Series, 160s, 160sl – dbx 160SL User Manual
Page 20: Operations, Technical, Manual, Connection, Connection installation installation, Introduction
16
160S
lue
series
b
160S
160S
160S
controls
controls
160S
notes
notes
160S
160S
160S
Operations
160S
160S
160S
160S
160S
160S
160S
160S
160S
160S
160S
160S
160S
160S
160S
Operations
Inspection
Inspection
Operating
Operating
Operating
Operating
Connection
Connection
Installation
Installation
Technical
Technical
Introduction
Introduction
to your system
to your system
considerations
considerations
contents
contents
concept
concept
diagram
diagram
applications
applications
support and factory service
support and factory service
160S
Specifications
Specifications
160S
160S
160S
160S
160S
160S
Manual
Manual
Design
Design
Block
Block
Controls
Controls
Advanced
Advanced
Warranty
Warranty
lue
series
b
OverEasy
®
And Hard Knee
In a typical hard-knee compressor, the threshold control sets a reference level above which input signals will
be attenuated in the manner defined by the setting of the Compression ratio control. Input signals which fall
below this level will pass through unprocessed. With OverEasy compression, signals begin to gradually activate
the 160SL’s gain change circuitry as they approach the threshold reference level and they do not get fully pro-
cessed in the manner defined by the Compression control until they have passed somewhat above the threshold
reference level. There is no distinct point at which processing begins, and the threshold setting corresponds to
a point on the input/output transfer curve midway between the onset of processing and that point at which the
transfer curve corresponds to the setting of the Compression control. The following diagrams also show how
the 160SL’s threshold indicator LEDs correlate with the compression curves.
-15
-10
-5
0
+5
+15
+20
+10
INPUT LEVEL (dB)
OUTPUT
L
EV
EL
(dB)
-15 -10 -5
0 +5
+15 +20
+10
1:1 Unity
2:1
4:1
:1
20:1
Rotation Point Threshold
1:1
2:1
4:1
:1
-15
-10
-5
0
+5
+15
+20
+10
INPUT LEVEL (dB)
OUTPUT
L
EV
EL
(
dB
)
-15 -10 -5
0
+5
+15 +20
+10
RED
Below Threshold
Above Threshold
Over Easy Range
GR
EE
N
AM
BER
Using The Compression Control
When an input signal is above the threshold reference level, the setting of this control determines the number
of decibels by which the input signal must change in level to produce a 1dB increase in the signal level at the
output of the 160SL. A setting of 2:1 indicates an input:output ratio wherein a 2dB increase in input signal (above
threshold) will produce a 1dB increase in output signal. A setting of ∞:1 indicates that an infinite increase in input
level would be required to raise the output level by 1dB. In other words, the output level is
constant when the
input signal is above threshold. The 160SL’s Compression control covers the entire range from 1:1 to ∞:1. The
control curve of the compression potentiometer has been designed to provide total operator control, with scale
expansion at the subtle lower ratios for easy, repeatable settings.
1:1
2:1
4:1
:1
-15
-10
-5
0
+5
+15
+20
+10
INPUT LEVEL (dB)
OUTPUT
L
EV
EL
(
dB
)
-15 -10 -5
0 +5
+15 +20
+10
Threshold
4
6
10
20
1
1.5
2
3
COMPRESSION
-1:1
Behavior of the 160SL’s
Compression control
Hard knee compression threshold
point.
OverEasy
®
compression threshold and
LEDs.
OverEasy
®
Range
160SL
lue
series
b
160SL
160SL
160SL
controls
controls
160SL
notes
notes
160SL
160SL
160SL
Operations
160SL
160SL
160SL
160SL
160SL
160SL
160SL
160SL
160SL
160SL
160SL
160SL
160SL
160SL
160SL
Operations
Inspection
Inspection
Operating
Operating
Operating
Operating
Connection
Connection
Installation
Installation
Technical
Technical
Introduction
Introduction
to your system
to your system
considerations
considerations
contents
contents
concept
concept
diagram
diagram
applications
applications
support and factory service
support and factory service
160SL
Specifications
Specifications
160SL
160SL
160SL
160SL
160SL
160SL
Manual
Manual
Design
Design
Block
Block
Controls
Controls
Advanced
Advanced
Warranty
Warranty
lue
series
b