BBE Sonic Maximiser..what does it do exactly?

[raj1988]

[ninjaaron]

http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Effects/product/BBE/Sonic+Stomp/10/1

[Nik]

It compresses and boosts the high frequencies based on the signal level of the mid frequencies.

The stuff about realigning the bass, middle and treble is just a side effect of the filters that split the bands up that way.

[nitrous2400]

2 knobs per channel, first knob is is "lo contour" which boost the low end and the second is "process" which boosts the high end it keeps the definition just adds more punch and more frequencies you normally wont hear really livens up your sound

[voxfreak]

what the pedal is actually doing is sorting frequencies. When the signal is sent into the amplifiers speakers, theyre mixed lo's mid's and hi's which the speaker then sorts and amplifies. However the speaker is inefficient at doing so, so signals are lost or muffled. The Sonic Maximizer basically arranges those signals efficiently before they hit the speakers, which makes a cleaner and richer sound.

[ninjaaron]

From MF

 

The BBE Sonic Stomp Pedal will make guitarists and bassists rejoice! More fullness, more presence, more clarity, and more control right at your feet. Hardwire bypass, non-slip rubber bottom, easy-access 9V battery compartment, and included external power supply. The BBE Process "What it Is" Loudspeakers have difficulty working with the electronic signals supplied by an amplifier. These difficulties cause such major phase and amplitude distortion that the sound reproduced by the speaker differs significantly from the sound produced by the original source. In the past, these problems proved unsolvable and were thus relegated to a position of secondary importance in audio system design. However, phase and amplitude integrity is essential to accurate sound reproduction. Research shows that the information which the listener translates into the recognizable characteristics of a live performance are intimately tied into complex time and amplitude relationships between the fundamental and harmonic components of a given musical note or sound. These relationships define a sound's sound". When these complex relationships pass through a speaker, the proper order is lost. The higher frequencies are delayed. A lower frequency may reach the listener's ear first or perhaps simultaneously with that of a higher frequency. In some cases, the fundamental components may be so time-shifted that they reach the listener's ear ahead of some or all of the harmonic components. This change in the phase and amplitude relationship on the harmonic and fundamental frequencies is technically called envelope distortion." The listener perceives this loss of sound integrity in the reproduced sound as muddy" and smeared." In the extreme, it can become difficult to tell the difference between musical instruments, for example, an oboe and a clarinet. BBE Sound, Inc. conducted extensive studies of numerous speaker systems over a ten year period. With this knowledge, it became possible to identify the characteristics of an ideal speaker and to distill the corrections necessary to return the fundamental and harmonic frequency structures to their correct order. While there are differences among various speaker designs in the magnitude of their correction, the overall pattern of correction needed is remarkably consistent. The BBE Process is so unique that 42 patents have been awarded by the U.S. Patent Office.

 

[D34dBaWx]

i want one to play with. may pick one up after christmas

[The Fury]

I have no idea, but it makes my amp come alive. My settings are a bit extreme (lo contour on 10, process on 8) but it makes my amp roar at lower volumes. When I crank up my amp the effect isnt as dramtic, but it still makes a positive difference. Scoops the sound a tab with my settings, but I like that.

[peridot1]

It's funny but mine just came in the mail a few hours ago. Yes it can take a muddy signal and bring clarity of tone. It's worth it.

[TJSmitty]

It's great for bedroom levels. In a live situation, an eq pedal will perform the duty a good deal better.

[joncyberboy]

I use a rack one on my mixes for CD. The whole song that is.
Just a touch of extra high end is all i use. I'd not bother with it for guitar alone personally, but to each his own!

[Nik]

From MF

 

 

Yup.

That's how BBE market it, and it does delay the three bands by differing amounts, but that's not why it sounds the way it does.

[petejt]

I had one, and although at first it enhanced my tone, I realised later that it was wrecking it.

The Sonic Maximiser works much better as a processor for mixing desks, when recording or going through a PA. Doesn't work too well for in guitar signals, even though it is marketed towards that.

[Kassanova]

It RULES. That is all you need to know.

[Nik]

I have one in my stereo which I use for livening up old VHS tapes.

[eclipseall]

I had one, and although at first it enhanced my tone, I realised later that it was wrecking it. The Sonic Maximiser works much better as a processor for mixing desks, when recording or going through a PA. Doesn't work too well for in guitar signals, even though it is marketed towards that.

 

 

this is not true. it works great with guitar signals. I have one on my board and I really like what it does. it makes the sound clear, makes jump out in the mix, great pedal.

[TJSmitty]

this is not true. it works great with guitar signals. I have one on my board and I really like what it does. it makes the sound clear, makes jump out in the mix, great pedal.

 

 

To be fair, it was not designed with guitar signals in mind. If you think it sounds good in front of your rig, more power to you. BBE intended it to be used in post-processing and mixdown situations.

[peridot1]

BBE made the stomp box version (which I have) and they had the guitarist/bassist in mind.

http://www.bbesound.com/products/stomp_boxes/SonicStomp/index.asp

It's the one I'm using now and it certainly brings clarity.

[django5]

Seems to me that a lot of people buy one, say it's amazing and repeat what's written on the box, then a while later they struggle to get a good tone, try it without the BBE and hey presto, it sounds good again!

[peridot1]

Well I've been messing with it the last half hour. Different combos of pedals or racks. To be fair it has made some patches worse. Others better. I don't know. My MXR 10band will be coming in a couple days.