[kyrill]

DEQX is fool proof. The software has very  "house wife" friendly "wizards" to guide you thru the process.
Not only does it digitally equalize the total freq response of the speaker to +/- 0.2dB, but maybe more important it makes the drivers to be time aligned with zero phase shift with respect to each other.
Add to this filters with a slope of max 300db. This  crushes any filter in any speaker regardless of price, the result is that even cheap drivers that normally will never warrant an expensive filter will sound way out of their price league. 
and as bonus room correction with 10 parametric  freq bands
a callibrated mic. is part of the package.

However mods do help ( of course)
in default the DEQX as a preamp alone sound like a good mainstream high end SS preamp that i could just live with.  with simple mods ( replace the input and output caps) it sounds like a 3000+ $ top high end pre ( but still misses Aspen GK-1 life likeness.)
replace the pws with a better one, wow.
Strip the enclosure and replace with a wooden one, replace the dacs even with the cheap NOS Monica's and press the whole pcb of the DEQX to wood add a USB/I2S converter and you may have one of the best sounding preamp in the world if you activate all its features and have a direct digital input .
You dont have to buy expensive high end speakers anymore to have a setup combination that sounds more transparent, fast musical and 3D than every speaker retails sells if you copy the same drivers and cabinet

So make your own speakers with top grade drivers. I would choose the new trend with boxed woofer but dipole midrange ( open baffle)

Still i need Hugh's Gk1 to add tube compensation to lovely add emotion to all this digital power for the mid driver. I use a sweet SET 6 watts for the tweeter.
The bass ( triamp version X-over) does not need tube compensation but mid and high will need a very very good and probably way expensive poweramps if you will something better than the Aspen LF.
I will use the USB input only,  I have 1000 LP's ( records),  not enough to afford the so expensive LP turntable and dynamic moving coils to replace my broken one

[gerado]

Kyrill

that is certainly taking it to the limit. I might get your advice again once I have my DEQX- there is a bit of delay in supply at the moment from Sydney.

I have a pair of Dali MS5 speakers, too many drivers to get good imaging but great full range sound, even if a lot bottom heavy even for me at the moment.

With the help of Hugh I have had the crossover disconnected and had another made which reserected them  from the grave. That got me thinking seriously, as Andy has frequently urged me to do, and go active crossover with tri amping. The DEQX seems the best option which will hopefully help the imaging a little more and correct some room acoustic issues. I had not thought of modifying the DEQX but I will master the courage.

I have my old laptop in pieces to go into a case soon then decide what USB DAC to tackle.

Its wonderfull to see what you have achieved.

Theo

[kyrill]

well

The DEQX will do wonders with yr Dali
Gosh you will be a happy camper

Try to change the output caps as soon as possible The difference is much more transparency and  open air around instruments and voices. Especially when you completely remove the input caps of the next amp after the DEQX. Their function is obsolete but ONLY coupled to the DEQX ( unless you are sure you your amp preceding apparatus has neglible DC out)

there is room to put good filmcaps with binders on the "floor" board. but you will have to place the separate power board OUTSIDE the DEQX. This is very easy to do. Otherwise the big film caps ( I use 4uF Dynamicap) will pick up the rfi from the switching pws. ) If you replace the Pws with an analogue board +15V, -15V and neutral ( I thought 400 mV but i use 1A  max pws) then you can keep the pws inside the enclosure next to the filmcaps.


Beautiful speaker

an in between solutions would be to use BG NX caps. the litle cans will protect them from radiation of the sw. pws. But you have to wait 400 or 500 hrs to hear them well and they are (much) less than the best filmcaps ( mundorf, Vcaps or Sonicap)

[gerado]

they are not your MS5s are they?



when I'm ready to rock I might impose on you for guidance if its OK? I'm feeling a little out of my league, but then again 18months ago I never would of dared build an amp or modify anything bought, now I wish I had all those wasted years back

[kyrill]

wasted?

NOoooooo

all time was spend and cannot be spend differently then to be  necessary to build up learnings and momentums for change   

and no, not my speakers and yes, feel free to ask for advice

[kyrill]

add nice 2x EAC guide to post 32 of this thread
newest EAC has "accurateRip.dll" since aug 2007
ripping CD to PC with highest quality and then archiving in a lossless format (FLAC)

[mcullinan]

well

The DEQX will do wonders with yr Dali
Gosh you will be a happy camper

Try to change the output caps as soon as possible The difference is much more transparency and  open air around instruments and voices. Especially when you completely remove the input caps of the next amp after the DEQX. Their function is obsolete but ONLY coupled to the DEQX ( unless you are sure you your amp preceding apparatus has neglible DC out)

there is room to put good filmcaps with binders on the "floor" board. but you will have to place the separate power board OUTSIDE the DEQX. This is very easy to do. Otherwise the big film caps ( I use 4uF Dynamicap) will pick up the rfi from the switching pws. ) If you replace the Pws with an analogue board +15V, -15V and neutral ( I thought 400 mV but i use 1A  max pws) then you can keep the pws inside the enclosure next to the filmcaps.


Beautiful speaker

an in between solutions would be to use BG NX caps. the litle cans will protect them from radiation of the sw. pws. But you have to wait 400 or 500 hrs to hear them well and they are (much) less than the best filmcaps ( mundorf, Vcaps or Sonicap)

Very Nice!!! Can I touch your Dalis????
Mike

[gerado]

keep you filthy long fingers off my goods

[kyrill]

added monica 3 version and "The Model" from Servie has very friendly effects on approaches to DIY

[gerado]

Set up my spanking new DEQX last night
triamped using the units pre

sounds TERRIBLE 
steely and lost a lot of detail 


must be a steep learning curve to set it up better and if stock form is any indication must be modded- not keen on US$3K plus on top of the unit though

patience ....

[kyrill]

lol
setup a deqx thread in general audio forums
it does not really belongs here in Hugh's forum
there is also a "hidden" deqx forum ( hmm says something about their culture) on the deqx website you need however to require a pssword

[gerado]

good point!
I just do not think sometimes