I have it and use it with my QSC HPR powered speakers. 2 12" and 2 18" speakers. It really makes the sound come alive. Without it, the music seems flat. True audio pros shun it but I think they're full of themselves. You should NOT overdo the 'process' knob and don't go past 2 o'clock on the 'bass' knob.

eh... glorified two band EQ in my mind.

i used to run a driverack 260- subharmonic synth and a few EQ tweaks.

On a diss level, that sounds good but a 2-band eq can't do to a speaker, what it does. Even with a regular eq, you'd spend probably 10 minues or so trying to achieve the same sound.

I wouldn't go for an exciter. I forgot the difference but there is one.

The sonic maximixer is basically a glorified adjustable loudness button.

If you set up your sound correctly you really don't need it. For those who think you do, why do you not find them in studios, concert racks, and the like?

Think about it...

As for pros and cons?

Pro - it's a glorified loudness button.

Cons - you'll think your sound is 'all that' when in reality you'd be better off with a Behringer DEQ2496 processor and a RTA mic. Also, it's REAL easy to overprocess with those types of devices.

Get a decent Equalizer an Ashly or Rane that's way better than Maximizers.

Thanks everyone, I've made up my mind and have decided not to go with one. I've been doing my mobile gigs without them this whole time and no one's ever said that the sound was lacking or didn't sound good, so if it ain't broke, why fix it. Thanks for the input.

Those guys are right in a way but I definitely don't think it's a glorified loudness button.

Do this...simply go to guitar center or your local music store and have them connect it to a basic pair of powered speakers. Play one of your own music cd's you're familiar with and have them demo it. It's a simple hookup and not much trouble to do. I think you'll change your mind once you hear it like I did. Mine is the 812 or 800 series model and only cost me about $170 new.

I was referring to the processing it does being a glorified adjustable loudness button. ;-)

If you don't think so, get in your car, turn on the stereo and play a track. Hit the 'loudness' button.

Take same track, play it through sonic maximizer to powered speakers. Bypass the maximizer and then process. The change in music is very similar to the 'loundess' button. The processing is very similar in nature.

I dunno too much about sound engineering.. but I do remember doing some gigs with the maximizer on and off..

When the maximizer was on, the punch felt and sounded alot cleaner... I personally liked the sound of the maximizer vs no maximizer. We were using the BBE 882i with some big ass yorkville speaker array. This was a long ass time ago, so maybe things have changed since then.


I was speaking with some live musicians , and they said that the maximizer does something with timing the frequencies so the sound is cleaner... something like that.. so that the frequencies hit you at the same time.. i dunno too much about it... they said that they only use it for live situations and not in the studio because the maximizer is supposed to be for fixing the timing of the frequencies on speaker output... something like that..

I think what the maximizer does is shift the timing of the frequencies. The highs are shifted so they are heard slightly before the lower frequencies. The human ear will distuinguish the sound much easier because the lower frequencies won't distort higher frequencies.
That's how it was explained to me when I bought my first maximizer a long time ago. I do agree though that this should not be used in a studio.

It's funny how some people swear by them but none know exaclty WTF it does. lol! The salesman always reel you in like that?

Musicmeister said it all a glorified adjustable loudness button.

I would explain it to someone like DJ Unique did and I'd quickly demonstrate the before/after effect to let them decide, it's just that simple.

I have my unit in a Gator 19" molded carrying case along with my wireless mic and co-pilot light controller. It's a really simple solution for a huge improvement in sound (just don't overdo it)...

I think T-Pain uses one when he sings.... :P

see that's BS though. their marketing line is that it basically "time aligns the high frequencies" or some crap to make up for the inherent design problems in speakers. but how can you design one product that fixes design problems in all speakers?

I think that using the maximizer gives Mp3 tracks a much better feel...not quite vinyl but better then w/o the maximizer...seems to take the edge off of the hi's and makes the bass smoother...IMO

i've seen some djs try to combat that with tube pre-amps to give a bit of natural tube distortion to warm up the sound a bit. I'm still considering getting one for that...

I have a BBe maximizer and i really don't think that you can tweak some of the frequency so know I'm looking for a good equalizer.

