DBX 160A Compressor Shot Out | Stock vs Hot Rodded Gear!

In this video, we compare two DBX 160A Compressors. One is modified by the company Review Audio and the other is completely stock. Does spending an extra $250 make the unit sound that much better? Let's find out.
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[@MixingMusicAnalog]

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[@edwardmarshall274]

Would definitely stay with the stock unit for an all around compressor. The modded unit is good for bass, piano & possibly certain types of vocals. As mentioned by Dave (N.Y.), you should be able to get similar or better results depending on how the audio signal is be processed before going into the stock DBX 160. Great video!

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

Fair enough!

[@ilikemyrealname]

Just saying hello and thank you for all the informative and entertaining content you guys provide. Cheers!

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

Glad you enjoy it! Thanks for being here!

[@waskerbasket9601]

Thanks for doing this, fellas.

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

Our pleasure!

[@tobysteele1028]

Excellent review! Love to hear the stock ART VLA II vs. the Revive modded ART VLA II

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

Maybe one day!!

[@megyalilaballad]

@@MixingMusicAnalog+1

[@jimmiefarmer3022]

Just my opinion, but I'm with DavidJ that the sonic difference isn't enough to make me chose the modded version over the stock one. The only real standout difference was on bass as you noted, but even then in a full mix that difference would basically disappear I think.

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

Thanks Jimmie!

[@eternalgospels]

Your mixes are soo good, clean, open, well defined, and punchy. Im glad about your channel.

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

Thanks very much!

[@michaeltablet8577]

Love your channel! You guys are awesome!

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

Thanks so much!

[@johnb2476]

The bass pass was a huge difference. The mod sounds more lively, and the compression is a lot smoother and more transparent, even without overeasy.

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

Thanks for watching!

[@eddieruxspin]

Great video. Thank you 🙏🏼

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

My pleasure!

[@rwscarlett2958]

The guitar in my preference, the stock has the edge and more dynamic in range, the other has a full tone, great examples.

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

Thanks for watching!

[@lorneentress2251]

The Revive mod wins every time for me. On my studio monitors I wasn't hearing too much difference on the kick. However when I put on my Sennheiser HD600 phones the Revive kick was smoother and more natural (ie. still sounded like a drum.) It almost sounded like the stock unit couldn't handle the transient without sounding uneven---even on the example of just running audio through the unit uncompressed. Great video guys!

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

Thank you for watching!

[@jamiefields1666]

I agree with you. I would use the stock on kicks and use the Revive version on string instruments. The mid range is full and gently more musical. I have a few Revive units and I like their work. I have a hot rodded Drawmer DL241 that I compare to my DBX 903s gold can VCAs. I get the similar results as in the video. The DL241 fuller in the mids. Maybe try the 2 units on the snare as you may notice a difference in the mid range. Very nice video guys and Dave, it's still nice seeing my old Aphex in the rack. Keep up the the videos as they are very informative.

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

Thanks Jamie

[@elruso7524]

Excellent video. Honestly, listening to this on my Eve Audio SC207, I hardly hear any difference in the kick drum. On the bass, the revive audio shines. It's where I like it the most. I felt that the modified one is slightly faster. In acoustic guitar I hear that the modified one has a little more presence. But I also feel like they both pump a little bit on the hard knee setting. Regardless, I find the 160a to be an excellent compressor. For future occasions, I would like to know how the different compressors compare. 1176 vs 160 on kick, bass. V-Comp vs 1176 vs 160 on bass, vocals. Thank you!!

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

Noted! thanks for watching!

[@jeromelester8]

I like the modified version a tiny bit more, but with the detector on the stock unit, there are a lot of options for tone shaping in my opinion.

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

Thanks for listening!!

[@mka917]

Yes I bought the WARM , stock NOIIII Z as hell, modded dead quiet. Its an expensive " mod " but worth it.

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

Great, thanks for watching

[@saren6538]

What mod is that ? For the warm audio ?

[@SenateRecords]

Excellent video. My opinion is to go ahead and buy the unit from revive. The reason for this, is that you get the unit cleaned and modded for a great price which is important for the longevity of the unit. Sonicly they aren’t that much different and both sound good, however, I do prefer the revive unit for bass guitar and acoustic guitar. I actually prefer the factory standard unit on kick drum. I should note that this is truly a blind test as I am a totally blind audio engineer and could not see the solo buttons lol.

