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Sound Reinforcement - Forums for Live Sound Professionals - Your Displayed Name Must Be Your Real Full Name To Post In The Live Sound Forums => Product Reviews => Topic started by: Josh Billings on January 24, 2013, 04:03:05 PM

Title: EAW UX3600 (And I'm assuming UX8800) Gunness Focusing Processor
Post by: Josh Billings on January 24, 2013, 04:03:05 PM
I just wanted to chime in on this processor.

First off I went from a Driverack PA to a 260 and then a Behringer DCX2496. I know that sounds crazy, but the behringer sounded much better to me than box DBX units (A/B test on them). Our setups is an EAW DC system (DC2 + DCS2 Subwoofers).

Right off the bat, the UX3600 (We didn't need all the 8800s outputs) is a great unit. This review is mainly for the Gunness Focusing settings, more so than the processor itself. It does everything you'd expect a processor to do (Delay, Limiting, EQ, etc). The computer setup (EAW Pilot) is nice because you can see how much something is limiting and get a better readout on the output of each channel. It's also really easy to setup your limiters inside the program itself by plugging in amplifier specs and if there are focused settings it already knows exactly how much each speaker can handle.

1. The Gunness Focusing is good...but nothing amazing. Honestly there is a small difference between the standard settings on the $200 behringer unit and the Gunness Focused settings on the $1,200 UX3600 (What I got mine for after a little negotiating). I was really hoping to be blown away by the difference, and yes it's very good...just nothing as amazing as I expected I guess.

2.. We run into the limiting light quite a bit (I pretty much never hit it with the behringer, but then again I did replace a few drivers over the 5 years of owning it). We haven't blown a driver since we installed it so I'm assuming light limiting isn't doing much (we're barely ticking the limit lights).

3. No Gunness Focusing on subs (Kind of a no-brainer, but figured I should mention it).

If i was going to spend $1k on a processor and had an EAW setup (of tops at least) then I would 100% pickup this unit. If however a lower end processor is serving you well (under $500) then I'm not sure if the price increase is worth it unless you're blowing a lot of drivers or something.

Controlling with a computer was tricky at first, but once you go into the EAW Pilot software and switch it to USB Port and not ethernet it figured itself out. It takes a little getting used to and i wish the lock / unlock function was easier to work with. I also wish that it would mute all outputs on power on, that way it can't be used without the lock code.

I give the unit a 10/10, but for the price it's like a 7/10.

Josh Billings
Title: Re: EAW UX3600 (And I'm assuming UX8800) Gunness Focusing Processor
Post by: g'bye, Dick Rees on January 24, 2013, 04:23:39 PM
I just wanted to chime in on this processor.

First off I went from a Driverack PA to a 260 and then a Behringer DCX2496. I know that sounds crazy, but the behringer sounded much better to me than box DBX units (A/B test on them).

Right off the bat, the UX3600 (We didn't need all the 8800s outputs) is a great unit.

1. The Gunness Focusing is good...but nothing amazing. Honestly there is a small difference between the standard settings on the $200 behringer unit and the Gunness Focused settings on the $1,200 UX3600 (What I got mine for after a little negotiating). I was really hoping to be blown away by the difference, and yes it's very good...just nothing as amazing as I expected I guess.

2.. We run into the limiting light quite a bit (I pretty much never hit it with the behringer, but then again I did replace a few drivers over the 5 years of owning it). We haven't blown a driver since we installed it so I'm assuming light limiting isn't doing much (we're barely ticking the limit lights).

3. No Gunness Focusing on subs (Kind of a no-brainer, but figured I should mention it).

If i was going to spend $1k on a processor and had an EAW setup (of tops at least) then I would 100% pickup this unit. If however a lower end processor is serving you well (under $500) then I'm not sure if the price increase is worth it unless you're blowing a lot of drivers or something.

Controlling with a computer was tricky at first, but once you go into the EAW Pilot software and switch it to USB Port and not ethernet it figured itself out. It takes a little getting used to and i wish the lock / unlock function was easier to work with. I also wish that it would mute all outputs on power on, that way it can't be used without the lock code.

I give the unit a 10/10, but for the price it's like a 7/10.

Josh Billings

 Any real facts/measurements?  You don't even tell us what cabinets you're processing, how they're deployed, etc.

