dbx 520 De-Esser - Secondhand

Full Description

Crisp, Clear, and Sibilance-Free

There's nothing worse than having your ears blasted by excessive sibilance from vocals or other high-frequency sounds. That's why the dbx 520 is an essential addition to any 500 Series rig. Based on dbx's powerful 902 de-esser, the 520 and it's unique feature set lets you dial in the perfect amount of de-essing to do away with that ear-piercing hiss.

Its intuitive interface features a Frequency control with a range from 800Hz to 8kHz. This causes the 520 to split the audio signal into high and low-frequency portions at the point that this control is set to. This allows the module to examine the portions and detect sibilance by comparing the HF level and the full bandwidth level of your signal. When the HF level becomes excessive in comparison to the full bandwidth, the 520 will begin de-essing. Below the Frequency control you'll find a Range control. This allows you to set the amount of de-essing applied when sibilance is detected. It can be used for normal de-essing purposes, or you can twist the knob past the NORM section for special effects or processing instrumental material.

The front panel also features an ENABLE button for handy activation and bypassing, as well as a MODE button for selecting between operation types. The MODE button lets you choose whether the 520 will affect the entire audio bandwidth, or just the high frequencies. The standard full bandwidth mode is perfect for vocals, whilst HF ONLY is ideal for special applications and instrumental sounds. And with a handy Gain Reduction LED meter, viewing the status of your de-essing is quick and easy.

Diverse 500 Series Design

An intuitive workflow, exceptional portability, and a space-saving footprint. The 500 Series, originally birthed over half a century ago, has had a major impact on the audio industry as we know it. And for good reason. Built to provide a powerful outboard format without the monolithic design of some standard rack setups, you can quickly and easily swap modules in and out of a 500 Series rack in minutes. This opens up a lot of doors. Experimentation with signal flow, changing different modules out for different situations, and the added bonus of easily being able to borrow modules from friends. All without the painstaking process of ripping out heavy rack units and crawling around trying to find where the other end of that mystery cable leads to...

It's more than just a 'more convenient option' though. 500 Series modules pack a deceiving amount of punch into their compact and portable housings. From faithful recreations of sought-after hardware, to exciting, innovative, and unique concepts. You can build a rack that fits around you no matter where your audio journey takes you.

Features

• Lets you expertly tame the excessive sibilance often found in vocals and other HF-dense audio
• Based on the legendary dbx 902 with a selection of unique features
• Achieve the exactly amount of de-essing required regardless of variations in signal levels
• Modular 500 Series based design for maximum signal flow versatility and convenience
• Examines the differences between the HF and full-bandwidth portions of a signal for de-essing of signals which change in level by as much as 60dB
• Equipped with a Frequency Control with a range from 800Hz to 8kHz
• Intuitive Gain Reduction metering for at-a-glance visual analysis
• Provides you with a de-essing amount range of 0dB to 20dB
• Perfect for controlling vocals, drums, percussive instruments, problematic material/reverb combinations, and more
• Handy IN/OUT and HF MODE switches

Specifications

• Input Type: Electronically balanced/unbalanced, RF filtered
• Input Impedance:
  • Balanced: 20 k Ohms
  • Unbalanced: 10 k Ohms
• Maximum Input Level: +22dBu
• Input CMRR: >40dB; typically >55dB at 1kHz
• Output Type: Electronically balanced/unbalanced, RF filtered
• Output Impedance:
  • Balanced: 30 Ohms
  • Unbalanced: 15 Ohms
• Maximum Output Level: +22dBu
• Frequency Response:
  • +0/-0.5dB: 20Hz - 20kHz
  • +0/-3dB: 0.5Hz - 100kHz
• Noise: <-92dBu, unweighted (22Hz - 22kHz)
• THD+N: <0.006-percent typical, no compression, 1kHz input at 0dBu
• Dynamic Range: >114dB
• De-Essing:
  • Gain: Unity
  • Crossover Point: Variable 800Hz to 8kHz
  • Crossover Filter Type: 12dB/octave, phase coherent
  • Range: Operates uniformly over input range of -40dBu to +22dBu without requiring adjustment
  • Maximum Attenuation: Variable 0 to 20dB
  • Attack Rate: Program-dependent; 2ms for 10dB above threshold, 600µs for 20dB above threshold, to achieve 63-percent gain reduction
  • Release Rate: 925dB/sec
  • Controls:
    • Frequency
    • Range
  • Switches:
    • IN/OUT
    • Mode (HF ONLY/NORMAL)
  • Indicators:
    • IN/OUT
    • HF ONLY
  • Metering: LED Column; 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 20dB gain reduction
• Power Requirements: +/-16V DC
• Current Draw: 76mA per power rail
• Power Draw: 2.4W
• Rack System: 500 Series compatible power-frame (not included)
• Rack Space: 1 slot
• Dimensions: 13.34cm x 3.81cm x 15.24cm / 5.25'' x 1.5'' x 6'' (H x W x D)
• Weight: 0.59kg / 1.3lbs