Sonic Maximizer for Bass

[frankie5string]

Pretty sure the BBE Sonic Maximizer in various applications contributed to a bunch of hearing damage thanks to overzealous usage in the 90s and early 2000s PA systems. Bass taste has changed a bit since that pedal version came out and thankfully we are circling back to a warmer, rounder tone which the BBE does nothing for.

Many of those rack mounted PA BBE units got ripped out of amateur PA installations in the mid 2000s. Another device which did something similar but in a completely different way was the Aphex Exciter. PA guys used to use them to try and throw more clarity down a long room from their cheap PA systems.
Good riddance to both!

 

[Zooberwerx]

IIRC, the SM uses (2) crossover points and adds ever-so-slight delays to two of the bands...I forget how many milliseconds. The most important button is the "In / Out" to balance the raw and processed signal in terms of bass & treble response. Agreed: they sound like hell when you crank them. I live in all-analog universe and have used the SM as an insert on Soundcraft, Alto, and Behringer boards. IME, they come in really handy when added to karaoke rigs cobbled-together from cast-off and / or marginal components.

Here's an online blurb which describes the process and concurs with my understanding:

"The manual for 802 actually explains what the unit does in terms of group delay. The audio signal is split into 3 frequency groups by dividing the spectrum at 150 Hz and at 1200 Hz. The LF group is delayed by 2.5 ms, the Mid-Frequency (MF) group is delayed by 0.5 ms. The HF group is left intact."

Riis

 

[Snibborwocky]

I remember BBE sonic maximizers being a huge thing in the early-mid 90's. I always wanted to have this huge rack of effects with one of those right below a Furman power conditioner. Almost every bass player I followed had one that I can remember. Honestly looking back on at that now, I'm kind of glad I didn't get seriously heavy into rack effects that weighed a ton to transport around.

 

[InkCow]

IIRC, the SM uses (2) crossover points and adds ever-so-slight delays to two of the bands...I forget how many milliseconds. The most important button is the "In / Out" to balance the raw and processed signal in terms of bass & treble response. Agreed: they sound like hell when you crank them. I live in all-analog universe and have used the SM as an insert on Soundcraft, Alto, and Behringer boards. IME, they come in really handy when added to karaoke rigs cobbled-together from cast-off and / or marginal components.

Here's an online blurb which describes the process and concurs with my understanding:

"The manual for 802 actually explains what the unit does in terms of group delay. The audio signal is split into 3 frequency groups by dividing the spectrum at 150 Hz and at 1200 Hz. The LF group is delayed by 2.5 ms, the Mid-Frequency (MF) group is delayed by 0.5 ms. The HF group is left intact."

Riis

This is also my recollection of how it worked: it’s not merely a presence or brightness knob.

On my 383, I always dimed the process knob, but the low contour needed to stay low - less than 10:00 - or it got very muddy.

 

[InkCow]

I remember BBE sonic maximizers being a huge thing in the early-mid 90's. I always wanted to have this huge rack of effects with one of those right below a Furman power conditioner. Almost every bass player I followed had one that I can remember. Honestly looking back on at that now, I'm kind of glad I didn't get seriously heavy into rack effects that weighed a ton to transport around.

It was a mixed bag, honestly. Everything back then was heavy anyway, but at least with rack rigs, if it got big, it would have wheels.

 

[chris1327]

i have experience with both the sonic stomp pedal and the aphex 204 rack mount unit, and i prefer the aphex, but i think it’s most useful if you have a simple setup with no other effects. i gigged the aphex for years, run through the fx loop of a big old swr stack, with no other pedals, and it sounded great. once i transitioned to a modern amp/cab and got more into pedals, i tried to recreate the effect with the bbc sonic stomp pedal at the end of my chain, but i just didn’t bond with it and got rid of it pretty quickly. as others have said, i’ve found that the eq processing on modern amps (and preamps) is so good that the older maximizers don’t really gel the right way

 

[Bassmike62]

In this pedal's case, as with lots of'em (some will say most or all), a little does quite a lot. I used them in the past and it worked fine, as long as settings are minimal. You might have to adjust the amp's eq though. I can see it being used as a clean boost. Nowadays, I keep a Boss GEB7 near for cuts'n'enhancements. YMMV.

