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Young Croc
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote wires Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: DBmark XCA
    Posted: 30 October 2016 at 9:10am
Recently took a punt on an Dbmark XCA 8out version lms after a few years of using BSS 366t omnidrives.

I really liked the omnidrives but just had too many failures across multiple units, so much so that i had been using my 'back up' ultradrives more and more.

I was going to get an xta dp or lab lm but needed something fairly urgent to fill gigs.

All my amps are lab fp series and powersoft k as reference.

I was a bit hesitant to get one of these but I've got to say the xca's absolutely surpassed my expectations! sound quality is much much better than my minidrives, omnidrives, ultradrives and kt dn8000 on side by side tests and much more flexible. 
Solid and heavier build quality than the others.
Menu control is a little weird but you get used to it fairly quickly, software control is much easier although they could do with improving the gui.
Limiters are decent as a bonus.

Obviously the models it was up against are older but it's still worth a test.
I actually don't think i'll bother looking at getting XTA or lab now tbh, at least not for a while.

Anyone looking at these i can definitely recommend them.

Has anyone compared XCA to the dbmark dp range?
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Robbo View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Robbo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 October 2016 at 11:18am
I had a similar experience a few years ago now when Tony Wilkes first started importing the DB Mark range.
We had always used BSS Xovers as they were industry standard but we did have lots of failures as well and we had a 366 go down halfway through a tour and in an emergency, Tony dropped me the basic cheapest DB Mark 2in 6out over to get us out of the sh-t.
Now we had always been happy with the BSS Xovers except for the reliability issues that had started to appear a bit too often for my liking and we had always had compliments regarding the sound quality of four stacks of Kling and Freitag and we also liked the sound from the system as well but from the first night of use, the DB Mark transformed the system in every possible way--Less noise, cleaner and more defined sound and a more musical sound to the system overall.
Everyone that knew our system passed comments upon how different it sounded and what an improvement it was to an already nice sounding rig and as a consequence we bought a few more units off Tony and I know that he also sold a few more due to our reccomendations---some four or five years or so forward and as far as I know, none of the DB Mark units has either failed or caused any problems to the guys that own them now whereas every single one of our BSS 366, 355 and 336 units had failed at sometime during our ownership.
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Old Croc
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote levyte357- Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 October 2016 at 11:41am
I'm completely happy with my markIV 2/8 &
4/8, had them couple of years, & their value has gone up!!

Was expecting to "upgrade" to 366, get it patched to "T", but maybe not now.


Global Depopulation - Alive and Killing.
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Young Croc
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote matty w Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 October 2016 at 12:18pm
Did you have the same functionality with the new units as with the old units , I.e did u copy the settings from one unit to the other exactly ?
Black to black , red to red , blue to bits ....

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Young Croc
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote wires Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 October 2016 at 1:42pm
All the different brands have very slightly different set points, but yes all settings copied across.
As Robbo said; everything was a lot clearer, tighter and the hf seemed more coherent across different system setups.

The ultradrive still has one of the easiest front panel controls around, but you do sacrifice in other areas.

I was a bit concerned i would be just chucking money away on dbmark stuff but really happy to be proved wrong, especially with it holding its own against well known brands.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ceharden Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 October 2016 at 5:41pm
If you want to sell any dodgy Omnidrive 366's for sensible money, let me know....
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Young Croc
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote wires Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 October 2016 at 7:34pm
Ceharden - most likely will sell. Whats sensible money for 366 these days?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Cheif_Stringer_ Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 October 2016 at 7:48pm
This is all very ressuring as i plan on getting an xca, ive gotta question:

"6 independent parametric EQ of input and output. The gain range is ±2 0 d B. The EQ of output channel has two slopes: Lo-shelf and Hi-shelf"


Does this mean theres only 6 points of eq for the whole audio band, 6 points of eq per each output / 'way' of the system (say comps 1.2-18khz for example being one of the 4 ways), or neither?

Im just debating if i should just get one of these or get a seperate eq with it, i dont know how good or bad an idea this is but would having like a perminant eq to correct the nature of the system along with a permanent environment / tweak eq for the different venue make sense? (im thinking the xca will be handy enough to not have to do this but i dont know as ive never used of of these things)

Id rather have less layers of processing than more so if the xca eq is versatile i probably wont bother with a seperate eq, if you can save what i called the permanent eq and can just tweak it and set it back to normal after that would be good enough, as long as there is plenty of eq bands for a nice smooth response
"nice one matee"
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Young Croc
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote wires Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 October 2016 at 8:21pm
Yes it has 6 PEQ/shelves per output - and tbh if you needed more than that something is probably wrong elsewhere...

Everyone has different approaches but i prefer less processing and speaker wise i try to do everything at the cab end first with less eq, then resort to the dsp as and when really needed due to the room or whatever.

For digital foh; all digital desks these days have master GEQ and PEQ so if you see reoccurring points appear you can always dial them in on the lms eq inputs and keep the desk flat.

The XCA has a noise gate as well but haven't really explored this yet as again i try to stay on top of the signal path noise wise.

I don't know your setup so hard to advise unfortunately, but having some decent control at mix position is always handy instead of at the racks as it allows you to hear what you are adjusting.

If anyone knows any real differences between the xca and dp range please let me know, as i have some installs that would benefit from new processors without the big cost of xta attached.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bee Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 October 2016 at 8:43pm
pluss 6 per input... plenty...
 
yes ive a/b both iv and xca models.. (no surprises)
The xca not only has better connectivity and stability with in connectivity, but sound improvement's too.
Been using the original prototype model for over 4 years. Plus have a few of the updated models.
https://www.elements-audio.com
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Cheif_Stringer_ View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Cheif_Stringer_ Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 October 2016 at 9:15pm
Okay thanks, i dont have any equipment other than some drivers so far, not sure what im doing desk wise either will have to try and learn about them at some point, im trying to go for the build it / buy the amps, processor etc once and get it close to right the first time approach, im sure you can get better results with trial and error and being more progressive but ohwell.

Yeah im trying to take of approach of getting the sound close to right in the cabs themselves first, rather than taking the "it'll be areet man al just eq it" route :P, but im being realistic too and was just unsure on the units eq, but the sounds of it ill be spot on :)

Is a noise gate just something that reduces hissing / buzzing? if so need one on my ear canels lol

thanks Thumbs Up
"nice one matee"
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote snowflake Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 October 2016 at 10:18pm
they miss out a lot of good features of the ultradrive - dynamic eq, phase adjust, auto-align, 6dB filters, digital inputs
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