Smooth operator.

Most compressor/gates provide less than musical compression, coupled with gating that swallows transients or closes early, cutting off decay and reverb tails. The superb engineering in the 166XL ensures that both its compression and gating provide versatility and excellent sonic performance in situations where other compressor/gates typically produce undesirable processing artifacts.

The dbx 166XL Dual Compressor Limiter uses advanced gate circuitry to yield ultrasmooth release characteristics, no matter how complex the signals. The Stereo Couple mode with True RMS Power Summing produces a solid image, even with high compression. Full sidechain functionality with hard knee or OverEasy compression algorithms. Single rackspace.

dbx 166XL Dual Compressor Limiter Features:

• Ultrasmooth release characteristics
• Stereo Couple mode with True RMS Power Summing
• Full sidechain functionality
• Hard knee or OverEasy compression algorithms
• Single rackspace

Order today for compression that's really musical and will not undermine your sound.

dbx 166XL Dual Compressor Limiter

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Average of 9 User Ratings

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Great for Radio...

Posted by Dave O from Missouri on Aug 30, 2008

Experience w/product: I own it

Reviewer's Background: Broadcast Engineer and Bass Player

Reviewer's Play Style: All kinds

I’ve bought several of these 166xl units for use on the air at our radio stations. They make a nice, gentile pre-processor to put ahead of STL’s etc…to protect them from over-modulation. I especially like the “Contour” function. It allows you to let the low-end roll on through, without punching holes in the mids and highs. The Peak Stop will still catch them however.

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They don't get much better

Posted by That sound guy from Colorado on Jun 23, 2008

Experience w/product: I own it

Reviewer's Background: Audio Engineer

Reviewer's Play Style: Rock, Metal, Jazz

I have the privelege of working with 4 266xl's at work and in studio, and I must say, THEY RULE!!! They're so easy to use, sound completely natural, and have a lot of cool features. In my opinion, they're most useful for drums, but awesome for limiting vocals too. Yes, it costs a little more than the 266xl, BUT it's well worth the extra dough. If you're looking to get a seriously kickbutt compressor, look no further. As long as you know how to use one of these, I think you'll be very happy!!

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destroys clean channel

Posted by Tony from Phoenix, AZ on Oct 27, 2007

Experience w/product: I have used it

Reviewer's Background: Regular performer, composer

Reviewer's Play Style: Heavy/Thrash/Prog Metal

I brought this thing home yesterday and tried it out on my Crate 1/2 stack with the three different Epi guitars I use on stage. In any given set, I use all three channels on my amp to give more feeling and musicality to my band's songs; In alot of Metal, the clean channel's just as important as your most distorted one and you CANNOT play a clean passage and a distorted passage in the same song without having to completely reset this thing mid song, which is impossible while still putting on a decent performance. While the distorted channels still sound ok, it's a little choppy, and forget about even being able to hold a whole note chord on clean...even with varied settings; it could not work on multiple channels, and the last thing my band wants to do is sacrifice musicality for a piece of equipment.

Long story short, not compatible with channel switching.

I'm taking this thing back and getting a pedal gate, something that I can actually control.

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SUBWOOFER USES BUY NOW

Posted by Sonik from NJ on Mar 3, 2007

Experience w/product: I own it

Reviewer's Background: DJ

Reviewer's Play Style: EVERYTHING

Entered a whole new world with this tiny inexpensive product. I play music with a lot of hard hitting bass and prior to this purchase I'd always have to check if the amp was clipping, or to avoid clipping I'd have to turn the bass down. Now my compressor lets the bass run rich and full, and the limiter prevents the clip light from ever turning red on my amplifiers. Mobile DJs need this, it changes the way your dancefloor hears bass, whether you have headroom on your amps or not. And those of us that rent out our gear know that idiot MCs love screaming into the mic; this prevents them from blowing our drivers.

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Great for Starting Bands

Posted by Carlo from Ashburn, VA on Dec 23, 2006

Experience w/product: I have heard about it

Reviewer's Background: Active Musician...Hobbyist

Reviewer's Play Style: Rock, Acoustic

I had a problem with my PA. My AKG Perception 200 mic was taking in too much room noise [reverb], so as a temporary solution I put the mic in a room while the rest of the band was outside of the room. It improved, but not to the extent that I wanted to.

With the DBX 166xl... that all vanished. The noise gate blocked out all room ambience and I can turn up the mixer's main mix all the way up to +4 dB without feedback.

Best investment for feedback negation. In addition, I haven't even messed around with the limiter/compressor. I can't wait to learn all the features of this little 1U box. (it's 1U and pretty compact.

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dbx 166XL Dual Compressor Limiter

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