This should be in the "opinion" section, not "review"........
Title: Re: EAW UX3600 (And I'm assuming UX8800) Gunness Focusing Processor
Post by: John Chiara on January 24, 2013, 06:53:45 PM
My experience with the UX 8800 with KF 850e's was it made a box that I could tolerate into a box I like.
Title: Re: EAW UX3600 (And I'm assuming UX8800) Gunness Focusing Processor
Post by: TJ (Tom) Cornish on January 25, 2013, 04:21:52 PM

If i was going to spend $1k on a processor and had an EAW setup (of tops at least) then I would 100% pickup this unit. If however a lower end processor is serving you well (under $500) then I'm not sure if the price increase is worth it unless you're blowing a lot of drivers or something.

So are you using this with EAW speakers that have focused settings?  If not, that would explain your feelings. Focused settings are NOT generic and won't magically make a random speaker better. Settings are established through specific measurement of a particular model (EAW) speaker.
Title: Re: EAW UX3600 (And I'm assuming UX8800) Gunness Focusing Processor
Post by: Jack keaton on January 25, 2013, 10:46:43 PM
Its these types of reviews that give great products a a bad name. Please learn how to use these types of products before you review them.
Title: Re: EAW UX3600 (And I'm assuming UX8800) Gunness Focusing Processor
Post by: Josh Billings on January 29, 2013, 12:39:14 AM
The speakers are EAW DC2 speakers and yes they have Focused settings. The facts are that the speakers were installs with the exact same positioning, amplifiers, cabling, source material, etc. The only thing that was swapped out was the processor.

They sounded great before the UX3600 and sound a little better with the processing.

A review of any sort will always have an opinion to it and to say that I don't know how to use the product is assuming quite a bit. I've been doing this for 13+ years. I wasn't going through the specs of the processor, I was going over to subtle difference i felt it made to our setup.

The main reason i took the time to write this was that there were never any reviews posted on here about the actual difference the Gunness Focusing makes. In my opinion it wasn't much. I mean it's better...but is it worth the price tag...possibly.

Am I saying it's bad? No, in fact it's quite good and if I were already using a $1,000 processor I would probably say that it's a no brainer to spend the money on the upgrade. They definitely made the speakers sound better, just in my opinion, it wasn't much and not very noticeable.

Josh Billings
Title: Re: EAW UX3600 (And I'm assuming UX8800) Gunness Focusing Processor
Post by: TJ (Tom) Cornish on January 29, 2013, 09:34:12 AM
The speakers are EAW DC2 speakers and yes they have Focused settings. The facts are that the speakers were installs with the exact same positioning, amplifiers, cabling, source material, etc. The only thing that was swapped out was the processor.

They sounded great before the UX3600 and sound a little better with the processing.

A review of any sort will always have an opinion to it and to say that I don't know how to use the product is assuming quite a bit. I've been doing this for 13+ years. I wasn't going through the specs of the processor, I was going over to subtle difference i felt it made to our setup.

The main reason i took the time to write this was that there were never any reviews posted on here about the actual difference the Gunness Focusing makes. In my opinion it wasn't much. I mean it's better...but is it worth the price tag...possibly.

Am I saying it's bad? No, in fact it's quite good and if I were already using a $1,000 processor I would probably say that it's a no brainer to spend the money on the upgrade. They definitely made the speakers sound better, just in my opinion, it wasn't much and not very noticeable.

Josh Billings
I would argue that you're not reviewing Gunness Focusing as much as Gunness Focusing on a particular speaker, and you didn't even tell us which speaker that was.  I have no doubt that the degree of difference GF makes depends significantly on the speaker in question.  It's well documented that KF850/650 are greatly improved with GF.  Also note that some of the magic of GF relates to pattern control and how the speaker covers an area, and won't be experienced just standing in one place.
Title: Re: EAW UX3600 (And I'm assuming UX8800) Gunness Focusing Processor
Post by: g'bye, Dick Rees on January 29, 2013, 09:47:34 AM
Am I saying it's bad? No, in fact it's quite good

No.  You're basically saying nothing at all.  Nothing meaningful, at any rate.
Title: Re: EAW UX3600 (And I'm assuming UX8800) Gunness Focusing Processor
Post by: Justin Bartlett on January 29, 2013, 01:52:14 PM
My experience with Gunness/EAW Focusing is quite different.  I switched a local church over to a UX8800 from a Rane RPM26z.  The Rane piece is a perfectly decent processor, and much better than the DRPA you see so often on these systems.  The speakers involved are very mid-level - the two-way MK5396.  But the difference when switching to the UX8800 was nothing short of jaw-dropping; these $1k boxes sound like something 3-4 times the price now.

