The output pot on the 163A was also hard to operate because it lays almost flat, while all the controls on the nanocompressor are traditional, deep dials that are easy to adjust quickly and precisely.

The 163A requires you to disconnect it from your bass if you want to play without compression, while the Nanocompressor allows you bypass the compressor while still plugged into it by pushing a button.

The nano compresor can also be used in the studio to compress the final mix in stereo, while the DBX160A is strictly mono, I was told.

My only criticism is that the maximum release time is only 3 seconds. This means held notes tend to swell, particularly if you're using a low threshold and high ratio. I would have preferred to have a longer threshold so all the compressor does is compress the sound, not create volume swells.

Overall, this unit was the best one I could find for the money given the great flexibility it gives you in creating the type of compression you want. It is far superior to it's competitor, the DBX 160A.

Quality	80%
Perormance	100%
Appearance	90%
Useability	100%
Value	90%
Overall	90%