DBX 163X Over Easy Compressor Limiter

People tend to mess with these and do upgrades which is fine if you want the ultra clean sound of a modern piece .... BUT that is not why you would be buying this thing ... If that's what you want, just buy a pedal.

The DBX 163X is a vintage, half-rack "OverEasy" compressor/limiter famous for its extreme simplicity, musical analog color, and iconic single-slider operation. Originally designed as an accessible, "foolproof" tool for musicians and studio operators, it has become a cult-favorite budget "secret weapon" in modern studios for smashing drums, leveling bass guitars, and adding analog grit. [1, 2, 3]Key Features

• Single-Slider Control: Instead of separate threshold, ratio, attack, and release controls, a single front-panel slider adjusts the compression amount from "less" to "more". As you push the slider, the unit automatically scales the internal threshold and ratio together. [1, 2, 3]
• OverEasy® Compression: Utilizes dbx's proprietary soft-knee threshold and true RMS power detection, which mimics human hearing by compressing based on average signal power rather than erratic peaks. [1, 2, 3]
• Front-Panel Hi-Z Input: Features a dedicated high-impedance instrument/preamp input on the front panel with a gain trim on the back, making it an excellent, direct-inject (DI) box for bass and guitar tracking. [1]
• Stereo Strapping: Includes a rear-panel jack allowing two 163X units to be linked together for true stereo operation or linked to a companion 463X noise gate. [1]

Sonic CharacterUnlike transparent modern digital compressors, the dbx 163X is widely prized as a "color" piece. It imparts a distinct, warm, and somewhat dirty analog thickness to the audio signal even when it isn't actively compressing. When pushed hard, it delivers a massive, aggressive "squashed" sound that works exceptionally well for rounding out a picking bass or adding parallel crunch to drum rooms