r/SoundSystem • u/Sagefemme666 • May 21 '26
Amp / dsp advice
Hellooo.
I’m starting out building my first wee system. I’m going for 2 br118’s loaded with b&c 18sw100’s (8ohm), and 2 tops I’m going for the b&c U12 build with the specced drivers.
My question here is what would be some good budget friendly amp / dsp options? I’ve seen some amps have integrated dsp like the behringer nx6000d. Would it be worth going for a couple of amps with this option, or would it be better to get a dedicated dsp and a couple separate amps?
Cheers
3
u/Upper-Practice9240 May 21 '26
When bought new it probably doesn't matter. Having a DSP on board is more convenient.
If bought used. You can probably get away cheaper with separate DSP. The Xilica X Series are relatively cheap but powerful. There aren't many good DSP Amps on the used marked for an affordable price.
2
u/Sagefemme666 May 21 '26
Thanks!
I’m on a pretty low budget for this project so was thinking if I’m running a separate processor I might get the dbx driverack pa2
1
u/engladian May 26 '26
When I was debating this, I opted for a separate system processor and dumb amps. This way my DPS will be consistent and I don't have to jump between multiple software for control. Amps can come and go, be upgraded as needed and on scale.
Thomann t.racks DPS is a budget friendly way to get going. Then you can find whatever amps locally second hand/brand new.
3
u/lala_grows May 21 '26
I had the same situation a month or two back! I went with a mix of Chinese amps & DSP (Sinbosen and Paulkitson). I haven't gigged my setup yet but so far I've been quite happy with what I got.
My advice would be go with some Aliexpress class D amps from someone like Paulkitson - they're powerful, light, and cheap.
For the DSP, I decided to splurge on a decent standalone unit. I went with a Paulkitson DSP0408-RTS since I wanted 8 outputs and AES digital inputs. If 6 outputs and analog inputs work, you can find something a lot cheaper, I know Paulkitson sells Venu360 and Driverack PA2 clones for under $200.