True audio pros don't need it, they know how to set up and optimize their systems without it. BBE Sonic Maximizer and Aphex Aural Exciter type processors are rarely seen in pro rigs for this reason. What you DO see is great care taken to time-align the different transducers, so that all frequencies arrive at the listener at the same time.

I'd guess that the worse overall your system or setup skills are, the more likely you are to hear an "improvement" when you switch in that Maximizer.

Oh yeah, tube pre-amps plus mp3s... HELL to the NO. mp3s are soft & fuzzy enough already...

What do you mean by time align different transducers? I take it this is above and beyond a simple 16-band eq's adjustment.

Time alignment refers to delaying the frequencies that go to a specific set of drivers in a loudspeaker system. Ideally, all drivers in the system should align to the same vertical plane. Since this is rarely the case, we can delay the signal going to those drivers that are closer to the listener, so that the sound output from all the drivers arrives at the same time. Not something you can do with an equalizer, you typically use a DSP loudspeaker processor like a DriveRack.

I normally agree with you on a lot of things you say, but you are way off base here. You do find them in studios and racks all the time. Unless you have owned one and taken the short amount of time to set it up in your system, you won't have any idea what it can add to your sound.

Of course, you don't need one to do a wedding, so maybe thats why you are so quick to dismiss the product.

Oh...and I wouldn't rely on anything Behringer...

You should know better...

Julls has one. I've used it. I wasn't impressed. I've done my research on the product. I opted for a Behringer DEQ2496 instead. It does what a good sound tech NEEDS to do. 31 band EQ, compression/limiting, RTA analysis, delay sound to a second set of speakers, etc.

Besides, I've actually done the research and learned about properly setting up sound - including much larger setups (think arrays). While I do mostly weddings - it's by choice. I wouldn't recommend you discount my knowledge on this sort of thing because you might be surprised at how much I really do know. I've read the bible on this stuff more than once.

FYI - the 'bible' for sound reinforcement is the Yamaha Sound Reinforcement Handbook. It's big. It's black. It's more information on sound reinforcement than 99% of the people on the planet will every need.

Normally, I'd agree with you. But this is one of the few pieces they make that's worth a damn.

I picked it up because I don't need the crossovers. The more I used it, the more impressed I was with the product.

When I'm ready I'll upgrade to the Driverack 260 or 4800/4820 series.

And for those running powered speakers, you might want to look at the new Driverack PX product.

It's what I would have gotten had it been available when I bought the DEQ2496.

Haha, I have a BBE 882i that never gets used. I think I used like 5 or 6 times to make my Gemsound double 15's sound better (The gemsounds are another story/thread, so don't even go there). It worked, but I have almost zero use for it now.

BBE...makes cheap speakers sound better.

I used my Driverack PX for the first time this weekend. Used it with 2 QSC HPR122i, 2 Yorkville NX750p, and a FBT MaxX 9sa sub. It really seemed to make a difference with the sound quality. The setup part took a few minutes to take care of, but I'm definitely impressed with the results. It seemed to give my music a warmer sound.

What are you comparing the difference in sound to? Did you have a Sonic Maximizer or just an eq before the Driverack? I was debating on one of those but felt it was unnecessary with powered speakers considering the have built-in crossovers, etc.

I used mixers with EQs (Vestax PMC08 w/Allen & Heath Zed14). I've never used anything from BBE because I've never heard overly good things about them. From the info I gather, BBE is lower quality dbx gear.

I'm comparing two combinations: PMC08 w/Zed14 against PMC08 w/PX. The PX seemed to separate the frequencies better than just using a built-in crossover. Plus the eq function is nice, as is the rta mic.

