BBE Sonic Maximiser

  • Once again, on an FB Kemper page, someone has been extolling the virtues of The BBE Sonic Maximiser series. After checking out several youtube reviews, I am still unsure if this unit actually does a great deal, apart from an EQ/boosting mids scenario. Does anyone 100% consider that these units have 'that' much, undeniable improvement in sound?

  • I had the stomp box version for years, and yes i can say without doubt it was a big improvement. It took cheap sounding guitars/basses, and made them sound warm and full. It could take an overly muddy acoustic, and make it sound articulate, and clear. It was truly a great pedal. The way i used it was to sweeten up a guitar/bass; to make it fuller, and add a bit of spank. I gave it to a friend who needed some sweetening for his acoustic guitar. And now that i'm full Kemper i have no need for it, per se. But it's like a Sansamp, a really a great swiss army pedal to have around in the studio. And if you're talkin' the rack mount version then there's a lot more possibilities even still.


    You lookin' at getting one or just curious?

  • I've heard them described as the 80's equivalent of "Crack Cocaine" for guitar! I used to use a Behringer Ultrafex to 'widen' my sound. Luckily I've managed to wean myself off it since getting a Kemper!

  • I have a stomp version - For tightening up the sound , more articulation especially when the sound is muddy This pedal is a JEM . You have to know how to use it- to not over do it. Metalheads will Love it but it has plenty of uses . I will switch and trade drive


    pedals but I will always keep my BBE :thumbup:

  • You lookin' at getting one or just curious?

    A bit of both I suppose. I'm guessing you don't think it would add anything to the Kemper's sound, given what you've said.


    I'm also intrigued as to what it may add on the overall sound of everything coming through a PA, if it was in the mix inserts. (I think that'd be the place, from memory).
    And, 'yes', I was thinking about the rack version :)

  • Nah, i gave the pedal to a friend to help him with his acoustic guitar troubles. I think it can make anything great! I prefer actual stomps to the Kemper stomps but i'm all about not carrying things, and ease of use. So i tried to go all Kemper, and it has been sounding great, so why bother?


    No, i think it can sweeten any sound, that's what it does. And yeah, if you get a rack version, just be careful, it's very easy to lean on it. ;)

  • Oddly enough, I wasn't really thinking of using it on the Kemper, as it sounds sort of mega as it is... :)
    I have a duo project happening, using backing tracks I have saved as wavs. I thought the BBE might add a kick ass sound to the audio.

  • There's really nothing you can do with a SM that you can't do with an EQ. If you like those scooped tones, it just can make it easier to find that tone you're looking for. Some guitarists are EQ phobic so it's better if you want to keep things simple. Some will say your guitar will get lost in the mix, but that's just when they are used them to the extreme, tons of albums were recording with maximizers and exciters with no issues. I still have a rack unit somewhere around here for when my ADA was my main amp, it was a lot easier to fine tune with the SM than fiddling with the buttons on the MP-1. If someone comes by with a mediocre amp with limited functionality, the SM takes it up a level. But, for high dollar amps, I just don't think it's really needed.