Behringer DSP1124 Feedback Destroyer

Easy to use. Set mode 2, insert it into a strip or sub, turn it
on, prime (a ton!), save the prime, and go. I really need more
than 12 notches (see below on manual clarity). Used -9 sesitivity
for voice, better than the default -6. Filters latch much more quickly.
Also, feed it plenty of signal, at least 2-3 green bars.

I did get this to work with a Mackie 24X8 on a sub with multiple
wireless tie mics (voice only). Seems to be quite good, but don't
put a compressor ahead of it, that will cripple it badly - after
seems works OK.
Mode 3
(where it hunts for FB) in 12 channel mode works, but it will "give
up" needed filters and show momentary ringing. Mode 2 worked best
with a LOT of priming. Venue is 350 seat rectangular room.

Worked out of the box. Used only for 2 weeks so far, fixed locn.

Manual is very sketchy. I need to try the 24 Ch mode, but it isn't
really clear how to do this. I'm going to go back and play with it
some more. Didn't try contacting cust support..

Using it for church worship, mains feed, tie mics only.
So where do you get these for $80 ??
Didn't hear the background tones some folks have.
Haven't tried any other products like this yet. Wonder if the
Sabine box would be one to try? But we can't beat this price :-)
I'm not sure I'd put it in a music channel, for sure not on -9
sensitivity setting in mode 3.
If you send email, use something like Ref DSP1124 and a real name,
or I'll dump it with the other 300 pieces of spam I get every day!
Somebody please tell me where I can get gear like this for
2/3 of Web price!

Took a little getting used to but the factory presets can be quite helpful in building the perfect filter. Manual is dry and very Behringer-like. Focus strongly on the Single-Shot (SI) settings and be sure to prime the crap out of the venue. I highly recommend using the unit "coupled" on a monitor path giving a toal of 24 filters. Leave 2-4 in auto (AU) mode for wandering vocalists.

Not bad...the notches are pretty much, not noticable. At higher levels the filter can be heard cross-talking into the main signal so you actually hear it accpeting than cancelling the feedback frequencies at very low levels.

Too early to tell.

N-A

We play a fairly heavy, compressed rock sound in a very tight rehersal room. This device has gained us at least 20% headroom. We will likely add new units to our mains soon for rehersal and possibly shows. I'll say it again...prime the room (create feedback intentionally) and allow the "SI" filters to lock-in problem frequencies. If you rely on the auto "AU" filters too much you will be disappointed.

Assuming that you read the manual, this device can be very easy to use. On the downside it is very time consuming setting costom configurations and transfering auto-filters to EQ. I dissagree with one of the reviews by an anonemous that said the DSP1124 cant be used with powered mixers. If you are using a powered mixer for rehearsing only, mix all your vocal mics to the monitor send, route the monitor line out to the DSP1124 and back into a channel on the mixer. Just use the Main amp to power your monitors. And make sure that you that you turn the monitor send down on that channel or you will get ellectrical feedback.

there is an erie high pitch squeal that it produces. But this is just an annoyance and is only audible when the monitors are crank to max.

Hasn't let me down yet

I do wish that there was an interface software out there for this product. I think it would be much easier to control in windows format. I mean, there must be a reason this thing has MIDI jacks, RIGHT? If you know of one or have writen one email me please at justone84@yahoo.com

Great

I run various PAs for various bands including some of my own in North Carolina. I found this unit to be disappointing, but with heavy tweaking I was able to achieve a usable state and I do use it regularly. Primary application in my case is loud stage monitor wedges physically near microphone (vocalist).

The unit is basically a stereo, 12 bands per channel parametric EQ, but with a twist. Instead of setting the notches manually it is supposed to automatically identify problem frequencies and notch them on the fly for you. Obviously, the strength of the unit will be how precisely and quickly it is able to differentiate between desirable musical signals and undesirable feedback signals and set those notches. It is this critical part of the unit that was the most disappointing.

The feedback identification algorithm functions in a rather primitive matter. Essentially if you get your system to feedback uncontrollably at a particular stable frequency at extremely high volume (-6 db, by default), for a few continuous seconds, the 1124 will FINALLY step in and set one of its notches, eliminating the feedback loop and temporarily programming that notch into the unit. Buyers interested in the produucts may think that "automatic" means they can plus it in and go. This does not work well at all during a performance because it takes so long for the unit to respond and the audio going through the unit is varying so much and so fast during the performance. It can be useful, however, if you train the system before the performance. Training the system involves setting it to automatic mode, cranking up the volume until it feeds back AT HIGH VOLUME FOR SEVERAL SECONDS at a particular frequency. Then crank the volume up again until the system feeds back at a different frequency and another filter is set. Repeat until you?ve set all available filters. I?ll include some more tips for setting this up in a moment.

I should note that my 1124 adds a soft but constant very high frequency whine to the audio output. It?s not very loud but it makes this unit unusable for anything but a rough and tumble monitor mix.

Only been running a few months. No reliability problems yet.

I'll close out here by letting you know the configuration I use to make the thing helpfull in my environment.

1) For best results during "training", have a vocalist stand near the microphone. Keep them still during each notch set, and then have them move slightly or change their mouth position (open vs close) for each new notch. Do this with the mic positioned relative to the monitor exactly as it will be during performance.

