Thread: PSA: dBx GoRack
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Old 12-28-2016, 03:42 AM
maxtheaxe maxtheaxe is offline
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: N. Oregon Coast
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Default PSA: dBx GoRack

I ran across these on Reverb at this $30.00 price a few months back, when all the other prices I could find on the same unit were about $90.00. I have a couple of the truly outstanding dBx Driverack PA units in my PA rack (one for FOH, one for monitors) and these use much the same processing (minus the real time analyzer and deeper function set), so I bought two.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/deta...CToaAhrg8P8HAQ

What is it? This is an EQ processor, among other things; it has a bunch of EQ curve presets that you apply, depending on what type of music/venue, etc., and then it has several narrow-bandwidth floating filters that attenuate feedback frequencies almost like notch filters...it kinda learns the room and gives you way more headroom. It also has a dBx compression algorithm that can be applied, based on the vaunted dBx 163, and a sub-harmonic synthesizer that reinforces bass frequencies, probably geared toward DJ systems. It can also be used as a mic preamp, as it has quite a bit of useful gain on tap. There are a couple of good videos on the sales page at Sweetwater that walk you through it nicely.

I've had great success with the Driverack PA units in my live rig and tried the GoRack on my little mini-system that we use in rehearsal. Our rehearsal space is pretty small and we've had a lot of annoying problems with feedback...couldn't get the vocals loud enough to compete with the drums, guitars, bass. I put one of these little guys in the chain and now, as I bring up the mains level and feedback starts to creep in, it just fades away and pretty much stays away, giving lots of clarity and headroom.

No more manually ringing out a room, trying to attenuate problem frequencies with a conventional equalizer, only to have all the guts and clarity dialed out along with the feedback because the bandwidth is too wide. As noted, this is more like very narrow bandwidth/notch filters that sense, then attenuate a very specific problem frequency and leaves everything else alone.

Are you kidding me? This is a no-brainer for $30.00. The DriveRack units are quite nice as well...at $400.00 a pop... but this little guy accomplishes much the same thing for smaller venues or solo performers and is a bit easier to use, although I actually wouldn't be afraid to use one of these in place of the Driveracks in my main PA system if something were to happen to the more expensive units.

I remember the days when this kind of functionality would set you back five figures...
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