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 show the compressor for sale

The post dbx 160A Compressor #175 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 show the compressor for sale

The post dbx 160A Compressor #173 appeared first on BN1studio.

Vintage dbx 160X compressor in excellent, used condition with minor marks. Pots & switches cleaned & metering aligned. Tested & working 100%. Photos show the compressor for sale

The 160X is probably the best-known of the classic dbx 160 compressors. The original 160 was a half-width 2U box and the 160X was the first of the 1U dbx rack compressors. It was superceded by the 160XT which added XLR connectors

To my ears there is little or no difference between the 160X and the 160XT. I also have 160XTs for sale

The 160X is super-simple with just three controls: threshold, compression ratio and output gain. Threshold and output level are self-explanatory. The compression ratio is infinitely variable from 1:1 through 4:1 and 8:1 all the way to ∞:1 and beyond, to negative ratios, where output decreases with input. This allows for some pretty extreme compression effects

The front panel also has an Over Easy switch, to change the shape of the threshold knee, meter input / output switch, bypass switch and a slave switch for stereo linking. Metering is via two horizontal LED bargraphs, one for input or output level and one for gain reduction. Dynamics of the LED displays are excellent and it’s easy to see what the compressor is doing, even from a distance and under poor lighting conditions

“I think the 160X is the best compressor for drums that I’ve found. You just give it a little bit on the kick and snare while you’re recording and it brings them into focus. I don’t think you can find anything better for kick and snare — they’re amazing! You can really slam them too! I love the fact that they have a really quick recovery, and you can exaggerate it if you need to” – Glenn Ballard

“The 160X is about the best bang-for-your buck compressor that you can get”

“The 160x/xt is fantastic. Don’t be fooled by the price. You should buy one whatever happens”

“160X’s have that unique ability to be aggressive with grit that few compressors have”

The 160X is famous as a drum compressor. It adds punch & attitude to kicks & snares and is excellent for squashing overheads and ambience mics. Use a pair for drum bus parallel compression and you’ll have instant punch to beef up the drum mix. The 160X is superb for bass guitars and synths – it’s one of my favourites for bass guitar as it sits the bass just where you want it without killing the dynamics

The 160X is definitely a compressor with its own sound. It’s not a transparent, invisible compressor, but more like a giant hand that grabs hold of the signal to bend & twist it. The Americans call the 160X a “color compressor”. I can’t argue with that description as it adds colour and aggression to any signal that passes through it. It doesn’t suit every situation but it’s a hard compressor to live without once you’ve used one

I tested these 160Xs on drum loops and bass guitar and got superb results with both. With loops, the threshold setting is critical – too much compression and it can kill the dynamics. With the right threshold setting, and appropriate choice of hard knee or over-easy, the 160X adds snap to drums and tightens up loops. On bass guitar you can dial up quite large amounts of compression, adding colour and growl to the sound

The 160X is a great tool for parallel compression. It’s also worth experimenting with the dbx and another, softer, compressor in the signal chain

The dbx 160XT sits at #3 in my newly-revised Compressor Top Ten

1. UREI 1176
2. UREI LA-2A
3. dbx 160XT
4. SSL 4000E Bus Compressor
5. Fatso EL7X
6. Distressor EL8X
7. Valley People Dynamite
8. Gain Brain
9. dbx 163X
10. FMR Really Nice Compressor

In excellent, used condition. Tested & working 100%. Pots & switches cleaned & metering aligned. Photos show the compressor for sale

The post dbx 160X Compressor #171 appeared first on BN1studio.

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 show the compressor for sale

The post dbx 160A Compressor #170 appeared first on BN1studio.

