sonic maximizer? good idea? or bad?

kidx10040 · #1 12-04-2009, 02:09 PM

Hey guys i'm thinking about getting a bbe sonic maximizer 362. i'm gonna as of now i have a fender jazz bass mexican 4 string playing out of an svt 3 pro and an avatar b212 neo.

my friend thinks its a dumb idea and that i should work with what i have already

i'm going for an afi/bayside tone. lemme know guys

Steve Dixon · #2 12-04-2009, 02:13 PM

try it.. they're only cheap

if you don't like it, you'll get back what you paid for it on eBay

LaklandBass · #3 12-04-2009, 02:17 PM

they sound good at first but then you realize that its just soaking your tone in mush. Very cool on a guitar rig for heavy metal though.

Bassamatic · #4 12-04-2009, 02:30 PM

The Sonic Maximizer is a dynamic high frequency boost and a fixed bass boost. The louder you play, the more boost - the bass is constant. Can muddy up your sound and greatly increase levels with huge amounts of HF boost.

However, if you like what it does - then whatever, right?

malicous · #5 12-04-2009, 02:50 PM

It could sound good, depending on what sort of sound you want. Some guys think that it colors the sound too much, but I am very happy with my Aphex Bass Xciter (which is similar to the BBE Sonic Maximizer in many ways). As was mentioned earlier, if you get one used on the classifieds here or on ebay, you could always sell it without much financial risk if you don't like it.

wdinc01 · #6 12-04-2009, 05:07 PM

I just bought a BBE Sonic Stomp, which is a streamlined, stomp box version of the Sonic Maximizer. I kind of bought it half as a joke, because my band used a software version of it on the songs we demoed, which made up for the crappy mics. It improved the sound a lot.

But I figure that it would be good for solos, and maybe if I have a lot of effects going on at the same time. I'm at college so I can't mess around with my rig right now, but having a bass boost can't be too much of a bad thing.

Oh and these things aren't that expensive, so it shouldn't be too hard to get your money back

Lurker79 · #7 12-04-2009, 05:15 PM

The stompbox version is an always on pedal for me. That and a VT is kinda gnarls. Tone schmone, no one listens to the bass.

And if you do want to sell it, I think a lot of guitarists will want one. The lo and regular process controls give you a lot of flexibility if you like what it's doing for you. It is very popular popular in metal guitar circles for sure.

capnsandwich · #8 12-04-2009, 05:17 PM

I use it. It does boost my sound and makes it cut through in crowded rooms with a lot of noise. The muddiness can be controlled by the Low Contour knob. If you want less bass boost, then lower the knob. It helps a lot with dynamics and with bad soundmen/bad acoustical environments, IME anyway.