dbx 386 Dual Tube Microphone Preamplifier

The Silver Series 386 dual channel tube mic preamp puts the best of both worlds into 1 affordable package by combining the warmth of the irreplaceable vacuum tube with the proprietary dbx Type IV conversion system. The 386 boasts many of the same features as other products in the Silver Series, such as +48V phantom power, a phase invert switch, and low cut filtering; but also includes digital outputs in both AES/EBU, and S/PDIF formats.

The high impedance, 1/4 in. instrument input located on the front panel, as well as the mic/line switch, and 20 dB pad show dbx's dedication to providing convenience in the studio. The 12 segment LED meters provide a visual indication of analog or digital levels at a glance. The rear panel includes both mic and line inputs and outputs, word clock sync input and output, and digital outputs. Add selectable sampling rates of 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 88.2 kHz, or 96 kHz; selectable dithering and noise shaping; and separate analog and digital output controls to this already impressive list of features, and we think you'll agree that the 386 lives up to the innovative dbx standards.

Features
2-channel tube microphone preamplifier
Selectable 96 kHz, 88.2 kHz,48 kHz, or 44.1 kHz sampling rate
24, 20, and 16 bit wordlengths
Selectable dither and noise shaping
AES/EBU and S/PDIF digital outputs
Word clock sync input and output
Separate analog and digital output control
Type IVconversion system
60 dB of gain and +/- 15 dB of output gain
Selectable mic/line switch
48 volt phantom power
20 dB pad
75 Hz low cut filter
Phase reverse
12 segment LED analog/digital

About dbx
More than 25 years ago, a brilliant young engineer named David Blackmer sat at his workbench trying to find something that would make music easier to record. What he came up with changed everything we knew about dynamics processing at the time. Enter the VCA. With the launch of the dbx 160, the music industry sat up and took notice of the new company with the 3 lower-case initials - dbx. Further refinements brought new processes and new products. The 165 a few years later would prove another turning point. The advent of OverEasy compression defined the process of threshold sensitive compression. Both the 160 and 165 are still greatly sought after standards that come along all too infrequently. The 160 is now worth many times its original price tag in the used market - if you can find one. The 165A has proved so popular that it is still manufactured today, exactly the same way it was 20 years ago; pretty rare in this industry.

Today the tradition of excellence and ingenuity continues. In these pages you'll find the dbx world, one where no corners are cut, and excellence is sought after in every aspect of design, engineering, and manufacture. With the already popular 160S Stereo Compressor, the bar for creativity has been raised higher than ever. A dbx piece that is predictably robust to the ear, artful to the eye, and generously featured, the 160SL is a step above the rest - again. The next generation of dbx looks back to the roots of its birth as well as forward to a fearless venture into the rapidly expanding new world of digital processing.

dbx Professional Products we do it for you . . . the lunch box, working class musicians, the weekend wedding band, the Grammy-winning engineer, the mega-star, the guys who make music just for the heck of it in the garage in February, the newly aspiring producer of the month. You endure the uncharitable business of music and carve a life of unusual reward from the ever-challenging industry. It is this heritage, spirit, and character that inspires us and every product we make.

Same Day Music is an authorized dealer of DBX products.

Microphone Input
Connectors: Female XLR Pin 2 Hot
Type: Electronically balanced/unbalanced
Impedance: 1.0k ohm
Maximum Input Level: -9 dBu or +19 dBu with 20 dB pad engaged
CMRR >40dB, Typically 55dB
Equivalent Input Noise: -128 dBu with a 150 ohm source load

Line Input (Rear Panel)
Connector: TRS 1/4 in. Jack
Type: Electronically balanced/unbalanced
Impedance: 20k ohm unbalanced, 40k ohm balanced
Maxium Input Level: +21dBu balanced or unbalanced
CMRR: >40dB, typically 55dB
Gain (Drive Control) -15dB to +15dB

Instrument Input (Front Panel)
Connector: TR 1/4 in. Jack
Type: Unbalanced
Impedance: 470K ohm
Maximum Input Level: +21dBu unbalanced

Analog Outputs
Connector: Male XLR Pin 2 Hot and TRS 1/4 in.
Type: Servo-balanced/unbalanced
Impedance: Balanced 120 ohm, unbalanced 60 ohm
Maximum Output Level: >+21 dBu, >+20 dBm (into a 600 ohm load)

Digital Outputs
Connectors: XLR for AES/EBU, RCA for S/PDIF
Impedance: 110 ohm for AES/EBU, 75 ohm for S/PDIF

Word Sync Input/Output
Connectors: BNC
Input Impedance: 75 ohm terminated by internal jumper
Input: 96, 88.2, 48, or 44.1kHz word clock
Output: 96, 88.2, 48, or 44.1kHz word clock

System Performance
DRIVE Control Range: +30dB to +60dB for Mic Input; -15dB to +15dB for Line and Instrument Inputs
LEVEL Control Range: (Analog and Digital) -15dB to +15dB
LINE: Selects between microphone and line inputs
Phantom Power: +48V
PAD: 20dB pad
PHASE: Reverses pins 2 and 3 of the microphone input XLR
Low Cut: 75Hz, 12dB/octave high pass filter
Frequency Response: <10Hz to 150kHz
THD + Noise: 0.04% typical at +4dBu out, 1kHz, 30 dB gain
Interchannel Crosstalk: Typically -100dB, 20Hz to 20kHz

Analog to Digital Conversion
Type: dbx Type IV(TM) A/D Conversion System
Sample Rate: 96, 88.2, 48, or 44.1kHz selectable
Wordlength: 24, 20, or 16 bit selectable
Dither Type: TPDF, SNR2, or none
Noise Shape: Shape 1, Shape 2, or none
Output Format: S/PDIF or AES/EBU

Power Supply
Operating Voltage: DO: 120VAC 60Hz, 100VAC 50/60Hz
EU: 230VAC 50/60 Hz
Power Requirements: 20 Watts

Physical
Weight: 6.89 lbs.
Dimensions: 1.75 x 7.75 x 19 in.

Same Day Music is an authorized dealer of DBX products.

Shipping Weights and Dimensions

Base Item

Shipping Weight: 9 lbs

Shipping Dimensions: 22 x 12 x 4 in

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