number for TOA before they leave the shop
in the event tech support is required. As far
as I’m concerned, any product that ships
today that requires the connection of a PC
running a control or programming applica-
tion should have tech support contact infor-
mation readily accessible to the installer.
The manuals do provide very good informa-
tion on the connection of the hardware and
the installation of the software application,
but there were a few hitches in getting the
box to talk to the PC, so having this infor-
mation available could save time.
Additionally, the “help” menu only con-
tained information about the software ver-
sion. There is no typical on-line help or
manual. Also, the laptop or computer that
you will use to control and configure the
unit will have to be equipped with a floppy
drive or preloaded at the shop as the appli-
cation software is provided on two 3.5-inch
floppy disks rather than CD-ROM. You can
also download the software from the com-
pany’s web site, www.toaelectronics.com.
The software provided with the unit is the
DACSys 2000 version 1.3 (version 2.0 is
now available) as well as a utility for
uploading the latest firmware revisions.
Loading the software on the computer is
straight-forward, and a simple DB9 serial
cable is required to make the connections
from the computer to the unit. Be sure to use
a quality cable and mind the RS232 protocol
distance rules or communication could be a
problem. After getting the computer and
box to communicate, creating a new config-
uration and entering the main configuration
control screen was very straightforward and
intuitive. Kudos to TOA for providing a full
size screen with different windows that
keeps the current state of each process in
front of you throughout the programming
process. I think this is a significant advan-
tage over selecting tabs or reopening win-
dows to remember what the setting of a par-
ticular process are. The software provides
an autoconnect function which scans the
computers serial ports for units and con-
nects it automatically.
Setting up a new project is as easy as
selecting “New,” naming the project and
selecting the DSP input/output preference.
The unit offers configurations of 2 x 6, 2 x
8, 2 x 10 and 4 x 6, 4 x 8 and 6 x 6. After a
few short clicks of selecting and naming the
unit and configuration, you are into the main
screen. To adjust a parameter simply put
your pointer on the box representing the
process, click and all the adjustable parame-
ters are instantly available in the window
just below the configuration window. There,
you simply click on the parameter, adjust
the slider, move the EQ point, etc. There are
helpful and subtle graphic icons that keep
you focused on the changes you are making
during process like turning off channels,
changing volumes to null, etc. It is truly a
point and click scenario. The main screen
has a memory compare function that allows
you to virtually flip between presets and set-
tings for different configurations. So config-
uring a system with multiple boxes (chained
units) is a breeze. Connecting inputs and
outputs is fast and easy. The sound quality
of the unit is good with smooth transitions
between presets.
SUMMARY
The DP-0206 is a well-thought-out pro-
cessor with an intuitive user interface and
excellent sound quality. Its setup is relatively
easy and can be controlled via presets or a
computer GUI. Its “nailed up” approach to
processing can be a time saver without sacri-
ficing quality. In installations where you
don’t anticipate the need to design tailored
DSP functions but still need the flexibility to
tweak the system with changes, this is a great
box. The fact that you can chain units togeth-
er with centralized control increases the flex-
ibility of this system and its usefulness.
Copyright 2003 IMAS Publishing (USA), Inc. Reprinted with permission. Reprinted from Pro Audio Review
Fast Facts
■ Applications:
Sound reinforcement, installation,
multizone distributed sound
systems
■ Key Features:
User presets; intuitive GUI
interface; multiple unit operation
■ Price:
$3,294; two channel I/O expander
modules - $514 each
■ Contact:
TOA Electronics at 800-733-7088,
www.toaelectronics.com.
TOA Electronics, Inc.
601 Gateway Blvd., Suite 300
South San Francisco, CA 94080
Telephone: 650-588-2538
Toll Free: 1-800-733-7088
Fax: 650-588-3349
Website: www.toaelectronics.com
Email: info@toaelectronics.com
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