The 160A is the current version of the classic dbx 160 compressor. The original 160 was a half-width 2U box and the 160X was the first of the 1U mono compressors, a format that continues today with the 160A

The 160 is famous for drum & ambience compression and it’s equally good on bass. It’s definitely a compressor with its own sound so some will love it more than others. I don’t think there’s anyone who hates the 160…

The 160A sounds very similar to the older X and XT. It’s a superb compressor for bass, very usable on vocals particularly to bring out the quality of a voice and, in a stereo pair, great for drum ambience

The 160A is the latest in a long line of 160 models. It’s not particularly flexible or transparent-sounding but, when it hits the spot, it hits it better than pretty much anything else. It’s a VCA compressor with real character and real warmth, which makes it a rare compressor indeed. It makes most other compressors sound boring & sterile

The 160 is one of the few compressors that makes it into my  Top Five Compressor list:

1. UREI 1176
2. UREI LA-2A
3. dbx 160XT
4. SSL 4000E Bus Compressor
5. Empirical Labs Fatso

In excellent condition with only very minor marks. Tested & working 100%. Photos show the 160A for sale

The post dbx 160A Compressor #207 appeared first on BN1studio.

Shure M267 preamp / limiter with output limiter

I have a number of M267s in prep, plus FP42 stereo preamps and FP11 limiter / preamps here

The Shure Level-Loc has achieved vintage / price-gouging / pimping notoriety thanks to a couple of high-profile users. The M267 has a similar Shure limiter in a 4-channel mic pre at a sensible price. They’ve been very popular – everyone seems to like the effect of the limiter, particularly with room mics

The limiter sets a maximum output level from the mixer. After that, any increase in gain just makes the signal denser and more compressed. It’s a neat trick, surprisingly controllable and definitely useable

The M267 is part of a dynasty of Shure preamps which have been used in the USA & round the world for forty-odd years. They’re definitely not audiophile units, but utilitarian devices for small-scale PA & location recording uses. Their appeal for recording lies in the transformer inputs and output limiter

The M267 has transformer-balanced inputs and outputs, low-cut filters on the inputs , a VU meter and a headphone output. It also has a built-in line up oscillator, switchable phantom power and three power sources (DC, battery or AC)

The limiter is post-channel and post-output control and does an excellent job of levelling the output signal and adding huge amounts of distortion. The limiter threshold is adjustable via pot on the underside of the unit

“The limiter on that Shure mixer is awesome. You can get some great Level-Loc type sounds out of it.”

“One cool thing that they do is they have a level loc style of limiting ability when you hit the transformers hard enough”

“I have an M67 and an M267. Both are great color boxes and can make some really nice recordings”

“Whether being hardware or software, what’s your current go-to device to foul all kind of sound sources up beyond all repair?

“Shure M267 microphone mixer. Has transformer love in and out. And features a level-loc style limiter. Nothing subtle about that machine”

“-Also Deltalab Effectron. Its a very early digital delay, with some esoteric A/D conversion, that fux the sound into lofi smile if you turn down the delay. Also it the delay feedback path somehow creeps itself into to the input limiter op-amp distortion, so you can further shape the destruction”

“Been wanting something like a #levelLoc to crush a room mic but dont wanna spend a lot? … #shure m267”

Link to all Shure preamps

In very good used condition with only minor marks. Tested & working 100%. Photos to follow

The post Shure M267 Mic Preamp / Limiter #62 appeared first on BN1studio.

Shure M267 preamp / limiter with output limiter

I have a number of M267s in prep, plus FP42 stereo preamps and FP11 limiter / preamps here

The Shure Level-Loc has achieved vintage / price-gouging / pimping notoriety thanks to a couple of high-profile users. The M267 has a similar Shure limiter in a 4-channel mic pre at a sensible price. They’ve been very popular – everyone seems to like the effect of the limiter, particularly with room mics

The limiter sets a maximum output level from the mixer. After that, any increase in gain just makes the signal denser and more compressed. It’s a neat trick, surprisingly controllable and definitely useable

The M267 is part of a dynasty of Shure preamps which have been used in the USA & round the world for forty-odd years. They’re definitely not audiophile units, but utilitarian devices for small-scale PA & location recording uses. Their appeal for recording lies in the transformer inputs and output limiter

The M267 has transformer-balanced inputs and outputs, low-cut filters on the inputs , a VU meter and a headphone output. It also has a built-in line up oscillator, switchable phantom power and three power sources (DC, battery or AC)

The limiter is post-channel and post-output control and does an excellent job of levelling the output signal and adding huge amounts of distortion. The limiter threshold is adjustable via pot on the underside of the unit

“The limiter on that Shure mixer is awesome. You can get some great Level-Loc type sounds out of it.”

