Har-Bal Users Forum BBS

Hi Earle,

In many reviews I have read good impressions about the legendary Aphex 204, and from your message I noticed that it’s also among the hardware you use..

I am writing and producing electronic music, and for sure using Har-Bal during mastering. I am planning to get an Aphex 204 as well but, it would be wise for me to get your comment/suggestion about it before the purchase. Thanks in advance!

Kursat

analogic wrote:Hi Earle,

In many reviews I have read good impressions about the legendary Aphex 204, and from your message I noticed that it’s also among the hardware you use..

I am writing and producing electronic music, and for sure using Har-Bal during mastering. I am planning to get an Aphex 204 as well but, it would be wise for me to get your comment/suggestion about it before the purchase. Thanks in advance!

Kursat

Kursat

I really do like the Aphex 204. I usually use it as a filler to help glue the track together and increase the clarity. The bass region has got to be the easiest to adjust.
Remember, it isn't a slamming hard bass (The compressor serves this purpose). It just adds needed harmonics for thickness.

I don't recommend using it on every track. but if track fattening is needed it certainly does the job

Cheers

Earle

Thanks Earle. Glad to know that you also prefer to use it for harmonic and bass enhancement, if necessary. Then I will realize my plan as soon as possible

Cheers

Kursat

analogic wrote: I really do like the Aphex 204.
Cheers

Earle

Is the 204 available as a plug-in?

tcatzere wrote:

analogic wrote: I really do like the Aphex 204.
Cheers

Earle

Is the 204 available as a plug-in?

Tom

I do not believe there is a plugin version of the Aphex 204. The closest tool to it is the Waves Renaissance Bass because of its ability to actualy generate harmonics which is what the 204 does very well.

Cheers

Earle

Hi Earle,

I recieved my Aphex 204 last week, and started to experiment with it throughout the week.

It is verbally hard to describe how it contributed to my works but, my impression is that it amazingly enhances the low frequency/bass regions and harmonics with a depth, clarity and brightness, as long as you subtly use it, by making the mixes more cohesive and glued, and it sounds gorgeous and fantastic!

I will use that magic with my works from now on depending on the content for sure. Thanks again for your guidance and recommendation.

Best

Kursat

I was thinking about getting an Aphex 204 or BBE 882. I already have the BBE Sonic Maximizer plugin (DX) that I use in Sonar.

Should I get either of the above hardware to enhance some tracks or master a mix; or should I wait until BBE creates the D82 Sonic Maximizer http://www.bbesound.com/products/maxim/D82/index.asp like they've been saying?

Jrel wrote:I was thinking about getting an Aphex 204 or BBE 882. I already have the BBE Sonic Maximizer plugin (DX) that I use in Sonar.

Should I get either of the above hardware to enhance some tracks or master a mix; or should I wait until BBE creates the D82 Sonic Maximizer http://www.bbesound.com/products/maxim/D82/index.asp like they've been saying?

Hi Jrel,

I don't have any experience neither with BBE 882 nor D82, therefore have no idea about it. You may check its demos and reviews, if available.

However, I use Aphex 204 "Optical Big Bottom and Aural Exciter", and in my opinion it's a truly amazing device which gives clarity and depth to our works. I mostly use it during mastering, but for sure it is also applicable during mixing. Of course, I firstly use HarBal, then apply wideband compression, and after that use Aphex 204 before the final limiting stage.

Cheers

Kursat

Hi all ,

In the VST plug line ... another small Ozzie company .. Crysonic ... makes plugs , of purportedly similar effect , but by different design philosophies , to the exciter/enhancers ... Spectralive ... they call it ... Interestingly ... it's background theory sounded very 'speaker-phase-correction' in style .. to me ....
Of all the freaky things ... amongst their line they even have a 10-band parametric eq , with control of 'harmonics' in each band .... and other 'harmonics' manipulaters ...

Cheerzzz ....

There actually is/was a plugin for the Aural Exciter and Big Bottom with quite a few more controls than the 204, more towards the controls of the 250. But it wasn't a VST or anything, it was for some antiquated "daw" software I can't remember the name of anymore.

At any rate, between the BBE 882 and the Aphex 204... Aphex wins hands down. No contest. Aphex is more of a filler, where BBE is more of a puncher, so I guess pick your poison... but I prefer the Aphex because I can easily add any punch with a simple EQ.

The Spectralive is interesting, but really not suitable for any mastering by a long shot. It's way too over-bearing on 99% of tracks. Not to mention the latest version, 3, has major CPU issues (such as the CPU use doubles when the gui is NOT open).

Personally for mastering in the box I prefer to bring in stuff that's missing, and subtle enough to work great in mastering. You might check out the plugins that Bootsie has been creating lately. He won KVR's developer challenge this year, by more than twice the votes of second place.
http://varietyofsound.wordpress.com/

How digioid zo2 compare to ahex exciter ?
isent a 31 channel EQ a better idea to go with then either aphex or and BBI ?

I can't find anything called "digioid zo2", do you have a link?

An EQ and an exciter is apples & oranges. You can't compare them because they would be used for different things.

That being said... EQs can fix problems. Exciters aren't designed for fixing problems. For doing things besides solving static problems, a linear-phase EQ will always win above another method of doing the way thing, when it can accomplish the goal, because of its transparency. I wouldn't recommend using any EQ that isn't linear-phase, as most 31-band units even in software (and all analog hardware) will have phase distortion in the filters. If nothing else, use one for system equalization if you don't have the budget to get a nice digital system controller with at least a low ripple / low phase distortion filter in its EQ.

For exciter VSTs... the new "go to" for anyone on Windows 32bit should be this:
http://varietyofsound.wordpress.com/201 ... mojo-back/
http://varietyofsound.wordpress.com/downloads/

http://www.head-fi.org/t/688437/digizoi ... t_10084243

...use one for system equalization if ....

how about a parametric EQ like a Massenberg. ?
linear base something more sophisticated but also more complicated ?
http://www.homestudiocorner.com/linear- ... egular-eq/
http://www.gearslutz.com/board/masterin ... ering.html



http://www.musicradar.com/us/reviews/te ... ter-571647
http://www.tone2.com/html/rayblaster_sy ... st_au.html
V.S .Thrillseeker XTC ??

Hi ,

As you're exploring the difference between linear phase , and other designs of equaliser .. do be aware that Har-Bal , in it's Options settings , allows you the choice ...

Cheers ,

Evan .