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Can someone technically explain just what a Sonic Maximizer does to the signal? Thanks.
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Re: Sonic Maximizer
Jeff:
I did a search and found this:
That it splits the signal into 3 different bands which would be roughly 'treble/mid/bass' frequency bands, then 're-aligns' the delivery time of the 3 bands by fractionaly delaying some of the bands so that the 3 frequency bands all 'line-up' in terms of their 'movement'... The idea seems to be proposed by BBE ('Barcus Berry Electronics'), that the frequency bands contained within say a kik-drum or bassline sample should all should all attack and decay etc at exactly the same time, but they don't, so the BBE process attempt's to 're-align' their attack times so the sound is more 'Punchy' & 'Defined'...
Hope this helps, but the best description I have heard is "It was like removing a blanket from the front of my amp". They add that much to the sound. Once you start to play with one, you really don't want to play without one.
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Re: Sonic Maximizer
And once you buy a nice amp, you'll want to sell it... [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]Comment
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Re: Sonic Maximizer
John, would you care to elaborate? I've heard 3 different positions on the BBEs -
that they're the greatest thing ever, by LPC and a lot of other guys; that they're best used sparingly or that some are better than others, by Twisteramps Pete and Bill Z, and then you pretty much seem
to not like them at all.
So in what cases would you recommend them
if at all? If not at all, and the budget for a supercalifragilistic amp ain't there, then what's your prescription for clearer sound?
RichRon is the MAN!!!!Comment
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Re: Sonic Maximizer
The BBE makes say a 5150 sound great. As it does with some cheaper amps usually. And the BBE software for Sonar is pretty cool.
In my rig, it ruins the sound.
Yes, definitely best used sparingly in any rig. The 422a is the better sounding one for guitars IMO.
I won't comment much on Bills use of a BBE in his Marshall JMP rig, as he'll get mad at me. [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/puke.gif[/img] Too much boom, and too much fizzle for me. Sounds artificial usually.
I do own several here, and they are dusty and on a shelf.Comment
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Re: Sonic Maximizer
I have two!
I run my CD player thru one and the audio out of my VCR into another one. [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img]
After using the BBE in a rack setup for quite a while, I realized I could get a better tone out of a nice rack mount graphic or parametric EQ.
Or like Cleveland Metal said,..Once you buy a nice amp that has a decent EQ you'll find that you'll began to hate the sound of the BBE in your rig. [img]images/icons/mad.gif[/img]Comment
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Re: Sonic Maximizer
Yeah John's right about the cheap amp thing, my $1800.00 Egnater preamp NEEDS my BBE AND my Behringer Exciter/Enhancer, as well as my other support gear, to my ears. When you're dealing with cheap, low-end, crappy gear like this, it's pretty much a definite across the board. [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]
StuComment
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Re: Sonic Maximizer
Hey John I'll trade you my 362 for an older one!!Comment
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Re: Sonic Maximizer
Well Stu, of course, some people needs all the help they can get, ahem... [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]
[img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
I still have to say, it's like A-1 sauce. Works good on a cheap steak. But, it's a travesty on a fine cut.
But hey, some people like ketchup on a Fillet Mignon, who am I to argue, hehe... [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]Comment
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Re: Sonic Maximizer
Nah Box, I've had 362s and 482s or whatever it was etc... Those are way too fizzley for me.
I'll keep the 422a and the 401 I have. In case I have to sell my rig and buy a Egnator... hehe...Comment
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Re: Sonic Maximizer
I agree that BBEs arnt needed for good amps... but I think they work great with racks with FX units and other ****...
I use a BBE with my rack but not with my 5150... its a raw amp. Why the f*ck would I want to process it?
2 cent
RaR!Comment
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Re: Sonic Maximizer
I don't think the issue here is "does this/that amp NEED a BBE"...rather, what will/will not a BBE do for the sound.
I think (IMO) that the BBE will improve ANY setup, some better than others. Meaning, it will make a mediocre amp sound good, and will make a great amp sound incredible.
This is just my opinion, and I am not trying to start a "fight" amongst the board here.....Comment
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Re: Sonic Maximizer
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Not really, the better amps don't seem to need the correction that a BBE provide. I've been anal-yzing this for years, haha... If I thought my CAE3+se/VHT2150 rack sounded better with one, I'd go to the shelf, and grab it and use it. My rig sounds worse with one.I think (IMO) that the BBE will improve ANY setup, some better than others. Meaning, it will make a mediocre amp sound good, and will make a great amp sound incredible.
However, I don't hate them so much I can't admit that a 5150 certainly sounds better with one.
What will it do? With my rig, it makes it sound boomy, fizzley, and artificial sounding.
With a 5150, it brings out a bit of life and fidelity that it didn't display before. They work in strange ways with each amp and rig, you have to try it and see if it compliments, or trashes your sound. Simple as that.
For the most part, I have gravitated away from BBEs with "most" amps and prefer EQ. However, some amps really seem to come alive with them.
[ September 07, 2003, 09:34 AM: Message edited by: Cleveland Metal ]Comment
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Re: Sonic Maximizer
in a sense, I guess that is sorta kinda a comparison. But, the BBE is on autpilot, it has a processer, and software that analyzes the frequencies that are being sent into it and does it's misc phase correction wizardry as it sees fit.
Have you been to the BBE homepage? It has a tremendously good explanation on it.
http://www.bbesound.com/technologies/BBE_HDS
As always, their propaganda make it sound like the second coming of Christ, haha... But, they do have their uses. Just not in my rig, haha...Comment
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Re: Sonic Maximizer
Hehehehe John, you know I'm just goofin with ya, bud. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
I think where it went downhill here, though, is the strictness John of saying "cheap units NEED a BBE, and expensive units DON'T", as if it's so black and white for everybody, and a set law. Remember, like everything else, that's just John's OPINION, and we're all just trying to HELP jeff here, not get in a useless contest over opinions.
When it comes down to it, like 99.99% (untested statistic) of guitar gear, it comes down to USER PREFERENCE.
jeff, regardless of what anyone says, it's up to you to go out and try a BBE for yourself and find if it works for YOU with YOUR gear in the end, and it's really as simple as that hehehe.
StuComment
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