Do I need it?

armada10

Purchased the px after recommendation by a friend, haven't set it up yet, my setup is for mobile applications, my speakers are 2 ev elx 115p tops and 2 ev elx 118p subs fed by my dj controller going thru an A&H zed10fx, been reading the start here and faq sections as well as other forums, some like it some don't, the concensus here is not to use the manual and follow the setup in the start here section so I called dbx tech support and they told me to follow the manual which confuses me even more, considered getting the bbe maximizer and the dbx 231s eq but chose this product due to the combination of features and the apparent ease of use(I'm familiar with room eq because of my experience with audyssey in my home theater setup which I'm sure is not a fair comparison in regards to scale), thinking about returning it after reading in this forum about the somewhat tedious setup, can anybody convince me otherwise?

Dra

If what "professionals on forums" say about a product means anything to you, check out what they say about "Sonic Maximizers". The words "boat anchor", "door stop", and "ladder leveler" often come up.

I won't talk you into buying a PX, because I don't have one. But I do have a 260 and 2)DRPA's and absolutely love them, but then again I like to have great sound.

DRA

Gadget

Dra... he has the PX...

Armada...

Generally those that have taken the time to learn the platform (it seems daunting at first but becomes second nature quickly.. like most any other new experience, or subject) love the driverack. In all the years I have been here there have only been a couple that simply couldn't get it no matter how we tried. There are also a bunch of snobs that think that if it doesn't say Lake processing it sounds like ass...remember, the feature set and audio quality are designed around a PRICE point.

There are those that want it all done for them and this is where dbx and those users here that help out disagree.. it's NOT as simple as plug it in, and push a button and vioulex! perfect sound! dbx, and their manual, would have you believe that EVERY SINGLE TIME you placer a mic on a stand, in the center of a room, and run the auto eq that it will "equalize the room" THIS is why "Pro audio types" po po the driverack, it just doesn't work that way...(BTW there is some dissension among the ranks of engineers @ dbx regarding those issue and others, but the "Party Line" rhetoric remains the same...

There is plenty of information (I know it seems to be a preponderance) that explains WHY this is the case but in a nutshell it's multiple paths to the mic (direct and bounce/reflected) that cause cancellations at that specific location.. AND standing waves that are super bass modes that result from reflected energy coupled together with direct energy to (too simple but for this purpose that will have to do) that come together to make LF Auto Eq a less then good thing indoors..Suffice it to say that it's NOT a professional measurement system... but then it doesn't bear the huge learning curve or expense of the professional measurement systems.

So, if you follow the guides we have set up here, we have found that those that do get some pretty amazing results. So, if your not one of the "golden eared" types that can tune a system totally by ear ( :roll: ) and have it be perfect...why not give this (flawed though it is) a chance.. I have NEVER added the driverack to a system that didn't improve dramatically with it's implementation...

So give it a chance.. it's really not that difficult, we have provided ALL the info so you can learn how AND why..(with technology comes a responsibility) we do things. If you read the threads and FAQ's and have questions.. that's what were here for. I have added disclaimers that indicate that the info provided here is from USERS and not dbx, and that we have been doing this for years with great success, but not with out SOME effort on your part.

I challenge you to perform a PROPER auto eq on your tops (FLAT frequency response) and see if you can't get LOUDER and sound BETTER with less feedback, than without the driverack...

Dra

Buying... Keeping... not returning... all the same.

DRA

armada10

I was able to do the initial setup today in my backyard, I wanted to do an A/B comparison between your guys' method and the owner's manual, I only had time to do it with the quick start guide, this is how I did it: put my tops on stands about 25 ft. apart with the subs in the middle side by side, chose custom setting for both at 50% gain, auto level pink noise at 0db(followed manual's recommendation), auto eq also at 0db(very loud by the way), afs at 6, kind of butchered the mic feedback test(don't know if it affected the final outcome) and finished the rest. My results were tops sounded good but got barely anything from my subs(levels barely audible). Need some feedback before I run setup again tomorrow using dbx forum method, thanks. Btw I had talked to another dbx tech a few days back and he had told me to choose a preset that resembled my speaker and sub size and go from there, is this sound advice or is custom the way to go?

Gadget

I won't say I told you so.. but I did say that indoors the super bass modes, and that the Auto Eq would cut the bass.

Anything below about 170 hz indoors is SUSPECT and should be done by ear...

With the PX yes you can select a preset that's close, but then you need to set the HPF/LPF point according to what you have for speakers.. for instance, if your running EV tops select something that has the same basic frequency response and power, or compensate in the xover point...

Now, when you try our method, set the tops up on a stand (free space) and place the mic on a towel (on the ground), or carpet strait out pointed at the speaker. If this is indoors, use one sub, very close, and on the same plane as the top, cut the output of the sub about 5-7 dB and select FLAT response for the target curve. What were looking for is that the subs and the tops both be treated equally by the Auto Eq (NOT the subs CUT way down or the tops boosted way up...) then you'll turn the subs back up afterwards)

Note here that the PROPER way is to do this outside away from ALL reflective surfaces..

There is an alternate indoor method
viewtopic.php?f=60&t=2908
but you can move the mic back a ways (couple feet), and lay it on a towel aimed at the speaker..

try that and report back..
Gadget

armada10

I did do it outside in my backyard with the speakers facing the back fence which is about 25 ft. away, also chose the c curve.