dbx 3BX DS

Product halfway between the HIFI (in connection RCA / phono) and SEMI-PRO. 1U with bracket
Officially, it is a 3-band compressor (200Hz-4KHz), but with a maximum compression ratio of 2/1 with 6 dB gain = max I rather situate in LEVELER option.
It can also be an expansion of dynamic
There are also two nice functions (in 3 bands please)
- IMPACT RECOVERY: Transient Designer kind of early. It is as if we were playing on the attack time (longer) to let transients (up to +10 dB). The nice thing is to have a 3-band BARGRAPH to view the current transients
- AMBIANCE: MS patch only on the central band (200 Hz to 4 KHz). Excellent to widen the stereo without losing the bass (as too often expanders MS)
Everything is in analog, with full VCA dbx!

UTILIZATION

Heyday it was one of the products easy to use (ideal for live sound), but with a sound that is still very correct.
• COMPRESSOR / EXPANDER: Super Simple setting = no attack or release, just a THRESHOLD and RATIO
• IMPACT RECOVERY = rate
• AMBIANCE = adjustment: decrease the difference M / S (over mono) to expand M / S (if more than stereo source is already ST) in a ratio of 1.5/0.5 LR Max

SOUND QUALITY

A bit dated now. It is more transparent since. (Certainly its condos chemical change)
The sound sounds very ANALOG (it does not rise to 40 KHz!), But much better and warmer than Single band compressor current low cost.

Ideal in a SUBGROUP of sound in VOICE or INSTRUMENT, can be used in global MIX (with sound LOFI).
Ideal for "pre-compress" sources LIVE highly dynamic. On this plan (thank you three band) I resumed LIVE to make them unplayable.

OVERALL OPINION

the 3BX-DS is the most successful of the series (DS Digital Series). The following model is an expander 4BX uninteresting.
So I found this great DBX-3BX I became convinced of the great superiority of multiband compression and looked to have the same thing better (because more recent) that I found with the Focusrite MIXMASTER.

For the sound sub-group, it remains surper and practice, but this product should be a bit hard to find now.

What are the effects, types of effects available?
This is a compressor expander (reduces or increases the volume of sound) in three frequency bands which allows the complete absence of spectral pumping between low, mid and treble.
In addition, two buttons allow the attack to improve sound and spatialization of stereo or mono sound refocusing.

What technology is used? (Analog, digital, tube ...)
This is a digitally controlled analog processing.

What is the connection? (Audio / MIDI)
While at RCA and max input / output 6v!

Is this a rack or rack-mount model?
It is possible to rack mount brackets with optional diponible. But nothing prevents the manufacture or even ...

UTILIZATION

The general configuration is simple?
We must, as any quality audio processing, a time to truly master the machine and the sound of your dreams presques.

The manual is clear and sufficient? ...
The manual written very well all the possible settings. There are only four knobs on the front and two small pots with screwdriver slot on the back for adjusting the intervention threshold of the compressor section expander bands left and right bass and treble.

SOUND QUALITY

The effects are they effective, responsive and realistic enough?
Quality stereo up to the reputation of the brand DBX.

OVERALL OPINION

A special apparatus and quality to place in your hifi without problem. You can also, given its sensibility to 6V input, insert it into an installation pro. Even asymmetrical cinch, given the very low level of background noise, does not pose a problem.
But it's still a very good product-fi system, more than pro course ...