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Old 08-01-2019, 12:03 AM
amsmarle amsmarle is offline
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Default DBX 286S

Hi there,

I have been considering the DBX 286S to use as a vocal preamp, to record my songs... usually just two separate mono tracks 1 x vocal and 1 x acoustic plugged in. I am reading mixed reviews that the DBX 286S is mainly used for podcasting (the spoken word). Yet also reading that some musicians have got great results using it for recording vocals. I wondering if anyone can confirm either way about the ability to get good results from using the DBX 286S to record vocals.

Regards
Alan M
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Old 08-01-2019, 06:14 AM
jim1960 jim1960 is offline
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This isn't a preamp that has shown up on my radar. I suspect the reason for that is there are better options in that price range. ART, Presonus, & Golden Age come to mind.
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Old 08-01-2019, 09:09 AM
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KevWind KevWind is online now
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Have not used one and it may be a good value for what it is.

HOWEVER personally I would (looking to the future) probably not get a single channel pre or channel strip of any kind (unless I was getting two of them) because having had a single channel strip. Now I would get at least a two channel.
(Not that you can't add another later )

Because (again looking to the future) most acoustic guitarists will at some point want to be able to mic the guitar and if you sing also means 2 channel minimum. Also most will likely also want to experiment with stereo recording and acoustic and if you sing also now you are looking at overdub or 3 channels

just some thoughts
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Old 08-01-2019, 12:59 PM
sdelsolray sdelsolray is offline
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The dbx 286, in various versions (current is 286S), has been around for about 20 years, give or take. It's a single channel strip, sans EQ, and was designed at a time when post recording plugins were not as popular or advanced as they are today. Thus, for recording purposes, it would perhaps best be used only as a mic preamp with plugins being used after recording to process the raw signal.

That being said, its other features could be useful in live playing, or, as you mentioned, in live VO broadcasting.

For recording acoustic guitar, that could be done with a mic, an active pickup (into its line input) or a passive pickup (into a plain DI then into its mic input).

I've never used the dbx 286, so I can't comment on its sound or behavior, although the published specs for it are decent. I have a dbx 786 dual channel mic preamp, which IMO is one of the finest preamps I have ever encountered.
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Old 08-01-2019, 11:34 PM
amsmarle amsmarle is offline
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I guess it looks like not a popular option for the musician then. I do have a Fishman Aura spectrum for my acoustic guitar and I am very please with that, I got it in a good deal for a mic swap. Otherwise it would have been too expensive for me. I have a Studio projects VTB1 V series (bought used) which is OK but I don't like the tube blend.

Thanks for your replies,

Alan
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