The dbx 160 from Waves is a plug-in modeling the classic dbx 160 hardware VCA compressor/limiter, a staple for processing drums, guitar, bass, and vocals in recording studios in the 1970s and ’80s.

Coordinating with dbx in the creation of the Waves dbx 160 plug-in, Waves added features not available on the original hardware unit. Stereo and Mid-Side functionality allow for easy group and mix bus processing. Parallel compression can be achieved by blending the uncompressed “dry” signal with the compressed “wet” signal via the Mix control. The Noise knob controls the level of hum and noise produced by the plug-in.