Quote:
Originally Posted by SoundChex /forum/post/20401459
My DVD carousel is connected to the AVR by an HDMI cable, but they are also linked by stereo analog cables 'run through' two "equalizers": a dbx 1BX-DS Dynamics Processor and a BBE 1002 Sonic Maximizer.
I mostly use the two processors with stereo source material [to 'fix' older and/or poorly remastered/digitized from analog material], which I can then use the AVR to post-process into a 5.x surround format if I so choose. And sometimes even a recent 5.1 soundtrack can be improved by down mixing to 2.0 'and starting again'...! (although mostly ones with really bad mixes!)
Yes, even though they were designed primarily for analog material like vinyl and tape, they can still be useful for even CD (A-A-D CDs abound). They're an awesome product to use alone, or in conjunction with an EQ...even if just to listen to music that
you find to be more interesting to hear in a given way, let alone, an attempt at "correcting" real or perceived deficiencies. People forget this aspect.
And as we age, most of us lose hearing in various frequency ranges, and for various reasons. A quality EQ can be a fabulous way to correct our own hearing deficiencies. I shared this once before, but I'll share it again, as it's an appropriate story, and one that really had an impact on me, personally:
In the mid 80's, I sold audio equipment for short time. We sold stuff from that ranged Fisher racks (junk)... to Vox reel-to-reel players. So, some old guy, who appeared to be in his late 70's, came in the store almost every week, wandering around, but always looking at the ADC 525SX Automatic Computerized Equalizer Analyzer (quick google for pic:
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=71095.0 ) that cost right at $500. I had just bought the very
same EQ only months prior (and this is the one I
still own and will incorporate into my new HTS/2CH system...and oh, my lights are "Marantz blue", not orange like in the link), and I was wondering why some old guy who looked clueless and lost would even be looking at something like this. He always refused offers for assistance/help, but kept coming back every week.
After maybe 2 months, Norm (I had later learned his name) not only bought the ADC EQ, but asked me if I'd come to his house on the weekend and hook it up for him, and that he'd pay me for doing so. I agreed. So, as I'm driving into what was once a nice section of this small city, but was now pretty ghetto, I'm still wondering wtf how I even got myself involved in doing this (old softy at heart, and felt bad for the old guy, I guess
).
So I enter Norms very modest little brick home....and first spot a freaking grand piano in his LR! As my eyes quickly panned the room, I see ancient, monster sized, horn loaded JBL monitors
. I'm like....holy %^$#!...this is freaking awesome. He had a MAC amp, too. As i look around, I see he has a huge album collection (probably a couple of thousand, easily), but then he opens a drawer that reveals what must have been over 100 CDs! Keep in mind, CD's were relatively new and I didn't have single friend that owned more than maybe 7 or 8 at the time! But it gets better..... Among the various CDs in the drawer, I see Steely Dan's Gaucho and almost went into shock. So I asked, "Norm, you seriously like Steely Dan??!
" (I've always loved their works...all of them). He said, "Yes, the piano arrangements are brilliant and the sound production is one of the best I've ever heard."
You see, Norm was a professional musician who had played for the Atlanta Symphony and had to retire. But he never lost his love for music, and he wanted this ADC EQ to correct areas in his hearing range that he knew wasn't "right" anymore. I hooked up his EQ, we played around with it and I showed him how to use it and how to program favorite settings, etc., and he gave me $60 for my efforts. For some reason, I've always felt bad about taking any money from him.
I learned a lot that day.