SALE PENDING
"The level of inner detail, dynamic accuracy, and three-dimensional imaging is nothing short of amazing. The difference in clarity, detail and dimensionality will astonish you. Also, you will be surprised in the total lack of digital artifacts in the sound. It is smooth and analog clean. For audiophile sound quality, and value, the HDP — Express definitely deserves an Audiophilia star."
Michael Levy, Audiophilia
Award winning DEQX HDP-Express that can be used with speakers that already have crossovers or in active systems with DEQX crossovers. One of my best purchases, I've upgrade to the more expensive DEQX HDP-3, and includes copy of manual, remote, DEQX calibration software, and the Standard Calibration Kit (Calibrated Beringer ECM3000 microphone; DEQX Measurement, Anaysis, and Correction Software; 5 meter balanced microphone cable, and USB cable MSRP $279).
I will also consider selling the reference Calibration Kit I purchased with my new HDP-3 (same as Standard but includes calibrated Earthworks DM-30: MSRP $979), instead of the Standard Calibration Kit. I have read that the Reference Kit gives quite a bit better results, but I have not tried it yet.
Much more than just room correction, the HDP-Express provides:
- Speaker correction for Frequency Response Errors
- Speaker correction for Group Delay Errors
- Speaker correction for Phase Errors
- Room Correction
- Integration of Mono or Stereo Subs with Phase Linear Active Crossovers
- Integration of Tweeters, Mids, Woofers with Phase Linear Active Crossovers for Active Systems
$1775 Or Best Offer. Buyer pays for shipping of choice and paypal fees if used. I can usually ship within 24 hours with paypal or US post office money order. All other forms need to clear my bank before shipping which can take 5-10 days. Thanks for looking.
Below are a few more snippets from reviews, the specs from DEQX, and a general overview from a reviewer.
"My vote for jaw drop of the show. Acoustic Zen Maestro loudspeakers driven by 6, count-'em 6 Halcro DM-88 monoblocks. This system uses the fabulous DEQX HDP-3 DSP system to perform driver correction, driver correction, time alignment, and room correction." Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity
"The sonic transformation was at once subtle and dramatic. I first listened to the system without any correction, and the sound was excellent. The speakers were large floor-standing towers (Focal Utopias). I played a few recordings I know well, and the sound was beautifully balanced and natural.
Ah, but then my host switched on the DEQX speaker correction, and the sound of the "Wynton Marsalis & Eric Clapton Play the Blues" CD snapped into focus. Every instrument in the large jazz band was clearer and more present. High-frequency detailing and "air" were much improved, and bass definition firmed up. Then we turned on the DEQX's room correction, and the sense of listening to a live performance was heightened. Switching off the processing was a letdown; the music became less present and realistic."
Steve Guttenberg, Audiophiliac
"The bottom line is that Kim Ryrie has improved an already outstanding product and created one that blurs the line between digital and analogue. Detail without edginess, unbridled musicality, transparent, dynamic and a level of involvement with the performance that is simply stunning. I’ve tried to describe, using some of our audiophile terminology, what one hears with the HDP-3 processor in your system and words don’t do it justice. It behooves you to try one — once in your system, you won’t let go."
And same reviewer on the earlier DEQX model, the predecessor to the HDP-Express
"What I heard was truly amazing, jaw dropping, illuminating, eye opening, ear opening…well, you get the picture. Nothing I've ever introduced into what I would call a pretty good system produced such an enormous improvement to the quality of the sound. Not even close. I'm not going to go through listing specific CDs or LPs but simply say that whatever the source the improvements were consistent and wonderful."
