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Author Topic: EAW UX3600 (And I'm assuming UX8800) Gunness Focusing Processor  (Read 18753 times)

Josh Billings

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EAW UX3600 (And I'm assuming UX8800) Gunness Focusing Processor
« 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
« Last Edit: January 30, 2013, 08:13:55 PM by Josh Billings »
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g'bye, Dick Rees

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Re: EAW UX3600 (And I'm assuming UX8800) Gunness Focusing Processor
« Reply #1 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"........
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John Chiara

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Re: EAW UX3600 (And I'm assuming UX8800) Gunness Focusing Processor
« Reply #2 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.
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TJ (Tom) Cornish

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Re: EAW UX3600 (And I'm assuming UX8800) Gunness Focusing Processor
« Reply #3 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.
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Jack keaton

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Re: EAW UX3600 (And I'm assuming UX8800) Gunness Focusing Processor
« Reply #4 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.
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Josh Billings

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Re: EAW UX3600 (And I'm assuming UX8800) Gunness Focusing Processor
« Reply #5 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
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TJ (Tom) Cornish

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Re: EAW UX3600 (And I'm assuming UX8800) Gunness Focusing Processor
« Reply #6 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.
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Re: EAW UX3600 (And I'm assuming UX8800) Gunness Focusing Processor
« Reply #7 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.
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Justin Bartlett

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Re: EAW UX3600 (And I'm assuming UX8800) Gunness Focusing Processor
« Reply #8 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.
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John Chiara

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Re: EAW UX3600 (And I'm assuming UX8800) Gunness Focusing Processor
« Reply #9 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.
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Re: EAW UX3600 (And I'm assuming UX8800) Gunness Focusing Processor
« Reply #9 on: January 29, 2013, 03:32:34 PM »


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