I mixed a tour last year that carried a d&b C-series rig, which was extremely nice.  We also tied into house PAs on occasion when it made sense.  We tied into rigs that included d&b T and Q series, EV xlc, Tannoy, Meyer, and others - usually because the house systems were flown and ours was ground stacked.  But none of these systems blew me away the way a focused KF850 rig did.  Granted, it was hilariously overdone for the room it was in - just absolutely stupid amounts of headroom (they used it for raves, etc), which helps any system - but I was completely amazed by that rig.  During sound check I decided to just see what I could get out of it, for fun.  It became physically uncomfortable (tickling nose etc) before it ever started to hurt to listen to.  Incredibly smooth, warm, rich sound at ridiculous SPL without hurting a bit.  From a KF850 rig.  I'd say there's something to the focusing thing.
Title: Re: EAW UX3600 (And I'm assuming UX8800) Gunness Focusing Processor
Post by: John Chiara on January 29, 2013, 03:32:34 PM
Last year I did a 4 band show at a local AAA league baseball field. The year before was a QSC Wideline with subs...too little of both I assume and I had 4 850e's and 8 Lab Subs. Everyone raved at how big and warm it sounded compared to last year. I was mixing most of the day so when I took a break outside the stadium and came back I was shocked how loud.. and still clear and listenable it was. Whole system with all monitors and stage drew 17 amps in full blast mode. Could have covered twice the area. The limiters on the UX are about as good as I have heard... Or not heard.
Title: Re: EAW UX3600 (And I'm assuming UX8800) Gunness Focusing Processor
Post by: Mike Christy on January 29, 2013, 03:48:59 PM
The Dave Gunness Wikipedia article explains at the 30k foot level about the spectrogram and how they decided on the 4 parameters to attack with processing.

The idea that applying filters/processing to address that very small space between the compression driver surface and phase plug - and that can make such a difference in sound - is astonishing. Phill has an article in FOH about the phase plug and compression diaphragms and the physical issues they have.

Cool reading...
Title: Re: EAW UX3600 (And I'm assuming UX8800) Gunness Focusing Processor
Post by: Josh Billings on January 29, 2013, 10:22:11 PM
I don't doubt that the UX3600 may make other EAW speakers sound better than others. I was only commenting on my experience.

No Idea why I'm getting so much backlash with my honest review of the product. I do like it and it's a great unit, I just didn't feel it was an amazing difference (which is my subjective opinion).

Josh Billings
Title: Re: EAW UX3600 (And I'm assuming UX8800) Gunness Focusing Processor
Post by: g'bye, Dick Rees on January 30, 2013, 08:52:04 AM
I don't doubt that the UX3600 may make other EAW speakers sound better than others. I was only commenting on my experience.

No Idea why I'm getting so much backlash with my honest review of the product. I do like it and it's a great unit, I just didn't feel it was an amazing difference (which is my subjective opinion).

Josh Billings

And your subjective opinion is not a "review".  We want a nicely documented objective set of tangible results derived from a proper set of tests.  You publish some actual findings from which we can draw our own conclusions.  You're free to include your own as well.  But you've given NOTHING other than "uhhhhh......sounds kinda good.  What's all the fuss?"

IT'S NOT A REVIEW!!!!! 

It's just a post that makes you look very naive and inexperienced.
Title: Re: EAW UX3600 (And I'm assuming UX8800) Gunness Focusing Processor
Post by: Josh Billings on January 30, 2013, 07:01:20 PM
And your subjective opinion is not a "review".  We want a nicely documented objective set of tangible results derived from a proper set of tests.  You publish some actual findings from which we can draw our own conclusions.  You're free to include your own as well.  But you've given NOTHING other than "uhhhhh......sounds kinda good.  What's all the fuss?"

IT'S NOT A REVIEW!!!!! 

It's just a post that makes you look very naive and inexperienced.

Maybe you should read this - http://forums.prosoundweb.com/index.php/topic,25.0.html

"It is also a good place to find out what other's views are on a particular piece of gear"

A review can contain opinion and most do. My review (and most on this site) do not contain measurements and tests. I'm not here to publish a paper on my findings of this unit, I posted my thoughts on the minor differences I heard with the unit. Regardless your sniveling comments add nothing to this.

