BBE Sonic Stomp/Sonic Maximizer

Re: BBE Sonic Stomp/Sonic Maximizer

I still own my BBE and i would say it's a magical item for Live Situations!It gives never existed Balls to The JCM900 when used in FX Loop!It gives more punch and definition on Loose but raugh and powerfull PUs.
It can help mixing lo-fi and hi-fi effects and get balance between the sound quality.It can be magical after a noise gate since it gives some life back to the tone.
There are many uses for it.The only problem is,it's very easy to over use it.The knobs are way too "strong" effecting the sound.And since the effect seems to be subtle ,many turn the knobs way too much.It brings your sound to be more processed and lifeless.
I still want to have the stomp version and carry it in my pedalboard.
And it is a "must to have" pedal for SS users.Suits perfect to randall amps and ss practice amps!
 
Re: BBE Sonic Stomp/Sonic Maximizer

A BBE is best at the end of a signal chain to clean up things. Using it early in the chain doesn't do much.
 
Re: BBE Sonic Stomp/Sonic Maximizer

I have the 482i... irun it through my effects loop in my Knucklehead. Now im a real bogan and play mostly metal/hard rock from say, Mudvayne, Lamb of God, Disturbed and so on. This effect for me works best when you are trying to get tight, compressed and rip your head off gain from your amp.... for me this thing does it hands down! But for say bluesy type stuff, and clean tones... i turn it off.
 
Re: BBE Sonic Stomp/Sonic Maximizer

A BBE was an essential tool when we used to do cassette multitracking: it changes phase relationships with delay. The key word is RELATIONSHIPS; when applied to ONE track out of 4 or 8 the BBE treated track would STAND OUT (I usually used it on drum tracks). I think using it on one source (guitar) would sound a bit brighter, but the phase relationship magic that BBE does wouldn't be that noticible.
 
Re: BBE Sonic Stomp/Sonic Maximizer

You can't make a blanket statement like "waste of money" or that it's cold, sterile, etc. because it's processing whatever you feed into it. So in the loop of the wrong amp, it will tighten it and actually stop it from breathing. But in a rig that needs it, it can put breath and looseness back into the sound. They are completely valid studio tools, for exactly the same reason that quality boards and mic pres have phase reversal buttons and hi/lo EQ. You really have to try it and see if it works in your particular rig. Especially because the things that it does with phasing can be right with one cabinet, and wrong with another. It's really a crapshoot. I've got them in my guitar rig, but I can shut them off (true bypass) so I end up using them about half the time, depending on the sounds I'm after.

Sometimes I like the live tone to my ears with it OFF, but the miced tone recorded sounds better with it ON, and vice versa. So there's a lot more at play here if you truly understand what it's doing and look beyond a simple "hi/lo enhancement".
 
Re: BBE Sonic Stomp/Sonic Maximizer

Waste of money.

+1 I used one in a rack for a wile and one day I left it off and discoverd I liked my sound better without it. For me it kinda made the gain slightly more noticeable but more fizzy and it tightend up the clip but I liked the way my setup at the time sounded better without the sonic maximizer in the loop. I thought a little added compression sounded better. I have not tried it with a regular amp head. I got rid of my rack setup too. I like the way a regular amp head sounds much better. I found all the process crap just makes you lose qaulity tone. Simple = better tone. Pickup, very few pedles, amp = better tone. Good luck on your choice
:beerchug:
 
Re: BBE Sonic Stomp/Sonic Maximizer

got those clips artie?

Sorry Larry. I forgot all about this. :blackeye:

bbe_demo.mp3

I turn it on and off about every 10 seconds. The actual breaks happen at about 12, 22, 32, etc. You can easily hear it when its on. At around 1:10, I just leave it on for the remainder of the song.

And no, thats not me. (I wish.) Thats El McMeen.

Edit: Btw - Thats not actually a BBE. I don't have it anymore. Thats the "warm and airy" preset of iZotope's Ozone, which performs the same function.
 
Re: BBE Sonic Stomp/Sonic Maximizer

Sorry Larry. I forgot all about this. :blackeye:

bbe_demo.mp3

I turn it on and off about every 10 seconds. The actual breaks happen at about 12, 22, 32, etc. You can easily hear it when its on. At around 1:10, I just leave it on for the remainder of the song.

And no, thats not me. (I wish.) Thats El McMeen.

Edit: Btw - Thats not actually a BBE. I don't have it anymore. Thats the "warm and airy" preset of iZotope's Ozone, which performs the same function.

what is the name of the song? just curious.
 
Re: BBE Sonic Stomp/Sonic Maximizer

I never really noticed too much of a difference when using the BBE on distorted guitars, until a friend of mine used one with his POD when he recorded some of his songs. I noticed a bit of a difference between the first version of his recordings without the BBE, and the new versions. There's definitely a little more high end sparkle and cut, and like others have said, a hi-fi quality.

http://www.myspace.com/andersenshred

Check out Visions of Apathy, Snake Charmer and Lydia.
 
Re: BBE Sonic Stomp/Sonic Maximizer

what is the name of the song? just curious.

"Time Will End". This was a promotional CD for Elixir Nanoweb coated strings. If you'ld like, I can send you non-switched version. Since it was a promo CD, I don't think there'ld be any serious copyright issues. Just buy a pack of the strings. :D

Edit: I was just looking over his webpage. The promo CD I have, while titled differently, is his CD called "Acoustic Guitar Treasures".
 
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Re: BBE Sonic Stomp/Sonic Maximizer

Thanks artie.

To my ears, the effect seems to make the track fatter and clearer at the same time, if that makes sense. I felt more highs and lows.....

The problem is, that the track seemed louder when the effect was on, so i'm not sure if i was hearing hte effect, or just hearing a volume increase.

Thanks anyways, i will definately try it out on some of my recordings
 
Re: BBE Sonic Stomp/Sonic Maximizer

Yeah, it definitely is louder when "on". I might try to do a different track with more electric work and see if I can tweak the levels a little better. Everything is adjustable. ;)
 
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