transmogrifa wrote:
Okay. So I have been giving this BBE process thingy soome thought.
Supposedly speaker inductance delays frequencies by a progressive
amount as the frequency gets higher. BBE explains their process as a
correction so that you can hear music over a speaker as you do live.
One interesting conunudrum is that even live, you are usually hearing
the instruments over an array of speakers (guitar and bass amps and PA)
so it seems the problem would still exist.

The BBE process does add adjustable group delay, like the manual says.
But what really makes it work is that it adds high order even harmonics
to make things sound artificially bright.

In thinking about this it came to mind that at low frequencies the
cycle time in milliseconds is close to the time that a human can
recognize an actual delay. A 40 hz bass wave is a 20 ms cycle. So
there would already be a delay in recognition of a lower frequency
correct? Can anyone recall how long it takes to recognize frequency
audibly? Is it a whole cycle? or more or less. I can see how delaying
the bass might add clarity but seems like it could get wonky quick.

Actually adding group delay isn't all that audible. You can try the
box from Little Labs that actually _does_ add group delay and allow you
to change this stuff. By itself, it doesn't make much of a difference
in sound.

How many of you use some process to improve this or a similary process?
I have never used BBE because from listening to the difference between
a mix with it or one without I didn't see a positive difference and
even thought it was worse. I also figured it would end up making my
mixes sound canned over time.

I do sometimes use an exciter. I use to consider it sort of cheating
and assumed the client wanted to at least first hear the mix in its'
most natural state but for the most part that is wrong. Might as well
thrown in the fuzzy dice and the cheap gift wrapping.

The BBE box is basically an exciter. The spectrum it produces is different
than the Aphex and Rolls boxes, but the general effect is the same. The
"True Dimensional Sound" gadget also does the same thing. You may want to
listen to the BBE box because it can be a useful alternative to the Aphex.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."