“One cool thing that they do is they have a level loc style of limiting ability when you hit the transformers hard enough”

“I have an M67 and an M267. Both are great color boxes and can make some really nice recordings”

“Whether being hardware or software, what’s your current go-to device to foul all kind of sound sources up beyond all repair?

“Shure M267 microphone mixer. Has transformer love in and out. And features a level-loc style limiter. Nothing subtle about that machine”

“-Also Deltalab Effectron. Its a very early digital delay, with some esoteric A/D conversion, that fux the sound into lofi smile if you turn down the delay. Also it the delay feedback path somehow creeps itself into to the input limiter op-amp distortion, so you can further shape the destruction”

“Been wanting something like a #levelLoc to crush a room mic but dont wanna spend a lot? … #shure m267”

Link to all Shure preamps

In very good used condition with only minor marks. Tested & working 100%. Photos to follow

The post Shure M267 Mic Preamp / Limiter #61 appeared first on BN1studio.

“The sound include some stupendous wave-sequence emulations, gorgeous pads, cutting organs, and some of the best drum kits I’ve ever encountered on a ROMpler.”

“Sounds … this is why I bought it … this is why I keep!

There are many, mythical and deep! Some acoustic instruments are certainly daunting, but the potential modulation, controls and effects are to forget!

Tablecloths are beautiful, scalable wish (thank you to the original patch) The bass is deep and terrible … dry! “ – transliterated from the original French

In excellent, used condition with minimal marks. Power supply recapped. Tested & working 100%. Photos to follow

The post Korg Trinity TR Rack #12 (Refurbished & Recapped) appeared first on BN1studio.

Vintage dbx 165A compressor. The 165A is an updated version of the 165 and adds a peak limiter. Based on a proprietary VCA, the 165A is an Over-Easy compressor in the traditional dbx style

The post dbx 165A #1 appeared first on BN1studio.

E-MU Xtreme Lead XL1 synth, refurbished with a recapped power supply and new main encoder

The Xtreme Lead is based on the Proteus 2000 and is aimed at lead sounds and rhythms. It has four expansion slots for ROM cards and comes with the standard X-LEAD sample ROM

“Sounds of the Xtreme Lead-1 include techno basses, buzzed out synth leads, pads, dance drumkits, vocal stabs, hits, analog synths, DJ scratches, etc. The twelve assignable real-time front panel controls provide fast hands-on access.” – Vintage Synth Explorer

In excellent used condition with minimal case marks or rack rash. Refurbished in our workshops with a recapped power supply and new main encoder. Tested & working 100%. Photos to follow

The post E-MU Extreme Lead XL1 Synth Module, Refurbished, #3 appeared first on BN1studio.

The 160A is the current version of the classic dbx 160 compressor. The original 160 was a half-width 2U box and the 160X was the first of the 1U mono compressors, a format that continues today with the 160A

The 160 is famous for drum & ambience compression and it’s equally good on bass. It’s definitely a compressor with its own sound so some will love it more than others. I don’t think there’s anyone who hates the 160…

The 160A sounds very similar to the older X and XT. It’s a superb compressor for bass, very usable on vocals particularly to bring out the quality of a voice and, in a stereo pair, great for drum ambience

The 160A is the latest in a long line of 160 models. It’s not particularly flexible or transparent-sounding but, when it hits the spot, it hits it better than pretty much anything else. It’s a VCA compressor with real character and real warmth, which makes it a rare compressor indeed. It makes most other compressors sound boring & sterile

The 160 is one of the few compressors that makes it into my All Time Top Five Compressor list:

1. UREI 1176
2. UREI LA-2A
3. dbx 160XT
4. SSL 4000E Bus Compressor
5. Valley People Dynamite

In excellent condition with only minor marks. Tested & working 100%. Photos to follow

The post dbx 160A Compressor #201 appeared first on BN1studio.

