---
product_id: 2017896
title: "266xs Professional Audio Compressor/Gate Dynamic Effects Processor with Sidechain Insert. For Portable, Tour, Studio. 1U Single Rack Space, Silver"
brand: "dbx"
price: "€ 601.79"
currency: EUR
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 9
category: "Dbx"
url: https://www.desertcart.sk/products/2017896-266xs-professional-audio-compressor-gate-dynamic-effects-processor-with-sidechain
store_origin: SK
region: Slovakia
---

# Precision LED metering & visual feedback XLR & 1/4" TRS pro connectivity Patented Overeasy® compression tech 266xs Professional Audio Compressor/Gate Dynamic Effects Processor with Sidechain Insert. For Portable, Tour, Studio. 1U Single Rack Space, Silver

**Brand:** dbx
**Price:** € 601.79
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Summary

> 🎛️ Elevate your sound game — pro compression that commands the spotlight

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** 266xs Professional Audio Compressor/Gate Dynamic Effects Processor with Sidechain Insert. For Portable, Tour, Studio. 1U Single Rack Space, Silver by dbx
- **How much does it cost?** € 601.79 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.sk](https://www.desertcart.sk/products/2017896-266xs-professional-audio-compressor-gate-dynamic-effects-processor-with-sidechain)

## Best For

- dbx enthusiasts

## Why This Product

- Trusted dbx brand quality
- Free international shipping included
- Worldwide delivery with tracking
- 15-day hassle-free returns

## Key Features

- • **Compact & Tour-Ready:** 1U rack space design built tough for portable rigs, studios, and touring professionals.
- • **Seamless Pro Integration:** Effortlessly connects with XLR and 1/4" TRS inputs/outputs for studio or live setups.
- • **Visual Precision Control:** Separate LED displays for gain reduction, compression, and gate thresholds ensure perfect settings every time.
- • **Versatile Sidechain Insert:** Tighten and clarify complex mixes by isolating frequencies like bass and kick drum with sidechain flexibility.
- • **Smooth, Musical Compression:** Patented Overeasy® tech with AutoDynamic™ attack/release delivers polished, natural sound.

## Overview

The dbx 266xs is a professional-grade audio compressor and gate processor featuring patented Overeasy® compression technology and AutoDynamic™ controls for smooth, musical dynamics. With versatile XLR and 1/4" TRS connectivity, precision LED metering, and a sidechain insert, it’s engineered for seamless integration in studios, live tours, and portable setups. Its compact 1U rack size and rugged stainless steel build make it a reliable choice for enhancing vocal clarity, instrument sustain, and overall mix cohesion.

## Description

Introducing the dbx 266xs Compressor / Gate, the latest innovation from the inventors of compression technology. The 266xs is designed to elevate your audio experience, whether you're in the studio, on tour, or setting up a portable PA sound system. With patented Overeasy® compression technology, this compressor ensures smooth, musical performance that enhances the quality of your sound. The dbx 266xs features AutoDynamic™ attack and release controls, making it easy to achieve great sound with minimal effort. This versatile unit can operate in both stereo and dual-mono modes, providing flexibility for various applications. Equipped with true RMS power summing, quality XLR, and 1/4" TRS inputs and outputs, the 266xs offers professional-grade connectivity options. Visual feedback is a breeze with the dbx 266xs. It includes gain reduction metering and easy-to-read backlit switches, allowing you to monitor your audio levels accurately. Adding this compressor to your audio chain can smooth out uneven levels, add sustain to guitars, and fatten up your drums. It also brings vocals to the forefront, ensuring greater clarity and presence in your mix. Recommended for portable setups, touring rigs, and studio environments, the dbx 266xs Compressor is a must-have for anyone serious about achieving a polished, professional sound. Enhance your audio with the reliability and innovation that only dbx can provide.

