BBE Sonic Maximizer

[brentonkim]

Hello,

For starters, I wasn't really sure where to put this, so, I thought Amps would be a good place, and if it isn't, by all means, mods please move it.

Anywho, to the questions, I've been looking around to find cheap ways to improve my sound greatly, for being a college student, cheap is a necessity. I'm playing a Spector Q5 with Nordstrand Big Singles and a three-band Glockenklang preamp, and the amps I am using is a Trace Elliot AH-100 through a Carvin V210T. I'm not really interested in upgrading to a new cab, since the Carvin is just the perfect size for my dorm. So, as I was looking around, I heard that the BBE sonic maximizer was an easy way to improve a sound, described as, taking a blanket off of your cab.

My question is, would it really do anything, and, just curious, would there be cheaper solutions?

Thanks,

Brenton

[JonnyAngle]

Without sounding condescending...
What is wrong with your tone? Do you want more punch, less punch, more growl, thicker sound, etc?

I've personally never used the BBE SM, but from what I hear some people love em and some hate em.

[RickenBoogie]

That device will do nothing that the eq on your amp can't already do. +1 to the above, what exactly is it your set up is lacking?

[ThrashMaster]

all the knobs on the front of a bbe unit do are boost bass and treble. If you search hard enough I know ive seen schematics showing that.

why not sell your two by ten and get a better one?

[Floyd Eye]

Not this again.


I like mine. Lots of guys don't. Try one and see for yourself.

[brentonkim]

Hi,

I can't believe I forgot what I'm lacking in my tone.
Sorry! O_O;;

I'm actually looking for a fatter and more punchy sound. I would just use some flatwounds, however, I only have one bass, and I do like to slap for fun, and I do not like the sounds of flats being slapped. Sounds too dull, haha. If I had the money, I would definitely get a Tech 21 VT bass, but, I can't seem to have that option, haha.
Anyway, with that cleared up, any other suggestions?

Thanks,

Brenton

[B-string]

Sans Amp DI?

[Gearhead17]

Forget the BBE Sonic Maximizer. Save up for the VT Bass pedal - cool tube amp feel, nice overdrive, and a great way to get a different tone when you want it.

The BBE unit can be really useful in a recordng situation, otherwise, I feel the unit's affect will become lost in a band situation quickly.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by Floyd Eye

Not this again.


I like mine. Lots of guys don't. Try one and see for yourself.

n/a. you're a doom guy who plays with his shirt off.

[TigerClaw]

I like mine. Just adds a bit of tightness to my sound.

[bassvi]

I'm an old guy who wouldn't dare play with my shirt off unless I wanted to scare people!!
Like someone said lots of people don't think it's that useful but mine seems helpful in producing more of a clear tone after my pedal chain (which is pretty simple, MXR M-80
Boss Octaver, Boss Chorus, BBE Sonic Stomp)

[JasonLamb]

i had both a sonic maximizer and also the bmax pre and whenever you would hit a note you could hear the maximizer engage as there would be an audible hiss...so while i liked what it sounded like, I couldn't deal with hearing hiss everytime i hit a note.

[plangentmusic]

A BBE works on the overtone series which brings a certain "life" to the sound -- problem is -- for bass, it takes away some of it's "punch."

[Growly Lytes]

Go Sansamp all the way.How many times must i say it !!
Any of their products are top shelf for bass.

[Bongolation]

Originally Posted by brentonkim

For starters, I wasn't really sure where to put this, so, I thought Amps would be a good place, and if it isn't, by all means, mods please move it.

It's now where it belongs, in Effects.

So, as I was looking around, I heard that the BBE sonic maximizer was an easy way to improve a sound, described as, taking a blanket off of your cab.

My question is, would it really do anything, and, just curious, would there be cheaper solutions?

Basically, if your rig sounds like it has a blanket over it, you have bigger problems than this unit can fix.

Seriously, there are MANY threads on this unit, almost all of them redundant, so a search for "maximizer" in Effects will help you better than starting a new thread when everyone's already sick of the subject and disinclined to be helpful.

Short answer, don't bother with this unit, and especially don't bother with the stomp version, which is hugely overpriced and the poorest-performing of the lot due to the concessions made to convert the unit to 9V battery power (that info is direct from BBE).

Yes, I've had and used the rack and stomp version. Still have the recently-discontinued 362 rack unit which works best as a passive rack slot cover. In fairness, I never experienced any noise problems with it, I just didn't find it did much I needed. I did have noise problems (actual circuit artifacts) in two of the stomp versions, which went back.

The cheapest thing I ever used that actually improved my sound was a Behringer BDI21, which does a great job, particularly, of putting a little life in the sound of flatwound-strung basses. It's a similar circuit to the SansAmp, but around $20-$25. It's the only Behringer product people here don't hate.

[brentonkim]

Originally Posted by Bongolation

It's now where it belongs, in Effects.



Basically, if your rig sounds like it has a blanket over it, you have bigger problems than this unit can fix.

Seriously, there are MANY threads on this unit, almost all of them redundant, so a search for "maximizer" in Effects will help you better than starting a new thread when everyone's already sick of the subject and disinclined to be helpful.

Short answer, don't bother with this unit, and especially don't bother with the stomp version, which is hugely overpriced and the poorest-performing of the lot due to the concessions made to convert the unit to 9V battery power (that info is direct from BBE).

Yes, I've had and used the rack and stomp version. Still have the recently-discontinued 362 rack unit which works best as a passive rack slot cover. In fairness, I never experienced any noise problems with it, I just didn't find it did much I needed. I did have noise problems (actual circuit artifacts) in two of the stomp versions, which went back.

The cheapest thing I ever used that actually improved my sound was a Behringer BDI21, which does a great job, particularly, of putting a little life in the sound of flatwound-strung basses. It's a similar circuit to the SansAmp, but around $20-$25. It's the only Behringer product people here don't hate.

Thanks! After all these replies about the Sonic Maximizer, I guess that it won't really help me fatten up my tone. I did a search before this thread, by the way, and I would have to agree, almost all the threads were a bit superfluous, haha.

I appreciate all the help I received and will check up the Behringer BDI21, and if not, I'll save up for a VT 21.

Thanks!

[Bassmike62]

Originally Posted by B-string

Sans Amp DI?

+1

I have the SansAmp PBDDI and the BBE unit. Both are excellent in what they do and don't generate any unwanted noise.

[Floyd Eye]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

n/a. you're a doom guy who plays with his shirt off.

At least I don't use a D.I.

[Floyd Eye]

Originally Posted by Growly Lytes

Go Sansamp all the way.How many times must i say it !!
Any of their products are top shelf for bass.

I use both.

[jmarnett]

I have both a Tech 21 Sansamp BDDI Deluxe and a BBE Sonic Maximizer, and love both of them.

The Sonic Maximizer tightens up and just kind of over all makes your bass tone more polished sounding. It does take a bit of the punch away from your bass but not in a way that you'll be drowned out in the mix. I've never had a problem with it hissing when it engages it might just be his unit, or something else.

The Sansamp is an amazing tool, I take it everywhere I go. Being that your rig is small I would save up and go with this. You won't regret it.