Holy Hiss Batman!! DBX 231

[dboomer]

 

Originally posted by RoboPimp Because I bought it local, I got another amp to use for free and my repair was done a lot faster than if I had shipped it off. The guys at the store where I bought the EQ are also very cool and taking care of me just fine.

 

 

Ah! There's the difference between price and value.

[ShizzelDizzel]

I'm pissing in the wind here but does the DBX have the +4/-10 switch? Is it set correctly?

 

 

Bryan

 

edit: I read the rest of your posts. Glad you got it worked out!

[headshot]

Just found this old thread.

 

I have the SAME exact problem. I have a monitor rig set up that hisses like mad. Here's what I'm running.. all BRAND NEW gear:

 

A&H Mix Wiz 16:2, 3 DBX 231's, into 3 QSC PLX 2 1804 amps, to 6 Yamaha Club V SM115 wedges. The mixer is set for all sends to be pre-fader. Everthing is wired with balanced XLR connections, except on the output of the mixer sends, which are all TRS balanced. The EQ's are used to cut frequencies only, and the outputs are set at unity.

 

If I run straight from the mixer to the amps, I get ZERO hiss. Once I bring the EQ's into the setup, it's hiss city.

 

Anyone able to help? I can't imagine that I have 3 faulty EQ's.

[Not Serial]

in all honesty the dbx 231's are a pretty low end eq. what can you really expect from it?

 

if you want wicked eq's you must pay.

 

i have used the dbx 231's and i am not impressed. very fuzzy sounding to me and not all that effective at reducing feedback. i never noticed a substantial hiss though.

 

i would place these eq's in the same catagory as the peavey 231's but definately better than the mr. B eq's.

 

step up and try white instruments, klark technik, ivie, and even ev makes a decent unit. the top end rane is supposed to be good, but i have never used it after hearing their low end eq's.

[Al Poulin]

I don`t have a big setup like you guys since I am just a DJ but I have tried in the past to add an EQ to my system. On all occasions, as soon as I put one in the chain, I was annoyed as hell because of the extra noise they produced. At the time I had a Yamaha MG12 goint to a P5000 amplifier. Without the EQ, and in front of the speakers with the board`s master at 0, there was barely any noise coming from my system. Even less if you brought down the masters a little (which is what I would do when I was playing supper music or low volume backgroung music). The gains on my amplifier were always at their maximum setting. If you plugged a CD player directly into the yamaha amplifier with the gains at max, no noise at all would be heard. Once you went through the Mg12 and put up the masters, the little hiss that the mixer produced was amplified and was only slightly noticeable. But then add an EQ which produces a little noise and that noise is also amplified...... The more things in the signal chain producing noise, the more the amplifier does it`s job and amplifies them...I am lucky as a DJ to not need to eq in most situations. My 3 band on my mixer is usually sufficient. I admire you guys who do live sound and thank you for letting me participate in this forum. It`s really great. Al Poulin - Party-Time! DJ Services

[Unalaska]

Thinking about this again: The yamaha's have a 1.8v sensitivity to reach full power. Something tells me that you were using an unbalanced 1/4 cable between the MG board and the P7000 (-6db loss). When using an unbalanced connex on the P7000 it will -6db less sensitive, now there is a balanced connex it shows up. The system should be noticably louder if thats the case, if not:

 

Then the unit could be noisy. I dunno, I have used the combination of MG8/2fx to P7000 (no eq, it was a rehearsal) and with an Behr FBQ in the middle. There was no change in output, all the cables wer XLR ('cept the TRS out of the MG8/2fx). Go balanced, then see...

 

BTW, leave the amp gains wide open. Unless you're driving compression drivers in a tri-amp system, run them wide open and don't think about them. The P7000 is LOUD so back it down only if you aabsolutely have to.

[JohnnyGraphic]

I was having a hissing issue last week. At first I thought it was electrical-dimmer packs. Then, I did the troubleshooting as advised above. Amp to speaker only, no hiss. Then, added the MixWiz, no hiss. EQ-(dbx 1231), no hiss. Compressor (dbx 266), no hiss. Once I added the feedback killer (dbx AFS 224), HISS!. The hiss isn't bad, only in a dead quiet situation. In a bar with a bartender cleaning glasses, it would possibly get over the noise floor.

 

Next step which I haven't had a chance to do is to think about 'why'. I don't think it has any -10/+4 switches...??? Anyway, something to tinker with later on.

 

Johnny

 

edit: All of my connections are XLR! Never back to 1/4" unless I have no choice (like Monitor/Aux sends).

[Keyrick]

I have a 231 that's a Hiss Monster as well. Everything connected was balanced XLR. It's the 231. It is no longer in my system. I have a 1215 that works great, no hiss. There must have been a bad run of them or something.

 

Rick

[agedhorse]

I have installed a total of 16 of the 231's and have had no problems to date on any of the installations.

 

I suggest you all contact DBX for an RA and have them looked at. If there is a problem, it's with your specific unit since all of the ones we installed were quiet as can be.