Review: Excellent value for the money. - These compressors work very well. My application is probably not the usual one because I'm not using these for recording or studio work, although I can see how they'd be excellent, especially for digital recording where you absolutely must prevent clipping in the recording process. In my case, I got tired of never being able to understand the quiet dialog when watching TV or movies at home without setting the listening levels so high that it was annoying during the loud scenes. This is related to why I never go out to see movies at a movie theater. When you need hearing protection to avoid hearing damage, that's not my idea of entertainment, and certainly not entertainment I have to pay for! With some custom built cables, I connected one of these units between the audio outputs of our TV and one set of inputs to our receiver while allowing the "straight" TV Outs to feed another input pair on the receiver. When watching shows that are already highly compressed, we can switch to the "straight TV" inputs, but when watching many movies, and lots of newer TV shows, we can switch to the "compressed TV" inputs and enjoy being able to hear and understand the quietest dialog while preserving our hearing during the loud scenes. Of course, you may still need to use the closed captioning to decipher the "English" spoken during many BBC productions, but the compression does help there, too! ;) In this application, I am not using the downward expansion (noise gating) at all because noise reduction in the quiet parts is not really needed. I am using the "over-easy" function, and the automatic setting of the attack and release time constants, and find that all to work very well, keeping the sound quite natural despite the fairly heavy-handed compression I have dialed in. In addition, the ability to link the two channels so that the RMS sum of the signal levels into the two channels determines the compression applied to both channels simultaneously is very handy, and I have that engaged as well. My wife and I really are enjoying this setup and it's made our TV viewing much more pleasurable. I'm using a second one of these compressors to process the audio from a police scanner to bring the quiet talkers' voice levels way up so they can be heard while keeping the normal and loud talkers from blasting our ears off. That signal, too, can be selected as one of the inputs to the receiver. Without the compression, it would be downright dangerous to feed the audio from such a source into a good audio system for fear of what kinds of horrible noises might be fed, at high power, through your "good" speakers. Again, for this channel, I am using the automatic attack/release timing switch, which seems to work very well, choosing the right attack and release time constants to make for good intelligibility without pumping or subjecting us to bursts of loud noise. It's very tame, indeed. And as with the TV system, I am not using the downward expansion/noise gating function. When the radios are unkeyed, the output is pretty much silent anyhow. In this scanner system, I am not using the "over-easy" function because I want a sharper cut-off transition to really bring up the very soft talkers while holding the loud sounds (Plectron alerts and the like) down to sane levels. This source doesn't need to sound "natural". In general, I'm not a huge fan of compression of music during playback. I want to hear the full dynamic range that the orchestra conductor and recording engineer wanted me to hear. But then, when I listen to music, it's under controlled conditions, in a quiet room, and I am free to turn things up to whatever level I prefer. However, I can see how some compression might be handy for such cases as listening in a car, where you've already got 75dB or so of road noise to overcome, or during a party or get-together where people will want to hold conversations, yet might want some background music. And, of course, for recording, particularly live performances where the artists may get a bit over-enthusiastic during the real performance and play louder than they did during reherasals/sound checks, I can see where having some compression set up could really save the day and prevent a recording from being totally spoiled. Not to mention the obvious guitar sustain or other effects possible with a compressor. Anyhow, I've been running these for a month and a half, and have had no problems or issues of any sort. They've been reliable so far, and perform the functions I need quite well. And I felt that the price was quite reasonable for what you get. The controls feel solid, the build looks very nice, the connectors seem reliable, etc. And the various displays are very handy for setting levels and knowing where you're at. This unit seems like a solid, well thought-out design.
Review: Works Very Well - This is my first jump into compression/expansion, but I am very satisfied with how this machine works and the results I get. The instruction booklet gave me a place to start and did a good job of explaining what each of the settings meant. From then on I made incremental adjustments to get the precise results I was looking for. I do podcasts, so I only have to be concerned about my voice. Still, my recordings come out sounding professional. If I had a real recording studio I probably wouldn't need the 166XS, but since I record in my bedroom this machine has become indispensable. Dogs barking next door, cars driving past my house--none of that is a concern anymore because they just don't make it past the threshold. UPDATE, Nov. 20, 2013. I continue to enjoy using this machine. My recordings would be quite inferior without it. I have noticed, however, that the more I use it and understand what each control is actually doing to my sound, the more I want to adjust the controls even further. I think I've made three or four major changes to the controls since I purchased the machine, all in an effort to perfect the recording quality. I believe this latest adjustment yields the best results, and allows me to speak in a cadence and rhythm that is closest to the way I would speak without all the electronics, but at the same time removing the background noise and hiss. There is no one correct control setting(s). You really have to do a lot of trial-and-error tuning to get the right amount of compression/expansion for the project you are working on. But it does make a major difference in my recordings. I almost want to go back and re-record all the projects I completed before installing the 166XS . . . NOT!

