This is a little premature as I still haven't had the opportunity to fully read the manual for my newish Denon 3805, but I certainly assume that it will be able to be configured for the following through a tape-loop or something:
Has anyone incorporated some pro-style outboard gear into their HT setup?
I have two pieces of equipment that I don't use anymore in my business yet am unlikely to get much $$ on eBay if sold: An Alesis 3630 compressor and Alesis MEQ-230 dual 1/3 band equalizer.
First, the compressor. (For those who aren't familiar with a compressor, it "squeezes" the dynamic range of audio so the transients aren't so loud and the soft passages are not so quiet). More and more equipment features a "night" mode to do exactly that, and I'm wishing my Denon had the same feature. My wife gets up at 5am for work, and I'm usually up a couple of hours after her at night. Unfortunately because our business is in our home and we're pretty limited in our layout, the only bedroom is right next to the only possible place for the living room/HT. Having a very good compressor in-line really might help me to enjoy my HT more in the evening without riding the volume control to adequately hear dialogue and rushing to turn it down during car chases. And it will still beat having to use the TV's audio to keep things "unobtrusive".
Having recently plotted the frequency response of my current, non-Axiom speakers, I've found that they're pretty far from flat. Now, I'm not naïve enough to assume that the Axiom's are going to be ruler-flat either (what speaker is?) though they'll likely be closer. What is the general thought on using EQ's? I see two sides: One, is that the goal is always a flat response no matter what so the music is never colored. The other, that you can overdo it and "EQ out" any personality a speaker has at all.
My understanding is that the trend has been to get away from EQs. I remember that in the 1970's and 1980's they were widely available at every stereo store and even Sears and Radio Shack. What's changed…. Why don't people use EQs anymore?
Finally, I wonder about the argument of keeping the signal path "pure". Certainly, a compressor would only need to be engaged for night use, but what about putting the EQ in line of the signal path at all times? Anybody doing this?
With these in addition to the Behringer Feedback Destroyer Pro I'm seriously considering, I could envision all three rack-mounted pieces together in a small "Beech" enclosure to match my coming M60s!
Any thoughts?
