BBE 862 Sonic Maximizer

Couldn't be easier. I bought it used and it didn't come with a manual, but it's incredibly simple to use.

This is the third or fourth Sonic Maximizer I've used over the years, and it's the best. I'd been using a 362 model, but I've been upgrading my studio and am now running balanced cables, so I wanted a Sonic Maximizer that had balanced in and outs. This definitely makes a difference as far as noise, interference, etc. I'm going from the main XLR outs on my Mackie mixer into an ART dual 15 band graphic eq, into the Sonic Maximizer 862 into an Alesis RA100 reference amp and out to Yamaha NS-10M studio monitors. For tracking, I use the same set up, but go from the Sonic Maximizer into two Alesis Adat's (XT & XT20). Although sometimes I don't record with the Maximizer- I just add it later at mix down.

The difference this simple box with it's two knobs makes is astounding- like night and day. It adds tremendous amount of punch, clarity, sparkle, and articulation. It's also very quiet. I sometimes use a Behringer Ultramizer Pro, which can give a similar effect, but adds some noise to the signal. By the way, the Sonic Maximizer 362 is also a good unit for unbalanced cables, and I now use it in my guitar rig at the end of a long and involved effects chain.

Have never had any trouble with this or any Sonic Maximizer

Fortunately, I've not needed any customer support.

I'm usually reluctant to hand out "10's" in my reviews, but this thing is awesome. I've used Aphex Aural Exciters, and other similar gear, and while they all have something to add, nothing has worked as well as the BBE Sonic Maximizer. The 862 with it's balanced in and outputs is ideal for my needs. I play a wide range of music, from classic rock guitar, to jazz fusion, to ambient electronic synthesizers and it works equally well with all of it. I would definitely get it again, although this model is no longer in production. Finding a used one like I did for $75 was a great deal. I highly recommend this unit to anyone who wants to dramatically enhance the quality of their sound with a "set it and forget it" processor.

2 knobs per channel...high end processing and low countour. Very easy to use.

I have this unit in a rack for my PA. My main outs go into a symetrix 525 compressor, to a dual 15 band DBX E.Q., into the BBE 862, to an Ashly 2 way stereo crossover (all balanced signals with cable pinouts matching documented specs). My mixer is a Mackie CR1604 with a Lexicon LXP-15 for delay, power amps are Carver PM1.5's, and speakers are JBL pro series of some sort. I've been doing live music for over 25 years and my opinion of the 862 gets lower every year. At first it seemed to liven up my PA and give it a tighter bass punch but I am realizing that it kills the natural smoothness of instruments and especially vocals. I still use it for adding that "housey" bass thing (usually later in a gig) but tend to avoid high-end processing. The extra outputs come in real handy for recording live gigs. The unit is clean and well-built but I would recommend putting your money toward better quality basic components...E.Q., Xover, etc.

Mine has held up perfectly for many years.

Never needed it.

I have used this unit for many different venues from rock clubs to jazzy private gigs. If lost or stolen I would not replace it. I also own an old Aphex Aural Exciter (pre-big bottom) and it's a noisier unit but has a less harsh high-end processing.

A model of simplicity, the 862 is by far the easiest rack effect to use that I've ever owned. The manual devotes about two pages to describing the ins and outs of the Lo Contour and Process knobs (2 each). The next 6 or so pages illustrate the various ways to connect one or more instruments (keyboard, guitar) to various configurations of amps, mixers, PAs, and tape decks. The last 2 or 3 pages are the 862 schematic drawings complete with transistors, op-amps, triodes, etc. (if your into that kinda thing).

The 862 was my choice because it has 2 sets of XLRs and balanced 1/4" TRS connectors and I wanted to match it with my rack equipment which also has balanced TRS and XLR's and the price, while more expensive than the other models, was a good deal on closeout at Guitar Center.
My setup consists of Peavey Wolfgang connected to a Line 6 POD and then out the L/R outs of the POD into the L/R Insert Returns of a Lexicon MPX G2 and then out the Lexicon's XLR's to a Spirit Folio mixer and finally out the master XLR's of the mixer into a pair of 15" JBL EON Powered speakers.
The setup allows me to use the awesome amp modeling of the POD through the Lexicon's pallete of studio quality effects and then out to the JBL EONs. Now, what I really needed was something to do justice to the speaker/cabinet/mic emulation of the POD - enter the 862 Sonic Maximizer. I ran the master XLR outs of the mixer into the left and right channel XLR's of the 862 and then out the 862 XLRs direclty into the JBL EONs with their built-in amplifiers.
The 862 is simply AWESOME! I always felt the EONs had a bit too much of that "dark" british speaker sound. Not anymore. The glowing reviews of other BBE models in the H.C. review database are absolutely justified. You read alot about "night and day" differences or "like taking a pillow off the speaker" all of those are true and I'll add another.
The 862 is like instantly restringing you guitar with a set of brand new strings when what you used to hear was the sound of grungy, dead, six month old strings. It has that big an impact on your sound. Call it sparkle, presence, whatever - it's simply shweeeet!! Everything you play through the 862 seems to have more bite, top and bottom end and clarity.
For another test, I ran my Roland XP-50 keyboard into the mixer and out the 862. Exactly the same results - the drums, bass, and snyths just came alive. The drum patches sounded more life-like and punchy, ditto for the synth's and other instruments. Best of all, no increase in signal noise - not a single db. As a rule, I'm not a big fan of giving "10s" in reviews because rarely is any piece of equipment that good but I gotta' confess, the 862 is the exception to my rule!

How does one rate reliability on a piece of equipment you've only owned for 3 days? I'd say I'll have an answer in about a year. The 862 chassis seems well-built and the same for it's two dials, the bypass and on/off switch. However, I didn't open it up and check the circuit board, components, and solder leads so who's to say.

Not wanting to be left to the whims of a clueless pro audio salesperson, I called BBE (located in Irvine, CA) and was connected to one of their tech support reps in about 30 seconds. He answered all my questions and suggested how I should connect the 862 in my setup.
The real test of Customer Support comes when your equipment breaks down and you've got to send it back for repairs. Do they fix it in a week or is closer to 3 months? I don't know the answer to that and I hope I don't ever need to find out. But, if first impressions are lasting impressions, their customer support seems competent and friendly.

It doesn't matter what style of music you play, the 862 will make you sound better than you've ever sounded before, all at the click of a single button. In fact, you'll sound so good you'll be inspired to play more. What more could you ask from a rack effect?
The only true downside of the 862 is the $125 - $175 delta you pay for it when compared to the next unit down (the 462). It seems a little steep for a set of balanced XLR/TRS connectors but it's classified as "pro audio" and you always get a nose bleed when you purchase equipment in that category.
Not likely I'll lose it, but if someone where to steal it I'd replace it in a nanosecond or as fast as my insurance company would reimburse me!