I have a chance to get a DBX 160SL for 1600. i currently have an RNC and an ART pro VLA (i know i know). i was planning on getting an RNLA down the line and also planning on getting a purple MC77 soon as my first high end compressor. my thinking was that this would be good for tracking bass/vocals. also my friend wants to sell me a 160vu for a pretty good price. should i just let the DBX 160SL go? maybe i shouldn't get it?
in general i was thinking i don't want to spend to much money on buying compressors because i can just rent them pretty cheap compared to what they cost to buy for when i need to mix.

what do you guys think?

also this dbx 160sl apparently has some "S" mod from dbx or something. supposedly you can switch from "S" mode which makes it sound like a 160vu or use "SL" mode which gives it a faster, cleaner, more modern sound. sounds like bull**** to me. at least in the sense that it won't sound like a VU. those kind of things never work.

160Sl is very good compressor and i think that you can not compare it to 160VU,X,XT or A.It is much better in my opinion (i have a pair of XTs and one A). I use it on everything with great results , it is also great as two bus comp, limiter kicks ass....it is much more versatile than 160Vu which is quite different from SL in my opinion.
The asking price is very good...go and get it....

The 160sl is totally different from a 160,160x. A very modern and flexible compressor. The old ones might have more vibe, but they've only got one trick or two, best for making drums pop, sometimes nice on bass, vox. The newer one can squish better and be used on a mix buss as well, good for popping too, but won't sound quite as "classic."
-brian

I'll take the "one" trick the 160 VU does every time over the "three" that the 160SL does.

hi Thrill , what do you use this trick for ?

Hi Tan,



There really aren't any "tricks".


Lets just say i ain't no David Blaine.heh


The 160 either works or it doesn't.


To me though when it works it works great, much better than the 160SL which i found to be very touchy and non responsive.

Also the 160VU has a character that none of the other DBX comps have so its unique to itself and to me that makes it much more valuable.

I usually agree with the Thrillman, but not this time. I find the 160SL to be a great workhorse unit, so much so I bought a second one. I think it does what the 160VU does and much more without the high end losss or grainy character of the 160VU. I can easily use a lot of other stuff to get the grainy sound. The 160SL also has a decent limiter that I make a lot of use of.

I would say skip the DBX and go get q Distressor!

I AGREE i lke the Vu sound but the 160SL has so much more......

They make a nice pair!!!!!