 

[Low Key]

I used a rackmount BBE Sonic Maximizer with bass decades ago. If there is a word I'd use to describe it, I'd say "inconsistent". What I mean by that is there were instruments and setups where it made a tremendous difference, and other times where it really did nothing. Adding a BBE to my hi-fi biamped bass rig with tube preamps, EQs and a bunch of other components did nothing. The sound was already clear and the BBE just put a little more treble on a setup that didn't need it. However, when we tried the BBE with a boomy acoustic guitar, it was magic. It transformed the sound from more a blurry/bassy sound to something very bright and clear. It was night and day.

I think the BBE has it's place to take muddy sounding instruments, whatever they may be, and give it sparkle and clarity. In other cases, it's probably not needed at all. One final thought is that it could be a good "room adjustment" tool, only to be engaged when your bass rig is in a room where it comes across boomy. It could be a quick fix to something like that.

 

[braud357]

I am currently using a BBE B-Max T rackmount bass preamp with onboard Sonic Maximizer. I use it with just a bit of the maximizer, and I can notice the difference in sound. I found the same result as a previous poster - too much is not a good thing ! I begins to sound a bit "strangled" when using too much of the effect. I do like what it adds when used in moderation.

 

[Zooberwerx]

This is also my recollection of how it worked: it’s not merely a presence or brightness knob.

On my 383, I always dimed the process knob, but the low contour needed to stay low - less than 10:00 - or it got very muddy.

With a rackmount and inserted in FOH...and monitors...both knobs were set #3-4. Anything higher and it really sounds bad. I have no experience with the pedal but my brother owns one along with the near-matching yellow & white comp! The true pros know how to effectively assign delays among the FOH elements for alignment which is furthermore complicated by the presence of a backline...the SM is a simpler approach for the rest of us. I questioned the fixed 0.5 & 2.5 ms delays when no two venues are identical. BBE's published response: while seemingly limited, there is a consistency of optimization as designed. IOW, the #'s work irrespective of the environment.

It has the potential to "unmask" and provide clarity & definition as others have pointed-out.

Riis

 

[Hundred proof]

I was convinced years ago the the open rack space on the SWR Redhead combo was for the matching red BBE unit. It did make that amp sound better to my ear.

 

[Nev375]

Over the years, I've gone back and forth between complicated signal chains and straight to amp.

I have used a BBE in the past, but I'm going to keep my opinion to myself about that line of gear specifically and what I think it is doing.


Because as a rule, I find that the purest best tone is straight to the amp. Anything that gets in the way of that must be:

1) Able to provide a blindingly obvious dramatic effect when turned on.

2) Be absolutely necessary to complete the program/set/gig.

3) Impossible to get "close enough" to the desired effect by using devices already living in the signal chain.

(To explain #3: Despite owning a very good chorus pedal, I opt to use a phaser combined with a tremolo as I already have those on my board. The result is not exactly chorus, but it results in a similarly swirly-watery sound. But most importantly it does not shift the voice of the bass upwards like all chorusses seem to do.)


The BBE fails the 1st two requirements. The effect it provides is subtle and once the instrument is in a mix I doubt anyone in the audience would notice whether it was there or not.

In my opinion, what it does is not worth the real estate and weight it takes up, nor the cost. In a studio environment, maybe it's useful. But I'll defer that decision to the sound engineers.

Just my two penneth. As always, YMMV and if you love the BBE then more power to you. Maybe you hear something I can't.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

Have you used a sonic maximizer (like the BBE Sonic Stomp) in your bass rig? Would you kindly share your opinion and the results you got? Thanks very much. Happy grooving in 2023!

Avoid. Pretty much what this does is boosting the low and high frequencies and cutting the low mids for that beautiful clear pillowy “bedroom sound”.

