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Author Topic: Experience with EAW AX series and UX8800???  (Read 5812 times)

Mark Sexton

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Experience with EAW AX series and UX8800???
« on: March 12, 2011, 12:09:43 AM »

I've got a venue that has been tweaked into oblivion and am working on going through each component to see if anything is malfunctioning, trying to figure out why the system sounds so terrible.  The current DSP is a Biamp Audia Solo (loaded with EAW settings, but nothing else as I just finally got SMAART this week up here at a new job) and I'm wondering if a change to the UX8800 would have a positive effect on the quality of sound that I'm able to get out of the system.  I've heard that the Gunness Focusing does great things to the KF series and was wondering if anyone has experience with how that translates to the AX series.  Would it be worth my while to make the change or should I stick with what I have and just fix the tweaks that have been done by people who didn't really know what they were doing?
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Mark Sexton

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Alive Media

Ivan Beaver

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Re: Experience with EAW AX series and UX8800???
« Reply #1 on: March 12, 2011, 08:11:28 AM »

There are differences between different DSP's-even with the same settings.  The nubmers don''t always transfer properly.

The EAW processor may have some "extra" processing that you are not aware of that could sweeten up the box a bit.

However these differences are not likely to be great or terrible as compared to each other.  One may be a bit better than the other, but not enough to "break" the performance.

When you say it has been "tweaked" a bunch-exactly what does that mean?  The term can mean very different things to different people.

Maybe it is the overall design of the system that is at fault, and not the components or the settings.

If the design is bad, there is no amount of "tweaking" you can do to fix it.

Sometimes you need to back to square one and start over.

Of course some measurements-photos etc would help to give an idea of what is going on in the space.  Right now all we know is that you say it sounds terrible.  In what way?  Lack of clarity? boomy low end? piercing highs? honky midrange or what?
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A complex question is easily answered by a simple-easy to understand WRONG answer!

Ivan Beaver
Danley Sound Labs

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Mark Sexton

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Re: Experience with EAW AX series and UX8800???
« Reply #2 on: March 12, 2011, 11:25:48 AM »

There are differences between different DSP's-even with the same settings.  The nubmers don''t always transfer properly.

The EAW processor may have some "extra" processing that you are not aware of that could sweeten up the box a bit.

However these differences are not likely to be great or terrible as compared to each other.  One may be a bit better than the other, but not enough to "break" the performance.

When you say it has been "tweaked" a bunch-exactly what does that mean?  The term can mean very different things to different people.

Maybe it is the overall design of the system that is at fault, and not the components or the settings.

If the design is bad, there is no amount of "tweaking" you can do to fix it.

Sometimes you need to back to square one and start over.

Of course some measurements-photos etc would help to give an idea of what is going on in the space.  Right now all we know is that you say it sounds terrible.  In what way?  Lack of clarity? boomy low end? piercing highs? honky midrange or what?

Yes, Ivan I am aware of all the things that you mentioned. It's that "extra" non-user adjustable processing that is available through the UX8800 that I'm asking about. I was looking for anyone who had some first-hand experience with the processing applied to this specific series and the results thereof. That's really what I'm looking for.

To answer a few of your questions anyway...

Tweaks - primarily adjustments to the dsp at this point. there were some things that were wired incorrectly, but that has been fixed.

As far as the numbers not transferring to each dsp exactly the same. I know that is definitely the case here, but as it was still an improvement on the previous settings I decided to stick with it until I was able to get a measurement system up here, which finally came in this last week so I could actually quantify what was happening. 

I went through each of the different components and tested them without processing and the traces matched the EAW spec sheet, so aside from one driver on an out-fill that wasn't functioning I was able to confirm that the boxes themselves are functioning to their published specs. Pre-processing it's not pretty.

As it is right now the midrange is a bit honky and the lows from the tops don't sound right.  It's been a little while since I've actually used the system beyond a few hours of testing last week, so I don't have a better explanation at this point

At this point the system isn't going to be replaced any time soon. I don't love the system design, primarily due to the components. What is there is installed appropriately for what the components are.  Right now I'm looking to get the most out the system that I can, so that it is able to function at an acceptable level.

