Limitations of the DBX 286s Preamp & Mic Processor

The dbx 286s is a full-featured Channel Strip Processor that delivers a studio-quality microphone/instrument preamplifier and four processors that can be used independently or in any combination. The sonically pristine dbx 286s Mic Preamp has all the features you need, including wide-ranging input gain control, switchable +48V phantom power, and an 80Hz high-pass filter to remove low frequency hum, rumble or wind. Use the patented dbx OverEasy compressor to transparently smooth out uneven acoustic tracks or deliver that classic “in your face” vocal performance that only a dbx compressor can.

0:00 Disclaimer: I do LIKE the dbx286s
1:11 Stuck with Compression THEN EQ
2:27 Gating and expansion comes last
3:38 Compression is noisy
5:21 High & Low Details are locked to frequencies
6:38 This is not an audio interface
8:11 Conclusions on limitations

Fine-tune the Enhancer HF Detail control to add sparkle and crispness to your tracks and make adjustments to the LF Detail control to add fullness and depth to vocals and bass instruments while cleaning up the muddy low mid-range frequencies. Plus, the separate threshold and ratio controls on the Expander/Gate allow you to subtly reduce headphone leakage or radically gate noisy guitar amps.

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[DawahDigital]

You deserve so many more subs man! Your content, presentation and aesthetics are on point!

[mariotoscano]

If you use EQ before a compressor, you will diminish the effects of the EQ by reducing the dynamics. So if your goal is to reduce the dynamic range of a signal, and then take that more-even signal and adjust specific frequencies, compress the signal first, then add your EQ. However, if your goal is a less prominent EQ, just some tone shaping into the dynamics control, add EQ first. In some cases, applying compression can also alter the tone of a signal — the low end may come up, the high end may be reduced, and so on. In this case, corrective EQ should be applied after the compression.

[TheFallSon]

The noise to omg I’m glad I watched this

[jonkthompson]

I bought a 286s last year and thought it was a great unit however I wanted a little bit more fine tuning. I decided to sell the 286s and bought an ART Voice Channel instead. I really like the VC vs the 286s more. It has Post/Pre Compression EQ, the Expander/Gate is "sounds" better imo and of course Tube Voltage which allows you to adjust your impedance and change your sound. I have it running through my Motu M2 and use a Rode NT1 or my SM7B. The downside was the cost. However I did purchase mine used and got lucky from the seller who was looking for some quick cash and sold it at a pretty low cost for a brand new unit.

[TheFallSon]

Thank u this is why I switched it out because I prefer eq before compression

[graysonpeddie]

For me, I prefer the mic preamp, expander, EQ, and compressor in that order. I am wondering if the Behringer MIC2200 and MDX2600 might be a better choice while taking 2U of space...

[Zidakuh]

Little known fact (from the diagram): the expander reacts to the raw input signal, not the processed signal.

[pascalinkel]

Bravo j'ai cette emplie microphone je l'adore le dbx 286 s sais le premier que j'ai acheter je le garde seulement pour chanter et bien brancher sur ma console j'ai fait le bon choix sais formidable et vive la musique pour le plaisir avant tout mon ami

[shirgall]

The latest firmware on the Revelator io24 losing its settings whenever I reboot my PC made me change away to the Vocaster, but what I don't like about the 286s with that is that I need to pad the line level down to a mic level signal for the Vocaster.

[NeilUmwi]

I've been using the Audient iD14 for 3 years now and was looking for a dedicated preamp. Do you think this will be a good upgrade compared to the Audient preamps?

[Nikulvankar]

hello I have audient id14 and Aston spirt mic I trying to work with dbx286 but It works 10 15 min after that preamp not working sometime suddnely sound pop ups, I have tried balance trs jack and everything but still problem not solved pleas give suggestion or any other preamp you suggest for home studio

[mattbarnett]

Just a question: why wouldn't you run the mic through the dbx if this is a video about the dbx? Is the audio in your other optimal dbx settings dbx videos not being processed through the dbx?

[akg.]

How did you get rid off the hiss noise of Dbx 286s?

[KaisUK]

what a good pre-amp processor that doesnt have these limitations that you recommend?

[rmdaflow]

But how do u know if they meant to do it from right to left

[sekritskworl-sekrit_studios]

So, how would you personally go about placing an EQ in front of the unit?

[Scane-mz]

this video is actually pointless, you didn't even use the dbx genius

[urbansnowtrax]

Why don’t you design a unit if you know so much more than the engineers at DBX? A lot of talented experts appreciate the unit for what it is - an inexpensive box that can really help improve quality. If you are Mr. Audiophile, you can go buy all the component parts separately and pay $5000 each. You can daisy chain them together any way you like to literally sound .005% better (maybe). This is a $200 box that does a great job for many of us who aren’t so stuck up. I don’t even know why you made this hater video. You obviously have money to buy better stuff so why sit there mocking the gear an average guy can afford? Go make videos about your Apollo or whatever else you have. Pretty ridiculous.