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DBX 160VU compressor/limiter pair - Vintage/Used  From dbx

this is THE DBX compressor. If you're looking for punch and smack, without having to take forever to get it dialed in, get this compressor pair and be done with it. We've wired them up with mogami XLR cables so you won't have to fuss with the barrier strip connections on the rear panel.

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This specific item was photographed by us here in Durham, North Carolina. We are a very small team dedicated to providing you the most accurate photos possible, through our obsessive focus - individually photographing nearly everything that comes through the door. Questions about what you see? Want more information, photos, or just a friendly conversation with someone that cares and who has actually had their hands on this exact item? Contact us now!
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Sound Pure's dedication to pre-owned products is unprecedented in the industry. We are a small team of dedicated experts that buys, trades, and consigns. We are trusted by customers all over the world. Our curated collection, is thoroughly tested and inspected by some of the best in the business. Our inventory is constantly changing, ever-evolving, with some items sold before reaching the website. Looking for something specific? Have questions about this product's condition or history? Want more photos, or to simply chat with an expert who's had his hands on this actual piece? Contact us now.
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This one is sold. Don't miss the next one. Some things never even make it to the site so stay up to date on our used collection.

We get in many oddities, rare and vintage products, most of which go fast. If you're on the hunt for something specific, something unique, or something priced right, let us notify you on our used collection before the items even hit the site.

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What We Think

This is a great sounding pair of DBX 160 VU's. They sound great, and were upgraded by Jim Williams just a few years ago. Keep in mind, these vintage DBX 160's have connections using barrier strips instead of a more common TRS or XLR connector. We've decided to wire these compressors up with mogami XLR cables, so they will be ready for quick integration into a modern studio. 

Manufacturer's Description from dbx

The DBX 160 is a single-channel compressor/limiter combining sophisticated technology and user-oriented features in a compact package. Unique circuit designs, such as true RMS level-detection and feed-forward gain reduction, place the 160 in a completely different class from conventional compressor/limiters.

The DBX technique of true RMS level-detection gives you audible benefits. Most compressor/limiters use some form of peak detection, with fast response characteristics that can have a disturbing effect on program material. True RMS level detection closely simulates the response of the human ear. Even at high compression ratios, the gain changing action of the 160 series is highly listenable and natural sounding.

Because of the unique feed-forward approach, DBX 160 limiters can achieve infinite compression with complete stability and inaudible distortion. The DBX approach is quite unlike gain reduction in a conventional compressor/limiter. Traditional gain reduction is accomplished by sensing signal level at the device's output and applying a correction signal, via a feedback loop.  At progressively higher compression ratios, the feedback loop's gain increases, distortion increases, and eventually instability or oscillation occurs. To avoid this problem, many conventional units restrict the maximum amount of feedback, thus restricting the maximum compression ratio to some lower ratio, such as 10:1 or 20:1. The DBX 160 is free of the instability of excessive loop gain and can provide infinite compression (approximately 120:1).

In addition to increasing the stability and the available range of compression, bdx's feed-forward approach makes it possible for the attack and release times to "track" the signal envelope. In conventional compressor/limiters, the attack and release times depend on feedback loop gain, which means they constantly must be readjusted for optimum results at different compression ratios. Since the attack and release times of the DBX 160 vary automatically with the rate of level change in the program material (the envelope shape), operation is simplified; no manual attack/release adjustments are required. At the same time, the "naturalness" of any given sound is better preserved.

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DBX 160 Owners Manual