What goes first? DCX or DEQ?

[tuna]

I am just setting up a DCX and DEQ for the first time in anticipation of finishing my subs in the next month. But I realized I have a chicken/egg question. In which order should the signal path take coming from the mixer? Should I go into the DCX first or should I go into the DEQ first? Right now I am going into the DEQ first. My main problem though is that with the DEQ I am getting a signal coming in but I cannot get a signal going out. The meter tells the tale. It looks like everything is setup correctly but obviously it is not as there is no output. I am coming in via XLR off the back of the mixer. Can anybody please point me in the right direction?

[Grant Bunter]

tuna,
Brick wall limiting needs to be the last thing in the chain before your amplifier.
That means it has to be DEQ to DCX.

Or to properly answer your question:
The DEQ goes first.

[tuna]

Ok. Well, it is setup that way with the signal going into the DEQ first and then coming out and going into the DCX. The meter on the DEQ shows a signal on the input but on the output it shows nothing at all. Any ideas on how I can get sound output? Ive looked at the manual and while it explains each option well, everything seems to be setup properly but I get nothing. I see there are settings for SPDIF or AES on the output but how about analog? I am just using balanced xlr connections between everything. All the EQ options are set to OFF.

[Grant Bunter]

I didn't answer that part on purpose for the time being, I'm having a think about it.

It's forum member Radian I think, who says you can improve sound quality significantly going from SPDIF/AES out from the DEQ to in on the DCX...

[tuna]

So If I have a 1ft XLR cable can I use the AES output on the DEQ or must I use an AES cable? Would I just go to one of the regular input A B C on the DCX?

Thank you!

[Grant Bunter]

Some say that the connection from AES/EBU should be 110ohm cable, but it can't hurt to try a 1' XLR to XLR.

Connect AES/EBU "out" on the DEQ to Channel A on the DCX.
You'll notice in the routing/path section of the DCX manual (page 4 for me) that using AES/EBU into Channel A actually routes to both Channels A and B after the analogue/digital converter, thereby eleminating the need to AD convert. The AES/EBU out on the DEQ also bypasses the output DAC. This is why it would sound better.

Speaking of XLR's are you sure that the XLR's on the output side of the DEQ are functional and pins 1,2, and 3 all have appropriate continuity?

Other than that, for now, just make sure that, with your in and outs connected as they are, that the routing paths are correct.
Press I/O for page one, the input side and check that the input is actually "main in".
Scroll across to I/O page 2 for the output side and check that's going to "main out" as well.

Also, the default turn on state for the DCX is to have all ins and outs muted.
http://billfitzmaurice.info/forum/viewt ... =4&t=20833 will help you better than the manual to set up your DCX.

Last but not least, go from the DEQ outputs straight into your amp and connect a cab at low voltage to confirm the DEQ's input and output operation.

If your DEQ is a new unit and you're prepared to pop it's lid (and potentially void your warranty), reseat all the ribbon cables in it you can. This sorts many problems with DEQ's.
If you don't want to do that, get it replaced....

[Chris_Allen]

Some say that the connection from AES/EBU should be 110ohm cable, but it can't hurt to try a 1' XLR to XLR.

I believe I tried that and it didn't work before buying a special cable.

[whines]

AES is working fine on a 1' regular XLR (from Monoprice) for me.

[tuna]

Ok. Well I seem to have gotten it to work. I reset the settings, which I was pretty sure I had done before to start, and all of a sudden I had a signal showing on the output. I am using it on analog right now. I will play around with it tomorrow to see if I can get it working on the digital output over xlr. But it seems like its working. On a previous recommendation in the DCX I set a Butterworth 24 curve and limited the output to just the frequencies my equipment can reproduce. What a difference! I can definitely crank the sound up a lot higher now on my setup without distortion. Right now I am using 2 large 3 way speakers with built in 900w amps. So one is getting everything above 150hz and the other is getting everything below 150hz. Speaker number 1 has the crossover set at 150hz so the big woofers should not be firing with just the opposite on speaker number 2. Until I get drivers for my BFM sub boxes it is what Ive got. Either way, everything sounds way better. It will be interesting to see what the AES does if anything to the sound quality.

Thank you Grant for clearing up what the settings were supposed to be.

[tuna]

Well, I said screw it and went and tested it right now. I couldnt crank it up and test sound quality but I did get AES working over XLR. So right now I have 2 xlrs coming from mixer to the DEQ, 1 cable going from DEQ to DCX and then 2 XLRs out of the DCX and going to my speakers. Worked fine and verified I am getting proper signal to my speakers.

WOOO HOOO!!!

Thanks guys!