ProSoundWeb Community

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  
Pages: 1 ... 5 6 [7]   Go Down

Author Topic: Peavey VSX26 Review  (Read 51177 times)

Robert Fielder

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 112
    • http://www.coolcountrynights.com
Re: Update: Peavey VSX26
« Reply #60 on: May 28, 2008, 10:52:24 PM »

Jason Lavoie wrote on Wed, 28 May 2008 22:08

Robert Fielder wrote on Wed, 28 May 2008 14:18

Mind you, I have not yet found any Canadian retailers that list the products......


In Canada they are distributed exclusively by White Radio

Actually, the Xilica web site lists Martech in Edmonton as their distributors.

When I emailed Xilica to see who in the GTA sold the products, they forwarded my message to Barry at Martech. He forwareded it to Warren at Ashen White in Toronto.

Warren provided a quote for the XP-3060. The quote is just a little cheaper than the dBx Driverack 260 in this area. However, both Martech and Ashen White claim that the Xilica performs and sounds better than a DR260.....

Perhaps White Radio is a retailer who handles Xilica products in your area?
Logged
Robert Fielder
Brampton, Ontario, Canada
http://www.coolcountrynights.com

Jason Lavoie

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 896
Re: Update: Peavey VSX26
« Reply #61 on: May 29, 2008, 09:06:24 AM »

Robert Fielder wrote on Wed, 28 May 2008 22:52



Perhaps White Radio is a retailer who handles Xilica products in your area?



*sigh* nope. just another casualty.. White radio used to distribute a lot of products (to contractors and retailers) and over the last year or two they've been losing brands left right and center to companies like Martech.

it's still on their line card at http://www.whiteradio.com/audio_video.htm
the funny part is, as they've removed products they haven't shortened the page, so you can tell by all the blank space how much is missing..
the writing's on the wall at White Radio.

Jason
Logged

Jeff Babcock

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2313
Re: Update: Peavey VSX26
« Reply #62 on: May 29, 2008, 10:53:44 AM »

Tony "T" Tissot wrote on Wed, 28 May 2008 19:47


I have, can't say what "we" are doing. Except that others have thrown the VSX in the trash. It's just a noisy unit.
You would not believe the "weapons-grade" BS being spouted by Peavey tech support on the forums:



Tony,
I don't think there are that many that have thrown the VSX in the trash.

I do think that the gain structure setting of the VSX was a mistake by Peavey.  

It SOUNDS like a good idea but in practical use most users will not structure their gain around the unit (not driving it hard enough, and not reducing amp gain on the other end).  If you don't follow this, then YES it is noisy, but that is not because the hardware is noisy but simply because there is too much gain after the unit.

It IS possible to have a quiet system with the VSX, but not if you do not carefully set up gain structure.

My issues were not so much with the VSX sound quality but rather the whole live GUI fiasco.  That's done with long ago now, and I still have a couple VSX units that are working fine.  They live in amp racks with a couple of presets to choose from.  It's simple and works well.

Tony "T" Tissot

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3902
    • http://www.4dbsound.com
Re: Update: Peavey VSX26
« Reply #63 on: May 29, 2008, 11:54:42 AM »

Jeff Babcock wrote on Thu, 29 May 2008 07:53


I don't think there are that many that have thrown the VSX in the trash.



Nor did I say "how many."

And I am not going on what I think. Others, on PV's forum, have said that they stopped using it.
Logged
MNGS
ProSoundWeb - Home of 50,000 audio professionals - and two or three curmudgeonly SOBs.

Peter Etheredge

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 597
Re: Update: Peavey VSX26
« Reply #64 on: May 29, 2008, 12:08:51 PM »

John Horvath wrote on Wed, 28 May 2008 11:25

Peter Etheredge wrote on Wed, 28 May 2008 09:35

I currently have a DR260 on an install but would like to go to something that has at least 3-inputs so that I can aux feed subs

Xilica XP-3060 has three inputs.



Peter Etheredge wrote on Wed, 28 May 2008 09:35

(yes I know that to do this with the VSX26 it involves a "skanky hack" with the RTA input but I don't need anything fancy).

Xilica XP-3060 requires no skanky hack.



Peter Etheredge wrote on Wed, 28 May 2008 09:35

It would be nice if it could be a decent "budget" unit that I could possibly just trade the DR260 for, especially since it's just doing some simple crossover/delay for some QSC HPR's and frankly I feel like the DR260 is overkill.

Xilica XP-3060 < $600.



Peter Etheredge wrote on Wed, 28 May 2008 09:35

Tony I know that you and Elliot had some better luck with the BBE DS 48 but I'm still not sure of the "stigma" attached to it (the Peavey seems to have less to me).

Xilica XP-3060, no stigma included.


Sorry to sound like a broken record, but it's a great unit.


So what's that about the Xilica XP-3060?  Laughing

Couple of questions about it though:

1) Doing a search here says there is no way to tell if it's in limit or not - how hard it it to set the gain structure and such then?
2) Where would I get one?  I can't seem to find any anywhere.  Also in relation to that what are the odds I'd be able to trade/sell the DR260 so that I don't have to add any money to this deal - this part is crucial.


Tony -

That marking stuff is almost on the level of Bose  Shocked   Some very interesting stuff to think about....

