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The 160W: An Interactive Compressor

The dbx 160 taught the industry what a VCA compressor could do. This is its web-born descendant — drag the controls, hear the difference in real time.

160W Compressor / Limiter
Live in your browser / Nothing leaves your computer
Threshold
-24 dB
Ratio
4:1
Attack
10 ms
Release
150 ms
Makeup Gain
0 dB
Knee
Select a source
MP3 or WAV, played locally — never uploaded to a server.
Input—
Gain Reduction—
-24-18-12-60
Output—
Now playing —

A simplified feed-forward VCA-style compressor, built for demonstration — not a plugin-grade emulation of any specific dbx hardware.

Understanding the controls

What each knob actually does to the signal.

  • Threshold

    The level a signal has to cross before compression kicks in. Set it low and even quiet passages get squeezed; set it high and only the loudest peaks are affected.

  • Ratio

    How hard the compressor squeezes once the signal is over the threshold. A 4:1 ratio means 4 dB over the threshold comes out as only 1 dB over — raise it for a more obvious effect.

  • Attack

    How quickly the compressor responds after a signal crosses the threshold. A fast attack clamps down on transients immediately; a slow attack lets the initial punch through before it kicks in.

  • Release

    How quickly the compressor lets go once the signal drops back below the threshold. A fast release can pump and breathe with the music; a slow release keeps the sound smoother and more even.

  • Makeup Gain

    Compression lowers the overall level, so makeup gain brings the volume back up afterward — letting you compare the compressed sound to the original at a similar loudness.

The current lineup

Real dbx dynamics processors, still carrying the 160's DNA forward.