treat everything downstream of the processor as one, meaning that the impact of your cabling & amplification is also taken care of by the resulting calibration - as long as you don’t change anything of course! I learned quite fast, for instance that the tweeters in my setup had one ’perfect’ crossover point for both they & the midranges below - above this frequency there was some beaming and thickening but crossing lower, treble became subtly more brittle. Also, by trying various natural wool tweeter surround shapes & placements, measuring & listening again in-room, everything was finally clearer, more focused & smooth than any other speaker I have heard. Being able to make a change, set it into your main config and listen to music for days or even weeks before further adjustment in one of the other 3 presets means you really can be sure that changes are beneficial. Everything is also reversible or repeatable. Please let us know how you get on & various of us here will be happy to assist if needs be. I was asked to look through the draft of the most recent DEQX manual as an experienced ’user’ by Kim Ryrie before it was published & I can confirm that it is now much more user friendly & logical to follow. It should be much easier than when I started out! Andrew |
Good to hear that you are joining the DEQX ’club’ Ozzy. When I originally purchased an HDP-3, I used it in the same way as your forthcoming PreMate - in that case using Shahinian Obelisks (including their passive crossovers) with a Miller & Kreisel MX200 sub. The fist time I measured, corrected, time aligned & listened was the most significant ’wow’ moment I have had with hifi & even though the quality of my setup is now a long way beyond that, I will never forget that first session. You should be in for a treat & if you need any assistance, then please ask. As with Al, I used the expertise of my dealer, supported by several emails to Alan Langford at DEQX and then an extensive period of research, questioning and self-learning. Quite a few other DEQX users have also emailed me their config files over the years & I notice that various DEQXperts had originally set them up in a very similar fashion.... which has been reassuring for me :) |
Ozzy, if it isn’t on your CD, you can also download your mic file by going to the DEQX website: From the bar across the top of the page, choose: Owners, then upgrades from the dropdown box, scroll down to Dayton mic files & Dayton all Microphones - download (mic). You will be asked for authentification..... User name = beta Password = nyquist (all lower case). Once you unzip the folder, the file "6780EMM6-INV.mic" is in there. As for the two different mic types, I originally used a Behringer ECM8000 (DEQX predecessor to the Dayton) with the HDP-3 & later upgraded to an Earthworks M23 before I purchased the HDP-5. I would not worry too much about the different mic’s because the critical frequency range is going to be somewhere between 200hz & 10khz & the reference mic really comes into its own at the highest frequencies, although measurements across the board do appear to be a little more precise. My measurement routine, calibration and setup is quite OCD and therefore the benefits gained by the M23 proved worth it (I am able to use much lower levels of smoothing & greater accuracy in calibration across the entire frequency range if I choose to). Listening to music via the same speakers based on an outdoor measurement, there is definitely an audible improvement for the M23 but it is not that great. If I had never made the later calibrations, I would still have been extremely satisfied with those from the lower cost microphone. |
Does anyone think if there is a breakin time for the unit? I am using it as a Preamp so I assume like most things audio 200 hours of use time seems to be about right. Ozzy, I see from your earlier post that you purchased a 'used' Premate so I would expect it is already broken in (if there is such a thing - the process of setup, measuring, calibrating and experimenting over the first few weeks will probably take long enough). As for the BSG QOL, I have never seen this item before & I'm not clear what it would achieve after the Premate has done its processing. From a very quick look at a few web pages, it seems to work with phase shift. However the DEQX algorithms will correct phase and timing automatically for everything upstream anyway (via the mic measurements). If you do plan to try this out, I would suggest downstream (before) the Premate but I recommend you set the system up without this and experiment later. |
"Thanks, If the QOL is placed before the DEQX Premate would I need to run the measurements again?" No, the DEQX processor measures the effect of the speakers/cabling/amps downstream & the QOL is going to address source material upstream. This has nothing to do with in-room measurements. The PreMate microphone measurement is based on a rising frequency plot created by the processor & will have no correlation with anything beforehand in the rest of your system (which is the correct way to do this). Then, during normal listening, it will be fed a ’corrected’ source signal & it will phase & time correct everything for the speakers & room afterwards based on the chosen calibration. .....If you added it after the PreMate (especially if you then took a measurement), the two separate phase corrections may give strange results & it’s definitely not as DEQX intended. |
Yes those confidence levels should be fine. Only 3dB between L & R main speakers means your mic was fractionally off centre so look at the impulse response of both in one viewer window, zoom in and take the mid point timing as the reading. (It will probably be no more than 1 or 2 fractions of a ms difference between the two main peaks & only really visible at a high zoom level). The best way to set mains to subs is first to align the faster sub (usually nearest to your listening/measuring position) to the slower sub, then align the pair of main speakers (average reading as above), also with the slowest sub. Finally, take another measurement afterwards to verify & you should see both subs initial peak at the same point & the main speakers main peak now also at the same time alignment. I always find it best to open two viewer windows, one for the pair of mains, one for the pair of subs. If you try and see all 4 measurements in one viewer, the scale usually makes the sub measurements look almost flat and impossible to interpret accurately. |
This could progress into quite a lengthy exchange & may take a while, depending on our relative time zones. What I've normally done in situations like this is have the user send me their .mzd file which I can interpret properly, make initial time alignments etc & send it back with four different profiles set - If you want to do that, use the address below andrewd@stockton92.freeserve.co.uk I'm happy to help as I well remember the frustration that can come during the initial learning process - there are a lot of parameters that interact with each other. The software also has a lot of details that aren't totally documented. Andrew |
1. Connect directly to the PreMATE DAC as these are high quality & transparent. 2. If you get an M23 from another source, you will need to have the files converted - probably by Alan Langford at DEQX & my experience is that he may take quite a while to do this & there may be a cost. I would personally not recommend it. I asked the question before getting my own M23 but in the end bought it via the DEQX dealer with the correct DEQX file. 3. I always connect directly to a DEQX processor when using subs to achieve the most accurate time alignment. This feature is excellent, minimises other equipment in the chain & volume is locked in with the main speakers. The DEQX software allows you to adjust time delay (main speakers to subs), phase, relative volumes & equalisation anyway. If you want to offset any lacking bass from the source, you can set the four remote control presets to progressively higher levels of sub volume. This works really well & is what I do. |