What is the deal with all the dbx 160 series compressors?

  • Thread starter Thread starter tubedude
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Nice to know I'm wrong then... COOL! :cool:

See you all on eBay... Bid-waring together.
 
dbx 161

we just got a dbx 161 for the whopping price of. . . FREEE. . ! Sounds AMAZING, insane when a kick/snare combo goes through it. . however, it does seem to distort easily. . does this have anything to do with calibration, the "calibration" knob? or is that for the VU meter?
 
Re: dbx 161

Audio_Drivel said:
we just got a dbx 161 for the whopping price of. . . FREEE. . ! Sounds AMAZING, insane when a kick/snare combo goes through it. . however, it does seem to distort easily. . does this have anything to do with calibration, the "calibration" knob? or is that for the VU meter?
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The only down side about the 161 is that it is unbalanced.
 
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Thanks Tom...anyone wish to bid on my dbx118...reserve set at $200:)
 
Also, Tom, isn't the 128 the same as the 118? The 128 is like a 118 and a 122 "noise reduction system" crammed into the same box... I just ignore the "noise reduction" side of it... Grabbed one on ebay for $30.
 
Also, Tom, isn't the 128 the same as the 118?
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I dunno, I don't have any data on a lot of the really old stuff. I'll dig around and see what I can come up with, but don't hold your breath.
 
Nah, don't knock yourself out over it. If you saw which model I'm talking about, I'm sure you'd say "oh yeah, that's gotta be a 118." I'd be shocked to find out that it was different, internally... Same era and wood-sided construction, same faceplate layout. If people are already getting scorched on prices for the 118, I'm pretty sure, sorta, that the 128 is the *other* bargain to be had...
 
Re: Re: dbx 161

Fishmed said:
The only down side about the 161 is that it is unbalanced.
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Which can actually be an upside if you know a tech that is any good at modifying things.

The 160VU has a transformerless I/O [balanced with a differential circuit], with the 161 you can add input and output transformers a bit more easily than you can with a 160VU... and if you use good transformers you can really take the sound of those puppies to wonderful places.
 
dbx 119

Ok, im intrigued with this 119. I've got a symetrix 501 on the way, and it appears like this 119 might give me some good sonic options on a budget. I looked at some pictures of the 119, and noticed that there are paired input, output and line-in RCA connectors. So my question is, is this unit adaptable for use with a preamp that has unbalanced 1/4 in's and out's...is it just a matter of getting the correct cable adapters? What are the options for hooking this thing up to modern prosumer equipment ?

Thanks,
T
 
It's already getting silly on eBay. Someone just listed a 118 with a starting price of $99 and a buy it now of $125. Just a few months ago you could pick up a 118 for $50-60.
 
Hey looking at a dbx 118 it only has like 2 knobs where as the dbx 160 has 3 knobs and some switches.

Is there something that isn't included in the 118 thats in the 160? or do you just not have control of the attack/release etc. on the 118?

thanks
 
119

So I bought one of these 119's...and i like what im hearing so far. I've only put some bass through it so far and it gives this sound that reminds me of the bass on Neil Youngs "heart of gold" or the bass solo stuff in Jimi Hendrix's "1983 ... (A Merman I Should Turn To Be)" / "Moon, Turn The Tides ... Gently, Gently Away". A nice "thumpy round-bottomed" tone! Is this why the 160VU is so popular with pro studios?
 
Tom Cram said:
I dunno, I don't have any data on a lot of the really old stuff. I'll dig around and see what I can come up with, but don't hold your breath.
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What year(s) are we talking about? I might have some lit on the old stuff as I w0rked in the R&D lab back in Waltham/Watertown line (1978-1980). The old wood sided stuff is probably from my era and I collected some stuff while I was there.
 
I think they are from the same era, '79? I'll try to remember to look at the manufacture date on my 119 tonight.
 
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