Opinions on the Sonic Maximizer

Graham Lathrop · Post by **Graham Lathrop** » 19 Jul 2005 11:46 am

Who has one? What do ya think?

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 19 Jul 2005 11:57 am

I have one in my rack setup. I like the way it improves the sound. It has a switch so you can kick it in and out, there is definitely a difference!

Erv

Jack Francis · Post by **Jack Francis** » 19 Jul 2005 12:10 pm

I have one and love it! My son bought one to use with his Peavey 5150 amp, and I tried it on my Twin and was so impressed that I got one.

It has 2 channels so I use it for my Guitar and the other channel working with my Nashville 400 for my steel.

I don't know how to say exactly what it does but it just seems to bring both amps to life! (whatever that means)

Tony Palmer · Post by **Tony Palmer** » 19 Jul 2005 12:50 pm

I have one...it's great but noisey.

Dennis Detweiler · Post by **Dennis Detweiler** » 19 Jul 2005 1:55 pm

I've been using one for about a month. It does add a little hiss(white noise). It adds an expanded sound to your amp. It accents certain low and high frequencies to give more clarity and punch to the sound. There might be a way to cut the "hiss" with added filter capacitors? I haven't looked inside it yet. It's also supposed to be good for dubbing (enhancing) old tape recordings.
DD

Len Amaral · Post by **Len Amaral** » 19 Jul 2005 2:40 pm

I use one with my PA system and it does sound nice. It is a fairly expensive unit with XLR in & out. It also has a bypass switch so you can hear the sound with and without it. Big difference

Dave Grafe · Post by **Dave Grafe** » 19 Jul 2005 2:44 pm

It adds noise because it increases the gain for lower signals while limiting the hot ones - it's basically just a fancy compressor with some EQ filters in the side-chain and the controls already more or less set up for one specific task.[This message was edited by Dave Grafe on 19 July 2005 at 03:50 PM.]

John Macy · Post by **John Macy** » 19 Jul 2005 5:59 pm

Actually, it is not a compressor at all. A more basic description is that it delays the low frequencies to allow them to be more time aligned with the upper frequencies, making the signal more in phase with less time smear....

You can read more about it on their website at www.bbesound.com. A very useful unit on certain things, and not anything like an "exciter" which it is often compared to.[This message was edited by John Macy on 19 July 2005 at 07:00 PM.]

Gary Preston · Post by **Gary Preston** » 19 Jul 2005 6:21 pm

My buddie bought one and gave it to me . I hooked it up with two amps and man it sounded like a room full of steel guitars . But for some reason it only worked for about 15 minutes then it died ! But until that time i was high on the sound . This was a new unit . So i still have it in my rack just making my rack a little heavier . I guess i'm just to lazy to remove it . Gary .

Graham Lathrop · Post by **Graham Lathrop** » 19 Jul 2005 6:22 pm

Isn't that the way it all goes down...

Jon Jaffe · Post by **Jon Jaffe** » 19 Jul 2005 6:57 pm

I have used the Sonic Stomp for a couple of months. I think it is fantastic.( I have had a Sonic Maximizer in my home stereo for a long time and ran it through 901s. Noise was never an issue.) It seems to make the sound jump out of an amp.

The 9v power supply provided with Sonic Stomp is worthless (noisy). Batteries seem to last 3-4 gigs. A Boss 9v supply used in its place is noiseless.

In sum I will not leave home without it.[This message was edited by Jon Jaffe on 19 July 2005 at 08:04 PM.]