BBE Sonic Maximizer for my bass tone?

RickenTalker · #1 06-17-2011, 04:39 AM

I'm curious as to how this rack mount unit might affect my tone. My current bass tone involves a lot of high's and mids with lots of distortion and a mild blend of chorus to help articulate the highs. It's very dynamic so to say. It sounds like a guitar with enough bass to stand out. If I had to compare it to any sound in general, I would say it sounds a lot like JFK's bass rig from Death From Above 1979. While I'm moderately pleased with what I have now, I cant help but feel there is a way to get more harmonics and balance out of what I have now. So a friend recommended a me a BBE Sonic Maximizer. Lots of guitar players claim that it helps make their tone sound a bit more harmonically rich, which might be what I'm looking for seeing as my bass tone basically sounds like a distorted guitar with a lowend. Any input on if this would be a good match for what I'm doing would be awesome. For speakers I'm using 810s if that's any sort of affecting factor.

Bassmike62 · #2 06-17-2011, 04:56 AM

I have the pedal version, not the rack unit, of which there are a few models. I find that it's really efficient with my small and not-too-expensive practice amp (Crate 15). I don't use it with my regular amp (Hartke 5500 + 2 X15 cab), it just doesn't make that much of a difference (there's a 10-band EQ on the 5500). With your set-up, you might not see that big an improvement either, but I guess there's nothing that beats trying it.

IncX · #3 06-17-2011, 05:02 AM

in my experience, it just eats headroom, and is one of those "only sounds good when you are playing alone" pedals (i owned the pedal version)

Chopshonky · #4 06-17-2011, 05:08 AM

It really depends on the amplifier/cab you are using, because it's an algorithm for re-timing your frequencies so that that can be most efficiently/clearly produced by the cone. if you feel you have a "weak" or "muddy" tone even after E.Q. this "could' be your solution. remember it has to be the VERY-LAST-THING before the input of your amplifier, otherwise it literally does-not-work.

RickenTalker · #5 06-17-2011, 05:28 AM

I'm using an Acoustic 450 solid state for my amp. My Distortion and EQ are all in the amp's pre-amp. it has an effects loop, But I think it places the effect right before the EQ. It might not. It might go after the EQ, I'll have to check.

FrankLowend · #6 06-25-2011, 07:09 PM

For my ears the sound change a lot with the maximizer. I have the version in rack, not comparison with equalizers. Very fast to use. When you turn on an effect, for example, easily I can add some low or treble, or reduce it. One point: with new strings this unit appears more than with old strings.