Anyone use an exciter?

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bd7117

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Any of you guys have experience with exciters? Analog or plug-in. I know that Aural makes a fairly popular one which has an exciter for high frequencys and some type of similar thing for low frequencies. I think it's the Aural 204. Anyways, does is really work, is it worth getting one?
 
It *can* work on certain things. For $199, there are worse things to have around.

Nothing I'd want to put across the buss, and only rarely on a track. Better in a guitar or bass rig than many other applications.
 
Massive Master said:
For $199, there are worse things to have around.
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Yeah, but I think that in looking at all this stuff, we often forget that that is still 200 freaking bucks. That is really a lot of money, and definitely not an amount that you would want to just throw around.

I've never used one, but with my understanding of how they work, I personally don't see it as worth it. I agree that it's more of a guitar/bass oriented thing than something to be used for serious recording.
 
It does add a little to those recordings that come in here done on tape after I use noise reduction.
 
bd7117 said:
Any I know that Aural makes a fairly popular one which has an exciter for high frequencys and some type of similar thing for low frequencies.
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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.
 
Farview said:
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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BINGO!!! That should be a sticky.......
 
I tried a couple of those exciter things(Behringer & Aphex). I returned the Aphex and sold the Behringer on ebay. They were neat to play with a bass guitar through for about 10 minutes. On a recording they were noisey as fuck. You would be better served spending your money elsewhere.
 
I also use the BBE plug in. It seldom gets used, but when it does it is usually the perfect tool. I recently made a so-so upright piano usable with it. Use sparingly or it will crap up the sound in a hurry.
 
Aural exciters are alright for bringing vocals out if you just cant seem to bring them out the mix enough. But it is quite a sharp sound you get, thats why it cuts through the mix so well. Probably best getting the mix right and just using compression for the vocals, in my experience.
 
As a newbie to the recording realm, I've never used it to record. However, we(my band) have had an Aphex Aural Exciter in our rack for years and love how it helps add definition in a live performance setting. Just my .02
 
I agree with Bluebear. Of course.. having a lava lamp in the studio always helps too.
 
I think a college buddy of mine had an oral exciter.
 
Teacher said:
...efx aux sends to add more 'sheen' and 'hi fi ness' to particular elements in the track i want to make bright
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That's a good tip for these kind of plugs - mix in a little to taste if the plug doesn't already have a mix knob on it - I probably got that tip from you in the first place!

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):
Exciter - This check box enables the Harmonic Exciter feature of the DCVST-VVA. The Exciter uses a simulation of a vacuum tube rectifier (6X4) to produce harmonics. Asymmetry between the positive and negative going transfer function establishes the relationship between the degree of even and odd harmonics produced.
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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
 
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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Sounds interesting. I hope its smoother in the Hi's then the BBE.

BTW I got that exciter trick from Dave Pensado :cool:
before that I wouldn't even think abotu using an exciter probably mostly due to this site by the majority of responses you can see why.
 
I use a BBE 362 rackmount and also have the plugin, for my $$ the rackmount is better.

I can not speak for all aural exciters, but the BBE I have is designed not as a guitar/bass thing but a processing tool that delays the different frequencies coming thru your speakers. If they all hit at once you lose some tone separation.

Go to a retailer and ask for a demo, the change was quite impressive even on finished and mastered tracks. You do have to be careful not to over do it though.
 
traveen said:
a processing tool that delays the different frequencies coming thru your speakers. If they all hit at once you lose some tone separation.
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You must be new. Welcome.
This is the biggest scam going since Monster cable tried to tell us that signal likes to go one direction through the cable better than the other.
 
Well all I know is that it's an audible difference. and I like it...

I haven't done a lab test on it, my ears are good enough for me.

BTW, I don't post much, but I've been here a few months.


Farview said:
You must be new. Welcome.
This is the biggest scam going since Monster cable tried to tell us that signal likes to go one direction through the cable better than the other.
Click to expand...
 
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