2) To avoid the ear splitting "training" procedure every night- do it once, and make sure it worked well (it sounds good and doesn't feed back), and then convert each of the 12 filters from automatic to manual parametric (each filter will still retain its settings while you do this) then save the entire finished config to one of the preset slots. This way when you load up that preset the next day the system is already ?trained?. This setup ignores varying room acoustics from night to night, but it has been working surprisingly well as the primary factors (mic, speaker, positioning) remain fairly consistent from gig to gig.

3) While setting your notches in auto mode, change the threshold on each filter to ?9 db (from the default ?6).

4) Because my application is mono, loud and prone to feedback at a large variety of frequencies- I use the system as 1x24 instead of 2x12. This may be possible to achieve through the front panel, but it is impossible to tell from the one-page manual in the box I recieved. I do it manually by cabling my input signal into L IN, running the L OUT into the R IN, and finally running the R OUT to the next device in the signal chain. This setup works well but has a few drawbacks. First, while training you have to go through left only, set all 12 filters, then go to the left to right cabling and train the additional 12 filters. If you don?t do it this way the filers in the left and right banks will key on the same frequencies during training and you?ll wind up with redundant notches and less then 24 effective notches. The other drawback is that this setup doubles the high-pitched whine that the unit adds to the audio.

5) Finally, you can induce feedback during training by increasing a gain stage in your system, you can additionally induce feedback by providing a "seed" sound such as a short vocal burst or a hand clap. It is not advisable to induce feedback by singing a long vocal note, as the unit may key on this sustained frequency and set an inappropriate filter.

Once you realize how to set it up properly, it works like a charm. To the guy below that trashed it below in his review, more than likely didn't have it set up right. It must be after the mixer on the pre-fade aux send switch and then the signal must be sent to the power amp (it does not work on powered mixers!). Once that happens, it has to locate the feddback freqs and then kill them over a moderate amount of time. He should have had a little more patience because this thing works great after all that. And everyone I know who has one (and sets it up right) loves it as well. So don't listen to the schmuck below.

Running three mics in a small rehearsal room (10' x 15') into a Yamaha MG12/6 mixer --> Feedback Destroyer via aux send --> Soundtech powered mixer and PA cabs. Not noisy at all, actually cleans up the signal and adds nice clarity due to the EQ features of this unit. The vocals sound 100% better.

Has worked so far (3 months now). I have four other Behringer products and two of them have quality and defect problems, so if this thing goes one day, I'll buy another since they're so cheap. I guess you can't expect Mackie-type quality when the price is about 70% less than a Mackie---you get what you pay for.

Never used them and the way the manuals are written in euro-english type grammer (bad), I doubt I'll call them until I learn to speak German.

Does a great job and will for anyone that sets it up right. Saved my ears from feedback during rehearsals and made the vocals sound great.

If you read the book, it's real easy. Just use the preset that best works for you.

Okay, I use this thing on my aux subgroups for monitor mixes. One channel per mix. The signal comes from stage, into my Midas Venice mixer, then a dbx eq, the feedback killer, and back to stage. Before the show, I set a mic pointing right at a monitor and slowly raise the level until a frequency starts to hum. Let the piece grab the frequency, you'll hear it go away. Do this with each freq individualy until the blinking lights go away.

Since I've used this thing, I've gotten nothing but compliments on my stage mixes. And band members (even singers) are actually asking to have the monitors turned down. Set this thing up right and it works great.
I can't tell a dramatic difference in sound quality, but I'm sure it doesn't make any improvements on the signal, so it gets a 7.

I've used it on at least fifty live shows, in a rack that gets tossed around. Seems with behringer, if you get a good one out of the box, it'll keep kicking. But I've had issues with some of their other gear out of the box.

Never tried. This stuff is so cheap, I'd just replace it if it failed.

I love this thing, I have two now. I'd definitely buy another. I've tried PV's version of this and didn't get any results. The only feature I use is the feeback killer. I wish it had a great set of boobs on it. Get one of these for any situation with monitors, set it up right, and enjoy.

Once I gave the manual a read over, using the unit is fairly simple. Even comes with 10 presets for all sorts of different configurations that the unit is capable of.

I was using this unit in rehearsal PA. (Yamaha 16 channel mixer, digitech reverb unit, bbe sonic maximizer, QSC RMX 850 power amp, JBL SF225 monitors, dbx 266xl gate/comp, Shure SM58 Mic) I tried running it through vocal mic insert and right through my monitors. The unit seemed fairly quiet. The EQ appeared to work somewhat but since I bought it for feedback elimination and not EQ, that feature didn't impress me. As far as the feedback part - This is absolutly a piece of garbage. It did absolutly nothing to destroy feedback. If anything I think it actually produced more feedback. I tried every possible configuration there is. I had gain and levels set perfectly so as not to get digital distortion. The unit has blinking lights to indicated an open filter that is ready to kill feedback. The light goes solid and stops blinking when is supposedly senses and kills a frequency that is feedbacking. This piece of crap would do nothing more that "ID" a feedbacking freq. and light up solid. Although the squel never went away.

Well if didn't break but since it never really worked I can't really rely on it.

Never dealt with.

It's just poop. I had a bad impression of behringer gear before I bought this unit. I figured I would give it a shot since any respectable manufacturer like sabine, dbx, peavy's version of a feedback destroyer was atleast 4x the price of this unit and up, I figured I'd give it a shot. Well I can now say that without a doubt that I would never give behringer gear another thought again.