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

Thanks for checking out the video!!

[@HushWave]

I own a stereo pair of 160A’s and I love how they sound, I can hear the difference on this video (I’m still at the 19:40 min mark and so far for what I’ve heard I wouldn’t spend money upgrading them.

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

Thanks for checking out the video!

[@JuanGonzales-go8rd]

Thanks!

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

Thank you very much juan

[@carl-magnusconsitt7389]

The original has that 60-80Hz deep punch of warms! Also less mids (tiny bit) thats the DBX sound! Thats why you like it at it is! Interesting test!

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

Thanks

[@axelguzman8408]

I have 3 of them i still using them for 20 years in live music

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

NICE!!

[@motomoog]

I just bought one on the bay for $200 plus shipping and tax And after watching your video I understand more about them and want to get another made in USA Btw. Thanks

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

Congrats! You'll love the 160A!

[@billyvalentine4365]

Looks like the stock unit you have is in really good shape and does not need “revibed.” I have two vintage 160a units in not the best shape. I bet if you A/B mine with a modded dbx it would be night and day.

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

Thanks for watching!

[@megyalilaballad]

As I was thinking the Revive mod sounds more “3D” in the example from 15:45, my reaction at 16:30 to when you cut your words “three dimens- ” short was: “Exactly!!!!!!”

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

NICE!

[@hunterholmes8764]

Nicely done video! From a sonic point of view, it sound like you got ripped off! On the other hand, if all the new components make the unit like a completly overhauled unit that will now be dependable, that's worth something. As for your video you cound't have been more fair to each unit. I had good headphones on. I was dissapointed how subtle the differences were, i did hear a fatness, in the mod, but at the same time i heard a clarity in the non mod. 350 dollars to make it sound , lets say different, is silly, There were a couple of times i even thought that you guys were doing a joke video and would end it by saying, woops we've actually been comparing the unit to itself.Which does make for a funny video. Nicely done though. I have one I'd like to spend money just to update capacitors and get it " Like new again" ( without the mod.) I love the fact that there is no wall wort, I just want to modify mine so it can have a detatchable cable so there is more room in my 4 teir rack. Perhaps going through a computer to my headphones added to my negative report, but the two of you didnt seem much impressed either. Maybe on a vocal application the new mods would really shine. Thankks for the demonstration!

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

Everyone's opinion are valid. If you think its a waste of money to pay for the mod and basically have all new parts put into the unit then that cool and the video did EXACTLY what I intended. That is to bring information to the people so they can make informed decisions when they make gear purchases. Now you know that the DBX160A mod is NOT something you personally pay for and that's totally cool and without this video you would not have know that. :)

[@stevedoesnt]

I’m on some headphones with this video, and I’m really hearing some pillowy sub content on the modded unit that isn’t on the unmodded unit. A pillowyness that none of my 160s ever exhibited.

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

Thanks for sharing

[@zagatoalfa]

Revive mod sounds real good on bass. Would have been interesting to hear the bass track without anything inserted at all.

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

Thanks for watching!

[@johnb2476]

Definitely felt a thicker but more focused low end from the modded one, even on the more extreme settings.

[@johnb2476]

Definitely comes through in the uncompressed pass!

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

Agreeded!

[@richiefamus8778]

To me the bottom unit sounds thicker. But I am listening through my phone lol. But when not looking there really isn’t a discernible difference. …Passing signal was closer. Didn’t get to the bass…But I know I’m disqualified for listening through my phone lol. They both sound good.

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

LOL....yea, listening over a phone is not going to tell you anything about the difference between these 2 units, especially the low end.

[@kingofbonngo]

After listening in my office with passive Tannoy Reveal speakers I do not think my 160X needs to be updated.

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

Check out Revive. Audio. They do a really great job!

