HDBRbuilder Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 I'm just wondering...do any of you have DBX-encoded vinyl? Back in 1975, when I bought my DBX 124 unit, I sent off its warranty card, but used my stateside home of record address, since I would be getting out of the Army a few months later. When I got home, there was a stack of album-sized boxes that had been sent separately over a number of months, and each one of them had a DBX-encoded album inside. They were sent gratis to me, and I assume that they were a promotion combo in order to further the artists on them and/or to promote DBX encoding on vinyl. Over the next few years I occasionally ran across DBX albums by artists and additionally purchased some more. Those of you who have them, or HAVE had them...time to fess-up about your thoughts on them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babadono Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 Never had or heard any DBX encoded discs. The dynamic range on them should be quite good. I used DBX companding to make my own cassette tapes back in the day. And my DBX unit had the ability to decode the discs but I never bought/heard any. I take it you like them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 Totally silent lead ins.... what a shock. I believe Mallette has some. Bruce 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDBRbuilder Posted October 21, 2016 Author Share Posted October 21, 2016 My experience with them is that they are incredibly QUIET as far as tracking noises go, and, the dynamic range IS quite good! One of my DBX-encoded freebies was by Laurindo Almeida, the Brazilian virtuoso guitarist and composer...and is just FANTASTIC! Some of the freebies were "various artist" things. I have "It's a Beautiful Day" title album and it is also fantastic. I also have one by Joni Mitchell...Blue, I think...same thing. I bought the two latter ones. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDBRbuilder Posted October 21, 2016 Author Share Posted October 21, 2016 3 minutes ago, Marvel said: Totally silent lead ins.... what a shock. . Bruce Exactly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schu Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 I have a number of LP'S that exhibit low frequency effects but are not marked dbx... is that the same thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muel Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 Seems like I have at least one DBX album. Curious... If I don't have a DBX unit could I digitize this and use some software to give it the DBX treatment digitally? I played with that some with RIAA equalization after digitizing an album without the RIAA curve applied. You could apply the RIAA equalization after the fact. This would probably be most interesting for old 78's that can be played/recorded digitally at a slower speed without any equalization. Then digitally through software adjust the speed and equalization. Just wondering if the same kind of thing could be done with DBX. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDBRbuilder Posted October 21, 2016 Author Share Posted October 21, 2016 I'll leave the ins and outs of how it works along with alternatives for playback to those who have a clue...my understanding that DBX encoding is like old Dolby B on steroids...and instead of just being limited to a specific frequency bandwidth (to reduce tape hiss for Cassettes at the slow tape speed that medium ran, it covered much more in that arena. Otherwise my understanding is probably too much of a layman's viewpoint deal to explain it more in detail. Either way, it was great for my Teac A2340R R2R, and I had the disc button on my DBX 124 unit, so I used it with the few DBX encoded discs I have. I will caveat that with the fact I was running a CD-4 cartridge/stylus combo on my Technics SL-1300 at the time, though, in case that may have been a requirement, but I don't remember that being a requirement for DBX playback. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 1 hour ago, HDBRbuilder said: in case that may have been a requirement, but I don't remember that being a requirement for DBX playback. That shouldn't have mattered. DBX uses a set compander ratio, I think in a 2:1 ratio and expanded 1:2 on playback. They also used high freq. preemphasis on recording. You really needed the dbx system to play the LPs, and not very tolerable when played back on non dbx systems, unlike Dolby B and C which mostly sounded like it had a lot more high end. In a car, this wasn't to bad. Bruce --- dbx was also used on vinyl records, which were known as dbx discs. While the earliest release is from 1971, their numbers peaked between 1977 until around 1982.[5]Billboard noted in August 1981 that the total number of releases with dbx encoding was expected to approach 200 albums.[6] When employed on LPs, the dbx Type-II system reduced the audibility of dust and scratches, reducing them to tiny pops and clicks (if they were audible at all) and also completely eliminated record surface noise. dbx encoded LPs had, in theory, a dynamic range of up to 120 dB.