Thinking about DBX 160

James K

Member
Hi,
I'm thinking of adding another compressor to my rack. I currently have an ART pro VLA II, a dbx 166XL and a Behringer Tube Composer. The ART is my favourite and gets used first, followed by the DBX, then the Behringer which hardly gets used. I'm considering getting a DBX 160a to compliment them and wanted to know what people thought, in the context of my other compressors. I.e. Is it a worthwhile addition? Is the sound similar to or significantly different from the 166XL and what would the 160a do that my current compressors don't? I should add that I record to a Tascam MS16 with a Studiomaster 20/16/2 desk.

Thanks,
James
 
I don't think you have anything in your rack even remotely close to the 160A. Even the 166xl, while being a vca controlled compressor does things a bit different than the 160A. The 160A is... excuse the expression....stupid simple to use. And it sounds great. You'll love it on kik drum, snare, bass guitar and even vocals if you use a small amount of reduction on those. It's a box with a lot of 'color' but in a good way. Track with this and call it good. Buy used as you'll find them at about half the new price or lower. It's one of those units that I bought and sold and regret selling. I lived for years with a 900 series rack of DBX 903's and now I just have the 160SL as far as VCA compression goes.
 
Ive never owned the 160a.

Ive had a few of the DBX that were ok in the invisible way like so many others of the faster kind with less color.
Ive got the Recording mag when the VLA were reviewed as new product and it was the LA2A type design but the review said while it didnt match the LA2A it was good in its own way....not a fast type comp...
I always thought a MPA and VLA would be a fine setup for tracking. at $400 total used for both.

160 A....VCA with some color seems a safe bet from what Ive read. $400 range for one piece is getting up there.
Youre getting into the 1176 clone price land.
 

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I get to use BDX 160's at a live venue I mix at, love them. I don't have one in the studio but I wish I did.

However I have a DBX 163A and 2 off DBX 163X, these are cheaper to buy if you can find one, only secondhand now, they act a lot like the 160 and sound great on kicks, snare, bass.

Alan.
 
I get to use BDX 160's at a live venue I mix at, love them. I don't have one in the studio but I wish I did.

However I have a DBX 163A and 2 off DBX 163X, these are cheaper to buy if you can find one, only secondhand now, they act a lot like the 160 and sound great on kicks, snare, bass.

Alan.

I have an early US made 166 that I like very much . Do you have any idea how the 160 compares ( besides the obvious, that it's mono)
 
I have an early US made 166 that I like very much . Do you have any idea how the 160 compares ( besides the obvious, that it's mono)

The early 166, and I mean very early models, were very good, I actually have a broken one that I can't fix. I think the 160 is still better. You can link 2 160's to have a stereo version but costly.

Alan.
 
Thanks for the info. I've never owned or used one, but constantly see them in guy's live sound rigs
When a person is moving gear around all the time, usually the the rack is loaded with only good useful gear.
And the 160 seems to be a staple.
 
Thanks for the replies! It seems like the 160 would do stuff that my other compressors don't. What's slightly confusing me is that some people describe it as being transparent while others say that it has colour. Is this to do with how hard you push it? I'm wondering if I could use it for, say, vocals when tracking, just applying a little bit of gain reduction and then use the ART VLA as the main compressor in the mix. Does that sound reasonable? Also, given that they're said to sound good on kick and snare, I think I'm going to need two!

Thanks,
James
 
You will never need a lot of compression when going to tape. It has it's own compression! For vocal tracking with ANY comp you need to simply shave off any serious overs you might encounter and get the meter to sit at a fairly even place. A little deflection goes a long way. The 160a does get more colorful the harder you hit it. It is NEVER going to be a truly 'transparent' device. But it's also not a bad color in any way. It's musical and will add that leading edge to the track. I also own a VLA and have since they were released. So it's a Made In USA one. I had it modded a couple of years ago and it's really usable now....not that it was ever "bad"...they work well and for the price cannot be beat! The optical portion of their compression circuit with the tube make-up gain is kinda where this thing lives but not in the same vein as an LA2A, so a comparison is out of the question. I had the power supply upgraded and a few other tidy bits and now it is as good as anything in the rack. I always liked it across drum overheads going in and never liked it on guitars or vocals. Now I love it on guitars and like it a lot on BGV's.....go figure. This is one of those pieces that because of the initial low price and the quality of the original build, they are well-suited for the upgrades and mods out there. Some things you can get mods for and they are still 'meh' but the VLA becomes a serious comp and still is a budget device.
 
Okay, it seems like the 160a is going to be a good idea. I'm now looking into how to finance a pair!
 
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Depending on what you want the comps for, there are fast clean peak grabbers that have no color, more a utility device that can be had cheaper. Symetirx is a pro line, tank built unit with no personality added to the sound.

You ask the one question "is the 160A vs 166XL significantly different?"

If you are putting on 2:1 ratios will anything be significant? I doubt that. Even the color comps want ALL IN or GAIN heavy to hear the vibe....

if 2:1 is the invisible goal for a very light unnoticeable haircut you might never notice what comp is working, and can only see it on the wave form. I thought the RNC was like that. I couldnt hardly hear it working but my Waveforms in the DAW were very clear it was working.
 
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