BBE Sonic Maximizer

[funkyjazzjunky]

I am considering using a BBE Sonic Maximizer with my F-2B and then going directly into the mixer.  (I often skip an amp/loudspeaker with my old Series I).
 
Any of you use the Sonic Maximizer?

[olieoliver]

I've had one for years and love it. I don't use it much anymore but then again I don't do a lot of live playing anymore.

[811952]

That's a great unit.  You'll have to fight the temptation to over-tweak it.  If you have one on the full PA system, then you might not want to bother a dedicated unit in your rig.  They can also do wonders with vocal monitors.
 
Didn't they used to make a pedal version?
 
John

[olieoliver]

I agree with John here. If they have one on the house PA and you're not playing thru an amp on stage, it's kind of redundant to put one on your bass. BUT if you are using a stage amp, Plug it in, Plug it in..

[811952]

Olie,
 
Do you think it should be in the signal chain to the PA in that case, or not?  Also, you'd want to run it *last* in the signal chain before the power amp, I would think.  I always assumed that having the bass signal already processed meant that you'd be fighting that when tweaking to make everything else sound good (i.e. degrading an already optimized signal by the act of optimizing that signal in aggregate with all else further down the chain).  Have you found this to be the case, or am I over-thinking it?
 
John

[olieoliver]

I would run the bass dry to the PA, pre EQ and everythying.  
But I would run the BBE last in the signal chain for my onstage rig.
 
I agree that about the fighting and signal degradation.
 
 
Olie

[foth]

I have three of the 362's and I love them.  They are in two bass rigs and a guitar rig.  I run them first.  I tried it both ways in the guitar rig, and it seemed confused by the delay, modulation, and reverb of the effects processor.  So I put it first just to clean up the incoming signal.  I like the P90 and single coil sound, so when the BBE makes things crisper and brighter, it suits my personal taste.  It's the only thing in the effects loop of a Mesa M-Pulse 600 that drives two Mesa 115's, and it tightens up the 15's nicely (using a Rogue 5 with flatwounds).  I also have it first in the effects loop of an F1-X, followed by a dbx 160A.  I'm not an electronics guy, so I just think of it as cleaning up the incoming signal.  I don't really know what's going on, though.  Soundwise, the end result of a BBE for bass or guitar is tighter and brighter.

[lbpesq]

I run one in my guitar rig.  I put it and an SF-2 in the effects loop, the SF-2 first and BBE second.  It is a subtle effect that seems to put the presence back into the the signal that my pedal board sucks out.  I believe they still make the stomp box version.  I also have a BBE Acoustimax preamp pedal for acoustic playing.  It has a Sonic Maximizer built into the pedal.  On acoustic guitar, the effect is much more pronounced.  Sometimes I like it, sometimes I don't.  It seems to depend on which guitar and amp I use, sometimes I even turn it on and off, song to song.
 
Bill, tgo

[bsee]

I have considered getting their dual compressor/maximizer a number of times but never pulled the trigger.  I may give it some thought again, but you have to pay attention to which generation of the BBE processor you're getting.  I remember reading that each successive iteration was audibly better than the previous one.

[funkyjazzjunky]

Thank you for the tips

[funkyjazzjunky]

Tighter & Brighter sounds great to me