DBX 160, 162, 165 VU poll

[tubemonkey35]

How many of you have DBX 160VU or 162,165 VU comp limiters that have broken VU meters?

Please list your model.

 

[soundguy]

every 160 I have ever owned has had a broken VU meter.

dave

 

[tubemonkey35]

soundguy do you have any now that need new meters? how many?

 

[soundguy]

I think one of the meters on my 162 might be broken, Id have to check. I got rid of all my 160's. I noticed though that the meters would always fail on power up. They'd work fine, and then one time you'd turn it on and could see the meter seize. I had a few that I watched die like that over the years. Dont know if it was just the end of the lifespan of a cheap meter or the design of the circuit that led to that death, but those meters eventually going dead is a fairly common problem amongst my friends at least. Have you found a source for new meters that will work? I gave up on that on a long time ago...

dave

 

[tubemonkey35]

I'm may start stocking new ones with scale and all.

 

[STOERSENDER]

I'm going to replace one meter on my 162Sl these days

 

[Ricardus]

We have 4 160vu's and all meters work fine. Is this a common problem?

 

[ccal12]

kind of related i have a dbx 160 sl with the VU meters lights out, would that constitute as non working in this poll?
any idea of where i can source said light bulbs? they look weird and soldered in.

 

[pucho812]

kind of related i have a dbx 160 sl with the VU meters lights out, would that constitute as non working in this poll?
any idea of where i can source said light bulbs? they look weird and soldered in.

I am working on a similar thing. Our 160SL the blue one has lights out on one side. So far it looks like you have to take the entire front panel off to just get to the thing. I believe they are led lights but I have not confirmed them yet. Personally one channel lit one channel not lit works for me as makes it easy to tell left and right apart so I might just  leave it that way.

 

[ccal12]

I am working on a similar thing. Our 160SL the blue one has lights out on one side. So far it looks like you have to take the entire front panel off to just get to the thing. I believe they are led lights but I have not confirmed them yet. Personally one channel lit one channel not lit works for me as makes it easy to tell left and right apart so I might just  leave it that way.

I'm going to pull mine apart again this weekend, and take close notes of the bulb, will post here

 

[ccal12]

Meter Lamp Board Part No. 80-2581-A
i dont know what ITS-G stands for. 
Blubs are elongated cylinders, could be LED but strangely look incandescent
It meausres out 4mm X 18mm, soldered in at a width of approx 22mm
total of 4 bulbs

it looks like most vu meter bulbs are 8v 100ma  found some from part express ~13 shipped

 

[AusTex64]

You can buy incandescent meter lamps for 160 from Mouser. They are not soldered in on 160, don't know about the other models.

My 160 was dropped and the meter failed. I sent it to Larson Metercraft who repaired it for a little over $100, as I recall. I'm not sure if Larson is still in business though.

 

[outoftune]

seen plenty of these 160VU and 161VU with busted meters...and the only spare or NOS one's i've seen are ridiculous in price. If someone could make a reasonably priced replacement I bet you'd sell a bunch!

 

[pinebox]

I would be very interested in a reproduction meters for these.

 

[Brian Roth]

Check to see if there are manufacturer markings on the meter.

Bri

 

[bdamiano]

I have a 162 from 1974 and both VUs work perfectly (knock wood). I have replaced a few of the backlight bulbs, but the meters are fine.

 

[mjrippe]

https://www.studioelectronics.biz/sunshop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=5159

 

[Electrobumps]

https://www.studioelectronics.biz/sunshop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=5159

Those meters have risen from $175 to $300. They are not even perfect replacements. I want to sell my 160vu but the meter is dead.

 

[rjb5191]

Thos metered are now 300 USD. I still need one for a 160vu. Also anyone know where

Those meters have risen from $175 to $300. They are not even perfect replacements. I want to sell my 160vu but the meter is dead.

I'd buy your 160VU with a dead meter for a reasonable price.

 

[gyraf]

..ask your local watchmaker if they can fix the original? I've had success with this route a couple of times - this is more or less their core technology..

/Jakob E.