BBE Sonic Maximizer

[Crazy_Joe]

If it was illegal I'm sure he would have been shut down by Ebay already...

[AdamB]

Something to do with 'grey market', i wasn't trying to do anything dodgy, just show people the cheapest choice

[TwilightOdyssey]

If it was illegal I'm sure he would have been shut down by Ebay already...

There is no way to confirm that.

End of discussion, please.

Edit: Can we please try to keep this tread about the subject at hand, the Sonic Maximizer, and not about grey marketing?

[AdamB]

Has anyone got the plug in version for logic etc?

Or is there a good equivalent?

[JJretroTONEGOD]

I do have the latest software version of the BBE sonic maximizer, I find it's only usefull if your guitar sounds muddy or cloudy in the first instance! esp in the low-mid frequency range, it adds 2nd and 3rd generation harmonics that improve the sound, and make it sound kind of phatter, and clearer in the bass and treble range, making the mids more balanced all round.

I use it more often on bass guitar and metal guitar parts than I do on anything else, from my experiments I've found that you have to be carefull how much excitation you add into the sound, as it can almost sound cheezy, and plastic if one isn't in a sensible mental state when mixing.

hope that helps you. :twisted:

[38thBeatle]

I echo what JJRetro says only I use the stomp box version. With guitars, it seems to be better on the cleanish tones and on chorus type tones but can sound a bit fizzy if using lots of distortion (not that I do that much of course) and with bass it is a brilliant piece of equipment so long as you get the settings right for your sound. I have just about got it how I like it  for both now.

[WITH FULL DISTORTION]

TOP CLASS EXPLANATION
where do i start my classes?
AHAHAHAHAH

What a BBE Sonic Maximizer does:

The human ear perceives different frequencies as being louder than one another due to how many times it repeats. Higher frequencies are smaller and repeat more often in the same amount of time than a midrange or bass frequency, and seem to cut more at lower volumes. Just turn your hi fi down really low and see what frequencies you hear the most of.

The BBE introduces a slight delay to high frequencies so that your ear perceives all of the frequencies coming out of it 'at the same time', essentially. It also adjusts the phase of the high frequencies in relation to the midrange and low freqs.

The way you would normally perceive a guitar's signal is kinda like this --

TREBLE ------------------------------>
MIDRANGE -------------------->
BASS --------------->

After the BBE, you hear it like this --

TREBLE ---------->
MIDRANGE ------>
BASS ------------>

It results in what the ear perceives as a richer, fuller tone.

:twisted:

[Twinfan]

What settings are you guys using on your Sonic Stomps?  I'm using both controls on 5 which seems a good base setting?  Is it worth spending much time tweaking it from there????

[38thBeatle]

About the same as me Dave-trial and error has arrived at that. I have reduced the levels of each with the volume-at rehearsals where we are not loud, I have had it set at higher levels-somehow seems more satisfying. I am loving it more on bass than guitar but feel it an essential part of both set ups now. I leave it on all the time for bass but on and off for guitar according to the tone being used.

[Twinfan]

Cheers Steve.  I leave it on all the time as I like the extra clarity it gives.  Seems to remove a bit of fizz that my ears tend to pick up.

I find if you raise the settings it can get a bit "digital" and it loses some warmth.  5 and 5 just seems to balance right at home, but I would imagine at gig volumes dropping them both a touch would work better.

What a great pedal!

[gamesandy135]

I use mine at 5 and 6 (lo contour and process respectively).  I agree with twinfan, gets a little too fizzy when the process is raised much above that and lo contour just gets way too low and bassy for my taste when turned up higher.