Martin Appel, Audiophilia
Specifications from DEQX website:
Provides DEQX Calibrated™ speaker correction for passive speakers
Audiophile grade analogue electronics
Frequency-response of speakers typically corrected from 6dB range to 1dB*
Automatically corrects phase and group-delay over typically 3ms window
Integrate one or two subwoofers with main speakers with time-correction
Provides anechoic measurement and detailed display for speaker correction
Patented low-latency FIR processing for speaker correction allows video use
Auto and real-time manual Parametric EQ over measurement display
Remote tone control provides full-spectrum parametric EQ with 100-presets
DEQX integrated software measurement, correction and user-defined options
Two analog inputs: Unbalanced (2 x RCA) and Balanced (2 x XLR)
Two stereo digital inputs: S/PDIF (1 x RCA) and AES/EBU (1 x XLR)
Anodized Black aluminum front panel
Six analog outputs: unbalanced (6 x RCA)
Provides DEQX-HD™ speaker correction for up to 3-way active speakers
DEQX-HD™ active crossovers; 48dB/octave to 300dB/octave linear-phase
Traditional active 3-way crossovers from 6dB/octave to 48dB/octave
32-bit, floating-point, 240-MFLOPS processing with dual SHARC DSP
Audiophile op-amps typically 300V/uSec slew-rate with high output drive
Audiophile 24-bit 96kHz ADC-DSP-DAC processing and conversion
Four, user-defined 'Profiles' allow different crossovers, room-EQ, preferences
Remote controls; Volume, Profile, Input select, and Lo, Mid, Hi tone controls
Individual driver correction prior to crossover when actively implemented
Calibration Kit provides DEQX-calibrated measurement microphone optional extra
Microphone input has 48V phantom power for DEQX Calibrated™ mics
Free downloadable software and firmware updates100V-250VAC mains input
And a good general description from Clint DeBoer
DEQX HDP-Express Pre-amp Processor
by Clint DeBoer — last modified September 20, 2010
There’s never been anything like DEQX’s reference HDP-3 DSP pre-amp correction processor. And it’s still the only audiophile component capable of delivering a four-fold improvement (that’s 400%, not 40%) in almost every parameter that helps make your audio system sound ‘real’. It directly corrects your system’s weakest link—your loudspeaker’s native (anechoic) performance, where over 90% of the distortion and inaccuracies in timing and coloration originate. Yet, despite the HDP3’s modest pricing (from just US$3950) it has been out of reach for many serious music-lover audio enthusiasts and DIYs. Enter the HDP-Express: from only US$1950 (plus cal mic and freight) when purchased factory-direct, the HDP-Express retains the HDP-3’s key performance features, using the
same DEQX-cal setup software for Windows (or Mac with Windows).
Active linear-phase crossover features:
Steeper than 6dB/octave crossover filters required to reduce distortion don’t maintain linear-phase using traditional crossovers. Now they do. Traditional active Butterworth and Linkwitz Riley, mild to steep crossovers and four ‘Profile’ presets lets you directly compare linear-phase advantages. Using 48dB/octave or steeper linear-phase crossovers distortion vanishes, resolution increases, while volume can double or quadruple, 3 to 6dB. When used with speaker correction, stereo 3D imaging, volume and dispersion improve markedly, making a centre speaker usually unnecessary.
Speaker correction features:
Anechoically measure and correct your passive or active speakers using a simple measurement technique, even in your listening room.
Corrects anechoic (native) speaker frequency-response from typically plus/minus 3dB to plus/minus 0.3dB*
Corrects Group-delay (phase/timing errors at different frequencies) about tenfold* e.g. 2ms reduces to 0.2ms —especially noticeable in midrange.
Room Correction features and preference EQ:
One or more room measurements displayed graphically, allow manual, real-time, 7-band parametric EQ settings
Time-domain correction of subwoofers/bass speakers measured in-room.
Adjust delay between main speakers and subwoofers in real-time.
Media correction—forensic tone control
Remote controlled Low-shelf, Midband-fully parametric and High-shelf
Low, mid and Hi frequencies adjustable in octaves and semitones
Adjustable Q from one semitone to four-octave wide
99-memory storage for instant recall
Pre-amp and processing features four profiles:
for instant selection of crossovers, correction and EQ
Four inputs: S/PDIF, AES3, analogue unbalanced and balanced.
Integrate one or two subwoofers
Remote controlled Input and profile selection.
Six unbalanced outs: Stereo low, mid, Hi (mid used for passive speakers)
Optional balanced outs (6 x XLRs) transformer or active.
Dual 32-bit SHARC DSPs provide minus 140dB THD digital transparency
