Oct 21st, 2015
Q) Hello, I too have one of these DBX DX5's. I love it but did not know it had so much value. I see a lot of recording studios seem to have these. Why are they considered to be so valuable?
A) I try to answer all questions. Obviously our website info makes it clear I am a no nonsense kinda guy (to the best of my abilities) but have a passion for music, sound and what and how it is created and transmitted.
Once upon a time manufacturers cared more and crafted (or had them built for them) many unusual but truly functional electronic devices. Remarkably, some older products will stand the test of time and might prove to be the hidden treasures. For example McIntosh tube amplifiers, 1980’s Pioneer, Scott, & Marantz receivers, KLH or AR speakers and other products if kept properly serviced or updated can truly transcend the disposable modern market.
With that introduction! Whew! The DBX DX5 I think deserves a place here. It was built by Kyocera Cybernet (who built much of the better products under other famous brand names). It was a good nuts and bolts, tried and true design. Although it’s electronics are a little archaic for digital error correction of badly damaged CDs it will perform fairly well by today’s standard. It is valuable also for it’s pro rack mount design and remote control volume feature. For most studios it was a good inexpensive CD player by DBX professional company. But wait, there’s more. Most importantly it was one of the very few CD player designs which had variable dynamic range control as well stereo imaging controls! These controls are truly useful for the consumer to adjust the sound character of CDs. See my little story about the Behringer Edison stereo imaging correction device. A less sophisticated version of this circuit was built into the DBX 5. Once upon a time the above average home audiophile knew how to use controls effectively to alter the CD music towards their taste. Early CDs were often mixed and sold as if they were vinyl records. These controls could enhance or reduce the dynamics and ambience of music. I still own one and can service them without too much trouble. In some ways these machines and others represent a triumph of technology over age. Regardless of the modern hype, many newer, supposedly advanced expensive equipment is often a scam. Preamps and CD players and special wire which supposedly is so superior often works no better than some basic older designs which already are done well. There is indeed some modern equipment which will get into the audio “hall of fame” but in my opinion it won’t be the $1000 devices but simply the well engineered products which measure and perform well. I apologize for pushing my agenda, but furthermore many older products that were designed for long term audio use and not as wallet baiting landfillers. So there are some of the reasons why this is a valuable device. It looks cool too, doesn’t it.
P.S. most of my customers who bought these are still using them too!!!