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| dbx | |
|---|---|
| Name | dbx |
| Industry | Audio electronics |
| Founded | 1970 |
| Founder | David E. Blackmer |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Noise reduction, compressors, equalizers, professional audio processors |
| Parent | Harman International Industries (since 1994) |
dbx
dbx is an American audio electronics maker established in 1970 known for signal processing tools such as noise reduction systems, compressors, and equalizers used in recording, broadcasting, and live sound. The company achieved prominence through patented innovations and commercial products that influenced studios, broadcasters, and consumer electronics manufacturers. Over decades dbx equipment has been integrated into workflows alongside gear and institutions such as Ampex, EMI, Abbey Road Studios, Universal Studios, and BBC Radiophonic Workshop.
dbx was founded by engineer David E. Blackmer following work with institutions like Bell Labs and companies including Hughes Aircraft Company and Bendix Corporation. Early milestones included development of the dbx Type I noise reduction system and the dbx 160 series compressors, which became staples at facilities such as Capitol Records, Motown Records, Sun Studio, and Electric Lady Studios. During the 1970s and 1980s dbx expanded product lines amid competition with firms like Dolby Laboratories, dbx competitor Dolby Laboratories, Teletronix and UREI. The firm underwent corporate changes culminating in acquisition by Harman International Industries in 1994, itself part of Samsung Electronics' global corporate network. dbx technology influenced standards adopted by broadcasters at organizations such as NPR, CBS, NBC, and regulatory and standards bodies like the European Broadcasting Union.
dbx's signature technologies include the dbx noise reduction system based on companding, the dbx VU and RMS metering approaches, and the 1700 and 160 series analog dynamics processors that used proprietary voltage-controlled amplifiers. Engineering drew upon prior work from Bell Labs and contemporaneous developments by Dolby Laboratories, Fairchild Semiconductor, and National Semiconductor. Design choices emphasized low distortion, wide dynamic range, and robust metering compatible with consoles by Neve Electronics, SSL (Solid State Logic), API (Automated Processes, Inc.), and Yamaha Corporation. dbx often used opto-electronic and FET designs similar to devices from Teletronix LA-2A and discrete transistor circuits employed by MCI (Music Center Incorporated).
Commercially notable dbx models include the dbx 160 series compressor/limiters, the dbx 165 and 266 variants, the dbx 902 microphone preamp, the dbx 120A Noise Reducer, and the dbx 160XT stereo compressor. Broadcast-oriented designs included the dbx 280, dbx 231 digital talkback, and rackmount processors for facilities like Radio France and Deutsche Welle. Consumer and hi‑fi iterations appeared in partnership with manufacturers such as JVC, Panasonic, Kenwood, and Pioneer Corporation. Special-purpose variants targeted mastering houses at establishments like Masterdisk and Bernie Grundman Mastering, while live-sound adaptations found use with touring companies linked to artists and entities including The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, U2, and Metallica.
dbx products are applied across recording studios, mastering suites, broadcast facilities, and live concert rigs. In pop and rock production, engineers at Motown Records, Stax Records, Island Records, and Atlantic Records used dbx compressors and noise reduction alongside consoles by Neve and API. Film and television postproduction facilities tied to Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, 20th Century Fox, and BBC Television adopted dbx processing for dialog and effects tracks. Radio stations at networks such as iHeartMedia and SiriusXM used dbx FM processors and broadcast chains. Audiophiles and consumer electronics firms integrated dbx tools into cassette decks and home theater products competing with Dolby B, Dolby C, and later digital loudness processors used in standards from ITU.
While dbx is primarily an analog hardware vendor, its name also appears in digital file-format history via the dbx file format used for email storage in some older desktop clients and archive utilities, and through manufacturer-supplied firmware for digital processors. dbx-branded plugins and emulations have been developed for digital audio workstations by companies like Waves Audio, Universal Audio, Slate Digital, and iZotope, modeling dbx dynamics and noise-reduction behavior for hosts such as Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Ableton Live, and Cubase. In broadcast automation, firmware integrations linked dbx hardware to playout systems from vendors like Dalet Digital Media Systems and Axia Audio.
dbx products received acclaim from engineers and institutions for transparent dynamics control and effective noise suppression, influencing contemporaries such as Dolby Laboratories and shaping equipment lists at storied facilities like Abbey Road Studios and Sun Studios. Critics compared dbx compressors and noise reduction to offerings from Teletronix and Dolby, debating coloration versus transparency in mastering contexts at houses like Masterdisk and Abbey Road Mastering Studios. The brand's integration into consumer electronics by Pioneer and Kenwood broadened exposure, while academic and technical literature from entities like AES (Audio Engineering Society) and IEEE cited dbx patents and measurements. Through corporate acquisition by Harman International Industries and distribution ties to Southwire-era manufacturing partners, dbx technology remains present in contemporary audio chains used by legacy studios, broadcast networks, touring productions, and plugin-emulation developers.
Category:Audio equipment manufacturers Category:Companies established in 1970