Review: Yamaha YDP2006 Digital Parametric Equalizer

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

Yamaha’s Stunning YDP2006 Digital Parametric Equalizer​

Back in the summer of 2007, I was ready to call it quits after a year-and-a-half with the ubiquitous Behringer DSP1124 Feedback Destroyer I was using to equalize my subwoofers.

It had always been a love/hate relationship with the BFD. Certainly, I loved the fabulous sound I was able to achieve by accurately smoothing my subwoofer’s response, but I found the BFD’s interface to be ridiculous and cumbersome. And I wasn’t particularly fond of the way it looked, especially since everything else in my system is black.

So, I embarked on a search-and-destroy internet search to see if I could find some obscure black pro-audio digital parametric equalizer that had escaped the notice of the home theater set. Eventually I came across a vintage model from Yamaha that fit the visual requirements.

Although I acquired this equalizer simply because it was a better visual match with the rest of my system, the Yamaha proved to be an absolutely stunning piece, with features and flexibility unmatched by the Behringer DSP1124. After exploring its performance and features, I would regard the YDP as a high-end equalizer that blows away the best analog models I’ve ever used. You could pay considerably more than double the $150-200 price these usually sell for on ebay and still get a fabulous deal.

For the full review click here.

 

[amirm]

Wow Wayne. With write-ups like this many reviewers would think of packing their bags and going home . You put incredible work into them.

Questions. Did you ever investigate the internal sample rate on this? I suspect it is 48 Khz but would be good to confirm given our audience's interest in high resolution audio.

Second, did you mention what you bought it on ebay for? I saw the MSRP but missed the going rate.

On confirming, the frequency response curves you where showing with peaks and little variations were the loop through of the analog ADC/DAC of your laptops, yes? In other words, it was not the Yamaha that was causing them.

 

[NorthStar]

I looked @ it earlier, started reading it, after 20 minutes or so I gave up...too overwhelmed...and I want some. :b

Amir, $150-250 average on eBay. ...Some folks got lucky before...$80...even $50!

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

Wow Wayne. With write-ups like this many reviewers would think of packing their bags and going home . You put incredible work into them.

As always, thanks for the kind words Amir. However, I expect it’s more than most people will want to read, as NorthStar indicated. That said, anyone who gets one will hopefully appreciate learning the “ins and outs” that you don’t fully get from the manual.

Questions. Did you ever investigate the internal sample rate on this? I suspect it is 48 Khz but would be good to confirm given our audience's interest in high resolution audio.

I have no idea how to do that.

Second, did you mention what you bought it on ebay for? I saw the MSRP but missed the going rate.

As NorthStar indicated, typically less than $250. If the seller asks for more than $200 they seem to “linger,” unless he happens to have a primo example. I think I paid about $250 or a bit more for my first one, including shipping, but I later snagged a pristine unit for a mere $50. I think the seller was aggravated that it sold so cheap (honestly can’t blame him!). Bottom line, it shouldn’t be hard to get one for under $200 if you’re patient.

On confirming, the frequency response curves you where showing with peaks and little variations were the loop through of the analog ADC/DAC of your laptops, yes? In other words, it was not the Yamaha that was causing them.

Yes, the graphs were generated through the laptop. It’s basically the same process as generating a standard sound card calibration file with REW, where the sound card output is looped back to the input, only the equalizer is connected in line. I don’t believe for a moment that the variations in response were coming from the Yamaha. Practically every sound card calibration graph that gets shown at the Shack’s REW Forum looks similar, and I can’t believe every sound card on the market has that “problem.” I suspect the computers, as you surmised.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[amirm]

As always, thanks for the kind words Amir. However, I expect it’s more than most people will want to read, as NorthStar indicated. That said, anyone who gets one will hopefully appreciate learning the “ins and outs” that you don’t fully get from the manual.

I read all of them . But yes, they are invaluable for anyone who decides to use them.

I have no idea how to do that.

It is pretty easy. Set your sound card settings in Windows to be 192 Khz. Then play an audio sweep that goes to 96 Khz. Record the loop through output of that and then examine the spectrum in a program like Audacity. We can then see where the DSP brickwall filter is and with it, its likely sampling rate. For example if it truncates past 24 Khz, then we know the sampling rate is 48 Khz.

 

[NorthStar]

Wayne, your full review is awesome...I saw it before @ the Shack. It is a unit that I recommended to others in the past based on your excellent review.
20* minutes is all you need to read it all (quick readers who assimilate faster and deeper); then you can have a cool drink @ the end...you (I) deserve it. :b

* 40 for some.

 

[1234r7x]

Did you use xlr to rca cables to connect to your home stereo?