BBE sonic maximiser

[roland_rat]

Hi I am toying with the idea of getting a BBE sonic maximiser.  I am thinking of one of the rack versions though it is my mates pedal version that i have heard and liked a lot.  Anyone got any experience with them? Which version would you reccomend?

Thanks

[Kiichi]

I got the stomp box version of it and I like it a lot. My mind is still trying to wrap itself around it, trying to figure out what makes it different from an EQ, but I am getting there.
I was to this day not able to get the SM sounds out of an EQ.
It just adds something nice to the bass and highs that takes the whole sound up a notch (given that you have found the sweat spot settings which are usually somewhere around 12 or 1 oīclock). I especially like the bass thing, as it fattens it up somewhat without getting muddy or uncontrolled, which EQing does rather easily.

But be aware that it is not so much something that you notice is there, but you will notice when it is not.

Also it makes far more sense to get one the more you play clean, as it really, really shines there.

If you got a rack, get the rack version. I only go the pedal cause I would have had to start a rack and it didnīt make sense for me at the moment.
The rack version is a bit better though (more inputs if I remember correctly and possibly a newer chip version).

[38thBeatle]

I have one and I would agree with the comments above-it is more a matter of noticing it when it isn't there.

It does seem to even out the tone and makes the sound clearer-I am sorry not to dress this up in fancy words but I am on a tight schedule. It works well on cleaner tones I would say. I tend to play clean tones mostly so for me it is a useful bit of kit. I have the pedal version which works for me. I just messed with the settings and found pretty quickly what I thought was the best for me. Clean Tele with both pups and a bit of trem sounds like melted butter on a piece of toast.....well hold on what I meant is that it sounds rich and warm.

[Frank]

I've never thought about adding one to the amp rack, I'd be concerned about possibly making the guitar sound too "processed" and less "valvey". I did use one in the 90s though, my friend had a studio and every mix was pushed through the BBE ... he called it the fairy dust sprinkler, I called it the turd polisher. Either way, it seemed to just make everything sound more agreeable.

EDIT: just watched a yootoob demo of the pedal and I thought it sounded better when he switched it off!

[Transcend]

EDIT: just watched a yootoob demo of the pedal and I thought it sounded better when he switched it off!

I also feel the same.

I've never understood people that use them as i find it makes nice valve amps sound very solidstate like

[Kiichi]

Yes, it can have the effect you describe, but only if set wrong in my experience. The effect can go too far very quickly if you are not careful, but if you carefully work in finding the sweet spot it really polished the sound nicely I think (which may be turd polishing in some cases ;))
The tube demos are mostly set up badly for my taste.

[38thBeatle]

If I were to judge it based on one or two of the demos on  Youtube I think I'd be similarly unimpressed however I use mine when playing live regularly though admittedly I turn it off if I have any degree of overdrive or distortion when I am not too keen. Clean tones however are, in my opinion, enhanced provided it is set up properly.

[Transcend]

Hmm interesting i shall build one and see if my opinion changes.

[roland_rat]

Thanks for the replies guys.  Frank your post had me laughing, I had never thought of a it as a turd polisher before!

[JacksonRR]

I've also had bad experiences with BBE products. Tried two of them after hating the first and having another model recommended as it was supposed to be warmer, more natural and not have this wild uncontrollable bass effect. Ultimately went with what I've been using for years now and that is an Aphex 104 Aural Exciter and Big Bottom. It does what I hoped the BBE would do better but, to my ears of course, can't.

http://www.aphex.com/demo1403.htm

[Frank]

Hmm interesting i shall build one and see if my opinion changes.

is there a "public domain" schematic?

[FELINEGUITARS]

I love my BBE - but use it sparingly or it becomes a bit much

I have seen people crank the knobs and it all gets a bit OTT - like listening in a windtunnel

I even have one in my HiFi and that is indispensable for adding clarity to both music and the TV - they made a Hifi version

The rack ones are good and useful to have as there are times when you can use it for other purposes - when mixing or as I said in a Hifi (using the RCA connectors).
I use it in a loop of an amp or between a preamp and poweramp - was great in my Marshall JCM800

Not everybody likes them , but try one and trust your ears

Buy one secondhand and feel free to sell it on without losing money  to give it a try.

[Frank]

I use it in a loop of an amp or between a preamp and poweramp - was great in my Marshall JCM800

I think that's what puts me off them. I don't mind having a multi-effects unit in a parallel effects loop but I balk when it comes to passing ALL my guitar signal with its creamy valvey goodness through a bunch of opamps.

If someone makes an all-valve sonic maximiser then I'll be all over it like a rash.

[FELINEGUITARS]

I'd suggest try it first and then make up your mind  - it may indeed not be for you but other do indeed enjoy the effect of it

Series or parallel loop?
With the BBE you need it in series rather than parallel or else you can end up with very minor phasing issues as sending some signal out to be delayed a tiny bit as the BBE does with the bass frequencies*  whilst allowing the rest of the signal through direct can cause the sound be be out of phase and slightly honky sounding

* - thus allowing the treble frequencies to hit the speaker at the same time as the bass rather than lag behind as they would otherwise do.

[Kiichi]

As english is not my native language (though I wish to study in Liverpool) and I am therefore lacking in the technical terms (and non language related not understanding of them much) I donīt really know what you are talking about, but....
Now the SM is not to be used after the amp puts out the signal (at least imho) so there is no changing the valve goodness. As far as I recall even BBE recommend it be last in your pedal chain before it goes into the amp (I donīt even know if the loop is recommended). That way you can kinda get more out of your valves amp even, as the signal it recieves is optimized.

At least that is how use and see it.