The Infamous BBE Sonic Maximizer on Recorded Guitar Tone

[RUJoking]

Hey Everybody,

I bought this BBE Sonic Maximizer plugin years ago, because so many people on so many recording forums sang such high praises for it. And to my ears, it really does enhance the sound of my DI guitar recordings.

But then the wave of advice changed. The last couple years, many professional and amateur producers and guitar players have been recommending that we get rid of the Sonic Maximizer for recording, that it's really only useful in live situations. But they never really explain why that plugin has become evil.

Do the extra harmonics cause mud when dual or quad-tracking guitars? Do the extra harmonics cause interference with the harmonics of other instruments? Is it simply a matter of degree?

If possible, I'd like to get some educated info here from some of you guitar tone junkies.

Is this plugin OK/useful/fantastic when used very judiciously? Is it absolutely not recommended in any situation? Are there any successful (in achieving great sound, not in achieving great money) producers who can tell me exactly what the BBE plugin did wrong and why they no longer use it?

Thanks for any advice.

Pat

 

[SimonSez]

At 44.1KHz I think the BBE plugin sounds harsh, maybe aliasing. Also according to BBE the processing doesn't add new harmonics, it changes the phase of certain frequency ranges and increases some harmonics and I think it adds some EQ too (the low end processing is a boost at 100Hz I think).

I sometimes use an outboard Aphex Type B and it adds a nice sheen to the highs. The Aphex units supposedly do create new harmonics.

 

[FF666]

I thought it was done with the hardware unit instead of a plugin...

 

[crillemannen]

Adam D uses the hardware when he record guitars

 

[PhilR]

In my experience it's bad to use it because it tricks the brain about the frequencies it's actually hearing. Years ago when I first used it it gave me the usual "Wow! Everything sound so much clearer and better!" and guitars suddenly sounded shit without it. But on mixdown it tended to turn the mix into muddy bullshit and I couldn't figure out why until I ditched the BBE.

 

[Jind]

My thoughts, not that I've ever used one in a recording situation, are that the BBE Sonic Maximizer is a tool, just like any other tool it can be overused (possibly much easier to overuse than almost any other). With that said - I'd imagine that when used tastefully, judiciously, and intelligently, it can deliver a very nice sonic experience (I've really only used/heard them in a live music experience). My old guitar teacher had one in his live rig/rack unit, an 882i, and he would use it set with very moderately low settings just for a little "sparkle" when playing gigs and I thought it did work well in a live environment, but he would not use it when recording as he always considered it a tool that gave him something he liked live but that it did not translate well into the studio.

That's my only experience with a BBE Sonic Maximizer and as always your mileage may vary.

 

[crazykarl]

At 44.1KHz I think the BBE plugin sounds harsh, maybe aliasing. Also according to BBE the processing doesn't add new harmonics, it changes the phase of certain frequency ranges and increases some harmonics and I think it adds some EQ too (the low end processing is a boost at 100Hz I think).

I sometimes use an outboard Aphex Type B and it adds a nice sheen to the highs. The Aphex units supposedly do create new harmonics.

How does it induce aliasing? Unless it's like an old school drum sampler with a low sample rate, I don't see how that's happening.

 

[grywolf627]

I've had the hardware unit for many, many years, back when it was a relatively new thing. I don't use it nearly as often as I used to. In fact, almost never lately. But when I go back and listen to my older tracks, it makes me think I may have to fire it up again. Some of my older things have a clarity, a "something" that some of my newer ones don't have. BUT, the BBE is something that must be used carefully. I don't remember who, but someone said it's like beer goggles. It makes things sound amazing at first. But after you sober up and listen to it, you realize it's really harsh sounding. This is very true, and is why it must be used judiciously. I don't think I have EVER used the low contour, and have NEVER gone above 9 o'clock on the process knob. In my limited experience with the plugin, I've found that I needed slightly lower settings than the hardware counterpart.

You're going to find people that love, and people that hate it. Like all things in audio, just use your ears. If you like what it does, use it. If not, don't. But, learn to use it sparingly, and always go back and re-evaluate your sound/mixes. A/B things with and without it. Did it REALLY help things? It should never be used as a crutch for your guitar sound, for sure. If your sound is like garbage without it, then you really need to spend time finding out why your tone sucks so much and work on fixing it without the BBE. When used, it should only be there as a finishing touch. Not the core of your sound.

As the wise Jind says though...these are only my experiences and thoughts on the BBE. YMMV

 

[JonWormwood]

I really want an aphex. I agree with grywolf completely.

 

[StefTD]

I used it in my guitar rack for some time, but with very low settings and just on one side, so the soundguy
could decide if he mics a speaker with the bbe on it or without the bbe on it, never used it for recording.
But it worked very well in our rehearsal space, especially after we had a new drumkit and bassamp, just
fitted the overall sound quite well.

 

[Brett - K A L I S I A]

I use it on almost all my mixes.

 

[bryan_kilco]

Got one for my rack about 6 or 7 years ago. Used it for maybe a year or 2, and like everyone else - I thought it sounded great at first. I asked around before I even got it and heard a lot of "No, don't get the BBE"...but I went with my guts and did it. Agreed all around, at low settings it can be usefull. I found that it made my tone sorta harsh in the treble end. Shit, I can make my tone too harsh without it, why would I need it? I think it takes away the meat from the guitars.

 

[chrisrivalry]

I really didn't like it on guitars, but I do use an aphex for my live sound rig, for PA use the difference is night and day really.

 

[bryan_kilco]

I might add that it did seem to work nicely on bass, the little i have heard it (live).

 

[grywolf627]

I should be clear I guess. Back when I used it a lot (and I should definitely revisit this), I didn't just use it on guitars. I never thought of it as part of a guitar rig, as that wasn't its intention. It went on different instruments, or on the 2bus during mix down. Again, used in small quantities though. It doesn't work with everything, and it can screw with your sounds (it can suck out the mids). But it can also add just the right touch when used sparingly on the right source. I've been thinking about starting to use it again. I'm glad this thread popped up and reminded me of it. I always wanted to try an Aphex too.

 

[Scottxx]

Dave Mustaine and Marty Friedman used it for a long time on live shows.

 

[RUJoking]

Thanks for all the responses.

PhilR, that's exactly what I've been hearing lately from the sound experts: we all started with "Wow" and ended with less than stellar final results.

grywolf627, I always use it on my kicks, but I may stop using it for guitar tracks, or at least I may stop cranking the Process knob so far. Like others said, cranking Process high might be fool's gold.

Brett - K A L I S I A, do you use it on guitar tracks? Mastering?

 

[Brett - K A L I S I A]

I have used it on pretty much everything at least once depending on the need... Kick, snare, toms, ohs, bass, guitars, keys, vocals, master... For guitars and master I don't think I ever exceeded 1 on the high knob, nothing on the low. You can go higher for keys and vocals.

 

[Brett - K A L I S I A]

By the way I'm talking about the plugin.

 

[JeffTD]

Adam D uses the hardware when he record guitars

Source? I've never heard of him using it.