After comparing a ITB mix to a mix I did on a SSL duality I knew the analog console sound is what I wanted for my mixes. Since I won’t be spending $300,00 for an SSL Duality console or $23,000 for the SSL Matrix, I knew an analog summing box was what I needed. I was very close to purchasing the SSL 8 channel summing mixer and mynx, but learning it needed special cables was a turn off. Plus the vertical case design of the Mynx would make for an awkward set up in my studio. When I told my Sweetwater rep I was looking for an analog summing box he pointed me to the Dangerous D-box. After researching it and seeing its features compared to its price I went ahead and purchased. The D-box is really bang for your buck gear. You get 8 channels of analog summing, 2 headphones jacks, an extra analog input, talk back, outputs for 2 pair of monitors, a mono switch, and my favorite feature, 2 digital inputs for Dangerous d/a conversion. All this for $1,399. Combined with the Dangerous 2bus-lt and you have 24 tracks of summing plus the d-box features for less than $3,000. Since I mentioned the d/a conversion was my favorite feature lets look at that first.
The d/a conversion on the D-box sounds so good I would pay the price of the D-box just for it. Seriously. Its not transparent like my Lynx Aurora, but compared to it the D-box has a more “hi-fi” sound to me. Switching between the two the D-box has a slight lift you can feel. With Focal CMS65 monitors and the D-box d/a conversion all my mixes have translated very nicely. There is also a second digital input you can use labeled CD. So that gorgeous “hi-fi” sounding d/a conversion can be used for whatever else you like. Think of it like dating two beautiful twins that you can switch between.
The monitor selector is one switch that toggles two pair of monitors. Cool thing about the switch is that it has momentary toggle. This means when you hold the switch it will switch monitors, and when you let go it will revert back to the monitors you were originally listening to. It also has a mono switch which I love. I always check my mix in mono to make sure I can still hear everything clearly. Also when I have background or lead vocals that I spread out a little, I can quickly get it back in the middle by soloing the track and pressing mono. Now I have it in the middle of the mix and I’m able to add processing without losing my panning I have set. Incredibly useful. The talkback also has momentary toggle. Press to talk, release and the talkback mic is off.
Now for the main reason I purchased this, the analog summing. I find the analog summing from the D-box to be on the clean side, but definitely a winner for removing digital harshness. The D-box added punch, and widened the stereo image of my mixes just like the SSL board. I feel the SSL had more separation but that could also be due to the SSL Alphalink converters the console is connected to. The d-sub connections on the back make for easy connection as well.
So what don’t I like about the D-box? Not much, my few gripes are in no way deal breakers. One, I wish it had a dim switch, and two, I wish I could run both pair of my monitors to my sub and into the D-box. Spoke with Dangerous and found out the dim switch would make the price go up a lot. I’m still hoping for a sub control if Dangerous decides to do a mkII. Even if they don’t the D-box is the heart of my studio and It will continue to be for many years. I plan to purchase the 2bus-lt in the future for 24x2 analog summing, making my setup extremely, dare I say, DANGEROUS!
