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Title: dbx Driverack px... Panaray
Post by: Geoffrey Cutting on November 16, 2013, 02:06:08 AM
Our church has a Bose Panaray system.  We've just got a dbx Driverack px and replaced the Bose Controller (which was giving us trouble).  We've had assistance setting it up, but for the purpose of better understanding it myself, I'm wondering if anyone else has put a px to a Panaray and any tips. 
Title: Re: dbx Driverack px... Panaray
Post by: Brad Weber on November 18, 2013, 08:54:52 AM
The DriveRack PX is intended to be used with powered speakers in order to add the ability to tune the system for a particular use and environment, in other words with speakers that usually provide their own internal tuning.  Thus it would be more common to use a DriveRack PX in conjunction with any dedicated speaker controller and the DRPX alone may be rather limited in its functionality and flexibility to serve both purposes.
Title: Re: dbx Driverack px... Panaray
Post by: Scott Hofmann on November 19, 2013, 09:52:04 AM
If it's one of the older analog controllers, 502C, etc., http://www.dhsspeakerservice.com does an amazing job restoring and fixing these very quickly for a very reasonable price. If it's the digital controller, good luck. Bose in the past has offered to provide newer replacement units for the problematic ones for a reduced price, although still several hundred dollars.
Title: Re: dbx Driverack px... Panaray
Post by: Geoffrey Cutting on November 29, 2013, 01:24:36 AM
Thanks Brad and Scott.  Appreciate your responses.  It is an old analog controller, it's been in the shop once before for repair but still had issues.  The dbx driverack has been set up using the custom option rather than selecting a specific powered speaker brand.  I suspect it won't do as well as the original Bose controller (when it worked) but doesn't sound too bad.  It hasn't been set up for feedback identification and suppression yet, though.  It may be trial and error on this. Thanks guys.
Title: Re: dbx Driverack px... Panaray
Post by: Richard Turner on December 01, 2013, 02:35:13 AM
been discussed a few times before, the PX is a very limited model, The PA might be better suited but really a real drive rack would be best.

The bose EQ box does some really really really unique things to the signal, things you would never think of doing norally but it makes the 4" full range drivers do their thing, if you've heard the phrase no highs no lows must ne bose, well it was because a lot of folks tried cheating and using one pair of 802 with no processor in the early days, its an arrayed system you really need 4 boxes, preferably 8 at which point most will start looking at another audio solution.

I would consider the refurbushing of the processor box if it is the older type capacitor and transistor one, plug and play, no settings to lose.

Title: Re: dbx Driverack px... Panaray
Post by: Scott Carneval on December 01, 2013, 10:58:50 AM
This isn't intended as an insult, but if you spent $300 on what is essentially the backbone of your PA, I have to assume sound quality isn't your #1 priority.  The PX is pretty limited compared to the PA, but if you're just using it for xover, eq, delay, it should be fine.  The dynamics section is pretty basic, you have less parametric EQ filters, and less outputs (4 vs. 6), but if it's already set up and working, and it sounds ok to you, I wouldn't sweat it. 
Title: Re: dbx Driverack px... Panaray
Post by: Lyle Williams on December 11, 2013, 01:53:12 AM
As long as the number of outputs is suitable, I think the PX will do fine.  Or at least as well as the PA.
Title: Re: dbx Driverack px... Panaray
Post by: Geoffrey Cutting on December 26, 2013, 11:24:11 PM
Thanks guys.  Scott, you're right about priority of dollars vs sound quality.... Limited budget.  But anyway we've hooked up the drive rack with the Panaray and a matrix FOH for the rear of the auditorium, and the sound is reasonable.  We're getting better bass response from the Bose sub through the dbx drive rack, but not as good highs as with the original Bose controller (although the highs are fine through the matrix speakers which obviously suit the dbx custom settings better than the Bose).