On the gig however, you will notice when going from a completely dry setting, the more you increase the effect, the less you will hear your bass in the mix. Reason being you need those low mids to hear yourself in the mix, and you can’t hear the low frequencies. You can feel them, but it’s a rumble unless you turn your amp real loud which is sure to start a volume war.

 

[jglunt]

I run bass directly through the sound system--no amp. I used to run through a Trace Elliot Transit B floor unit, which doubled as both a preamp and a DB, but I started having some noise issues with it. The only other unit I had available was a BBE Acoustimax, which I used for acoustic rhythm on those occasions when I was pressed into service for that. It has a Sonic Maximiser in it as part of the processor and is adjustable for both amount of effect and low end processing. To my surprise, it sounds very good on bass, and since it also has an XLR out, it doubles as a DB like the Trace Elliot did. I usually just run my EQ flat on that unit and punch in the Sonic Maximiser with some low end boost. The Sonic Maximiser makes a very positive difference, IMO.

 

[Killing Floor]

I ran the first rack mount “instrument” version on my bass rig for years and when I moved away from that rig I reconfigured it for my home stereo. It’s still in my attic waiting for a 3rd life.

Love it.

In fact when I stopped using it on my bass I switched to the 383 preamp.

Never used the pedal though.

 

[Rib 13]

Have you used a sonic maximizer (like the BBE Sonic Stomp) in your bass rig? Would you kindly share your opinion and the results you got? Thanks very much. Happy grooving in 2023!

I used one a lot about ten years ago, always on...after awhile, my ears decided that what it sounded like (as opposed to what it really does) was as if I had two EQ shelving points at each end of the spectrum slightly boosted. I stopped using it after that point

 

[trevcda]

Before digital mixing, I liked using one inserted on single channels like a horn, harmonica or maybe an acoustic guitar to lift it just a little bit, without using of swishy sounds like chorus or phaser. I can't tell you how it works, but I will say, though my own experimentation, that the difference between the bypass mode on the unit and actually removing it from the signal chain is huge. The unit's bypass mode tended to sound horrible, intentional or not. So, comparatively it will sound better engaged than not. For a true comparison, take it out of the chain.

 

[ImTheOnlyOne]

I used a rackmount BBE Sonic Maximizer with bass decades ago. If there is a word I'd use to describe it, I'd say "inconsistent". What I mean by that is there were instruments and setups where it made a tremendous difference, and other times where it really did nothing. Adding a BBE to my hi-fi biamped bass rig with tube preamps, EQs and a bunch of other components did nothing. The sound was already clear and the BBE just put a little more treble on a setup that didn't need it. However, when we tried the BBE with a boomy acoustic guitar, it was magic. It transformed the sound from more a blurry/bassy sound to something very bright and clear. It was night and day.

I think the BBE has it's place to take muddy sounding instruments, whatever they may be, and give it sparkle and clarity. In other cases, it's probably not needed at all. One final thought is that it could be a good "room adjustment" tool, only to be engaged when your bass rig is in a room where it comes across boomy. It could be a quick fix to something like that.

Yes to this comment.

Picked up a Sonic Stomp to try out over the holidays. I will summarize it as a quick and cheap speaker cabinet enhancer. On my nicest gear it detracted as described above, but it enhanced the sound of a small and a cheaper cab enough to consider putting it end of chain for live use.

 

[fretlessman71]

I used to play in a lounge in a bass/piano duo. The Sonic Stomp really helped me get a useable tone for that environment. A bit bigger without being boomy, a bit more present without being harsh. I liked it so much I turned the bypass into a mute switch.

 

[roller]

The Henretta Engineering Emerald Prince is another nice "takes your basic tone and makes it sound even better" pedal. It's based on the old Echoplex EP3 preamp.

Doesn't eat up a lotta space on your pedalboard either!

Have you used a sonic maximizer (like the BBE Sonic Stomp) in your bass rig? Would you kindly share your opinion and the results you got? Thanks very much. Happy grooving in 2023!