Anyone use an exciter?

  • Thread starter Thread starter bd7117
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Exciters can be useful on a track level, but not--as mentioned earlier--something you want to put an entire mix thru.

Honestly I'd aim for the plugin route--cheaper and based off the more expensive Aphex AE. The 200 dollar AE isn't really that great, but the one closer to 900 bucks isn't terrible.

Use it *sparingly* and only with good reason.

If I do use it, it is invariably on cymbals/overheads and just a touch.
 
I like to use Elogic's exciter plug in Logic for *small* amounts of boost to string parts...helps the tracks to cut through the mix better allows the listener to hear the strings nuances in greater detail.
 
Farview said:
Actually Aphex makes the aural exciter. These things were really good a making analog tracks that were 'too warm' a little crisper. In this day and age, we don't normally have a problem making things crisp.

Massive, I love you like a brother but putting these things in a guitar rig is the worst idea ever. If your guitar sound is too muddy....FIX IT! Don't take a crappy sound and try to run it through something else to make it 'better', find the problem and solve it.
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i'm glad you said that. i know that a lot of metal/deathmetal/hardcore bands use those things and i know you do a lot of metal stuff, so it's nice to hear someone involved with that stuff tell people not to use them. they just make bad guitar tone worse.
 
They can be useful live for increasing the intelligibility of vocals--assuming you have any intelligent vocals in the first place. :D
 
it seems like everyone is assuming we would always WANT a reasonable, well-balanced sound. i've used the bbe plugin to completely warp a guitar track. i think they can be really cool fx boxes if you're looking for that hyped sound. i also think that getting the right sound off the bat is good and well, but let's not forget that part of the fun of mixing 'in the box' is that you can design sounds you can't naturally mic up and record after the fact.
 
kylen said:
Here's a new VST plug called Virtual Valve Amplifier I'm currently breaking in - it has an exciter mode in it (since tubes do this):

I think they'll have a demo up on the site soon - until then if you want to try it out you have to download the demo of the DC6 or Millenium app where it's a native plugin (they just made it VST). Here's some more info:
http://www.diamondcut.com/Catalog/DiskCatalog.htm#VVAVST
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I've been using diamondcut programs for cleaning up 78s and shitty open reel and cassette recordings for years. I really like their software packages, especially for the money. But I never found much use for the virtual valve amplifier.
 
I've tried the new Aphex 230, which is a channel strip incorporating the Exciter and the Big Bottom circuits -- very noisy piece of gear. I checked the noise floor in software, it's 18 db higher than my other front end gear, which makes it about 60 times as noticeable if I'm doing my math correctly. That's with the Exciter and BB switched OUT of the path; it only gets worse. No matter what this box does, I don't want that much noise in my voice tracks or mixes. Goodbye Aphex.
 
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