DBX 286S Mic Pre-Amp Processor 286 S Microphone/Instrument Preamp, Phantom Power

The dbx 286s pairs a clean microphone preamp with four processors you can run alone or in any combination. The floating balanced XLR input offers 0 dB to 60 dB of gain with switchable +48V phantom power, so condensers, dynamics, and ribbons all reach working level before the signal hits a mixer. Equivalent input noise of -125 dBu keeps quiet sources quiet, and an 80 Hz high-pass filter removes hum, room rumble, and wind noise right at the front of the chain.

The OverEasy compressor levels an uneven take or pushes a performance forward in the mix, with up to 30 dB of gain reduction on tap. The frequency-tunable de-esser sweeps from 800 Hz to 10 kHz to cut sibilance on vocals and glare on cymbals without dulling the whole track. Enhancer HF Detail adds definition up top, while LF Detail adds weight around 80 Hz and cleans up the muddy 250 Hz region. The expander/gate has separate threshold and ratio controls, so it can gently reduce headphone leakage at 1.5:1 or shut down a noisy guitar amp at 10:1.

A 1/4" TRS line input handles keyboards, DI boxes, and prerecorded tracks at mixdown. The insert jack sits between the preamp and the processing section, so you can patch in an outboard EQ or delay, or send the preamp output to a separate destination.

Metering and status LEDs across the front panel show what every stage is doing at a glance. Balanced 1/4" TRS outputs feed a mixer, interface, or recorder over the shortest signal path available. The 1U chassis weighs 4.5 lb and fits any standard 19" rack.