[7] In addition, dbx LPs were produced from only the original master tapes, with no copies being used, and pressed only on heavy, virgin vinyl. Most were released in limited quantities with premium pricing. In 1979, a similar, but audibly superior system High Com II, developed by Telefunken in conjunction with Nakamichi, was also used to encode audiophile vinyl records, but remained unsuccessful in the marketplace. Yet another similar noise reduction system, called CX, was introduced by CBS Laboratories in 1981. Undecoded playback of CX discs was less objectionable than undecoded playback of dbx-encoded material, but the system never achieved the widespread adoption for vinyl that CBS had hoped. It did, however, find widespread use in LaserDiscs and stereo SelectaVision CED video discs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djk Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 It required a certain type of mental set to relax and ignore some artifacts from the encode/decode process. Than said, I really enjoyed a Klipschorn system I installed at a customer's house with his DBX records. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDBRbuilder Posted October 21, 2016 Author Share Posted October 21, 2016 17 minutes ago, Marvel said: .... They also used high freq. preemphasis on recording. You really needed the dbx system to play the LPs, and not very tolerable when played back on non dbx systems.... Bruce --- dbx was also used on vinyl records, which were known as dbx discs. While the earliest release is from 1971, their numbers peaked between 1977 until around 1982.[5]Billboard noted in August 1981 that the total number of releases with dbx encoding was expected to approach 200 albums.[6] When employed on LPs, the dbx Type-II system reduced the audibility of dust and scratches, reducing them to tiny pops and clicks (if they were audible at all) and also completely eliminated record surface noise. dbx encoded LPs had, in theory, a dynamic range of up to 120 dB.[7] In addition, dbx LPs were produced from only the original master tapes, with no copies being used, and pressed only on heavy, virgin vinyl. Most were released in limited quantities with premium pricing. First, I agree that DBX-encoded discs only sounded great when played back through the decoder. Other than the freebies I received by mail, I never bought any of the DBX-encoded discs unless I already had the standard one to begin with. This purchasing routine was NOT because of the performance of the DBX-encoded discs, but more because I wanted to have a DBX-encoded disc of something I already liked on the standard LP. And, yes, they were priced considerably MORE expensively than the standard LP. BUT being the tightwad I have always been, I would constantly check the discounted unused albums at record stores to see if any were DBX-encoded versions of albums I already liked, and if the discounted price was right, I would grab them up. I admit I don't have many, but the ones I do have are in excellent condition! Plus, I just wish I could still find more of them in unused condition. A bit off-topic, but I just picked up a couple of brand-new boxed special edition Led Zep albums (II and III) in both vinyl and Cd, with special additional vinyl and CD items in them...as the local Hastings was going out of business...jumped all over them at the low "everything goes" price! Being a tightwad has its rewards! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babadono Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 I think the DBX disc encoding era was killed by the CD which shoulda coulda yielded even better results until of course the Loudness wars began. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 I agree that the dbx encoded disks were the cats meow. Much quieter than a normal disk and dynamics out the wazoo. The dbx unit was required to get proper playback. You could also encode tapes. I plumbed my Akai GX-747 into it. That worked great....until I gave the unit to my father and bought a newer one. I ended up having to give him my dbx unit with it (I had a single tape that he wanted. A 10" reel full of Neil Diamond) Without the decoder, it sounded thin & tinny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muel Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 Anybody have an extra DBX decoder? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted October 22, 2016 Share Posted October 22, 2016 Check their non Mac stuff for sale... The DBX gear is under 'Flooby Dust' http://www.mcintoshaudio.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muel Posted October 22, 2016 Share Posted October 22, 2016 Granted 100 bucks isn't a lot but it is to hear one album... especially one of which I also have the non DBX version. Anybody want to loan one? I'll finally hear it and compare it with the non DBX. For your trouble I'll give you the DBX album. The album is from Crystal Clear Records - Sonic Fireworks Vol 2. dbx disc GS-2022 - Richard Morris Atlanta Brass Ensemble 1979 Just a thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted October 22, 2016 Share Posted October 22, 2016 You have that disc? I knew Richard Morris, as he was the organist at my former church. Incredible performer and a very funny individual. He passed away in late 2013 if I remember correctly. Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Honeybadger Posted October 22, 2016 Share Posted October 22, 2016 19 hours ago, HDBRbuilder said: One of my DBX-encoded freebies was by Laurindo Almeida, the Brazilian virtuoso guitarist and composer...and is just FANTASTIC! I still have that album, I had to buy a DBX unit just to play it. Sounded great. HB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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