BillFitzmaurice.info

I've been looking hard for alternatives to my DCX this last week given the issues that it has developed. But I can't find anything that I want to spend the money on. They all seem to be way more expensive, way less functional, or no more reliable than the DCX. And since the only features I'm really using are the crossover and limiter, I'm thinking that I should just get a no-frills analog crossover to serve as a backup while I try to sort out what I'm going to do long term.

Any recommendations for a basic crossover with XLR input(s) for a simple 2-way mono rig?

David Carter wrote:I've been looking hard for alternatives to my DCX this last week given the issues that it has developed. But I can't find anything that I want to spend the money on. They all seem to be way more expensive, way less functional, or no more reliable than the DCX. And since the only features I'm really using are the crossover and limiter, I'm thinking that I should just get a no-frills analog crossover to serve as a backup while I try to sort out what I'm going to do long term.

Any recommendations for a basic crossover with XLR input(s) for a simple 2-way mono rig?

I'd be hard-pressed to recommend any traditional crossover for a BFM system.
1) It's very hard to find a crossover that will let you HPF the subs at an appropriate frequency.
2) Most crossovers have delay for the lows and mids. With a BFM system, you need delay for the mids and tops, because of the horn path length.

You can get all these options with some of the higher-end crossovers (Like the Rane AC24), but once you start looking at those you're in the same price range as a decent speaker processing unit.

If you just want a simple 2-way crossover in case of emergency, in a former life I swore by the Rane and dbx crossovers. You can probably pick up one of the more inexpensive ones for around $100-150 used.

Rane MX22 is what I use. I own several. 1RU, all XLR balanced, 2-channel.
Can be a 3-way if you want to use the sub channel at 100 Hz, mids from 100~7000 adjustable, and highs above that. Very versatile and rock solid reliable.

The downside is 100 Hz being the lowest sub crossover point.
The AC22B goes down to 70 hz, but is a much more expensive unit.
The older AC22 (no B) are TRS only, and cheaper.

If you don't mind doing some soldering and assembly yourself, you might consider one of the Marchand Electronics Crossover kits.

XM9-A - 24 dB/Oct Electronic Crossover, circuit board only = $ 70.00
XM16-A - 48 dB/Oct Electronic Crossover, circuit board only = $ 80.00

You'll need to contact Marchand about the price for the kit of components that are attached to the circuit boards.


Take Care,
David Baldock

BBE DS24 for $171.99 shipped.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 602_263622

Always good to have a backup plan!

Since this is just for emergency backup and won't be used unless I'm in a pinch, I'm not too concerned about it having tons of features. I'm going for a decent, affordable basic crossover. With that in mind, I just pulled the eBay trigger on a used Samson S-2-Way crossover. I don't have it yet, so I haven't tested it, but I figure for $65 shipped, it'll be hard to complain.

Hey David? What EQ are you using???

I've got two Rane ME-30B units. I've thought about getting a DEQ2496, but I'm not too keen on getting another Behringer product at the moment given the issues I've had with my DCX.

David Carter wrote:I've got two Rane ME-30B units. I've thought about getting a DEQ2496, but I'm not too keen on getting another Behringer product at the moment given the issues I've had with my DCX.

I wouldn't bother either on getting a Behringer product. I spent 209.00 (with shipping) on a larger paper weight through ebay. (Deq2496)
Did you fix the dcx? Somebody offered to fix my Deq but I must of deleted the pm.

Scott Brochu wrote:

David Carter wrote:I've got two Rane ME-30B units. I've thought about getting a DEQ2496, but I'm not too keen on getting another Behringer product at the moment given the issues I've had with my DCX.

I wouldn't bother either on getting a Behringer product. I spent 209.00 (with shipping) on a larger paper weight through ebay. (Deq2496)
Did you fix the dcx? Somebody offered to fix my Deq but I must of deleted the pm.

I've never had any problem with the Behringer mixers I've owned (except once which was caused by my own negligence). But I'm looking hard for other options when considering new gear. I don't really know where my DCX stands right now. I've tried a thing or two, but I haven't had the chance to run it in real world conditions yet since doing those things, so I don't know what will happen next time. That's why I got the Samson as cheap insurance until it gets resolved.

I'd love to find some kind soul who would be willing to take my DCX and re-cap the whole thing for a reasonable fee, but then again, I don't know what "reasonable" would be, so I don't know if it would be worth it.

When I didnt connect my dcx I use the second bus of my mixers (or the fx Ch on 2 bus mixers) for subs this gaves me a separate volume fader for subs and let me choose which input ch goes to the subs and which not.... I have separate eqs for sub, tops & monitors each of them have their own filters

David Carter wrote:I've got two Rane ME-30B units. I've thought about getting a DEQ2496, but I'm not too keen on getting another Behringer product at the moment given the issues I've had with my DCX.

Ok, thats a good eq. I don't have the DCX and I don't trust behringer much either. This is what I have in one of my rigs is a peavey Q431 that has a HPF 40hz @ 12db button and use a Behringer Super X crossover it work very good for me.
The new peavey PV231EQ that has a variable low pass and high pass 18db. Check it out

David Carter wrote:I've got two Rane ME-30B units.

How do you find the noise level with those? Just curious.
I have a Rane 5 band parametric unit and found it quite hissy.

WB wrote:

David Carter wrote:I've got two Rane ME-30B units.

How do you find the noise level with those? Just curious.

That's a good question. I'm pretty new at all this stuff, and those are the only EQ's I've ever had, so I have nothing else to compare them to. Maybe I'll have to remove them from the signal chain one of these days and see if I hear a difference.

David Carter wrote:

WB wrote:

David Carter wrote:I've got two Rane ME-30B units.

How do you find the noise level with those? Just curious.

Maybe I'll have to remove them from the signal chain one of these days and see if I hear a difference.

Actually I found it easier with the unit connected, does the hiss increase noticeably when you use any eq boost? My Rane has five bands and each is defeatable. The noise gets a little worse with each band engaged, but the real issue was adding even mild boost in the mids and highs. I've used a couple of other analog semi-parametric eqs, and they were much quieter. Kind of turned me off of Rane products. The quietest of all so far has been the DEQ2496.