Plugin interface — screenshot pending
Compressor

dbx 160

Universal Audio

Where to get itAvailable from Universal Audiouaudio.com

The dbx 160 is a fully licensed emulation of the legendary vintage solid-state VCA compressor, capturing the quirky circuit-level nuances and grabby low-end glue of the original hardware. It combines simple, intuitive controls with modern workflow additions like Dry/Wet mix and a sidechain filter to reduce low-frequency pumping, making it ideal for bass guitar, drum buses, synths, and vocal processing.

Written from the manual and checked against it. How we check

Key Features

01Threshold range -55 dB to 0 dB
02Compression ratio 1.00:1 to Infinity:1 (continuous)
03Output Gain ±20 dB
04Fixed 10 dB per decade sidechain filter for low-frequency control
05Dry/Wet Mix control for parallel compression
06VU Meter with Input, Output, and Gain Reduction display modes
07Below and Above LEDs for threshold status indication
08Phase-accurate parallel compression blending

Things to Try

  • 01Use the Sidechain Filter to reduce excessive gain reduction and pumping on bass-heavy audio without losing bass content in the signal
  • 02Blend wet and dry signals with Mix set to 50% (dot at 12 o'clock position) for parallel compression without DAW routing
  • 03Adjust Output Gain after setting desired compression with Threshold and Compression controls to compensate for reduced output level

Own dbx 160?

Add it to your Plugin Library and it stops being a name in a folder — search it by sound, keep notes, and remember why you bought it.

Add to My LibraryAdd to wishlist with a sale alert

Free forever · no credit card

Already have an account? Sign in to add it

Similar plugins to explore

Get more out of the plugins you already own

Track your plugins and instruments, search by the sound you need, and learn what each one is for. Free forever for up to 50 plugins and instruments.

Get Started Free