Enhancers / Exciters for use in mixing

[trancedental]

I don't know if Enhancers / Exciters are really used much nowadays but I seem to remember trying a few while recording mixes when using tape over the years. Some reckoned that they made a big difference to mixes made with narrow tape formats?

BBE Sonic Maximiser. Liked this one

SPL Vitalizer My favourite of the ones I've tried

Aphex Enhancer / Aural Exciter Too obvious IMO

DBX Never tried any of theirs

Behringer Ultrafex II. Used this for a while sounded good when used subtly, one of the German made models from 15 years ago which were well regarded at the time believe it or not!

I used to prefer to use these processors through a FX send & bring them up on a pair of channels on the desk. I could then select which tracks to process instead of everything being effected!

Anyone got any of the above or any others that I've not mentioned?

[jpmorris]

I have an SPL Vitalizer Jack, but I use that for its stereo expansion rather than its Exciter abilities. That said, I've been really pleased with it. The moment I switched it on, it did exactly what I was hoping it would do.

[The Ghost of FM]

I've got the original BBE 2002 double rack space sonic maximizer. I have it plugged into the stereo inserts on my mixer so that all my mix downs get treated with it to add a bit of definition and clarity. It stays out of my monitoring chain while tracking as I like to get everything sounding its best without it first and then only on mix down is it added as "hamburger helper" for my mastering deck which is a Pioneer CD recorder.

I also use a BBE 601 guitar pedal stomp box on bass and electric guitars to do the same while tracking.

I find the BBE stuff to be very helpful if used judiciously and have received more then a few kind words on my mixes and sound quality.

Cheers!

[Beck]

I’ve had the BBE 422 since it was new, late ‘80 something. It most definitely worked magic on narrow track cassette recorded with dbx Type II. It was one of my secret weapons back then for mixdown.

The Alesis Micro Enhancer is also worth a look. Great when transferring old muffled videotapes to DVD.

[rayc]

I have a couple of the above but my secret weapon, when working with 4 track cassette was/is an 801 Omnisonic Imager. It was built for domestic Hi Fi work & has no fine tuning but when it works it's brilliant when it doesn't it's awful. It is almost universally awful with digital & doesn't seem to like being connected to a computer anyway.

[Dr ZEE]

Originally Posted by rayc

1. when it works it's brilliant
2. when it doesn't it's awful.
3. universally awful with digital .
4. doesn't seem to like being connected to a computer.

These all are signs of an excellent piece of equipment.

[Dr ZEE]

I had (still have, sitting in the rack) BBE 362NR.
Used it a lot when I used to do a lot of music/audio editing/re-mixing for events, often recording/editing and re-recording cuts of material from various sources (cassettes, records, cds). The final mix/edeted copies had to be on cassette tape.
So the NR part always was helpful and in combination with BBE process it did help to make the "best" out of what I had (as original material). Also, my task was not to create a "master-piece of a recording", but rather to make a recording which would "perform" the best way in a convention hall / sport arena and such environment.
However I never used the "process" in the process of original music recording/production. Maybe I've missed some "opportunities" there, but the whole idea of that "process" kind of make (or say, used to make) me nervous. Maybe I simply don't understand things about it


/later