From bruce@ashbysolutions.com Mon Oct 22 17:19:58 2001
Subject:Re: OT: exciting sounds

Steve et al,

>Now a real techie should explain this so the rest of us can understand it.
>Bruce?

I'm not an expert on the Sonic Maximizer, as I don't use one. However,
from what I gather, the BBE device changes the phase (and level?)
relationships of certain frequency ranges to make them stand out in the
mix. I doubt, however, that it is a phase-alignment tool per se. It seems
like it alters the frequency spectrum a bit, and a phase-alignment
processor wouldn't do that. BBE is a little vague about exactly what it
does, as they consider the processing something of a trade secret.

>On a recording project I was involved with ten years ago, the engineer
>used a BBE Sonic Maximizer on the drums, and it made an absolutely
>unbelievable difference. Drums that sounded good suddenly sounded much
>better: crisp, clear, "alive." As he explained it, there is a slight
>out-of-phase condition that exists in most playback systems no matter what.
>(This would be similar to but not the same as the problems that occur if you
>wire stereo out-of-phase.) The BBE time delay lets the different frequency
>ranges be output far enough apart so that they don't interfere with each
>other but close enough so that no time delay is apparent.

It does seem to work "magic" on lifeless tracks, but I don't think it's the
end-all processor: If the goal of the Sonic Maximizer is to alter the
sound so that a track punches through, what happens when ALL the tracks
"punch through?" Like many other effects, its success improves when used
sparingly. Think of it as a spice for audio: If a bit of say, oregano, is
added to one dish, it can improve the flavor. If every dish gets a dose of
oregano, however, nothing sticks out, and the result may be too
oregano-heavy for most tastes. I've been told by some recording "experts"
that the long bouts with the BBE box can increase aural fatigue, and that
they recommend that it should only be used at the end of the mixdown session.

Regards,

-BW

--
Bruce Wahler
Design Consultant
Ashby Solutions™
www.ashbysolutions.com
CloneWheel Support Group moderator
978.386.7389 voice
978.964.0547 fax
bruce@ashbysolutions.com