Dec 19, 2015
Is the dbx 160s pure technology, a work of art, or a little of both? Paul White puts it to the test.
Is the dbx 160S pure technology, a work of art, or a little of both?PAUL WHITE puts it to the test.
You can always tell when a valuable product comes in for review -- it turns up in a flightcase, not a cardboard box! The 160S is dbx's top-of-the-range analogue compressor/limiter, and it's pretty clear that the heavy, sculpted front panel and chunky metal knobs have been influenced by Focusrite's high-end 'Red' styling, but the design aim seems to have been to capture the sonic signature of existing dbx classic products, rather than to go all out for sonic neutrality or attempt to create a new compressor characteristic.