## Features

- Versatile Connectivity - With quality XLR and 1/4" TRS inputs and outputs, the 266xs seamlessly integrates into any audio setup, whether it's a professional studio or a live sound rig.
- Enhanced Vocal Clarity - The dbx 266xs audio compressor is perfect for bringing vocals to the forefront of your mix, ensuring they stand out with greater clarity and presence.
- Professional Performance - The dbx 266xs audio compressor utilizes patented Overeasy compression technology and AutoDynamic attack and release controls, providing smooth, musical performance for both studio and live applications.
- Side chain insert is an option that allows tightening and clarifying of frequencies that have multiple instruments like bass, and kick drum.
- Comprehensive Visual Feedback - The dbx 266xs features separate precision LED displays for gain reduction, compression threshold, and gate threshold, allowing for quick and accurate setup, ensuring optimal performance.
- Versatile Application - Ideal for both studio recording and live performances, the dbx 266xs audio compressor ensures professional-quality sound, enhancing instruments like guitars and drums while providing a polished, cohesive mix.
- 1U Single Rack Space: Height 1.75" x Depth 5.75" x Width 19"
- Inputs: ¼” TRS and female XLR (pin 2 Hot)
- Outputs: ¼” TRS and female XLR (pin 2 Hot)

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| ASIN | B004NDFRVC |
| Best Sellers Rank | #11,046 in Musical Instruments ( See Top 100 in Musical Instruments ) #1 in Effect Processor Compressors |
| Color Name | Silver |
| Customer Reviews | 4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars (335) |
| Date First Available | February 11, 2011 |
| Hardware Interface | 1/4-inch Audio |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Item Weight | 6.6 pounds |
| Item model number | DBX266XSV |
| Material Type | Stainless Steel |
| Power Source | Corded Electric |
| Product Dimensions | 19 x 5.75 x 1.75 inches |
| Signal Format | Analog |
| Size | 1U - 1.75" H x 5.75" D x 19.00" W inches |
| Voltage | 9 Volts |

## Product Details

- **Brand:** dbx
- **Color:** Silver
- **Item Weight:** 6.6 Pounds
- **Product Dimensions:** 5.75"L x 19"W x 1.75"H
- **Style:** Compressor/Gate

## Images

![266xs Professional Audio Compressor/Gate Dynamic Effects Processor with Sidechain Insert. For Portable, Tour, Studio. 1U Single Rack Space, Silver - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/510m3XxQwqL.jpg)

## Available Options

This product comes in different **Style** options.

## Questions & Answers

**Q: How would I connect a scarlett 2i2 to this?**
A: Question: what is a scarlet 2i2???

**Q: im new at this and i have question about the button on the back that says operating level, what  level do you use +4db or -10db and why**
A: Consumer grade audio equipment and computer sound cards typically have line inputs which run at -10 db.  Professional grade equipment like the dbx 286s can output line levels in the range -10 to +4 db.  The 286s can output any signal level in that range.  The switch on the back is provided so that the 286s can be connected to consumer grade equipment without damaging the driven device.  Please note: Applying  a +4 db audio output into a -10 db audio input could cause damage to the input device.  Care should be exercised whenever connecting professional grade equipment to consumer grade equipment.  This information is also covered in the dbx 286s user manual.

**Q: can it be used with the 286s mic preamp from dbx**
A: The compressor has inserts and XLR connectors in/out and you could probably chain any other rack gear to the 266xs.I am not really familiar with the 286s mic preamp but I am sure there is a way to use it.I have to say this dbx 266xs is a really nice compressor and very easy to use.

**Q: Can i run unbalanced in and xlr out, or do i need to run balanced in if i want balanced out?  thanks**
A: You can run unbalanced in, though there is a higher chance of noise in the system,  I do not recall if there are XLR output connections, if there are jacks for XLR then yes you can run unblance in and XLR out.

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent value for the money.
*by J***O on December 11, 2015*