I have a number of M267s in prep, plus FP42 stereo preamps and FP11 limiter / preamps here

The Shure Level-Loc has achieved vintage / price-gouging / pimping notoriety thanks to a couple of high-profile users. The M267 has a similar Shure limiter in a 4-channel mic pre at a sensible price. They’ve been very popular – everyone seems to like the effect of the limiter, particularly with room mics

The limiter sets a maximum output level from the mixer. After that, any increase in gain just makes the signal denser and more compressed. It’s a neat trick, surprisingly controllable and definitely useable

The M267 is part of a dynasty of Shure preamps in use round the world for fmore than forty years. They’re definitely not audiophile units, but utilitarian devices for small-scale PA & location recording. Their appeal for recording lies in their transformer inputs and output limiter

The M267 has transformer-balanced inputs and outputs, low-cut filters on the inputs, a VU meter and a headphone output. It also has a built-in line up oscillator, switchable phantom power and three power sources (DC, battery or AC)

The limiter is post-channel and post-output control and does an excellent job of levelling the output signal and adding huge amounts of distortion. The limiter threshold is adjustable via pot on the underside of the unit

“The limiter on that Shure mixer is awesome. You can get some great Level-Loc type sounds out of it.”

“One cool thing that they do is they have a level loc style of limiting ability when you hit the transformers hard enough”

“I have an M67 and an M267. Both are great color boxes and can make some really nice recordings”

“Whether being hardware or software, what’s your current go-to device to foul all kind of sound sources up beyond all repair?

“Shure M267 microphone mixer. Has transformer love in and out. And features a level-loc style limiter. Nothing subtle about that machine”

“-Also Deltalab Effectron. Its a very early digital delay, with some esoteric A/D conversion, that fux the sound into lofi smile if you turn down the delay. Also it the delay feedback path somehow creeps itself into to the input limiter op-amp distortion, so you can further shape the destruction”

“Been wanting something like a #levelLoc to crush a room mic but dont wanna spend a lot? … #shure m267”

Link to all Shure preamps

In very good used condition with only minor marks. Tested & working 100%. Photos to follow

The post Shure M267 Mic Preamp / Limiter #60 appeared first on BN1studio.

Refurbished in our workshops, set to 230 Volts for use in the UK / EU, new backup battery fitted and reset to factory settings. In very good condition with an unmarked front panel but some rust spots on the back panel

The JD-990 was the final model in the JD series and was an enhanced version of the JD-800 keyboard. It features one SR-JV80 expansion slot plus PCM and Data card slots.

It predated the JV-series synths, but came with a better filter than the later synths. It’s the filter and improved sound quality of the JD-990 that make it desirable and sought-after

See the Links tab above for Youtube demos and other information

“The expansion boards are totally worth having for two reasons: 1) you get access to some great ROMpler voices, and 2) you gain access to the raw waveforms on the expansion boards for adding into your own custom patches”

“Roland have got just about everything right with the JD990 — it sounds superb straight out of the box and its extensive bag of tricks are under the control of a user interface that anyone can handle” – Sound on Sound

“In a bunch of places JD-990 is called “Best Roland Ever Made” and I agree”

“Worth every penny second hand, esp if a clean unit that’s not been bashed around. The JD filter is like nothing on earth. I have a 990 and an 800 and love them both for different reasons (and same reasons i.e the filter)”

“I use (and have for a long time) many soft synths, but this is one of those bits of hardware that just seems quite unique and feels hard to replace”

“To my ears, the Vintage board sounds best in the JD-990”

In excellent condition with only tiny marks. Switched to 230 Volt for the UK / EU, backup battery replaced & reset to factory settings

Tested & working 100%. Photos to follow

The post Roland JD-990 Synth Module #4 appeared first on BN1studio.

Sought-after stereo compressor from Brooke Siren Systems of North London. DPR-402s are so hard to find in decent condition but this one is very tidy with just a few of the usual paint chips on the front panel

The DPR-402 has a de-esser, compressor and limiter for each channel.  The back panel has fast/ slow limiter release switches and a stereo link switch plus a terminal block which allows access to more complex functions such as frequency-dependent compression and HF limiting. See section 14 of the owners manual (link under the Links tab) for details

Operation of the DPR-402 is straightforward . The panel layout is logical and switch placement good with the exception of the bpypass switches which are directly above the power switch. use with caution!

You can get up & running with the DPR-402 in minutes but it’ll take some time to get to grips with what it is capable of. It’s a real Swiss Army Knife of a compressor. It can be subtle & smooth, or pumpy, or brutal – choose ratios & release times with care and explore the controls

BSS packed a lot into the DPR-402 and it repays experimentation. There are very few dynamic effects it can’t achieve. My advice is not to bury it in a rack but keep it front & centre till you’re familiar with it. That way you’ll get the best out of it

In very good, used condition. This is not a tired ex-rental unit covered in scratches! Knobs & switches are original and work as intended. Tested & working 100%. Photos show the compressor for sale

The post BSS DPR-402 Stereo Compressor #4 appeared first on BN1studio.