I saw one today. Up until today I completely forgot about them. From what I heard, they work great. I remember in the 90's people swore they couldn't live without it. Are these things still popular or did they kinda peter out?
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Remember when every rig had to have a BBE Sonic Maximizer?
- Thread starter Thir13teen
- Start date
FWIW, I'm just a beginner, but I found that the BBE sim on my MS-60B really does improve the (otherwise pretty poor) sound on my lowly GSR-200. It really makes it tolerable... I should probably try this on my other basses as well...
Didn't those things scoop mids like no tomorrow?
Kind of like a contour button on a stereo?
That never attracted me, I found out very early that it buried me in the mix.
Ever since then I boosted mids, and haven't looked back.
Kind of like a contour button on a stereo?
That never attracted me, I found out very early that it buried me in the mix.
Ever since then I boosted mids, and haven't looked back.
They sound great at home. Sparingly in recording.
Live... they are a hinderance.
They were "cool" and have their place. A good preamp pedal will do more for you than these will.
IMHO YMMV
Live... they are a hinderance.
They were "cool" and have their place. A good preamp pedal will do more for you than these will.
IMHO YMMV
I have the Sonic Maximizer function on my BBE BMax preamp. Sometimes I use it, sometimes I don't, depending on what else is going on in my signal chain.
Like it or not, it affects EQ shape and tone in ways that other effects don't -- much like some folks like to have a graphic EQ or bass preamp EQ to hit frequencies differently from their amp EQ. While it does have a mid-scooping effect as you increase the process and lo contour, so do the treble and bass knobs on your amp -- and you can adjust your amp/pedal/basss EQ to counteract the mid-scoop if it is an issue.
Like it or not, it affects EQ shape and tone in ways that other effects don't -- much like some folks like to have a graphic EQ or bass preamp EQ to hit frequencies differently from their amp EQ. While it does have a mid-scooping effect as you increase the process and lo contour, so do the treble and bass knobs on your amp -- and you can adjust your amp/pedal/basss EQ to counteract the mid-scoop if it is an issue.
I have the sonic maximizer di-100...its the same circuit in a di box with 1/4 in and xlr outs...I always have it in my signal chain. I also use a boss peq3b to jam mids back in...my c/w bmp scoops the mids too,so I definitely need something to put them back in...but I LOVE this circuit. It may have petered out but its a killer unit that makes cheap gear sound better and good gear sound amazing. I'd say pick one up if you can get it cheap and do some experimenting..mine is worth the 40$ I paid for it
I already hated what it did when it was on every pedal board.
This kind of effect is good in bands with a very airy tone.
As soon as you start hitting the drums hard and distorting the guitar, it's terrible.
This kind of effect is good in bands with a very airy tone.
As soon as you start hitting the drums hard and distorting the guitar, it's terrible.
I still use one. I think they are easier to hear with some rigs and not easy to hear the difference with other rigs. For me I like what it does and I like that can have some additional control over lows, the low countour can boost 50hz and my rack pre EQ is much different. I think one of the reasons you may not see as many is the pedal version works better IMO. He's mine, last pedal on the board.
Not exactly... There's a lot of misunderstanding about how the 'Sonic Maximizer' effect works. It's NOT a simple equalizer, it's a state-variable filter. The best way to describe it is that it boosts the treble, based on the amount midrange energy in a signal. It's a side-chain treble expander. (expanding being the opposite of dynamic range compression). That's why it makes instruments sound "clearer", more "airy" or whatever. Over-use of the sonic maximizer on things like electric guitars can give them a "sizzling" tone that's very fatiguing to listen to. My theory on these things is that they help undo some of the dullness caused by compression, which is why they 'improve' the sound on bass guitars and drum tracks - things that are typically compressed.
BBE's assertion that the Sonic Maximizer process "re-aligns" different frequencies smells strongly of marketing BS. All sound waves propagate at the same speed regardless of frequency.
This seems to be exactly the thing with this effect. No one seems to know exactly what it is that it does... I'm intrigued by it because I do know that the model in my MS-60B that's supposed to be modeled after this effect does improve the sound of some of my basses, but I could never convince myself that there is anything other than EQ in there...
But that's the thing about all gear. It should never be about what it is on paper, it should be about wether it sounds good with your setup with your band or it doesn't. Simple as that. I've watched tb and other forums for years and read so many people make comments about what things are on paper, sometimes things that seem good on paper actually sound like crap to my ears, other times it's the other way around. You just have to use your ears. Who cares what it technically does if you miss it when it's not there.
