DBX DriveRack PA2 Complete Loudspeaker Management System

Product Information

I haven't really used the output side parametric EQs but I've thought of a situation where I'd use the PA2 as a splitter and AutoEQ each output pair separately as needed, then manually transfer the AutoEQ settings to the output PEQs.

The ratio is fixed at 'infinity to one', and there is an allowed transient overshoot of 3dB, so the output will deliver signals 3dB above your limiter threshold setting for very short periods — so if you really need to prevent any signal peaks, however brief, from exceeding a particular level then you'd set the threshold 3dB below this. The available filter types are Butterworth and Linkwitz‑Riley, which have different crossover characteristics (for example a Linkwitz Riley will commonly be chosen for crossovers as the upper and lower signals are attenuated by 6dB at the crossover point, which results in unity magnitude, (ie. All the main functions have been 'Wizardised', and when the red button is pressed a choice of options is presented in a scroll‑down menu; from here the AFS, Auto‑EQ/Level Assist and Setup (crossovers and so on) Wizards can be started directly. The DriveRack PA2 takes a two‑channel input and processes it into a one-, two- or three‑way stereo output (ie. I remember when automatic feedback suppressors first appeared and were hailed (by some, including me) as a wonder of their age.The limiter circuit is not, as far as I'm aware, a 'brick wall' limiter like the PeakStopPlus design found in the higher‑end DriveRack models, and you can't alter the overshoot margin, but it's useful protection against accidentally over‑driving your system, so long as you bear in mind that the PA2 has no control over anything connected after it, so it can't protect your speakers against inappropriate amplifier settings. There's not anywhere near enough room here to cover all the functions and features on offer, but if this review interests you, you can learn more about it by downloading the manual — and the wireless control app — from the Dbx web site. How would this units numbers play into the use of an external high end DAC that would be placed before the dbx in the signal chain?

You can now take complete control of the DriveRack PA2 with your mobile device or laptop using Ethernet control via an Android, iOS, Mac, or Windows device.Now it’s time to gradually raise the mixer output level, and the AFS2 catches the offending frequencies and assigns filters to knock out the ringing as it starts to happen, and will assign up to the number of fixed filters you chose a moment ago, or you can tell it to stop when you’ve achieved a reasonable level, even if all the fixed filters haven’t been used. To demonstrate this, you can play a recorded track through the PA whilst the fixed filters are in setup mode, and even at low levels with no open mics the AFS2 will start assigning fixed filters as it ‘hears’ the music programme. Running through the Wizard routines is simple, and the step‑by‑step instructions and information displayed on the screen is clear and unambiguous, and in my view definitely better than the old DriveRack PA.

If you try this when the unit is in live filter mode, it won’t mistake wanted musical content for unwanted feedback (at least I couldn’t make this happen) because it is using a much more sophisticated detection algorithm. Let's say it just made an already great pair of speakers sound even better, and there's no going back to a single-amp setup! Applying post‑crossover limiting has the advantage that, as the different frequency bands are unlikely to reach the limiter threshold at the same time, part of the output signal will remain uncompressed by the limiter meaning that the sound won't all be squashed flat just because one band has reached the limiter threshold, so the gain reduction applied will tend to sound more natural and retain some of the programme dynamics. It is also controlled by an app (iOS and Android) and will make my job doing sound for events a whole lot easier. The box has a reasonably easy, pro-looking interface but the ability to control all its functions from a mobile phone, a tablet, or a Mac or a PC makes it really easy to use.Am I reading that distortion vs level graph right that I really dont want to go past roughly -4dbFS on the outputs? The channel 1 inputs and outputs are grouped together, as are the channel 2 connectors, which is actually useful in itself — there’s much less chance of accidentally swapping the channels (for example in a left/right main mix) when making connections in low light or where access is restricted. One of the features I particularly like is how the PA2 displays the frequency, width and depth of the filters as it sets them, and you can display the current parameters of each filter by using the data selector wheel.