DBX 160S and 160SL VCA is nutorious to brake and fail. The unit it self is a great tool in every studio.
The failure is due to how the DBX V8 VCA is packed. Its heating and cooling, there are electrolytic capacitors inside and many active parts.
So everything is excpanding when warm, this creates physical stress to components and they eventually fail. In 24V version your voltage regulators are failing due to insufficient cooling. Removing the shell and black potting improves the lifespan greatly. Also you will have access to all the parts for easy replacement.
We have fixed and rebuilt the VCA named DBX V8. Its a difficult and time consuming job, so it would be more easy to replaced the module completely.
For that purpose a clone PCB has been created with all the part numbers marked on the board.
Traces match the original VCA brick and component values were measured in many VCA bricks to get it all correct.
There are 2 options/versions circulating. A 24V version and 15V version. They both are the same except 15V version is missing 15V regulators that regulate the voltage down from 24V and D2 D1 is replaced with wire.
All parts in the V8 are running at 15V no matter what version you have. But the compressor PCB itself is different.
For 24V unit you need to solder in the 78L15 and 79L15 regulators, D1 and D2 diodes.
If you have 15V unit, then regulators are left out, D1 and D2 are replaced with jumpers.
We can supply the PCB for 15€ pcs plus shipping.
Boards have all the parts information written on them.
Partlist:
| Qty | Value | Parts | Device | Description |
| 1 | Pinheader | PIN HEADER 10pins | ||
| 2 | 1n5 | C1, C11 | C-EU050-024X044 | Film CAPACITOR 50v 5mm pitch |
| 7 | 100n | C9, C10, C14, C17, C3, C5, C7 | C-EU050-024X044 | Ceramic CAPACITOR 50v 5mm pitch |
| 2 | 1u | C2, C8 | CPOL-E2-4 | Electrolytic Capacitor 50v |
| 2 | 10u | C4, C6 | CPOL-E2.5-5 | Electrolytic Capacitor 50v |
| 4 | 47uBP | C12, C13, C15, C16 | C-E5-10.5 | Bipolar Capacitor |
| 4 | 1N4004 | D1*, D2*, D3, D4 | 1N4004 | DIODE |
| 1 | 78L15Z | U1* | 78L15Z | Positive VOLTAGE REGULATOR |
| 1 | 79L15 | U3* | 79L15Z | Negative VOLTAGE REGULATOR |
| 1 | NE5532 | U2 | DIP8 | OP AMP |
| 1 | THAT2181 | U4 | THAT2181 | Trimmable VCA (SIP) |
| 4 | THAT2180 | U5, U6, U7 | THAT2180 | Fixed VCA (SIP) |
| 1 | 50k | P1 | TRIM-CA6V | Trimm Pot, single turn |
| 1 | 50R | R3 | 1/4W metal film 1% | RESISTOR, |
| 1 | 51R | R7 | 1/4W metal film 1% | RESISTOR, |
| 2 | 100R | R6, R8 | 1/4W metal film 1% | RESISTOR, |
| 1 | 499R | R1 | 1/4W metal film 1% | RESISTOR, |
| 2 | 1k | R4, R5 | 1/4W metal film 1% | RESISTOR, |
| 1 | 1k5 | R2 | 1/4W metal film 1% | RESISTOR, |
| 4 | 4k | R10, R12, R14, R16 | 1/4W metal film 1% | RESISTOR, |
| 4 | 21k | R9, R11, R13, R15 | 1/4W metal film 1% | RESISTOR, |
| 1 | 220k | R17 | 1/4W metal film 1% | RESISTOR, |
Calibration instructions for the unit is available from DBX. Download here. 160SL calibration