Tested & working 100% and sounding really good! Pots & switches cleaned & metering aligned. Photos show the 160X for sale

The 160X is probably the best-known of the classic dbx 160 compressors. The original 160 was a half-width 2U box and the 160X was the first of the 1U dbx rack compressors. It was superceded by the 160XT which added XLR connectors

To my ears there is little or no difference between the 160X and the 160XT. I also have 160XTs for sale

The 160X is super-simple with just three controls: threshold, compression ratio and output gain. Threshold and output level are self-explanatory. The compression ratio is infinitely variable from 1:1 through 4:1 and 8:1 all the way to ∞:1 and beyond, to negative ratios, where output decreases with input. This allows for some pretty extreme compression effects

The front panel also has an Over Easy switch, to change the shape of the threshold knee, meter input / output switch, bypass switch and a slave switch for stereo linking. Metering is via two horizontal LED bargraphs, one for input or output level and one for gain reduction. Dynamics of the LED displays are excellent and it’s easy to see what the compressor is doing, even from a distance and under poor lighting conditions

“I think the 160X is the best compressor for drums that I’ve found. You just give it a little bit on the kick and snare while you’re recording and it brings them into focus. I don’t think you can find anything better for kick and snare — they’re amazing! You can really slam them too! I love the fact that they have a really quick recovery, and you can exaggerate it if you need to” – Glenn Ballard

“The 160X is about the best bang-for-your buck compressor that you can get”

“The 160x/xt is fantastic. Don’t be fooled by the price. You should buy one whatever happens”

“160X’s have that unique ability to be aggressive with grit that few compressors have”

The 160X is famous as a drum compressor. It adds punch & attitude to kicks & snares and is excellent for squashing overheads and ambience mics. Use a pair for drum bus parallel compression and you’ll have instant punch to beef up the drum mix. The 160X is superb for bass guitars and synths – it’s one of my favourites for bass guitar as it sits the bass just where you want it without killing the dynamics

The 160X is definitely a compressor with its own sound. It’s not a transparent, invisible compressor, but more like a giant hand that grabs hold of the signal to bend & twist it. The Americans call the 160X a “color compressor”. I can’t argue with that description as it adds colour and aggression to any signal that passes through it. It doesn’t suit every situation but it’s a hard compressor to live without once you’ve used one

I test 160Xs on drum loops and bass guitar. With loops, the threshold setting is critical – too much compression and it can kill the dynamics. With the right threshold setting, and appropriate choice of hard knee or over-easy, the 160X adds snap to drums and tightens up loops. On bass guitar you can dial up quite large amounts of compression, adding colour and growl to the sound

The 160X is a great tool for parallel compression. It’s also worth experimenting with the dbx and another, softer, compressor in the signal chain

The dbx 160XT sits at #3 in my newly-revised Compressor Top Ten

1. UREI 1176
2. UREI LA-2A
3. dbx 160XT
4. SSL 4000E Bus Compressor
5. Fatso EL7X
6. Distressor EL8X
7. Valley People Dynamite
8. Gain Brain
9. dbx 163X
10. FMR Really Nice Compressor

In excellent, used condition with minor marks. Tested & working 100%. Pots & switches cleaned & metering aligned. Photos show the compressor for sale

The post dbx 160X Compressor #160, USA-made appeared first on BN1studio.

The 160X is probably the best-known of the classic dbx 160 compressors. The original 160 was a half-width 2U box and the 160X was the first of the 1U dbx rack compressors. It was superceded by the 160XT which added XLR connectors

To my ears there is little or no difference between the 160X and the 160XT. I also have 160XTs for sale

The 160X is super-simple with just three controls: threshold, compression ratio and output gain. Threshold and output level are self-explanatory. The compression ratio is infinitely variable from 1:1 through 4:1 and 8:1 all the way to ∞:1 and beyond, to negative ratios, where output decreases with input. This allows for some pretty extreme compression effects

The front panel also has an Over Easy switch, to change the shape of the threshold knee, meter input / output switch, bypass switch and a slave switch for stereo linking. Metering is via two horizontal LED bargraphs, one for input or output level and one for gain reduction. Dynamics of the LED displays are excellent and it’s easy to see what the compressor is doing, even from a distance and under poor lighting conditions

“I think the 160X is the best compressor for drums that I’ve found. You just give it a little bit on the kick and snare while you’re recording and it brings them into focus. I don’t think you can find anything better for kick and snare — they’re amazing! You can really slam them too! I love the fact that they have a really quick recovery, and you can exaggerate it if you need to” – Glenn Ballard

