VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Lee Gordon

I'm tired of fussing with my ART Tube MP trying to get it to not be noisy so I'm debating replacing it with either a new MicPort Pro for $150 or a used DBX 286a for $175.
I have not used either one but have heard good things about both. What sayeth you?
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Lee Gordon, O.A.V.
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Lance Blair · M&M Joined: 03 Jun 2007 Posts: 2281 Location: Atlanta

You'll be very happy with either. But you have an interface, so the dbx gets you more to work with...

The 286a was my first preamp and I liked it a lot. Selling it was short-sighted.
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Bill Campbell · DC Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 621

DBX 286A!! Compression, expander, EQ, and it all works really well.
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Edo · Guest

I recently asked for experiences with the DBX 268A for broadcast purposes... I had 2 units ordered and they sound great, especially at that price. The radiostation uses them with Rode Broadcaster mics.

ricevoice · Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 6:39 pm Post subject:

Love my dbx286a... sounds great with both my Rode NTK and my Senn 416... the gate on it does a really nice job of lowering my perceived noise floor (I know, it doesn't really do anything to the level of actual noise in the room) without being noticable on my tracks.
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ChrisMezzolesta · Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 10:39 am Post subject:

I can't speak for the 286 (tho I was using the old 155 NR units waaaaay back when, in the college electronic music lab!!!), would imagine being dbx it should be good - but I just got the M Hobo Tounge

, and while I'll only be using it for road kit, I was very pleasantly surprised at how much it puts through/out. To squeeze so much into a small unit and keep the recording quality, like wow. Only thing I've noticed, when playing back a mono file in Sound Forge, despite having both channels set to playback, it only seems to put audio out on one side. Course I only used it the once, so I may have missed something in setting my options in SF. But rather than lugging a board or even a box like a Solo, this is great. No drivers to mess with, the USB data thruput seems plenty fast....Either way I'd say you can't go wrong.
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Lee Gordon · Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 3:55 pm Post subject:

Thanks for all the input. It appears I can't go wrong with either but most of the feedback here seems to favor the DBX. Now I have yet another wrinkle to add to the mix. I have the opportunity to pick up a used Valley 400 for around $80. Does that change anybody's opinion on the heirarchy of my purchasing decision? If I wasn't clear in the initial post, let me reiterate that low noise is a priority.
_________________
Lee Gordon, O.A.V.
Voice President of the United States
www.leegordonproductions.com
Twitter: @LeeGordonVoice