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BBE Sonic Maximizer: is it right for me?


Syyle

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Hey all, I have been hearing a lot about this product:

 

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/BBE-Sonic-Stomp-Pedal?sku=157030

 

Here is a list of my current gear:

 

Schecter C-1 Classic guitar

Marshall JCM 900 100w tube amp (not the greatest I know)

BOSS GT-10 (say what you want about digital pedals, but I have tweaked this thing into paradise and I can get some incredible tones from it)

 

My question is, would this pedal actually do anything for me? Is it in essence just a parametric EQ? In which case, couldn't I just use my GT-10 to replicate the same thing?

 

I am trying not to get caught up in the hype on this BBE product, and I want some non-biased answers on it. The kiddies from musiciansfriend review this thing in an orgasmic fashion.

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I have one, I don't use it anymore. I like it on bass through.

 

It IS NOT an eq of any kind, though you can use it to get more/less high/low end.

 

It does clear your sound up (popular for use with modeling processors such as your GT10 and my vox Tonelab) but some think it makes it sound 'artificial' or 'digital' (it is analogue :idk:) Others say 'it's like lifting a blanket off my speakers'. YMMV

 

I don't use it any more mainly because I wanted to get less high end in my sound and it was adding it with my setup. Again YMMV.

 

I'd say try it, get it second hand though and sell it if you hate it.

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hmmm, i guess there is no harm in buying one from guitar center, testing it out, and then returning it if it doesn't work out. that's a novel idea trying it on a vox effects pedal. i have a VoiceLive, i wonder how it would do on that.

 

thanks for the input all.

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I'm with ambient. I bought one (an older model DI-100X) and at first I thought it was fantastic because it does seem to tighten everything up. The first time I realised it wasn't really great was when I turned it off after a week or so just to compare and realised everything sounded so much better without it. IMO it makes a completely analog signal chain sound artificial, but it's something that you probably won't realise at first because you will notice the tighter sound which is a more prominent result.

 

I do quite like it on vocals though. Sort of. Sometimes. You see it just brings out this love/hate thing in people but generally, and although I still have it, I can't see me using it a great deal.

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Buy one, but when you've got it use it for a couple of weeks 100% of the time. Never switch it off. Then after that time turn it off and use your gear without it and see what you think. Switching it on and off all the time and trying to fathom the difference doesn't give you the overall impression that using it continually for some time will give you.

 

I'll be interested to hear how you found it.

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Anyone that buys and uses this thing for GUITAR- is a n00b.

 

 

And the shameful thing is, I write from first-hand personal experience :facepalm:

 

 

All it does is excite the higher frequencies, making it sound brighter, and hollow out the mids. At first it seems to do good (the "blanket" thing) but really it just makes the tone VERY harsh and hollow, and quite boomy as well. That is an unbiased opinion. If I was to be biased, I would just say it turns your guitar tone to dried-out {censored}e.

 

You can "take off the blanket" by better equalisation (just learn to dial your amp!) or use an EQ pedal in front to lop off some bass if you're worried about mud, or EQ in the effects loop.

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