“The 160X is about the best bang-for-your buck compressor that you can get”

“The 160x/xt is fantastic. Don’t be fooled by the price. You should buy one whatever happens”

“160X’s have that unique ability to be aggressive with grit that few compressors have”

The 160X is famous as a drum compressor. It adds punch & attitude to kicks & snares and is excellent for squashing overheads and ambience mics. Use a pair for drum bus parallel compression and you’ll have instant punch to beef up the drum mix. The 160X is superb for bass guitars and synths – it’s one of my favourites for bass guitar as it sits the bass just where you want it without killing the dynamics

The 160X is definitely a compressor with its own sound. It’s not a transparent, invisible compressor, but more like a giant hand that grabs hold of the signal to bend & twist it. The Americans call the 160X a “color compressor”. I can’t argue with that description as it adds colour and aggression to any signal that passes through it. It doesn’t suit every situation but it’s a hard compressor to live without once you’ve used one

I tested these 160Xs on drum loops and bass guitar and got superb results with both. With loops, the threshold setting is critical – too much compression and it can kill the dynamics. With the right threshold setting, and appropriate choice of hard knee or over-easy, the 160X adds snap to drums and tightens up loops. On bass guitar you can dial up quite large amounts of compression, adding colour and growl to the sound

The 160X is a great tool for parallel compression. It’s also worth experimenting with the dbx and another, softer, compressor in the signal chain

The dbx 160XT sits at #3 in my newly-revised Compressor Top Ten

1. UREI 1176
2. UREI LA-2A
3. dbx 160XT
4. SSL 4000E Bus Compressor
5. Fatso EL7X
6. Distressor EL8X
7. Valley People Dynamite
8. Gain Brain
9. dbx 163X
10. FMR Really Nice Compressor

In excellent, used condition. Tested & working 100%. Pots & switches cleaned & metering aligned. Photos show the compressor for sale

The post dbx 160X Compressor #159 appeared first on BN1studio.

The 902 is a vintage dbx de-esser module designed for the dbx 900-Series rack. The 900-Series predates the popular 500-Series format by a few years but is similar is concept. As well as a big 19” rack for multiple modules, dbx produced the FS900 to hold two modules in a 1U format

The 902 is one of the few hardware de-essers available, and one of the best. Using industry-standard dbx VCAs, the 902 offers effective hardware de-essing that is simple to use & extremely effective. Each module has four controls: range – setting the depth of the de-essing, frequency – which sets the centre frequency of the detector, mode – which switches between HF-only and full-band, and an in / out switch. As with the 903 compressor, an led ladder displays gain reduction

The 902 modules listed here include one 1st-gen version with the silver edges and one 2nd-gen black finish. Photos show the items for sale

There are very few hardware de-essers about, and even fewer that have a reputation for being great at their job. Whilst it’s possible to setup a compressor & sidechain to do de-essing, the 902 and the SPL de-esser are consistently mentioned as being the best of the bunch for simple, easy-to-use hardware de-essing

“They beat all of my plugs”

“Agreed, no plugin ever gets near the 902”

“I kept trying plug in de-essers that were by all rights quality ones (Waves, UAD), but kept getting frustrated that they weren’t giving me what I wanted.

I finally picked up a hardware 902, and on first try was like, (twists knobs) “oh, that’s it”.”

“I plug in a DBX and problem solved in 2 seconds”

The post dbx 902 De-Esser, pair in dbx FS900 rack #7 appeared first on BN1studio.

The 160X is probably the best-known of the classic dbx 160 compressors. The original 160 was a half-width 2U box and the 160X was the first of the 1U dbx rack compressors. It was superceded by the 160XT which added XLR connectors

To my ears there is little or no difference between the 160X and the 160XT. I also have 160XTs for sale

The 160X is super-simple with just three controls: threshold, compression ratio and output gain. Threshold and output level are self-explanatory. The compression ratio is infinitely variable from 1:1 through 4:1 and 8:1 all the way to ∞:1 and beyond, to negative ratios, where output decreases with input. This allows for some pretty extreme compression effects