These compressors work very well. My application is probably not the usual one because I'm not using these for recording or studio work, although I can see how they'd be excellent, especially for digital recording where you absolutely must prevent clipping in the recording process. In my case, I got tired of never being able to understand the quiet dialog when watching TV or movies at home without setting the listening levels so high that it was annoying during the loud scenes. This is related to why I never go out to see movies at a movie theater. When you need hearing protection to avoid hearing damage, that's not my idea of entertainment, and certainly not entertainment I have to pay for! With some custom built cables, I connected one of these units between the audio outputs of our TV and one set of inputs to our receiver while allowing the "straight" TV Outs to feed another input pair on the receiver. When watching shows that are already highly compressed, we can switch to the "straight TV" inputs, but when watching many movies, and lots of newer TV shows, we can switch to the "compressed TV" inputs and enjoy being able to hear and understand the quietest dialog while preserving our hearing during the loud scenes. Of course, you may still need to use the closed captioning to decipher the "English" spoken during many BBC productions, but the compression does help there, too! ;) In this application, I am not using the downward expansion (noise gating) at all because noise reduction in the quiet parts is not really needed. I am using the "over-easy" function, and the automatic setting of the attack and release time constants, and find that all to work very well, keeping the sound quite natural despite the fairly heavy-handed compression I have dialed in. In addition, the ability to link the two channels so that the RMS sum of the signal levels into the two channels determines the compression applied to both channels simultaneously is very handy, and I have that engaged as well. My wife and I really are enjoying this setup and it's made our TV viewing much more pleasurable. I'm using a second one of these compressors to process the audio from a police scanner to bring the quiet talkers' voice levels way up so they can be heard while keeping the normal and loud talkers from blasting our ears off. That signal, too, can be selected as one of the inputs to the receiver. Without the compression, it would be downright dangerous to feed the audio from such a source into a good audio system for fear of what kinds of horrible noises might be fed, at high power, through your "good" speakers. Again, for this channel, I am using the automatic attack/release timing switch, which seems to work very well, choosing the right attack and release time constants to make for good intelligibility without pumping or subjecting us to bursts of loud noise. It's very tame, indeed. And as with the TV system, I am not using the downward expansion/noise gating function. When the radios are unkeyed, the output is pretty much silent anyhow. In this scanner system, I am not using the "over-easy" function because I want a sharper cut-off transition to really bring up the very soft talkers while holding the loud sounds (Plectron alerts and the like) down to sane levels. This source doesn't need to sound "natural". In general, I'm not a huge fan of compression of music during playback. I want to hear the full dynamic range that the orchestra conductor and recording engineer wanted me to hear. But then, when I listen to music, it's under controlled conditions, in a quiet room, and I am free to turn things up to whatever level I prefer. However, I can see how some compression might be handy for such cases as listening in a car, where you've already got 75dB or so of road noise to overcome, or during a party or get-together where people will want to hold conversations, yet might want some background music. And, of course, for recording, particularly live performances where the artists may get a bit over-enthusiastic during the real performance and play louder than they did during reherasals/sound checks, I can see where having some compression set up could really save the day and prevent a recording from being totally spoiled. Not to mention the obvious guitar sustain or other effects possible with a compressor. Anyhow, I've been running these for a month and a half, and have had no problems or issues of any sort. They've been reliable so far, and perform the functions I need quite well. And I felt that the price was quite reasonable for what you get. The controls feel solid, the build looks very nice, the connectors seem reliable, etc. And the various displays are very handy for setting levels and knowing where you're at. This unit seems like a solid, well thought-out design.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Works Very Well
*by P***R on April 9, 2013*

This is my first jump into compression/expansion, but I am very satisfied with how this machine works and the results I get. The instruction booklet gave me a place to start and did a good job of explaining what each of the settings meant. From then on I made incremental adjustments to get the precise results I was looking for. I do podcasts, so I only have to be concerned about my voice. Still, my recordings come out sounding professional. If I had a real recording studio I probably wouldn't need the 166XS, but since I record in my bedroom this machine has become indispensable. Dogs barking next door, cars driving past my house--none of that is a concern anymore because they just don't make it past the threshold. UPDATE, Nov. 20, 2013. I continue to enjoy using this machine. My recordings would be quite inferior without it. I have noticed, however, that the more I use it and understand what each control is actually doing to my sound, the more I want to adjust the controls even further. I think I've made three or four major changes to the controls since I purchased the machine, all in an effort to perfect the recording quality. I believe this latest adjustment yields the best results, and allows me to speak in a cadence and rhythm that is closest to the way I would speak without all the electronics, but at the same time removing the background noise and hiss. There is no one correct control setting(s). You really have to do a lot of trial-and-error tuning to get the right amount of compression/expansion for the project you are working on. But it does make a major difference in my recordings. I almost want to go back and re-record all the projects I completed before installing the 166XS . . . NOT!

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Totally worth it
*by T***D on March 5, 2025*

For the price, works great. Compressor/Gate work just fine. Sure, not going to be anywhere near something like a stereo bus compressor from Universal Audio, but honestly, for what I do, I am able to purchase 2-3 of these and have a really good time recording and mixing....yes, someday I want Universal Audio, but this product is great for the hobbiest

## Frequently Bought Together

- dbx 266xs Professional Audio Compressor/Gate Dynamic Effects Processor with Sidechain Insert. For Portable, Tour, Studio. 1U Single Rack Space, Silver
- Cable Matters 2-Pack Premium Short XLR to XLR Cables - 3ft, Male to Female Microphone Cable, Oxygen-Free Copper (OFC) Mic Cord, Black
- dbx 231s Dual Channel 31-Band Equalizer

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*Product available on Desertcart Slovakia*
*Store origin: SK*
*Last updated: 2026-02-20*