Boss EH-1 Enhancer-BBE Sonic Maximizer-Aphex Aural Exciter?

[toneless]

I've never had any of those products but some people seems to like them a lot...
What are all those effects about? Are they a specialized equalizer or something?

The Boss Enhancer seems to brighten the tone a little but I'm not very sure it does only this...
Lots of guitar player say that they can't live without those effects, they talk about in-your-face-quality, professional like sound etc

Does anyone have any simple diy schematics around "enhancers"?

ps. I've heard Zvex Super Hard On and it seems to be close to those effects but of course I'm not very sure, it's suppossed to be a kind of booster.

Thanks
bye

[Zero the hero]

I got the Boss Enhancer service manual but I have no scanner...
As far as I remember there was a M5207 VCA and a parametric EQ, but I'll go home and check it.
This pedal is subtle, and you notice it only when you turn it off!

I have the schematic of the aphex, but it's not a factory schem and don't know how accurate should be. It has been found on internet, try Google.

[Mojah63]

I had a BBE sonic maximizer in the early 90's... It did something but really didn't improve my tone any. I was doing covers and had a rack system..  I think I still have the manual with a schematic. PM me if interested. I would build  a Rangemaster with a good ge trannie. Justin has a good temperature stable project. That simple device does enhance

http://fuzzcentral.tripod.com/rangemaster.html

http://www.smallbearelec.com/home.html

[wampcat1]

IIRC, it changes the timing of the bass notes, and adds dynamics to the high notes. You can download samples of the BBE plugin from cakewalk.com I believe -- that should help you figure out what it sounds like. I don't think a clean boost will give you the same effect as the bbe though.

Hope that helps!

Thanks,
Brian

[Nasse]

Look under diystompboxes.com "Schematics" page, scroll to "Elektor" section, two simple analog circuits there

[Prive]

It's like an EQ but itsn't, it's very difficult to explain but it RULES!!!!

I have two, the 422A (rack version) and a little 12V powered to use in a car audio system, both are amazing, you can't turn it off.

I have the schems but it uses BBE's Ic's that you can't find.

The Rangemaster is far from this but is cool too, but for other use.

There is some schems around in the web, i don't tried nothing in this area but you could.

The best way to understand the BBE is to try the BBE sonic maximizer DirectX plugin and hear it.

Saludos, Marcelo.

[Bob N]

I use the BBE in live sound applications all the time... Like said above, It's "like" an EQ of sorts, but not really... Very hard to describe, but it does thicken up the sound quite a bit and makes things sound a bit "Bigger" than they are typically captured through mics. Some people swear by them, some can't stand them... it's all a matter of opinion, but I like using them just to help make the mix jump out a bit...

[Mark Hammer]

First,  BBE does not equal EH-1 or DOD The Edge or Aphex, etc.  Yes, there is something involving accentuation of high end, but it also involves alignment of harmonics and fundamentals by separate manipulation of phase of low and high end.

Second, as I am very fond of repeating ad nauseum here and elsewhere, it is pointless to expect any of these units to work miracles on your high end if you feed them overwound humbuckers through a crappy cord into an amp that has the treble rolled off into a 4 x 12 cab equipped with sluggish speakers.  The signal path at all points has to support the bandwidth such enhancers attempt to provide.  You can still hear a chorus effect, a wah effect, an echo effect, a phaser and a distortion if you have lousy bandwidth.  The same can not be said for this class of effects (enhancers).  If crispness can not be achieved without one, then it is pretty damn sure you won't get it *with* one.  May as well judge a beauty pageant or an art exhibit with a blindfold on.  That's one of the reasons these things have never sold well to anyone but studio folks.  Most kids will walk into a music store, plug in and listen under the very worst operating conditions, and then wonder what the fuss was all about.  Sometimes they even buy a pedal of this type on the basis of rumour or reputation and return it, mumbling something about it "not working".  A bit like trying out a sailboat in a showroom - they tend not to work very well there.

Third, these enhancers are NOT the same as any EQ.  EQ devices simply boost parts of what was there to begin with.  Enhancers/exciters are intended to add something that was generally NOT present in great measure.  Often the amount of boost applied is way in excess of what the traditional cut/boost EQs provide.

Fourth, there have been a variety of ways to achieve it, but the general principle behind these enhancers is to isolate the harmonic content, boost and augment it, and mix back the harmonic content with the original.  Usually, the harmonic content is isolated via a multi-pole highpass filter of some type with a reasonably high corner frequency (e.g., likely over 3khz).

You can poke around for a circuit that Jules Ryckebusch published in Electronic Musician some 15-18 years ago called the "Harmonic Sweetener".  I've made a few and this does a decent job.  The principle is simple.  Tap the clean signal and route it through a steep highpass filter (4-pole in this case) to isolate the upper harmonics.  Boost the bejeezus out of the harmonics, and clip them to add even MORE harmonics.  Mix the boosted/augmented harmonic content in with the clean original.  Adds a nice sizzle to acoustic instruments and *clean* crisp single-coil rhythm strumming.  Think Nile Rodgers and Robert Cray and maybe even early Les Paul; that "dry" crisp sound.

[toneless]

Thanks people for the replys and Mark Hammer for contributing his knowledge.  

I checked the Elector schematics but they look a little complicated, so I supposse I have to wait a few years... :cry:  :oops:

By the way I use single coil pickups and a bunch of pedals in a small tube amp -most of the time-. My sound becomes a little muddy with all those pedals...  :roll:  but one day one of my friends gave me a Boss Enhancer to try out and it seems like it gets some muddiness out and it adds a "presence"-like effect in my little amp. So maybe there are some stompboxes out there that can help the harmonic content of my sound. :wink:

Anyway I''l make a little more search...
Thanks