The same striking blue front panel machined from 1/4" aircraft aluminum, handcrafted solid aluminum knobs, LEDs mounted individually in machined stainless steel housings, custom VU meters with peak indicators, and heavy gauge chassis still mark the 160SL as the leader for decades to come.
The 160SL combines the best features of all the great dbx compressors, past and present, and gives you more versatile performance than ever before. In addition to having the auto attack and release as well as the hard knee threshold characteristics of the classic dbx 160, the 160SL now offers AutoVelocity manual mode, in addition to our classic OverEasy® mode, made standard by the classic dbx 165A.
And speaking of the 165A, all of its features, including variable attack and release controls, as well as dbx's latest limiting algorithm PeakStopPlus, are included in the 160SL.
The heart of any dynamics processor is its VCA. The dbx 160SL is no different. It features dual proprietary V8 VCA modules. This state-of-the-art implementation of dbx's original Blackmer decilinear VCA boasts an unheard-of 127dB dynamic range and ultra-low distortion. Encased in a specially designed aluminum-zinc housing for shielding and thermal characteristics, the V8 maintains its superior performance in harsh environments.
The new 160S takes full advantage of the most technologically superior components available today. Premium active electronics, precision 0.1% and 1% metal film resistors, great sounding temperature stable polypropylene capacitors, high-reliability board-to-board connectors with gold-palladium-nickel contacts, Jensen® transformers, gold plated Neutrik® XLRs, rare earth magnet relays with gold contacts in a hermetically sealed nitrogen environment, military grade glass epoxy circuit boards, to mention a few, contribute to the most technologically advanced compressor in the world.
The dbx160SL is a rackmountable stereo compressor/limiter in the
tradition of the industry standard dbx160. The signal path consists of
a high-precision input stage followed by the world's widest dynamic
range, voltage-controlled amplifier-the dbx V8 VCA-and a
high-performance output stage. the dbx 160SL features hard-knee and
classic dbx Overeasy compression threshold functions. Also has attack
and release controls as well as program-dependent time constants
selectable with an auto switch.
The dbx 160SL has a high-precision, high-drive, transformer-coupled output stage capable of performing with incredible accuracy and sonic transparency in virtually any audio environment.
DBX 160SL Blue Precision Stereo Compressor Limiter Features :
- Patent-pending AutoVelocity circuit
- 127dB of dynamic range
- High-drive output transformer circuit drives 1000 ft. of cable at +30dBu with only .007% THD
- Switchable between hard-knee and OverEasy compression
- Program-dependent "Auto," AutoVelocity, or fully variable attack and release manual modes
