DBX GoRack - field report

[almeriastrings]

Thanks almeriastrings for all of the info. I just ordered two dbx go rack units from Sweetwater. I'm assuming that it is best to have two units...one for mains and one for monitors. Hopefully they are as easy to use with my QSC Touchmix 8 as you've reported. I'm looking forward to feedback free gigs. Can't say that I'll use the other features much as the QSC should cover those areas, or do you use the other features?

If you are running your mains as Mono - then you can simply "daisy chain" those off one channel of the Gorack and use the other to run one of the Monitors. Normally, I run mains as mono anyway, as having a hard L or R in a live situation is rarely a good idea. So, with two Goracks you could set it like this (which is what I do):

Gorack A:

Channel one: Mains (daisy chained)
Channel two: Monitor 1

Gorack B:

Channel one: Monitor 2
Channel two: Monitor 3

That gives you four independent channels of AFS.

They are dead easy to use. Petty much set and forget. Make sure you have them set up to fully independent channel mode: Routing Option two (which they confusingly describe as 'stereo' in the manual) and set the anti-feedback filter width to '2' (music and speech). This seems to work best in acoustic music situations.

I do not use any of the other facilities as I have all the EQ etc., programmed into the mixer.

[Bill Burch]

Sweetwater is selling these for $29 including shipping.

Bill

[almeriastrings]

Sweetwater is selling these for $29 including shipping.

Bill

Unbelievable deal. They should be junk at that price - but they're not!

Good review here:

http://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/dbx-gorack

[banjoboy]

A couple places have stopped carrying them (discontinued). One store said it was because the company was no longer making them. I can't believe that. I think they've only been out a year. I was really torn when I bought my QSC Touchmix cause it doesn't have and AFS. But my research led me to believe the QSC product was pretty much the best. I'm thankful that the Go Rack became available and that I don't have to spend another $300 for feedback suppression.

[pops1]

The PA I am using now doesn't have the switch for input sensitivity on the XLR inputs so I had to make special cords that go from XLR to 1/4" so I can go into a lower gain input, works much better that way. Not necessary on a PA with a variable input.

[banjoboy]

My Go Rack arrived yesterday. I haven't had time to use it with a full band, but I've been playing around with it a little. I'm really excited about it. I've hooked up several different mics, including some really sensitive mics, and have been able to get rid of feedback. I've been able to put mics right in front of my speakers and it still gets rid of feedback! I'm still getting used to how to use the Go Rack. One thing I've encountered is not getting the LED lights to peak unless I have the gain full up, the sliders full up. Then it peaks, otherwise it will be green and I can't make it flash orange. So I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong, if anything. I bought these for the AFS only. I don't anticipate using the other features as my QSC will most likely be all I need for EQ, compression, etc.

[almeriastrings]

You mean the two little input LED's by the gain controls? As long as they are green - no problem. If you are going from your QSC make sure your master and AUX output sliders are reasonably high into the line-level inputs of the Go-rack and the input knobs on the Go-Rack are set to around 2 o'clock. It is not really that critical as long as the LED's are lighting up as the signal to noise ratio will be more than adequate, and as long as the AFS is locking in, that shows everything is fine too. The 'peak' system is more critical for use directly with mics than it is with line-level sources.

Neat little box, eh? I wish we had stuff like this years ago!

[gtani7]

Just about to pull the trigger. I recommend not buying them for $60 used: http://www.guitarcenter.com/search?Ns=r&Ntt=dbx+gorack

[banjoboy]

Thanks almeriastrings for the advise. And I can't believe that Guitar Center is selling these things used for $60. Buy from Sweetwater for $30. And another thing, I was out at Guitar Center yesterday to buy some short cables to connect the GoRack to my QSC. That store is incredibly expensive. I'm going back to my standby, Monoprice. Look them up on the web. Real quality chords/cables for very reasonable price.

[gtani7]

Thanks almeriastrings for the advise. And I can't believe that Guitar Center is selling these things used for $60. Buy from Sweetwater for $30. And another thing, I was out at Guitar Center yesterday to buy some short cables to connect the GoRack to my QSC. That store is incredibly expensive. I'm going back to my standby, Monoprice. Look them up on the web. Real quality chords/cables for very reasonable price.

Yes, GC pricing. They usually have all kinds of overpriced or defective stuff, but they often will have substantially underpriced used stuff too like microphones. I've met a lot of ex-employees, they have all kinds of entertaining stories about the place.

The last underpriced item was an Audio technica at4033 mike, $400 new, they were selling for less than $140, I'm pretty sure they were looking up the wrong model to price it

[almeriastrings]

Quick update:

As suspected, given the 'blowout' pricing ($30 from an original $130) DBX has now discontinued these. Still a few out there, but major stores are rapidly selling out. If you can find one at these massively reduced prices they are a little box that is well worth having.

[banjoboy]

Why would they discontinue such a great little item?

[almeriastrings]

Part of what I heard from one supplier - it was cutting into sales of the larger, more expensive AFS units.

How true that is, I don't know...