DBX Compressors, what do they sound like and how do they work?
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- Опубликовано: 17 ноя 2022
- This is an overview and test of a few DBX compressors, both hardware and Plugins. The featured compressors are the 165A, 166, 163X, 118, Waves 160 plugin and the Arturia VCA 65.
There's also some background on how they came to be and how they work.
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Still wrapping my head around compressors in general, and I really appreciate your video! I read a post by Tom Cram of dbx/DOD/Spiral Electric fame talking about the dbx 163s being a lot less flexible than the 118/119, and I'll admit I didn't understand exactly what that meant (beyond less knobs) until playing with some fully-featured plugins and seeing your video. You can really hear how, even without Attack and Release knobs, some of these units Ratio and Threshold controls give you more options than their slider-dependent counterparts. The transient designer compensation is a really cool idea. I gravitate towards hardware, but have limited space, and this is giving me a lot to think about in terms of what to look for in small commercial units, half-rack units, and even plugins. Thanks!
Thank you, I’m really happy it helped 😃
I love my 119! I've owned it for a while now and still can't shut up about it. It sounds good on basically any setting, and more extreme compression setting have a great pumping quality that still sounds natural. the expander is also really natural sounding and never gets too 'gate-y'
great vid!
Thank you! The 119 is great, I need to get another one at some stage as I do miss it. Its amazing what they can do!
I love to put a bass in the Hi-Z of the 163x!
This video is awesome. I have a DBX XT and always half think of selling it as plugins are so close now. But it does add that last 5% they cant do, which justifies keeping it.
Well worth keeping for sure. Hardware compressor’s do offer something different still.
The 118 is so open and live sounding.
Yeah, It’s great! I had a 119 too but unfortunately it blew up 😢.
Excellent!
Cheers Thomas!
Thanks. I actually like the 166 best, I think. I guess that's good for me, since it's the cheapest one.
I have a 286 channel strip already. Would be interested to see how it compares.
The 166 isn't bad at all, especially considering they are so cheap now.
Why are these models discontinued ? does anyone know why ?
PS: I am a newbie, I just came across these old dbx models and was impressed by what they do.
The components used would make them expensive to reproduce I think and some probably aren’t even being made anymore.
sk note has a cool dbx vst, not sure how it compares to original but it's fairly cheap
Good tip, I didn't know about this one. For $30, its definitely worth a go i think.
I disliked all of them on drums very much but then on the bass I suddenly felt like I need a dbx in my life :D
ive got a 165a, its kinda meh, sorta ugly sounding if you ask me, i do use them on drums sometimes
Genius!
I have a 163 with metal slider knobs wich I liked better than the 166, wich I sold.
I’ve been researching a lot on what would be best, a 160a or 118 for kick, even though they were desined with rca’s (like the 163) they just sound sooo good.
Can’t wait to hear the comparison in the studio.
Thank you.
Thank you Matheus, they do sound great and each has it's own character and strengths but still with a strong 'dbx' signature sound running through them. I wouldn't let the rca's put you off, although its worth changing the power supply capacitors for higher rated modern ones to reduce noise. I did this with the 163x as well, you can definitely hear a difference in the noise floor.
Ur videos would be much better if you gave your opinion on which is better and why
The 165 is much more versatile but also much more expensive. This video is to show how the DBX compressor's of this era have similar character traits and how you can approximate the great 165 with cheaper/lower end units.
@@mixingmasteringonline Thank you that is a great help🙌🏾 I wanted to know because I had planned to purchase either 117 the 118 or 119 but I wound up getting the Dbx 128 . hopefully it’s as good as the others ,
thanks for the video again
great contact ✨
@@YOUNGBLAKPR1NCE thank you! I did like the 119 a lot until it blew up on me but the 118 is great too. I think the 128 is similar to the 119, sounds amazing on drums!
Yea I understand I went trough a similar situation a couple days ago when I received my DBX 128 we discussed and it was non-functional on arrival 😂
They gave me a refund so I’m currently waiting on the delivery. I’ll let you know how it sounds. 1ce again great content.
Cheers 🍻
Thank you! Thats a real shame the 128 was dead, hopefully the next one will be good..