The front panel also has an Over Easy switch, to change the shape of the threshold knee, meter input / output switch, bypass switch and a slave switch for stereo linking. Metering is via two horizontal LED bargraphs, one for input or output level and one for gain reduction. Dynamics of the LED displays are excellent and it’s easy to see what the compressor is doing, even from a distance and under poor lighting conditions

“I think the 160X is the best compressor for drums that I’ve found. You just give it a little bit on the kick and snare while you’re recording and it brings them into focus. I don’t think you can find anything better for kick and snare — they’re amazing! You can really slam them too! I love the fact that they have a really quick recovery, and you can exaggerate it if you need to” – Glenn Ballard

“The 160X is about the best bang-for-your buck compressor that you can get”

“The 160x/xt is fantastic. Don’t be fooled by the price. You should buy one whatever happens”

“160X’s have that unique ability to be aggressive with grit that few compressors have”

The 160X is famous as a drum compressor. It adds punch & attitude to kicks & snares and is excellent for squashing overheads and ambience mics. Use a pair for drum bus parallel compression and you’ll have instant punch to beef up the drum mix. The 160X is superb for bass guitars and synths – it’s one of my favourites for bass guitar as it sits the bass just where you want it without killing the dynamics

The 160X is definitely a compressor with its own sound. It’s not a transparent, invisible compressor, but more like a giant hand that grabs hold of the signal to bend & twist it. The Americans call the 160X a “color compressor”. I can’t argue with that description as it adds colour and aggression to any signal that passes through it. It doesn’t suit every situation but it’s a hard compressor to live without once you’ve used one

I tested these 160Xs on drum loops and bass guitar and got superb results with both. With loops, the threshold setting is critical – too much compression and it can kill the dynamics. With the right threshold setting, and appropriate choice of hard knee or over-easy, the 160X adds snap to drums and tightens up loops. On bass guitar you can dial up quite large amounts of compression, adding colour and growl to the sound

The 160X is a great tool for parallel compression. It’s also worth experimenting with the dbx and another, softer, compressor in the signal chain

The dbx 160XT sits at #3 in my newly-revised Compressor Top Ten

1. UREI 1176
2. UREI LA-2A
3. dbx 160XT
4. SSL 4000E Bus Compressor
5. Fatso EL7X
6. Distressor EL8X
7. Valley People Dynamite
8. Gain Brain
9. dbx 163X
10. FMR Really Nice Compressor

In good, used condition. Tested & working 100%. Pots & switches cleaned & metering aligned. Photos show the compressor for sale

The post dbx 160X Compressor #144 appeared first on BN1studio.

Photos show a 120XP sold previously, not the unit for sale

This is an unusual piece of kit, even by outboard gear standards. The dbx 120A is a Subharmonic Synthesizer which generates low frequency subharmonics to increase bass output. It’s designed to enhance the low end by adding really low frequencies that doesn’t exist in the original signal. So, unlike enhancers or EQ which work with what’s already there, the 120A generates additional subharmonics to add to the signal

The 120A can be used on an insert – it has stereo inputs & outputs – or on a send with the return coming from the subwoofer output. It’s capable of generating large amounts of subharmonics so needs to be used with a degree of caution!

dbx has made a number of subharmonic synthesisers which are all basically similar. The 120A and 120XP are probably the best known and the 120A is a current product. They’re popular on film post stages for generating subharmonic rumbles for movie effects

I spent a while playing with the Subharmonic Synthesiser. It surprised me how effective it was and how much excitement it could add to a mix. It’s an easy effect to overdo, particularly when monitoring on small speakers when the true effect can’t be felt. Pulling the grilles off your speakers and switching the 120 in and out is instructive – with it switched in, you can see the bass cones flapping around like crazy if you’ve overdone it

To be used with caution on mixes, with care on sound effects, and with reckless abandon on big PA rigs. The 120A is one of the best toys I’ve played with in years. Useful for adding that ultra-low end in a mix, beefing up wimpy samples, or for adding rumble to a PA setup. The 120A will make things wobble!

The post dbx 120XP Stereo Subharmonic Synthesiser (B Stock) #5 appeared first on BN1studio.