Waves dbx® 160 Compressor / Limiter

VCA dbx 160 compressor emulation plug-in

• Accurate replica of the classic dbx 160 hardware compressor
• Powerful compression ideal for drums, bass, synths and vocals
• Mix control for immediate parallel compression
• High-pass sidechain filter to maintain full low frequencies
• Stereo linked, dual mono and mid-side support

Waves dbx® 160: the analog power of the 1970s in a plug-in

The Waves dbx® 160 faithfully recreates the behavior of the legendary VCA compressor of the 1970s, famous for its transparency, quick attack, and ability to give body and punch to the mix. Working directly with dbx®, Waves has brought all the personality of the original model to digital, enriching it with modern features essential in today's studio.

Iconic compression for drums, bass and more

The dbx 160 has become synonymous with percussive compression thanks to its bold but controlled sound. Perfect for giving presence to speakers, snare drums, synths, and even vocals, it is a versatile plug-in for any style of music.

Modern features for today's workflow

The plug-in integrates a mix control for intuitive parallel compression, a high-pass sidechain filter to preserve low frequencies, and a mid-side option to process center and side information separately. In addition, you can work in stereo linked or dual mono, depending on your mix needs.

Analog sound and digital flexibility

Even without active compression, the plug-in reproduces the original analog circuitry, with an option to activate the "noise floor" typical of vintage hardware units for an even more realistic feel.

Technical Specifications.

• Replica of the original dbx 160 VCA compressor
• Transparent compression with ultra-low distortion
• Mix control for parallel compression
• Hi-pass sidechain filter included
• Stereo link, dual mono and mid-side modes
• Compatible with macOS Ventura, Sonoma, Sequoia / Windows 10-11
• Requires 16 GB RAM, 30 GB free disk space
• Recommended screen resolution: 1920x1080