BBE Sonic Maximizer

Greetings Klama2006, good for you. Hearing is believing! I've been in the hobby for 20 plus years and have been using a BBE sonic maximizer for the entire time.

I currently run the BBE482, which is a dual mono design, with great specs and the latest (phase four) circuitry

Given this black box cost a wopping $200.00, which wouldn't even cover the tax on a couple of my interconnection cables, makes it one of the best pieces of audio equipment ever, PERIOD!!!

My system has evolved quite a bit over the years and I find that the BBE continues to profoundly improves the sound quality. I'm so accustom to the sonic improvement that the BBE circuit makes, I couldn't imagine listening without one.

It's a shame that most audiophiles are signal processor phobes. Most will never know just how good their systems could sound.

Don't get discouraged by all the negative respones you'll probably receive to this thread. Trust your ears.

If you can find one, you might want to try a 3DBX, digital series, dynamic range expander. Properly used, it can make a real improvement.

By the way, the next time you're in a recording studio or at live event, take a look around at the equipment their using, you'll likely see tons of signal processors from the likes of BBE, DBX and others.

Welcome to the club...

ASAIK, the BBE is an equaliser with delay function. SO, in yr present set-up, the BBE is probably improving the in room response, at the expense of some distortion. Obviously, the pros outweigh the cons!

Is my perceived success with this item due to the fact that I'm under-powering my ohms with my low powered mono's,

Other than that yr amps have at least ONE kt88 (~35-40W)/ channel, I know nothing about them -- so I can't say!

I like your speakers!

I used the BBE Sonic Maximizer quite a bit in the late 80's when CD's first came out. I had quite a few concert recordings that were just of so so quality (bootlegs) and the BBE really improved the sound. I was using both EPI 100's and Boston Acoustic Towers at the time with a Pioneer 636 receiver; Teac CD player; and Dual turntable.

I tried one a few years back with some of my present equipment and I disliked the difference it made. My listening tastes have also changed (more opera and classical now and less rock).

Regards, Rich

I'm glad we had a few members with positive input to re inforce your feeling. For most of us here we're doing the upgrading one step at a time. Meaning a few years down the road our systems may have gotten better. If you like this "step" that should be "enough"/ forget what anybody says. A part of training my ears has been owning better and better as my budjet has allowed/ over a period of time.
You got one and love it--What more can be said?

Thanks for all the responses. I’m glad to see I’m not the only one here who has enjoyed this product.

Compared to many of the posters here I know that I’m very inexperienced in this subject matter, and have only found myself hooked on audio for about a year now.

Getheleadout, I'm also using the 482i, which I assume is similar. My friend has the 482, and I did not notice any difference between the two models other than the color of the case. (But, I did test them about 6 weeks apart). I may take up your advice with the DBX range expander. If it does not work in the above mentioned system, I have a couple other’s scattered around the house that it may help out in.

I do keep another tube system that I take the direct path minimalist approach in.

I'm keeping an open mind in all of this, and experimenting with many different products. I do not yet know exactly what type of sound I like yet. I’m finding that various components behave differently in my systems, and what works great for one of them, can sound absolutely terrible in another.

I starting to believe that it’s nearly impossible to set up a single system that excels in all types of music, but I have not wandered into the territory of anything that is really considered high end yet.

I too have a bbe. Mine was the first design for home audio. I just bought the 480i to upgrade to their newest chip design. I dont have it yet , but looking foward to the experience. I would not have an audio system ( within a normal budget) with out one! I have tube amps, bbe, lascalla. Not a bad start. I like this setup soooooooooooo much i may NEVER change! Keep up the bbe drum. It will change lives. :)

Has anyone used a newer BBE Sound Maximizer in a 2 channel stereo system?

I was looking at this specific model.

BBE Sound BBE882i - Dual Mono Sonic Maximizer with Balanced XLR I/O Connectors

I found that as I have improved my stereo equipment certain CDs I have just don't sound as good. I believe it to be due to how the CD is recorded.

Now none of my equpiment has XLR inputs or outputs (just conventional RCA inputs/outputs) so I was going to use XLR adapters. Would this be an issue the BBE Sound Maximizer?

Thanks in advance.

Go to this link, and see what I have in my signal path:
theaudioatticvinylsundays.com/about

My system is not unsophisticated. These things work...when used judiciously, on recordings that were badly engineered. Overdo the settings, these things go seriously out of wack pretty quickly. They have a bypass switch, so you can cut them out of the signal path quickly.

I have two BBE282ri sonic maximizers, so that I can tweak the channels separately.