Behringer DEQ2496 Ultracurve Pro DSP Review

[SpaceMonkey]

Will wait then, perhaps it has something to do with the generalized supply problems. This is a quite unique device, maybe they didn't expect people from outside pro segment buying it.

I remember seeing it out of stock many times before. it came back every single time

 

[oneman]

Tried yesterday, it didnt work. I am not so concerned anymore as i put a toslink splitter before the deq and bypassed deq for the avr.

It's very strange. My DEQ works perfectly and AC3/DTS signals pass through with noproblem. I have got an external AC3 hardware decoder (Sony SDP-ep90es) connected to optical digital out (DEQ) and it recognizes AC3 audio stream every time.
Behringer DEQ2496, software version V 2.5

 

[SpaceMonkey]

It's very strange. My DEQ works perfectly and AC3/DTS signals pass through with noproblem. I have got an external AC3 hardware decoder (Sony SDP-ep90es) connected to optical digital out (DEQ) and it recognizes AC3 audio stream every time.
Behringer DEQ2496, software version V 2.5

My deq is 2.2 . And Sony DA2400es

 

[jamescarter1982]

what is the consensus regarding the sound quality of this unit if only used as an eq digital in digital out ? this is the one area that wasn't tested in the review and the one area I was interested in ? I wonder if this would have a negative impact on the sound if used this any. I wish someone made a reasonably priced high quality digital only eq

 

[xaviescacs]

what is the consensus regarding the sound quality of this unit if only used as an eq digital in digital out ? this is the one area that wasn't tested in the review and the one area I was interested in ? I wonder if this would have a negative impact on the sound if used this any. I wish someone made a reasonably priced high quality digital only eq

I haven't seen a test on the digital domain, but I would expect its performance to be transparent, as no AD/DA is required. This is why I think many informed people use it in this way. It's a very nice way to EQ the TV toslink out, I don't even care for the analog part.

 

[sergeauckland]

what is the consensus regarding the sound quality of this unit if only used as an eq digital in digital out ? this is the one area that wasn't tested in the review and the one area I was interested in ? I wonder if this would have a negative impact on the sound if used this any. I wish someone made a reasonably priced high quality digital only eq

I've used mine both analogue and digital in, with no perceptible difference in sound. The analogue input is good even if not SOTA. Digital input, whether AES-EBU or S-PDIF seems unfussy.
I was given a hardware upgrade on the analogue input, which reduces distortions by an order of magnitude, and it's nice to know that the analogue input is now excellent, but sonically, no difference.

S

 

[jamescarter1982]

OK thanks this is how I wanted to use it . a fit and forget eq ill get one and see how it sounds

 

[xaviescacs]

OK thanks this is how I wanted to use it . a fit and forget eq ill get one and see how it sounds

Given the test results here, it will be challenge to distinguish it from any other DAC.

 

[jamescarter1982]

I can definitely tell the difference between dacs not sure if that's the dac or the preamp section that is responsible but in my experience manufactures voice products to their house sound

 

[xaviescacs]

I can definitely tell the difference between dacs not sure if that's the dac or the preamp section that is responsible but in my experience manufactures voice products to their house sound

Saying it it's one thing, proving it to someone else it's another quite different. Take a tour around here and you'll discover it's not that easy.

 

[pkane]

what is the consensus regarding the sound quality of this unit if only used as an eq digital in digital out ? this is the one area that wasn't tested in the review and the one area I was interested in ? I wonder if this would have a negative impact on the sound if used this any. I wish someone made a reasonably priced high quality digital only eq

It's great as a DSP/ EQ in digital domain. Some measurements of the all-digital path and effects here: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ements-of-behringer-ultracurve-deq2496.11382/

 

[xaviescacs]

It's great as a DSP/ EQ in digital domain. Some measurements of the all-digital path and effects here: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ements-of-behringer-ultracurve-deq2496.11382/

Sure! I've seen this before but I didn't recall. Thanks.

 

[Andysu]

one of three DEQ2496 is faulty with EQ filters producing random peak/dips when it should be like the other DEQ2496 . o change one of them out get another at least it was cheap . must be snag with dsp chip ? it would explain when i did EQ my centre with upper highs i see a sudden frequency drop .

i swapped centre DEQ to Left centre Right-centre channels for present and placed centre on other DEQ and put in same EQ filters which had smoother curve .
what seen with graph red is centre the faulty DEQ and green is one of the left or right channels . i tried slotting in some of the PEQ filters at narrow Q bandwidth and that didn't work just made it worse lol . typical dsp stuff huh .

