DBX for foldback graphic?

[Andy Dick]

Hello, I'm new to the blue room but not new to technical forums and occasionally chat.

 

I am an engineer with BBC in Northern Ireland and own a small production company dealing in PA and lighting in small to medium sized venues around the Belfast area. There are some good professional providers here that provide one service or the other but dont deal in both. I have built up a vast range of gear since starting in 1987. I am starting to work with more professional names and am recieving riders that are beyond my inventory.

 

Without going crazy, as this not my full time job, I need to replace Behringer EQs and Composers with something more professional. My budget is fairly flexable but wont stretch to KT or XTA. Is DBX a step in the right direction or is there really no difference in quality? I have a DBX1231 graphic and am pleased with it.

 

Would a rack of DBX be a waste of money and would Band engineers just laugh? DBX166xl? I know there are topics slating and loving Behringer which I have read.

 

 

Any feedback (not howlround) would be appreciated

 

Andy

www.ardsoundandlighting.com

[James]

Andy

 

When I was looking for monitor graphics a couple of years ago I was seriously considering the DBX1231 graphic eqs I had a DN360 for FOH which fulfiled all riders happily and the 1231s appeared to be a fairly bottom of the acceptable but acceptable eq and affordable enough to put a rack of 8 monitor mixes together. It's 31band 3U and does the job basicaly.

 

I found Bink's GEQ shootout from the LAB very informative, and would say it is essential reading for anyone purchasing graphics in this type of position.

http://www.roaddog.com/bink/index.php

 

regarding other outboard, I've never tried to let a bit of outboard loose me a gig. When I get something specified, I've tended to approach the BE, explain the situation, explain what I have got and if there is something I don't have and it is essential I often end up purchasing it. This doesn't happen regularly, and when it does happen it's normaly only one item at a time, piece by piece I've tried to replace my old startup FX rack (behringer zoom toa etc...) with more rider friendly items (drawmer, KT, Yamaha etc...) Generaly I find that when I do end up buying items I try to make sure it's an item I've seen on a few riders already and I have a sensible chance of seeing on a rider again in the near future.

 

Hope this helps.

 

James

[Ben Langfeld]

I've always found Behringer dynamics to be pretty decent, but to be honest, their analogue EQs are pretty awful. DBX aren't quite in the same league as KT, but they're certainly a step up from Behringer. I'd say you'd notice a bigger improvement in graphics than in dynamics if you upgrade from Behringer. I know many people are pretty happy with Behringer dynamics. Hope that helps :).

[dbuckley]

dBX wont get you laughed at

 

dBX is also pretty common, so most engineers know how to use dBX, and that fact alone works in its favour.

[Rob_Beech]

I agree that it is probably a step up, all be it a small one. I am not fond of the behringer analogue eq's as they appear to be very noisy. I do however not deal with DBX at all due to reasons explained elsewhere.

Would you consider the second hand market? You can sometime pickup some good deals on BSS eq's on the used market.

[dbuckley]

I do however not deal with DBX at all due to reasons explained elsewhere.

I had to go looking after seeing that, and the best I can come up with is your (absolutely justified) hatred of the DRPA - is that it?

 

If so, whereas it is true that the DRPA is by some margin the least usable loudspeaker management unit known to man (to the point of being a danger to the speakers driven by it, as it seems you've discovered the hard way), I think its a tad unfair to tarnish the entire company and their range of eminently usable products based on one atrocious product.

[Pete]

If so, whereas it is true that the DRPA is by some margin the least usable loudspeaker management unit known to man (to the point of being a danger to the speakers driven by it, as it seems you've discovered the hard way),

 

Not to speak for Rob (or drag the topic too OT),

Surely DBX should have sorted the DRPA problem?They also dont mention the probelm on the PA web page,where as they do mention the fact it protects loudspeakers using its built in limiters. Draw your own conclusions from that.

 

On the OP's question,

People won't laught at a DBX rack,a mix of dbx compressorsand drawmer gates is fairly common in alot of racks I come accross. Graphic EQ wise,Id like to suggest that for the money you'd pay for a new DBX 1231 you might be able to get a pair of (used) KT DN300s or as Rob suggested,a (used) BSS graphic.

 

Horses for courses.

 

Pete

[Rob_Beech]

Pete has it spot on. I just don't think its right that they have had the chance to rectify the problem either by a recall which would possibly be impractical, sending out (maybe even at a charge) a modification if thats possible, or the most likely way, just changing the damn design so the next batch don't have this problem. The fact they know about this, and just continue to sell it, and state the things Pete mentions does annoy me enough for me not to deal with them.

 

As I've said. the EQ's and some of the other outboard is more than useable and the analogue eq's are a sure step up from the behringer.

 

 

Rob

[Andy Dick]

Thanks for everyone's reply on this post so far. Some good advise.

 

Bonza has a stack of BSS 960s for sale so I might pick one up for main and move my DBX 1231 into monitor rack, ditch or b-rig the Behringers and add 2 more 1231s. I may soon go digital with something with a 7 or a 9 in it so this option may fill the gap.

 

Andy