All the mic processing tools you need in one box.

The dbx 286A Microphone Preamp Processor has a preamp and 5 processors that can be used independently or in any combination. The mic preamp features a wide-ranging input gain control, switchable 48V phantom power, and an 80Hz high-pass filter. The dbx 286A's OverEasy compressor smoothes out uneven acoustic tracks or delivers in-your-face vocals. The frequency tunable de-esser takes out vocal sibilance and high-frequency distortion in cymbals. An enhancer lets you bring out HF and LF detail and cleans up muddy low-midrange frequencies. And the expander/gate on the dbx 286A preamp lets you reduce headphone leakage and gate noisy guitar amps. The 286A preamp from dbx has a full complement of metering and status LEDs. XLR mic input and additional 1/4" TRS for connection and processing of live instruments or pre-recording tracks at mixdown.

dbx 286A Microphone Preamp Processor Features:

• preamp with gain control and 80Hz high-pass filter
• Newly designed and patented OverEasy compressor
• De-esser
• Enhancer
• Expander/gate
• Full complement of metering and status LEDs
• New dbx standard internal power supply
• Frequency control for de-esser
• Expanded meter to show heavy de-essing
• Above/below threshold indicator for gate
• +48VDC phantom power
• Precision detented controls
• XLR mic input for balanced or unbalanced signals
• Additional 1/4" TRS input
• Insert jack between preamp and signal processing sections for loop out to external processors

The cost and hassle of patching together multiple processors can be frustrating. Here you get them all in one box with a shorter signal path to keep your music sounding clean. Order today.

dbx 286A Microphone Preamp Processor

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Average of 5 User Ratings

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Customer Reviews

Overall

Quality

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Value

johnny b

Posted by johnny b from corpus christi,tx on Apr 4, 2009

Experience w/product: I own it

Reviewer's Background: active

Reviewer's Play Style: rock

I've had this unit for years using it on my snare drum. It gives it a lot of presence and tightness. Very well worth it.

Overall

Quality

Features

Value

johnny b

Posted by johnny b from corpus christi,tx on Apr 4, 2009

Experience w/product: I own it

Reviewer's Background: active

Reviewer's Play Style: rock

I've had this unit for years using it on my snare drum. It gives it alot of presence and tightness. Very well worth it.

Overall

Quality

Features

Value

Great preamp/strip

Posted by rove from Lithuania on Feb 18, 2008

Experience w/product: I have used it

Reviewer's Background: musician

Reviewer's Play Style: rock

I've been using a cheap ART tube preamp before, with samson mic. Then I cheaply bought a neumann kms 105 mic. And old preamp became a pain in the a**. So I decided to upgrade. I have heard that good solid state preamp is better than cheap tube pres. So I decided to buy dbx 286a. AND? the sound is so much better that all that cheap tube pres. More crisp without cheap tube mud. buy it! it's better to have a good solid state than that cheep tube market flood.

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Great Channel Strip

Posted by Anonymous Musician on Sep 18, 2007

Experience w/product: I own it

Reviewer's Background: N/A

Reviewer's Play Style: N/A

I've worked with dbx compressors before and I like them, but I didn't know what to expect from the preamp section, especially for the price. Decided to give it a try and I can say that I'm impressed. I was after smoother sound and could never achieve that with my SP C1 mic and other preamps. The dbx286A made it sound smoother (love the DeEsser) and in the same time added clarity! Sounds better than it's price tag suggests! All the other processors work well, too. I woldn't use the Enhancer for recording - maybe for mixing. As with all effects - don't overkill. Try to polish the sound, don't take chunks off of it :)

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Great peice of gear!

Posted by Morkalg from Fort Wayne, IN on Feb 7, 2006

Experience w/product: I own it

Reviewer's Background: Active Musician

Reviewer's Play Style: Everything

I just picked on of these up used and got one hell of a deal on it. I'm using it to fix some problems I've had laying down vocal tracks and I can honestly say the in only the hours I have been recording with this thing it has made a huge difference!

I'm seriously thinking of retracking vocals on the last three songs I've recorded. This baby will save me some serious time.

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dbx 286A Microphone Preamp Processor

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