Strange DBX 160SL Problem AAHHHHH Help!

[jwhmca]

Any body have any experience with these? Here is what it is doing

It has been factory modded to include the Program/non-program dependent switches.

With all the controls in about the middle and the threshold at -20 the input signal is normal line level. The Program/non-program switches pushed in (Program dependent)

If I turn off the Auto it starts to distort... fairly mild but definitely there. If I push the inner switch into the Non-program dependent (out) it will sometimes start slowly getting really loud... and of course start clipping everything... both channels will do this, and I haven't really been able to lock down the pattern...

???

 

[SSLtech]

Is this the blue one or the purple?

A certain well-known, enormously self-promoting recording engineer once called me in to complain loudly that one of our blue-face 160s was clipping, and required immediate repair.

-I simply turned the peak-stop as high as it would go, and left the room.  (it must NEVER be set to +4dB -which is where he'd set it- unless you WANT a fuzz-box).

I'm not sure that this is your problem, but whenever I hear about clipping with 160's, I wonder why on earth dbx would build such a junky feature in...

Keith

 

[MikoKensington]

I wonder why on earth dbx would build such a junky feature in...

Keith

Keef, that's a heritage feature.  A heritage of being useless since the 165A.

 

[jwhmca]

It is the Blue...

Does the Peak-Stop have the ability to send the Gain into Psycho Land? It was get so high that it starts rattling the metal case on the output transformers!!!!

 

[abbey road d enfer]

It is the Blue...

Does the Peak-Stop have the ability to send the Gain into Psycho Land? It was get so high that it starts rattling the metal case on the output transformers!!!!

Peak-Stop is just a not-so-soft clipper that has no action on the VCA. But Peak-Stop Plus combines the clipper (which takes care of the first few milliseconds of transients) with a fast limiter (that takes care of more persistent overs). Do you notice a difference?

 

[abbey road d enfer]

Any body have any experience with these? Here is what it is doing

It has been factory modded to include the Program/non-program dependent switches.

With all the controls in about the middle and the threshold at -20 the input signal is normal line level. The Program/non-program switches pushed in (Program dependent)

If I turn off the Auto it starts to distort... fairly mild but definitely there. If I push the inner switch into the Non-program dependent (out) it will sometimes start slowly getting really loud... and of course start clipping everything... both channels will do this, and I haven't really been able to lock down the pattern...

???

IIRC, the program-dependent mod has been introduced as an answer to the numerous complaints about its slow response. I don't have the details about the mod, but I think they made the Manual + Pgm-dependent mode faster (perhaps with a dual time-constant). Is it LF distortion or all frequencies?

 

[jwhmca]

The distortion seems to be more low frequency, but that might be misleading...

I replaced the Prgm/NonPrgm internal switch and got the Gain crazy problem to go away. At least on one channel... it is now not doing it on the other.

I'm finding that with the Attack setting on fastest is when it distorts and /or the release on fastest.

 

[jwhmca]

It seems to sound just fine with in "Auto" setting...

 

[wmtunate]

The distortion seems to be more low frequency, but that might be misleading...

I replaced the Prgm/NonPrgm internal switch and got the Gain crazy problem to go away. At least on one channel... it is now not doing it on the other.

I'm finding that with the Attack setting on fastest is when it distorts and /or the release on fastest.

That's pretty standard for dbx boxes.  My 165A turns into a fuzz box with those settings, which is useful for some things.  I tend to leave it on Auto most of the time.

 

[Eliani]

Painfully having to open up this old thread as I've got a 160Sl on the workbench where the left channel has the above problem, and the right channel looks to be stuck in a long release setting when set to manual... intermittent contacts? This unit is also fitted with that program switch thing, but then I don't even know what it does...

If any of you remembers these problems and their solutions... ;-) 

 

[jwhmca]

Bad switches. just about all of them.