Also, in regards to the BBE unit, should I go down that road, how much of an issue is the whole clipping thingy?  Obviously I'll set up my gain structure right and use limiters, especially as this system is used by, to put it nicely, amateurs, but if someone starts to hit the limiters that I set up will the sound start to distort?  I guess my main concern would be running into distortion at some point.  Any other comments on that unit?  These questions apply to anyone else who has used it.


Thanks!


-pete
Logged
Peter Etheredge
Systems Engineer and Designer
Top-Notch Productions, INC.
petheredge(at)tnprod.com

Tim McCulloch

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 0
Re: Update: Peavey VSX26
« Reply #65 on: May 29, 2008, 01:23:13 PM »

Peter Etheredge wrote on Thu, 29 May 2008 11:08

Also, in regards to the BBE unit, should I go down that road, how much of an issue is the whole clipping thingy?  Obviously I'll set up my gain structure right and use limiters, especially as this system is used by, to put it nicely, amateurs, but if someone starts to hit the limiters that I set up will the sound start to distort?  I guess my main concern would be running into distortion at some point.  Any other comments on that unit?  These questions apply to anyone else who has used it.

Thanks!
-pete

Pete-

ANY system will/can distort at the hands of the clueless, inept, uncaring, or just plain brain-dead.  Setting up a system that clips all at once is the "pro" way to to things, but has implications.  Tim Padrick has posted a couple of times about incremental gain staging to help avoid catastrophic clipping and failure.  It might be instructive to find those posts...

If an operator is accustomed to hearing a system under stress, the operator will assume that "sound" to be normal or even desirable.  No amount of system-protective limiting will stop that sound, and in the hands of those who can only make "that sound" any rig is in jeopardy.

There is no magic bullet to fix the human operator problem... unless it's between the eyes or at the base of the skull.  Save the expensive silver bullets for werewolves... Wink

Have fun, good luck.

Tim Mc
Logged
"Will you stand by me against the cold night, or are you afraid of the ice?" Crack The Sky

Tony "T" Tissot

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3902
    • http://www.4dbsound.com
Re: Update: Peavey VSX26
« Reply #66 on: May 29, 2008, 01:59:54 PM »

Peter Etheredge wrote on Thu, 29 May 2008 09:08


Also, in regards to the BBE unit, should I go down that road, how much of an issue is the whole clipping thingy?
-pete


As Tim said, the whole gain structure matters.


The BBE did "screech" when we accidentally went (input) above nominal. (Sorry I don't have numbers.) But it was the first time out, easily corrected by setting a proper gain structure from monitor board to the unit.

Easily fixed and prevented from happening a second time.

- As you know, almost all gear is "digital." If you've done any recording you've probably heard the sound. Most outboard gear (at least to my experience) have schemes that mitigate the digital over-driven screech. The BBE appears to allow you to hear your mistake. In any case I do not consider that a problem for an "attended" system with a competent operator.
Logged
MNGS
ProSoundWeb - Home of 50,000 audio professionals - and two or three curmudgeonly SOBs.

Justin Rygel

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 181
Re: Update: Peavey VSX26
« Reply #67 on: June 02, 2008, 08:12:14 PM »

Wow, I didn't expect to see this thread come back . . .

Jeff Babcock wrote on Thu, 29 May 2008 15:53


It SOUNDS like a good idea but in practical use most users will not structure their gain around the unit (not driving it hard enough, and not reducing amp gain on the other end).  If you don't follow this, then YES it is noisy, but that is not because the hardware is noisy but simply because there is too much gain after the unit.

It IS possible to have a quiet system with the VSX, but not if you do not carefully set up gain structure.




I actually eventually went to the trouble of carefully setting the gain structure of the whole system with the VSX26 using in-line pads, and the results were very good: when the building was empty, and HVAC off, I couldn't hear the system noise without going up on a ladder and putting my ear next to the horn exit.

I don't know if that should have been necessary, but I learned a lot while calculating out all the settings and pads in the signal path, and I took a little more care than might otherwise be necessary because this is a system that is often run by relatively inexperienced personnel, and we had a couple compression driver get blown . . . so the system is set-up with the gain knobs on the amps turned all the way up with the devices before that getting the signal to the proper level for that to work . . .

Long story short: we ended up adding a delay ring so we needed to change to a 4x8, and ended up replacing the VSX26 with a Sabine NAV480.  I can't hear a huge difference in sound quality, but the Sabine definitely has a lower noise floor and is therefore more forgiving of poor gain structure.
Logged
Justin Rygel
Federal Way, WA

Tony "T" Tissot

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3902
    • http://www.4dbsound.com
Re: Update: Peavey VSX26
« Reply #68 on: June 02, 2008, 09:14:31 PM »

Justin Rygel wrote on Mon, 02 June 2008 17:12

 I can't hear a huge difference in sound quality, but the Sabine definitely has a lower noise floor and is therefore more forgiving of poor gain structure.


That last phrase - "forgiving of a poor gain structure" is the BS PV wants you to believe. Please do not perpetuate the fiction that the problem is somewhere else.

Noise is there with a "regular gain structure." Noise is still there with a highly optimized gain structure.

2008. DSP should not dictate gain structure in such a draconian way.

Quick - name any other device that introduces that much noise.

It's like one of those political "wag the dog" issues - floated to get your mind off real issues of substance.
Logged
MNGS
ProSoundWeb - Home of 50,000 audio professionals - and two or three curmudgeonly SOBs.
Pages: 1 ... 5 6 [7]   Go Up
 

Site Hosted By Ashdown Technologies, Inc.

Page created in 0.028 seconds with 20 queries.