[@VinceWhitacre]

Revive does great work. Is it worth the expense? Like everything else, it's a question of how it's used. Solo vocal and a few acoustic instruments? Yeah, probably. I'd want a more "pure" (lower noise floor, fewer unintended nonlinearities) signal path there. Parallel drum bus in a heavy rock mix? Screw it and squash it; put your money into a nice stompbox or something. It's kinda like my take on plugins: they're all over my tracking, then I go out to my analog EQ and comps on the 2bus. Like plugins, like lower-end hardware is great to stretch your dollar on something that's going to be *part* of something bigger. But I like (just my taste, there's people making great records in the box, I can't do it without at least a few tubes, transistors, transformers, and tape though) to put the 4 Ts (see above lol - tubes, transformers, transistors, and tape) on the last thing you're going to hear. What's going on on the individual tracks, that's utility stuff. I DGAF how it sounds soloed. I want to impose my sound at the input, the sound that hits the front end of the interface, and the output. So tl,dr: if I'm tracking a sparse arrangement, or using it (well, a pair) on the 2-bus, I'd pay the extra 2 bills. Tracking drums, guitar, aggressive vox? Save your money. Double tl,dr: ALL THAT SAID, if I want a VCA comp and I only have a little bit of dough, I'm getting an RNC, not anything by dbx. No shade intended, just that the stock RNC, even with its unbalanced i/o, is IMO the best sub 1K VCA comp - and it's stereo.

[@VinceWhitacre]

I 100% recommend Revive's ART Pro-VLA upgrade though - like the FMR RNC is the best VCA comp under 1000, Revive makes the Pro-VLA the best optical compressor under 1000. (It may already be the best stock, but I can vouch for Revive making it better)

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

Thanks for your insight and thoughts! I appreciate you participating!

[@Velociraptarus]

The DBX 160A (China) is out of production, do you by any chance know if a new model will be released?

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

no idea

[@TheMystro242]

number 1 DBX 160 sounds just a lil bit thighter but the 2 of them sounds the same if you ask me I'M using KALI LP6

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

Cool! Thanks!

[@nycholasyork2873]

The difference is def negligible. But I definitely prefer the stock unit. Revive sounds a bit too clean for me like it doesn't have what I reach for dbx 160 for.

[@nycholasyork2873]

The DBX560A sounds a lot like the Revive.

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

Fair enough!

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

Thanks!

[@mka917]

On these units ( DBX 160 A , 160 XT) the "mod " is not worth the cost , I own both the stock & modded versions. Don Was said " the DBX 160 is the Sonny Liston of compressors, it adds a grit & girth to everything , I run everything through them " . This was before Revive & Don made some pretty good records so keep yours stock . However on the WARM Audio " Pultec EQ " the Revive Mod makes a HUGE difference. Conclusion ? Some of Revives Mods are a waste of money , some ,as in the WARM Pultec ,theyre absolutley necessary. The WARM Pultec stock is a POS ,unusable , modded its damn good . My opinion

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

Great. Thanks for the info. That is your opinion and that is totally fine. Have YOU personally tried the mods on the Warm Pultec EQ? Not what you heard someone say on the internet I mean have YOU personally tried it and compared it to a stock unit side by side? If so, what were your findings? I would be interested in testing that out at one point

[@saren6538]

@@MixingMusicAnaloghe didn’t reply … didn’t think he did

[@EricRabb]

DBX XT 160 beats the 160a all day in terms of overall sonics, especially the ones that came stock with Cinamag transformers

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

Thanks for watching!

[@archiedentone5950]

On kick the stock is just better

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

Thanks for watching!

[@joemae416]

No difference to me…. Listening on AKG 340 Headphones….

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

Thanks for watching!

[@johnb2476]

Wow, stock sounds dead on guitar by comparison! Veiled high end, kinda squashy-sounding.

[@johnb2476]

Squashed dynamically, but also a narrower bandwidth in the low end. If I'm not looking at the video, I can pick out when it switches, like the bass, but unlike the kick. Sounds louder again, but I trust they're level matched! Revive Audio's stuff is good. I've had their ART stuff in the past, and the improvements were impressive. I was hoping to get a quality, affordable VCA comp with an output transformer, and this seems like the right thing!

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

Thus far, I am happy with the review audio stuff. They seem to make a pretty large difference for a reasonable amount of cost

[@LeyendaTheProducer]

Thanks!

[@MixingMusicAnalog]

Thank you very much