During music playback, the music was very clear, and bass was punchy and deep where it needed to be. Plus, I didn't have to push my system hard at all to fill a venue that can hold 1000+ people.

i have 2 15 jbl prx 615
just purchased a 882i Sonic Maximizer
i leave my jbl levels at 12 o clock and the my 57 at 12 o clock on the master and the trims. ( adjust only when needed for different mp3 levels) - i move the master on the 57 up as the night goes on.... just saying:)

i keep everything on the maximizer at 12 o clock , u cant over process powered speakers with the maximizer they are programmed and matched already but adding the sonic maximizer makes a big difference in sound quality to me... its not just a loud button . its a clean more accurate sound brighter more detailed more crisp in the highs and fuller and deeper bass... i recommend the 882i Sonic Maximizer to anyone from powered to non powered...

like i said dont over process , staying at 12 o clock will make a difference without u clipping or blowing anything..

i been djing for 20 years and been a car audio junky for a while .... if this thing didnt make a good clean difference i would not use it. or recommend it:)

hope this helps

I forgot I started this thread. I ended up with buying a dbx Powerrack for my system and I love it!

Dbx are good I have a crossover made by them.

dbx is a solid unit. i owned the maximizer for over a year and never really could hear any difference in the sound at all. then i stared reading up on "wet & dry signals" if you tap part of your main mix signal through an aux send jack, run it through the maximizer and back into your mixer via the stereo return, the difference is unbelievable. you end up mixing the processed "wet' signal with the original "dry" signal and the results are undeniable.

Funny how some djs go all out with all these sound unit to make the speakers sound better, your a Dj not a rock band, if u have good speakers u don't need that just my 2 cents.

+1
Powered speakers are heavily processed (DSP). They have already have limiters, eq, compression, alignments, etc. Why in the world you want to add a happy face EQ is beyond me. This is what the BBE does - Watchwww.youtube.com

Now if you own pro "LIVE" passive speaker (JBL SRX, EV QRX, EAW LA) then you'll need some form of processing that does everything mentioned above. Thats where mixing boards, EQs, Compressors and the all in one DBX driveracks come in to play. So if your playing live instruments then you want to add the processing yourself. You dont want a tailored sound, you want to create and adjust your own.

Call it what you want but this over glorified 2 band loudness button makes my entry level Thump 15s sound better.

My question...... Do Sonic Maximizers cause any damage to powered speakers? I read a review on another forum complaining about them causing speakers to thermal. Not sure if there's any truth to it.

The way I put it once was that the BBE process will make a crap sound system "more intelligible", and I'm sure that's what applies to the Gemsound and Thump type speakers. ***Be sure to read to the end of this post though when evaluating the actual "benefit" of a BBE processor.

Yes, you can damage speakers with BBE processors. It's not just a "loudness button", the process is dynamically adjusting high frequencies based on midrange content. On modern pop music that's full of square waves and has large amounts of high frequency energy, the added boosting can blow tweeters if there's no other protection in the audio system.

The "bass" control on the BBE units I've tested appear to be just garden-variety "bass boost" controls. There have been some variations in frequency and gain characteristics of both controls over various generations and models over the years, also variations in the timing circuitry controlling the hf "dynamic boost" effect. I mention that because settings you might remember from one unit may not apply to a unit of a different model/generation.

***ONE IMPORTANT DETAIL...this is where a lot of people have been fooled by BBE processors for many years. "Bypass" is not a true "bypass". They drop the level ever so slightly and roll off the high end slightly in "bypass" mode...in other words, unlike almost any other piece of audio gear anyone has ever used. I made that little "startling" discovery in 1988 when evaluating a unit for possible broadcast use...it was still true in units I tested in the mid 2000's. The only way to do a real evaluation is to rig up a hard bypass capable of completely cutting the unit out of the signal chain. Obviously a lot less convenient than if the "bypass" button worked "honestly".

There's plenty of truth in it. I had a Sonic Maximizer with my former QSC HPR181i subs. I never had them shut down on me except when I used the SM. You have to be very careful with the voodoo settings. Yes, they can seem to make a bad sounding system sound good but they add sub frequency harmonics to your sound that your powered speakers are not necessarily designed to handle. If you attempt to go loud with this enhanced sound, you'll end up thermalling your equipment. (nm)

They're not actually adding harmonics, that's the Aphex "Aural Exciter" processors doing the harmonics.

