dbx Arsenal Expands

[Acoustic]

Just received a dbx 3BX. A 3 band dynamic range expander to add to my main system. The 228 that I have has one band dynamic range expanding and I was impressed with its performance that I kept an eye out for a 3 band for my main. This unit does not have the 'impact restoration' as later models but with at 1/3 the price usually... and the type of music I listen to... this should fill my needs. Got it delivered this morning... don't have any interconnects on hand to hook it up yet... but I work this afternoon where I can get some to hook her up for a test tonight. I'll let you all know how this combination of dbx units sound in my system (I've been impressed so far!) but for now here's a pic:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3280/2909605701_9b6b501aa7.jpg

[Scorpion8]

Way to go. I have my eye on one of those also, so any comments will be much appreciated.

[jbeckva]

That a cool looking stack and getting cooler every day.

How well do the dbx range expanders work? Do they do the job without over-coloring the music?

[Fast Forward]

I have a DBX 3BX wired into my system ,i wish I could say it was a major sound improvement but the difference seems to be a subtle improvement,it will be interesting to hear what you have to report

[braxus]

Acoustic,

Your pic of your top two DBX units looks a lot like my system. I also have the exact same units (400XG, 224X) with each other and the 400XG on top. One day I'll get them running together as I haven't used the NR box yet.

[Acoustic]

Thanks for the replies! I am amassing some great gear IMHO...and the key to that statement is... that works for the volume I listen to and my taste in music.

As for how dynamic range expanders work... I don't know... but it seems they look for peaks and valleys already there in the music and makes them louder or softer to increase the 'dynamic range'. For me it works this way.... there is a pause... it's QUIETER than before.. then say, a cymbal is hit... the expander increases the gain on that cymbal and out of nowhere (as it did before but from more quiet to more loud... how is that for a layman's explanation!!).. so the impact is impressive!! Like I mentioned I worked last evening and just had a few hours to play with the unit this morning and then back for more work this afternoon... to earn the almighty (we all hope) dollar.

I believe these things are correct*hope*... input please, to debate, correct or question my beliefs. The more dynamics the music already has the more this expander will add to the selection. First I put my Behringer ECM 8000 measuring microphone about a meter away from the left speaker. I am using a Behringer Ultra-Curve Pro DEQ2496 in the SPL meter mode with the weight off. The room at that place was 62.7db with the AC and fan on... and 54.2db with AC and fan off... just to mention. I put on (taped from FM) Organissimo (band name)... the classic "Tenderly". Without the expansion, the songs dynamic range was (at listening levels that pleased my taste) 78-84.2db... then I played around with the Expansion/Transition Level slides. I was making sure I didn't add to much gain but worked at getting the mid part of the volume about the same. And when I played the song again.. the dynamic range was 74-87.1db. This was with the Expansion slider at 1.3 and the Transition Level slider at the forth bar from the left. That scale is not marked in any way, just with six equally spaced bars. Though the middle section with the light show.. is marked with three rows of lights LF, MF and HF.. low mid and high frequency.. and from left to right the lights indicate -20db gain to +12db labeled "Gain Change".

I will say this before suspending this post because of time.. that if the music your listening to is overly compressed and has little or no dynamics there to begin with... like most commercial radio I put on to experiment with... the expander will just be a gain increaser or decreaser (more layman's audio terms*Spin*)... sometimes finding no passages to quiet...or peaks to increase... and then when you try to go full throttle on the dbx.. is when the sound will just suck (that breathing and pumping you've read about with dbx) and you wondered why you bought this damn thing. But that will not happen to me!!!

Edit:
Here are some photo's of the 3BX in action.
This is the example of what I was speaking of where your music is all compressed and no matter where you set your sliders all you get is your gain (or de-gain) staying the same when your music has no dynamics to to start with. The music just sucks and that's where your pumping and breathing come into play. As you see by the LED's... all your getting is +12db of gain:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3004/2915303348_ca00fff4cc.jpg

This one is where the LED's go between passages or when there is no signal coming thru the unit. You get -20db of gain... but basically no matter what music starts next... it's dynamic... because of the gain change:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3288/2914460279_00515866e0.jpg

So what I want to see after adjusting my sliders is the lit LED's dancing across the middle portion of the bulbs. That's where your getting the dynamics expanding:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3222/2914460219_a1c71572c9.jpg

[braxus]

Acoustic,

Is the 3BX-DS a good unit to get?

[Acoustic]

Don't know. I've never heard one.

[Acoustic]

Edited post above by adding the photo's of the 3BX in action....

[Rat44]

That looks like a nice unit.
I never used a DBX myself but many friends did.
You hit the nail on the head, some music can't be helped.
I used a Phase Linear 1000 for a long time.
Some stuff it worked great on and others it was a waste of electricity.
It can be very useful .

[Acoustic]

That a cool looking stack and getting cooler every day.

How well do the dbx range expanders work? Do they do the job without over-coloring the music?

Thanks for the comment on my stack!! About the coloring... zero coloring is added in the way of + or - equalization... but with the dynamics + or - gain across three different bands changing... if you have that good of memory of the music... some bands will be quieter or louder compared to each other, than before. But that's the units intended job. And that is only overdone if you set it that way. A little goes a long way with these units with low or average dynamic music to start with. But with good or very good dynamic music to start with... unless you go to high volumes... it really doesn't over do things while listening. Also, just to mention, adding dynamics at lower volumes really helps late night listening pleasure!*reelspin* *reelspin* *reelspin* *reelspin*

[Acoustic]

That looks like a nice unit.
I never used a DBX myself but many friends did.
You hit the nail on the head, some music can't be helped.
I used a Phase Linear 1000 for a long time.
Some stuff it worked great on and others it was a waste of electricity.
It can be very useful .

Thanks. Yep some music can't be helped and a you just can't overdo it with music that can. Another thing in life to do in moderation!! *Spin* *Spin* *Spin* *Spin* *Spin* *Spin*