Pair of Vintage dbx 160 (VU) Compressor / Limiters — 1970s Black Face — Racked 2U

A matched pair of original dbx Model 160 (VU) compressor/limiters — David Blackmer's legendary first-generation VCA design from 1976, black-face originals racked side-by-side in a 2U tray. Not the later 160X / 160A / 160XT or current-production reissues. Discrete VCA gain reduction, the prized early circuit before dbx moved to monolithic ICs.

The 160 VU is the compressor that founded a sound: hard-knee, fast, grabby, and unmistakable on kick, snare, bass DI, picked electric, room mics — anything you want to slam with character. Made in USA. Threshold / Compression / Output Gain controls, switchable VU metering (Input / Output / Gain Change), balanced XLR and barrier-strip I/O.

Serial numbers: #2046 and #7278 — #2046 is a very early production unit.

Provenance: Purchased from Retro Gear Shop (Brooklyn, NY) in early 2020. Per their standard preparation, the pair was fully serviced by their in-house tech before sale — complete recap and new meter lamps fitted. They've lived in my studio since, used carefully, with no further work needed. Original invoice available on request.

Condition: Honest vintage cosmetic wear (light scratches/paint wear on faces and rear chassis, see photos). Knobs, switches, meters and lenses intact. Both power on and pass signal cleanly; compression and metering respond correctly across the range.

⚠️ Power: US-spec 117V units. Plug-and-play in North America. Buyers in AU / UK / EU need a small step-down transformer (each draws only 8W — cheap and easy).

Shipping worldwide from Perth, Australia. Local pickup welcome. Questions or extra photos — just ask.