The "dynamic boosting" of high frequencies that the BBE actually is doing is more than enough to cause problems, especially at extreme settings. Some versions of the BBE processor can give you 20dB or more of high-frequency boost...more than enough to get your speakers in serious trouble.

Both the BBE and Aphex processors are best suited for selective use (meaning when there's a specific benefit to be gained from the type of processing they're doing) in a controlled situation (production, mastering)....not in a relatively uncontrolled situation like DJ-ing through a live PA.

Thanks for the input. It was pretty hard for me to imagine a SM can cause damage to powered speakers. But that's me thinking it's a lazy man's EQ.

I'll try it again with the Thumps and the SM knobs set at 12 o'clock or possibly even 1 o'clock. I actually thought 2 o'clock was conservative. I use this setup for small places or stage monitoring so I should be ok.

Thumps? They Already Have No Output... You'll Be Seriously Limiting Yourself With A SM In The Chain.

(NM)

My Setup:

2 x Mackie SRM450 v1 Full Range Active Speakers
1 x DB Technologies 808d 18" Active Sub
Pioneer DDJ-SX with Serato DJ
Music Style - mostly 320k MP3 Psy Trance

What can the BBE Sonic Enhancer 482i do for my sound?

I would like use this device VERY gently to improve my bass sound and hopefully allow some of those delicious mid frequency sounds to cut through the mix better. Would also like to try and achieve better separation of instruments so things don't sound so compressed and digital.

I would NOT like to add more HF volume as the Mackies already produce enough for my taste.

I am NOT looking for more volume as my system makes all the noise I need and then some!

If this doesn't work, I have a Virus Ti and a stack of guitars which I could use it on...was just hoping maybe it might improve my DJ sound too.

What is you EXPERIENCE with this type of scenario?

Since most of what the "BBE effect" is amounts to adding more high end, the answer to your question should be pretty clear.

My experiences with the BBE (formerly called "Barcus Berry") boxes goes back to the mid 1980's when they first were introduced. There has always been a certain amount of snake-oil-style deception with these devices (not in the least because the "bypass" functions of most BBE units are actually designed to degrade the sound), but I have sound them useful in certain situations where they improve intelligibility. In the era where then-new CD's co-existed with vinyl records, they could give a more "CD-like" sound to material played from records.

If what you desire is more midrange clarity, you are best off looking into better (perhaps 3-way) speakers. The Mackies you have were almost revolutionary when they were introduced, but accurate midrange reproduction was never their strongest point.

The "bass boost" on the BBE units is just a tone control...there's no "secret sauce"/"subharmonic"/"maxx-bass" type processing going on there.

If upgrading speakers isn't an option, a good parametric EQ (either dedicated or as part of a DSP such as Ashly Protea or DBX Driverack) will probably be of more use to you than a BBE device.

Hi DJMark,

Thanks for your reply. I'm pretty sure my speakers sound reproduction capabilities and range for that matter are fine. I have matched them pretty well in terms of frequency ranges and the sub is actually still in new condition. A/B'd them against a new pair of those Tapco Thump 15s recently and my Mackies blow them out the water in terms of clarity and volume. I also just noticed when re reading the manual for the Mackies that they have built in phase correction which I didn't actually know! :) So that defeats the purpose of buying a device for that. I think the issue for me is more so the fact I am using MP3s instead of WAVs or FLACs.

The original sound source is 'lacking' in detail. And although most of my audience don't hear it, I have had a couple of comments recently from non-audio heads that the sound is "too digital" or "too compressed" sounding. Now I hear it too and it is doing my head in! haha

So began the search of a magical device to add some "separation" and "warmth" to my sound :| I was actually even considering trying one of the Yaqin CD3 or similar Tube Buffers (doesn't apply gain, just gentle coloration/harmonic distortion) between my sound card and PA to try and achieve the results I am after but couldn't find any info on whether this would work or not...

Anyways, I will start looking into these DBX drive racks and see if I can talk myself into buying one. Cheers!

Tapco thumps would not be a good comparison to judge the quality of your speakers. They are pretty much a step down from your 450s. Compare your Mackies against some Yamaha DXR-12s or JBL SRX812s and you will hear a major difference.

