The dbx 228 Tape Noise Reduction Unit/Dynamic Range Expander represented a significant step forward in home and semi-professional audio performance. Designed to merge two of dbx’s most successful technologies, the dbx 224 Tape Noise Reduction System and the 1BX Series Two Dynamic Range Expander, it offered users the benefits of both professional-grade tape noise reduction and dynamic range enhancement in a single, compact component.
Using dbx’s linear decibel companding process, the 228 worked by compressing the dynamic range during recording and expanding it precisely during playback, restoring the natural volume contrasts of live music. The result was a sound experience that delivered the full emotional power, clarity, and depth of a live performance, free from the limitations of tape hiss and restricted frequency response.
For the first time, listeners could enjoy the realism of live music across all media formats, including tapes, discs, and FM broadcasts. The dbx 228 featured a built-in dbx Disc Decoder, allowing playback of dbx-encoded vinyl records with complete dynamic range restoration and total tape hiss elimination. Its ability to increase the dynamic range of any source by up to 50% made it a valuable tool for both audiophiles and professionals seeking to elevate playback quality beyond the constraints of standard consumer equipment.
dbx’s proprietary voltage-controlled amplifiers and RMS level detectors ensured precise signal handling, while linear decibel companding provided a more accurate and musical response than competing noise reduction systems.
The dbx 228 was designed not only to remove noise but to restore musical truth. It recreated the vibrancy and excitement of live performance, with a level of fidelity that conventional systems of the time could not achieve. The full dynamic range, approximately 100dB, was reproduced accurately, ensuring soft passages retained their subtlety and loud passages their natural power.
Its ability to eliminate tape hiss completely, rather than merely reduce it, set it apart from competing technologies such as Dolby, establishing dbx as the standard for professional noise reduction systems in studios around the world. Compact, stylish, and easy to integrate, the dbx 228 brought professional recording technology into the home listening environment, transforming ordinary playback systems into truly high-fidelity experiences.
Features
- Combines dbx 224 tape noise reduction with 1BX Series Two dynamic range expansion in one component
- Linear decibel companding restores full dynamic range with exact encode and decode ratios
- Built-in dbx Disc Decoder for playback of dbx-encoded records
- Tape hiss elimination rather than simple reduction
- Increases the dynamic range of conventional sources including records, tapes and FM by up to 50 percent
- Delivers approximately 100dB of usable dynamic range
- Brings the clarity, presence and impact of live performance to home stereo systems