So is the UX8800 and Gunness Focusing going to give me any kind of noticeable upgrade over normal processing or am I better off just sticking with what I have? 

Either way I'll be going through the system piece by piece confirming that everything is functioning correctly and wired correctly and then go from there and tune the system.
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Mark Sexton

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Alive Media

Arthur Skudra

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Re: Experience with EAW AX series and UX8800???
« Reply #3 on: March 12, 2011, 08:45:36 PM »

As it is right now the midrange is a bit honky and the lows from the tops don't sound right.  It's been a little while since I've actually used the system beyond a few hours of testing last week, so I don't have a better explanation at this point
That's indicative that things are not set up right to begin with.

At this point the system isn't going to be replaced any time soon. I don't love the system design, primarily due to the components. What is there is installed appropriately for what the components are.  Right now I'm looking to get the most out the system that I can, so that it is able to function at an acceptable level.
I guess you need to differentiate between system design that is appropriate for the coverage of the room vs. system design based on performance expectations.  Hopefully an EASE model with a healthy dose of common sense prevailed.  What configuration is it?  What did they do for subs?

So is the UX8800 and Gunness Focusing going to give me any kind of noticeable upgrade over normal processing or am I better off just sticking with what I have?
Based on personal experience designing and commissioning several AX systems before and after the UX8800 was available, definitely put a UX8800 processor in there, it's definitely a noticeable improvement sonically.  There should be room enough in there to do whatever additional compensation is required to make the system work well within the room.  Use the Biamp for general routing, subwoofers, and ancillary systems (delays, fills, etc).

Either way I'll be going through the system piece by piece confirming that everything is functioning correctly and wired correctly and then go from there and tune the system.
Absolutely, go through everything with a fine toothed comb.  Watch for polarity reversals that shouldn't be there.  The phase curve will be your friend.
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Mark Sexton

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Re: Experience with EAW AX series and UX8800???
« Reply #4 on: March 12, 2011, 11:22:53 PM »

That's indicative that things are not set up right to begin with.
I guess you need to differentiate between system design that is appropriate for the coverage of the room vs. system design based on performance expectations.  Hopefully an EASE model with a healthy dose of common sense prevailed.  What configuration is it?  What did they do for subs?
Based on personal experience designing and commissioning several AX systems before and after the UX8800 was available, definitely put a UX8800 processor in there, it's definitely a noticeable improvement sonically.  There should be room enough in there to do whatever additional compensation is required to make the system work well within the room.  Use the Biamp for general routing, subwoofers, and ancillary systems (delays, fills, etc).
Absolutely, go through everything with a fine toothed comb.  Watch for polarity reversals that shouldn't be there.  The phase curve will be your friend.
Thanks for the feedback on the UX8800. That's what I was looking for.

The system is as follows...

Mono system with 3 clusters of AX364 over AX264 spaced left, center and right about 20-25ft apart, trim height is about 20ft. MK2394 outfills and FR250z subs on the left and right corners of the stage about 40ft apart.
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Mark Sexton

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Alive Media

Arthur Skudra

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Re: Experience with EAW AX series and UX8800???
« Reply #5 on: March 12, 2011, 11:38:46 PM »

Thanks for the feedback on the UX8800. That's what I was looking for.

The system is as follows...

Mono system with 3 clusters of AX364 over AX264 spaced left, center and right about 20-25ft apart, trim height is about 20ft. MK2394 outfills and FR250z subs on the left and right corners of the stage about 40ft apart.
Sounds like a pretty standard configuration.  The UX8800 has greybox settings for the AX364/264's as well as the MK2394's.  Make sure you get the focus distance setting right for each, and also make sure you enter the correct temperature and humidity.  The 40 ft separation of your subs makes for a good power alley in the middle!  Not sure what options you have to put them close together?
« Last Edit: March 13, 2011, 02:13:05 PM by Arthur Skudra »
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Helge A Bentsen

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Re: Experience with EAW AX series and UX8800???
« Reply #6 on: March 13, 2011, 09:29:30 AM »

+1 on UX8800

It's worth every $ you pay for it, and then some :)
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ProSoundWeb Community

Re: Experience with EAW AX series and UX8800???
« Reply #6 on: March 13, 2011, 09:29:30 AM »


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