dbx 160a vs 160x

[losthighway]

Wow rereading that thread proved stimulating even though I have apparently had some understanding of this for the 4-5 years since everyone helped me with that. Again, I can't overstate how freaking awesome this place can be. That thread is such a fond memory of how people around here can teach each other things that are:

1. Fun as hell.
2. Helpful in earning money as an engineer.

But most importantly 3. Can help musicians realize their artistic ideas by using recording technology.

Big love

[alexdingley]

Thanks again, everyone, for the great input. I got the 160x on Tuesday and popped it into an insert on my console. What everyone is saying is dead-on... The sound just comes forward a bit, in a really nice way. So glad I bought this! I'll definitely get a second one later this year... And then, down the road, I might fill out a 500 series chassis with a few others. No hurry, as this will tide me over for a while.

[nestle]

I've been using the UA 160 VU plug and really liking it for mixing, just as good as the hardware IMHO. I have 160A too, yep, like a 57. Just good to have around, bass, guitar... Kick. Have it after a chandler germ right now, great!

[Judas Jetski]

I've got a 161 on loan, and a 160A that's all mine. I tried A/B'ing the 161 and the 160A and heard no difference whatsoever. And my ears are fussy little sh*ts, too. So I'm inclined to think that there's really no significant difference between any of them (aside from whatever lives they've led), and that anything else is just hokum.

But then I'm also always afraid that there's some big huge effect that my ears just haven't learned to obsess over (thereby ruining any music I try to listen to which has that effect involved). So I'm afraid to dismiss the variations.

But... my ears, 161 from like 1978; 160A from like 2008; no significant difference. Just sayin'.

[Jim Williams]

Everyone around here hears large differences. Perhaps you need higher quality program material (forget modern pop/rock) and/or better monitoring/converters.

[losthighway]

Ooooh, this sounds like an ear measuring contest.

[Judas Jetski]

Measurements: 67mm x 24mm x 14mm out from the head at the back of the ear.

No significant difference: dbx 161 vs. dbx 160A

Hokum: 7.5 hU (hokum units)

To be fair: I only A/B'ed them on bass drum. I'm not saying I'd strap a 160x from 1997 with a 161 from 1974 across a stereo mix (and expect good results). But I really do suspect that they're all remarkably similar, given the same usage, time used, and quality of care.


Perhaps one day I'll come across a fairly pristine 160x at a price I can't say no to, a/b it with my 160a, and there will be a great weeping and gnashing of teeth. I dunno. But I'm not about to spend 3 days in an anechoic chamber listening only to Dvorak to find out.

[The Scum]

Yup. The yellow "Over easy" indicator comes on, and you get that exciting, whooshy compression going on. If that's what you're looking for, that's how you get it.