What a cantankerous old man you must be

Josh Billings
Title: Re: EAW UX3600 (And I'm assuming UX8800) Gunness Focusing Processor
Post by: Josh Billings on January 30, 2013, 07:04:06 PM
And just a question...was this review good enough for you? Plenty of thorough testing? Glad you were able to help him with his review by changing "Absolute Crap" to "Ultimate Crap"

http://forums.prosoundweb.com/index.php/topic,140071.0.html

Josh
Title: Re: EAW UX3600 (And I'm assuming UX8800) Gunness Focusing Processor
Post by: Doug Fowler on January 30, 2013, 07:21:49 PM
And just a question...was this review good enough for you? Plenty of thorough testing? Glad you were able to help him with his review by changing "Absolute Crap" to "Ultimate Crap"

http://forums.prosoundweb.com/index.php/topic,140071.0.html

Josh

Oh, so you want to drag me into this?

Thorough testing?  If using eight of those pieces of shit for seven weeks, then having to put the entire investment in a dumpster isn't a thorough enough testing process for you, I suggest you find another line of work. 

Title: Re: EAW UX3600 (And I'm assuming UX8800) Gunness Focusing Processor
Post by: g'bye, Dick Rees on January 30, 2013, 07:32:18 PM
And just a question...was this review good enough for you? Plenty of thorough testing? Glad you were able to help him with his review by changing "Absolute Crap" to "Ultimate Crap"

http://forums.prosoundweb.com/index.php/topic,140071.0.html

Josh

The product in question is Ultimate crap.  Totally unworthy of purchase.  The whole thread was testimony reinforcing that judgement.

"Absolute crap" is the "quality" of your "review".  There is nothing in your OP that is of any use to anyone interested in the processor in question.  The only reason I can see for the post is to gain some sort of stature in the sound community by critiquing (however ineffectually) a piece of professional gear that you are apparently unable to deploy to full effect.

Ego detrahitis, ergo sum legitima.

Check all the replies.  Does anyone agree or find any validity in your "review"?

 
Title: Re: EAW UX3600 (And I'm assuming UX8800) Gunness Focusing Processor
Post by: Josh Billings on January 30, 2013, 08:05:59 PM
The product in question is Ultimate crap.  Totally unworthy of purchase.  The whole thread was testimony reinforcing that judgement.

"Absolute crap" is the "quality" of your "review".  There is nothing in your OP that is of any use to anyone interested in the processor in question.  The only reason I can see for the post is to gain some sort of stature in the sound community by critiquing (however ineffectually) a piece of professional gear that you are apparently unable to deploy to full effect.

Ego detrahitis, ergo sum legitima.

Check all the replies.  Does anyone agree or find any validity in your "review"?

Exactly why I wrote the review, because my experience was different than others. I didn't have an "Oh wow, these now sound amazing" moment. There isn't a lot to deploying a loudspeaker with Focused settings...you can't change anything about them other than the volume so they are about as idiot proof as they get.

My review would of been useful to me before I purchased it because I may of questioned my purchase. It was tough to justify the expense for me and in my case the differences weren't very dramatic.

No idea what putting that phrase in latin had to do with anything, but i was only posting my experiences to share with others who may be interested. Gaining stature in the sound community means nothing to me, I was only trying to help others that may of been in similar situations to myself before making a fairly decent sized purchase basically saying "My Kool Aid wasn't as good as these other people have said it is"

P.S. Doug I wasn't dragging you into this, I was just pointing out that your review was vague, short and lacked any of the testing / tangible results that Dick said mine was lacking. I for one appreciate your review and all reviews on this site and I can take them in how I would like. Not everybody is going to feel the same way and that's fine.

Eh, I'm done with this entire thread. Attacking someone for trying to contribute to the site...good job.

Josh Billings
Title: Re: EAW UX3600 (And I'm assuming UX8800) Gunness Focusing Processor
Post by: g'bye, Dick Rees on January 30, 2013, 08:18:00 PM
No idea what putting that phrase in latin had to do with anything,

Neither do you have any idea what Gunness Focusing is capable of.  To understand what you're missing on the Focusing will require a bit of study and practice.  To understand the Latin, you just have to look it up.
Title: Re: EAW UX3600 (And I'm assuming UX8800) Gunness Focusing Processor
Post by: Josh Billings on January 31, 2013, 01:35:24 AM
I understood it, just putting it in Latin seemed pointless.