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feraledge « Like the difference between mastered and unmastered. »
Published on 05/27/12 at 21:55This is an extremely straightforward and easy to use processor that can do wonders for your sound.
I've had a hard time really getting this across through words, but playing one of these does all the talking that you would need.
As far as the actual pedal goes, this is the stomp box version of BBE's 482 rack mount Sonic Maximizer. It does all of the same things, but for one amp or unit instead of two. Runs off of a 9V battery or adapter, one input, one output, two knobs (lo contour and process) and one switch. It's got a heavy duty casing and I've never had reliability issues with one personally. And it's got a hardware bypass to boot.
UTILIZATION
Two knobs, this is about as simple as it gets. Each one handles a different end of the sonic spectrum, so turn it till you like it and then stop.
SOUND QUALITY
So what the sonic maximizer does is, and I'm putting this simply, split the high, mid and low ends of your signal to adjust for your low end punch or high end cut. The idea behind it is that the translation between amps and speaker cabs flattens the signal and looses the full range of the highs and lows. The Sonic Stomp or Maximizer brings those back in by adding a frequency curve/delay. So you get more clarity, or, if you like, more brutality for modern high gain applications.
I lack the overall terminology to explain it, but it almost sounds like the Sonic Stomp/Maximizer spreads out your signal through the speaker instead of just dumping flatly out of the middle. It gives you more control and a lot more dynamic range in how your amp sounds.
I always keep this in the effects loop and that's really where it's most effective. You can use it for some EQ or boost before the pre-amp, but it's really not going to get the same effect as running it in the back end. I've used this with a number of heads and you'll always get the same result.
OVERALL OPINION
Playing death metal with a scooped sound and not wanting to lose mid-range articulation, I can't imagine not using a sonic maximizer. I always keep it running and it's an essential part of my rig. If you're running a gain boost in your chain, definitely try this stomp box out.
Even if you're not going high gain, the simplicity and range of boost makes this effect hard to pass up. Unless you're a guitar > cable > amp purist, it's worth giving it a shot.
I liken the sound difference between using this pedal and not using this pedal to how a recording sounds before it is mastered and after. It's simple and powerful.
I have yet to find another EQ that can have a similar impact. And for the price, it's really hard to justify a continued search.
I've had a hard time really getting this across through words, but playing one of these does all the talking that you would need.
As far as the actual pedal goes, this is the stomp box version of BBE's 482 rack mount Sonic Maximizer. It does all of the same things, but for one amp or unit instead of two. Runs off of a 9V battery or adapter, one input, one output, two knobs (lo contour and process) and one switch. It's got a heavy duty casing and I've never had reliability issues with one personally. And it's got a hardware bypass to boot.
UTILIZATION
Two knobs, this is about as simple as it gets. Each one handles a different end of the sonic spectrum, so turn it till you like it and then stop.
SOUND QUALITY
So what the sonic maximizer does is, and I'm putting this simply, split the high, mid and low ends of your signal to adjust for your low end punch or high end cut. The idea behind it is that the translation between amps and speaker cabs flattens the signal and looses the full range of the highs and lows. The Sonic Stomp or Maximizer brings those back in by adding a frequency curve/delay. So you get more clarity, or, if you like, more brutality for modern high gain applications.
I lack the overall terminology to explain it, but it almost sounds like the Sonic Stomp/Maximizer spreads out your signal through the speaker instead of just dumping flatly out of the middle. It gives you more control and a lot more dynamic range in how your amp sounds.
I always keep this in the effects loop and that's really where it's most effective. You can use it for some EQ or boost before the pre-amp, but it's really not going to get the same effect as running it in the back end. I've used this with a number of heads and you'll always get the same result.
OVERALL OPINION
Playing death metal with a scooped sound and not wanting to lose mid-range articulation, I can't imagine not using a sonic maximizer. I always keep it running and it's an essential part of my rig. If you're running a gain boost in your chain, definitely try this stomp box out.
Even if you're not going high gain, the simplicity and range of boost makes this effect hard to pass up. Unless you're a guitar > cable > amp purist, it's worth giving it a shot.
I liken the sound difference between using this pedal and not using this pedal to how a recording sounds before it is mastered and after. It's simple and powerful.
I have yet to find another EQ that can have a similar impact. And for the price, it's really hard to justify a continued search.