I don’t have much to say about the DBX 160SL.  Circle House has one of these in the A room and in my 7 years working there I’ve only seen 1 guy other than myself ever use it.  I haven’t seen this box in any other room in any studio in Miami.  The times that I used it I was never impressed.  I like the controls on it but it just seems to be lacking a sound that gives it a unique identity, almost like a plugin compressor.  It’s compressing the sound like it’s supposed to but where’s the beef?  Where’s the character?  I’m a big fan of it’s older brother the DBX 165, that box got character.

    I just checked the price of this compressor on ebay, it’s ridiculously overpriced.  For that much money you could get a bad ass compressor, that made up my mind, I don’t recommend the DBX 160 SL for anyone.  Any compressor that cost this much should mix the song for you like the Chandler or 33609.

PROS

-lots of colorful lights

CONS

-overpriced

-boring, no character