 

[MRC01]

Looks like ripples from adjacent narrow bands with graphic EQ. The DEQ2496 has a setting that smooths these ripples. Maybe one of them has this setting turned on, the other has it turned off.

 

[Andysu]

Looks like ripples from adjacent narrow bands with graphic EQ. The DEQ2496 has a setting that smooths these ripples. Maybe one of them has this setting turned on, the other has it turned off.

maybe or maybe jittering ? i change it as i can't use it with inner-centre channels . also may explain if audio inputs was high level it suddenly shows error reading and had to switch it off and back On again .

 

[Frank2]

I use mine purely in the digital domain (toslink in from a Musical Fidelity V-Link, spdif out via XLR).

The way I apply room correction is:
1. Make a pink noise digital recording using a measurement microphone on different positions in the room, left and right channel separately.
2. Import these recordings in Audacity and generate a frequency distribution csv (comma separated values) file per recording.
3. Import the csv files in a specially made Excel file, one Excel file per channel.
4. With this Excel file I can mimic the effect of the graphic and parametric eq settings on the frequency curves, so I use it to determine the right eq settings.
5. Adjust the DEQ2496 with these settings.
Repeat the above procedure until the results are satisfactory.

This gives much better results that the auto eq function of the DEQ2496, since you are much more in control of the frequency curve you desire. My curve resembles the so-called 'X-curve' and I am very happy with the results.
I am happy to provide the Excel file for free on this forum. It does not contain any macro's, everything is done with in-cell formulas.

The icing on the cake for me is the addition of expansion (for more dynamics) and the dynamic equalizers. With one dynamic eq I amplify the highs below a certain threshold to get higher clarity without aggressiveness. Somehow I have the feeling that either my tweeters or my ears are less sensitive to higher frequencies at lower levels and the dynamic eq perfectly compensates for that. Same trick for the low frequencies, which adds warmth to the sound without making it sound too muddy. The third dynamic eq I use to very slightly tune down the mid frequencies at high levels (just 1 dB). To me this makes voices sound more natural and less intrusive. I would not like to give up the dynamic eqs and I do not know of any other device that offers them.

To me the DEQ2496 is the most valued device in my audio chain, apart from my speakers.

 

[MRC01]

I agree on the value of the DEQ2496, but I found a simpler process for using it:

• Use REW to generate a sweep recording.
• Play it on your system, recording with your mics just as above.
• Import those sweep recordings into REW
• REW will show you frequency response, phase, distortion, and other things

Set up your DEQ2496 accordingly. Then you can re-test again with each EQ and fine-tune it. No need to use Audacity, Excel, CSV files, etc.

 

[Frank2]

I agree on the value of the DEQ2496, but I found a simpler process for using it:

• Use REW to generate a sweep recording.
• Play it on your system, recording with your mics just as above.
• Import those sweep recordings into REW
• REW will show you frequency response, phase, distortion, and other things

Set up your DEQ2496 accordingly. Then you can re-test again with each EQ and fine-tune it. No need to use Audacity, Excel, CSV files, etc.

Ah, ok. The main feature of my Excel tool is that you can enter the intended equalizer settings of the DEQ2496 (the gain for each of the 31 GEQ bands plus the frequency, bandwidth and gain for each of the 10 PEQs) and immediately see the effect on the frequency curve. I never used REW, can it do something similar?

 

[pkane]

I agree on the value of the DEQ2496, but I found a simpler process for using it:

• Use REW to generate a sweep recording.
• Play it on your system, recording with your mics just as above.
• Import those sweep recordings into REW
• REW will show you frequency response, phase, distortion, and other things

Set up your DEQ2496 accordingly. Then you can re-test again with each EQ and fine-tune it. No need to use Audacity, Excel, CSV files, etc.

When I was using DEQ2496 (two of them), that's exactly the process I used.

 

[MRC01]

Ah, ok. The main feature of my Excel tool is that you can enter the intended equalizer settings of the DEQ2496 (the gain for each of the 31 GEQ bands plus the frequency, bandwidth and gain for each of the 10 PEQs) and immediately see the effect on the frequency curve. I never used REW, can it do something similar?

With the DEQ2496, I used parametric EQ, not GEQ. This enables you to precisely tune each band to the exact center frequency, amplitude, and width that you need.