The dbx 676 is a single-channel tube microphone preamplifier and channel strip processor with 3-band semi-parametric EQ, compressor, and PeakPlus™ limiter. When used at the front of a digital audio workstation, tracks will take on more analogue warmth and sheen when compared to preamps built into standard audio recording interfaces.
The dbx 676 preamp is a Class A, high-voltage (250V) vacuum tube design that can accommodate microphones or direct instrument connections thanks to the easily accessible front-panel Hi-Z instrument input. Use the pre-tube GAIN control to dial in just the right amount of tube drive, then adjust the POST TUBE ATTENUATION control to set your gain back to unity. Keep the pre-tube GAIN low and raise the POST TUBE ATTENUATION for an open, clean sound.
Or turn the pre-tube GAIN up and lower the POST TUBE ATTENUATION for a tone that’s rich in harmonics and analogue warmth. The dbx 676 provides up to 55 dB of gain, a 20 dB pad, +48-volt phantom power, and polarity inversion, making it well suited for a wide variety of recording and live sound applications. Use the insert jack to patch in your favourite outboard compressor, EQ, or any other signal processor post the preamp.
If you can’t quite achieve the tone you’re after with mic selection and placement alone, use the built-in semi-parametric EQ to fine-tune the tone of the source. Engage the 80 Hz low cut filter to help keep the mix clean and maximise headroom by eliminating subsonic plosives, hum, and microphone vibration noise.
The dbx 676’s VCA compressor design was taken from the revered dbx 162SL and delivers smooth, low-distortion compression characteristics, as well as very fast attack/release capabilities for shaping drum transients. Sources can be compressed gently by engaging the OVEREASY switch (soft-knee mode) or aggressively by disengaging the OVEREASY switch (hard-knee mode). Use the compressor to beef up instruments and voices, smooth out level fluctuations, and make your tracks more ‘mix-ready’.
Compression attack and release times can be set manually or be program-dependent by engaging the AUTO switch. Use the compressor’s sidechain jack to insert an outboard EQ for frequency-weighted compression, such as de-essing, or for other creative sidechaining applications. The PeakPlus limiter can be used for level-critical applications, where you want to keep the output level under control no matter how loud the source gets.
PREAMP and COMPRESSOR / LIMITER outputs are provided for parallel compression applications or for recording an uncompressed backup, so there’s no need to worry about over-compressing a recorded track. Whether you’re working in the studio or on the stage, the dbx 676 adds harmonically rich, warm analogue tones to your sound sources, at a fraction of the cost of other comparable products in its class
Features
- Class-A Vacuum Tube Preamp with High Voltage Gain
- High-Visibility Vintage VU Meter
- Compressor designed from the dbx162SL
- 3-Band Semi-Parametric EQ
- 1/4” and XLR Inputs and Outputs
- Front Panel Instrument Input
- Side Chain Insert