[Quote]
Tapco thumps would not be a good comparison to judge the quality of your speakers. They are pretty much a step down from your 450s. Compare your Mackies against some Yamaha DXR-12s or JBL SRX812s and you will hear a major difference.

Yeah that might be a fair point however I was just trying to illustrate that my Mackie's haven't become dull sounding over the last ~6 years I've had them. Still sound as good as the day they came out the shops :)

Sonic Maximizers = loudness switch. Buy a professional eq. unit, don't waste your time and money.

Yes that comment has been mention several times now however conflicts with a lot more other reviews I've read. So naturally I am curious :) I was comparing the BBE to another similar device (Aphex 204 I think it was?) which (according to SOS) does add a distinct clarity and separation to the sound without boosting the signal and which you can't achieve with an eq however everyone was saying the BBE sounds better than that device so I bought the BBE instead. What I didn't do was read the BBE manual first so failed to read that it boosted the high and low frequencies... So I guess I'll just have to wait and see for myself when it arrives. I do have a bit of money lying round so am now looking into the DBX Driverack as was mentioned earlier.

Better speakers is a better solution.

My pa already sounds good when using high quality audio files. As the majority of my music is MP3 I am trying to find a way breathe more life into them (which is exactly what these exciters advertise they *can* do

Picked up a new DBX Driverack PA2 on Friday. Setup yesterday and had a little play around in my music studio. Wow, what an awesome device! I need a more open space to set this thing up properly and test with higher volumes so my ability to review this device is only limited just now. I could definitely get a feeling for the sound shaping/'cleaning up' potential though and using the iPad to control levels/settings away from the desk is an outstanding feature!



I played a gig through an Turbosound active PA System (2 x Milan 15s and 2 x 18"? active subs) last Friday night and noticed a huge improvement in my sound - particularly bottom end (still using MP3s). Actually the sound was HUGE! I did think they lacked mid/high frequency clarity though and made me re-appreciate my Mackies for that. Next step is to buy another Db Technologies 808d sub and use the DBX Driverack PA2 as the glue to 'pull it all together'.

Thank you all for your info and advice here, particularly DJ Mark :-)

I'm glad to have helped. I did not realize that you were (at least in part) trying to "band-aid" MP3's. Obviously as I'm sure you're aware the best solution if possible is to re-rip or re-obtain better source material. The DSP should at least allow you to flatten out the response of your speakers and also help correct whatever room you have them set up in.

The sound quality you heard through the Turbosound system may have been affected by whoever/however it was set up. The Mackies you have are known to have a somewhat "hot" high end (one that rather abrubtly switches to "radioactively painful" when the speakers are overdriven), so you being used to their sound will affect your impression of systems with a flatter high-end response.

Real professional know something al lot of you are mistaking for knowledge. . . every room, club or basement is different sounding, just like no two songs are mastered the same.

You need tools to make things sound their best. dbx 120, bbe maximizers are a great way to compensate for the lamest recordings if used with a traditional mixer and bus system to balance tracks bass output.

I use two simple rta's from Rane to watch each input. I feed each TT/CD/CDJ through my Yamaha boaRD. I then use one dbx 120, an Apex 104c, and I then use a dbx 166 on each channel to curve the pop and compression, then it all goes back into the bus chain and out to the distribution system which feeds minidsp units that were set using a calibrated mic in several positions in the room. I also leave the mic suspended above the dance floor to take readings occasionally during the night and make tweeks. The high end gets capped the a lot of people hit the dance floor.

I can make a 1970's soul record sound like an EDM track in terms of mastering sound using this system/workflow. I work on an input/Track basis. then I consider the mix and then the room. A crappy mix is always one when you can tell the decade the music came from.

I've learned from experience, 1970's montreal/ottawa Discoteque work through VJ-ing and back to music only through to the early 2000's that tools for tools sake are useless.

OK. If you say so bro......

this, those 450 mackie mids are the worst

You lost me when you mentioned "real professional" and "BBE Sonic Maximizer."

All the professional sound guys that I know make fun of people like Jesterfried. Watch them clown this popular youtube guy forums.prosoundweb.com