DBX 1046 Quad Compressor/Limiter

In today's recording and sound reinforcement environments, the need for multiple channels of high quality, easy to use, compression is growing rapidly. The new dbx 1046 is designed to provide the audio professional with just that: 4 channels of great sounding dbx compression for a variety of applications. Incorporating the industry standard dbx designs and the latest available manufacturing techniques, the dbx 1046 provides pristine sonic quality with that classic dbx sound.The 1046 provides 4 channels of smooth classic dbx OverEasy® or hard knee compression that are perfectly suited for use on individual tracks of your multitrack recorder, and in virtually all applications the separate channels can be individually interfaced and used for entirely independent purposes. Additionally the newly developed PeakStopPlus is ideal for protecting your system from the oppressive peaks that can take out valuable drivers in your sound reinforcement rig or studio monitors. All four channels feature balanced gold plated XLR and 1/4" inputs and outputs, and switchable +4dBu or -10dBV operating level to interface each individual channel with any other device.So whether you need to control the level, placement in the mix, or overall characteristics of 4 independent signals or control the gain leveling on a couple of stereo pairs, the dbx1046 is for you.

Controls

All four channels have the following controls:

Threshold - allows you to set the level at which the compressor starts affecting the gain

OverEasy® - allows you to select between soft compression for overall gain control or hard-knee compression based on the famous curve found in the original dbx160

Ratio - allows you to set the slope of gain reduction affecting the signal over the threshold level.

Input/Output Meter - allows you to set the meter to check the input and output levels for maximum signal-to-noise ratio and best level matching

Output Gain - allows you to add make-up gain or to adjust the output level for that channel to match the next device's input gain

Bypass - hard wire bypass allows you to hear how the compressor is affecting your signal

PeakStopPlus - allows you to set the maximum signal level you want to pass through this channel. While it's virtually impossible to eliminate distortion, the PeakStopPlus circuit does it gracefully and effectively with minimal distortion.

Stereo Link - allows you to link channels 1&2 and 3&4 for two channels of true stereo compression

Specifications

Input Connectors

XLR and 1/4" TRS (Pin 2 and tip hot)

Type: Electronically balanced/unbalanced, RF filtered

Impedance: Balanced > 40 kOhm, unbalanced >20 kOhm

Max Input Level: > +22 dBu balanced or unbalanced

CMRR: Typically >50 dB at 1 kHz

Output Connectors: XLR and 1/4" TRS (Pin 2 and tip hot)

Type: Servo-balanced/unbalanced, RF filtered

Impedance: Balanced 30 Ohm, unbalanced 15 Ohm

Max Output Level: > +22 dBm balanced, > +20 dBm unbalanced

System Performance

Bandwidth: 20 Hz to 20 kHz, +0/-0.5 dB

Frequency Response: 0.35 Hz to 90 kHz, +0/-3 dB

Noise: < -96 dBu, unweighted, 22 kHz measurement bandwidth

Dynamic Range: > 118 dB, unweighted P> 0.008% typical at +4 dBu, 1 kHz unity gain

0.08% typical at +20 dBu, 1 kHz, unity gain

< 0.1% any amount of compression up to 40 dB, 1 kHz

IMD: < 0.1% SMPTE

Interchannel Crosstalk: < -80 dB 20 Hz to 20 kHz

Stereo Coupling: True RMS Power Summing

Compressor

Threshold Range: -40 dBu to +20 dBu

Ratio: 1:1 to :1

Threshold Characteristic: Selectable OverEasy® or hard knee

Attack/Release Characteristic: AutoDynamic

Attack Time: Program-dependent

Release Time: Program-dependent

Output Gain: -20 to +20 dB

Limiter

Threshold Range: 0 dBu to +24 dBu (off)

Ratio: 1:1 to inf.:1

Limiter Type: PeakStopPlus two-stage limiter

Stage 1: PeakStop® brickwall limiter

Attack Time: Zero

Release Time: Zero

Stage 2: Predictive intelligent program limiter

Attack Time: Program-dependent

Release Time: Program-dependen

Function Switches

OverEasy®: Activates the OverEasy® compression function

I/O Meter: Switches between monitoring input and output levels on the Input/Output Level meter

Bypass: Activates the direct input-to-output hard-wire bypass

Operating Level (rear panel): Switches the nominal operating level between -10 dBV and +4dBu simultaneously for both input and output levels

ST Link: Links channels in stereo pairs. Channels One and Three become the master channels

Indicators

Gain Reduction Meter: 8 segment LED bar graph at 1, 3, 6, 10, 15, 20,25, and 30 dB

Input/Ouptut Meter: 8-segment LED bar graph at -24, -18, -12, -6, 0,+6, +12, and +18 dBu

PeakStop®: 1 LED to indicate PeakStop® limiting

Function Switches: LED indicator for each front-panel switch