dbx 160X

If you hit this compressor with a very hard signal you will hear the compression and the sound of the unit. The sound of the unit is not what I want in a compressor for all things. I used this for very specific instruments such as snare drum or at times a kick drum, but not on vocals. For vocals, even at a mere 2:1 it is very noticeable and I don't want that in a vocal performance. I don't think you would want this for studio applications. I would buy a better compressor such as the Empirical Labs or a really high end unit. The unit lay out is about as simple as you can get. Threshold, ratio, output, bypass.... you get the picture and for the price it is great for live. I have seen many young producers use this compressor and use it the wrong way. For the price it is a bit high for my liking and I would not get this unit for the studio but that is my opinion and I am sure that there are many studios that use them in-house for vocals and other instruments but for me it is way to compressed sounding even on a light ratio and with not much input gain it can be heard. I tried it on bass guitar a few times and it is really a great unit for that but that was live and when I used it for vocals live it picks up so much bleed that I had to go back to using it for bass and guitars. When I have tried it in the studio it really does not sound like some of my compressors that cost about the same. I like the Blue Tube better for the studio personally.

UTILIZATION

It is not difficult to get use to if you have used a hardware unit before. If you have not it will be confusing. The manual will only help you if you know compression and how much to use or not to use.

SOUND QUALITY

I used this on snare drum, bass and guitars only. I only like DBX on bass guitar or snare. The hardest hitting instruments. I also use it on kick or room mics. If you like colored compressor this unit will suffice but if your not use to compression this will be over your head.

OVERALL OPINION

It has a colored sound and if you are not use to compression you may want to get use to it on a plug in first. DBX has a very distinct and so you have to be very careful as to how much to use. I have tried this on Live Sound and snare is the most common use for it or in a guitar rig it is great. I have seen a lot of them in guitar racks for some time. If you are not use to the sound of the DBX compressors it is very distinguishable to my ears. There is a sound of DBX that only DBX can provide. I love DBX for live but not my favorite in the studio. For this money I would shop around for a studio compressor.

This analog limiter is a rack able unit that can also be used as a compressor as well. This unit is a high quality piece of gear and should not be over looked especially if you need a great limiter. This limiter can not be compared to a software limiter because it is just so much better than any software limiter to me. I have been using this limiter off and on for bout 7 years now, im not sure when it was created probably way before I started using it but comparing it to any software limiters is a mistake. Nothing will give you great compression and limiting like the dbx 160x can.


UTILIZATION

Very easy to use and set up especially if you know how limiting and compression works, well not just how it works but how it works in a hardware unit and not software there is a major difference. Using this unit you wont be able just to click on different limiting presets and compression presets. You will have a lot of control over your music but you can do the same with software as well except the software limiters just arent as good, unless you spend a ton of money on a limiter and compression plug in and in that case the dbx 160x would be cheaper to go with because it is not expensive at all anymore.


SOUND QUALITY

Using this compressor and limiter has been a great investment for me and I continue to use it from time to time. It just isn’t good if you are going to travel a lot, that is where the software limiter plug ins come in to play for me and when they get used the most. I hardly never use a software limiter or compressor if im in the main studio or even at home most of the time.


OVERALL OPINION

Overall, it has great compression capabilities

The dbx 160X is an analog compressor/limiter. It has XLR connections in the back and is rackable - it will take up a single rack space. The metering is smartly made and the bright LEDs help you to see exactly where you level is at.

UTILIZATION

The configuration of the 160X is pretty easy to follow. It has a knob to set the threshold, a knob to set the output gain, and a knob for compressor ratio. It then has a buttons for bypass and to change the display of the metering. I don't have a manual for this so I don't know if it helpful or not, but the unit is easy enough to use that most shouldn't need it except maybe during set up or troubleshooting.

SOUND QUALITY

The sound quality of the dbx 160X is pretty good overall. It is good for drums and guitars, but lacks the full quality I would look for in a vocal compressor. The ease of use makes it quick and easy to get a good sound and the bypass button is handy when A/Bing your signal. It is nice to have a few of these at once while you are tracking if you like to track drums with compression.

OVERALL OPINION

I've been using the dbx 160X compressor for about two years or so. While this isn't the best sounding compressor out there, it is very solid and works great for drums. The price is what will draw most to these, as they are quite cheap, but not cheap enough that they can be considered an entry level compressor. These definitely sound better than the dbx 166 and 266, but is a bit more expensive than both. If you are looking for some compressor that are a reasonable price and sound good, the dbx 160X is worth a look.