BBE BMAX Bass Preamp

I've now used the BMAX in about a dozen gigs in small to medium sized clubs, playing R&B, jazz, and latin music (nothing real loud). I got a very serviceable sound on the very first night and over the next few gigs, I dialed in the sound.

The manual is a little lacking on details.

My most common rigging:
Warwick Thumb > BMAX > QSC PLX1602 > Avatar Bass Pro 2x10+horn.

For all purpose, pizzicato playing, the BMAX has these settings typically:
Bass 2; Mid 8; Treble 2
ParaEQ Freq 800-900 Hz (*assuming* dot-to-dot = 0.1 oct -- This sort of detail should be in the manual!); ParaEQ Gain 7-8
Compression "IN"; 5
Sonic Max "IN" Lo Contour 5; Process 5

For slap/pop the mid gain on the Para EQ is to 4-5 in the 800-900 Hz range.

The BMAX is very clean, pristine, and beefy.

I also play a fretless bass, but need to explore the settings more thoroughly before posting on its optimal BMAX settings.

I've only had it for about a month, so who knows. I always carry back ups for all of my essential components (except the speaker cab -- which will probably blow up at a gig, during a solo).

The physical features of this pre-amp are impressive. It feels very heavy duty and it looks soooo good. (The drummer gets distracted by the shiny red knobs.)

They were friendly and helpful over the phone.

Rarely replied to emailed queries.

Styles that I use BMAX on: jazz (standards and latin), R&B (old motown), and progressive folk rock (fretless).

Other gear owned: Line 6 Bass Pod XT, which obviously has many more bells & whistles given that it's an amp/fx/cab simulator in addition to being a pre-amp. The BMAX does one thing REALLY well, i.e., a sweet overall tone in many different rooms -- I don't have to worry about optimizing lots of different pre-amp parameters to a given room -- something that I had to do with the Line 6. Maybe the Sonic Maximizer has a lot to do with it. Starting with a good time-aligned signal may be key to minimizing the roles of extraneous and arbitrary reflections characteristic of different rooms.

I would buy another one if this got stolen and then hunt down the MF that stole it.

I sure wish it came with a clip warning light on the input.

Very straightforward and intuitive except that "flat" not noon with the controls for bass, middle, and treble. Bass and Treble at about 2 and mid full crank is "flat". The manual is remarkably useful though the thing is pretty easy to deal with.

This is clean without being sterile as some solid state preamps can be. Surpisingly quiet and good sound. The people at the board like it, and as this is what feed the house I am going to have a good shot at a killer sound coming to the crowd. (Hint, don't piss off the house mixer as they can render your onstage sound null and void!)

Don't know yet how reliable it will be. They have a good reputation and the thing seems built well. I will project a 10 based on their past reputation from other gear.

Customer support is moot as the thing never dies. Did download the manual from their site as I got it used.

If you want buzz saw bass, forget it. If you want a big and fat sound with a some warmth in it, this is very good. Every bass player who has used it thus far likes it. The mix people like it. I do wish that it had a mute function, but that is about it.

This unit is pretty simple to use. You just have to remember that straight up 12:00 is not flat. Other than that everything is just knobs that you adjust to your liking. No big deal there.

I have to say that this is the clearest sounding pre-amp I have ever used. I have used the SansAmp RBI, MXR M-80, and even the SansAmp Tri-AC. My current rig is the BBE BMAX>Mackie 1400i>Avatar 410 Neo Cabinet. I also play a Carvin LB75 five string bass. I'm amazed at the clarity and the punch that this unit has. There's no coloration that I can tell like you would get from say an Ampeg. It beefs up sound of the bass. It sounds like my bass is on steroids. The low E is as tight and focused as I have ever heard. The low D finally sounds distinguishable now. And the highs are also very clear.
For a soundclip go to http://www.basstasters.com/preamps/bmax.htm. I listened to several different pre-amps and this one had one of the best sounds, especially considering the price compared to the other pre-amps.
I play in a rock band with 2 guitars. One uses a Marshall half stack. This thing helps me cut right through the mix with no problems. I was a little worried at first thinking this unit might be better suited for a jazz band, but it suits my needs just fine.

I haven't had this unit long, so I don't know about the reliability factor. It does have a five year warranty when purchase new from an authorized dealer so I think I will be covered for a while.

I haven't had to contact them at this point. No opinion yet.

My overall impression is there is no other pre-amp out there at this price that even comes close to the sound that you get from this unit. As I mentioned earlier, I have used the SansAmp RBI which seems to be very popular among bass players, but this unit smokes the RBI. I think I have found the bass rig that I will stay with for many years to come. The BBE into a power amp to the Avatar 410 cabinet is a great sounding combination.
Since this unit does not color your sound, I think that it would be suitable for any style of music that you play. After all, most people choose their bass based on the style of music they play and this helps bring that sound out.

This unit is brand new as received in Sept 2006 and has never been altered. It's easy to set up and has all the connections necessary for recording or live play. It's relatively intuitive. The manual is well written and generally unnecessary if you let your ear guide you. Some users that don't know about compression and BBE processing might nail their sound faster if they read up on these effects. For the most part, just a bit of time and a sensitive ear will allow you to get the most out of these two very populuar and very valuable bass enhancing processes. BBE has their own little corner of the world with their BBE process and few others have come close to providing such a worthwhile effect that has its use in everything from live sound to studio work and even commercial sound reproduction.

I am principally a home studio musician whom has played out hundreds of times for decades and I've have had a good dose of professional experience.

I'm using an active '01 American Fender Jazz 4 and a passive '80 Carvin Koa 4 and both instruments yield satisfying results. The BMAX is studio quiet and combined with a high-quality main amp has the full frequency spectrum replicated. Of course the BMAX is bass-oriented and has three seperate ways of controlling the mid and sub bass registers that are so critical. If you want tons of sub-frequencies, this is the preamp for you. There is a setting that can yield a convincingly flat equilization, but the BMAX excels in pushing the technical limits of low frequency reproduction. A bright switch and three-band EQ give plenty of control to match a variety of cabinets.

This is a VERY, VERY nice sounding preamp and would probably meet the expectations of any serious bassist unless they have already become accustomed to a select product and setup that has a unique application for their needs. It is amazing what a varied palette of tones is possible with the BMAX. I play through a studio amp into a pair of high-end Bergantino 1x12 cabinets.

The fact that it is so clean, with little hiss and no obvious compressive breathing is a big plus in studio and small venue uses. The fact that you can turn it way up for a high volume application and still barely hear that it's on is just icing on the cake.

This is a product without tubes. It would do best as intended when mounted in a rack. The knobs turn smoothly and surely and don't get accidentally misset. The switches are surrounded by other knobs so they won't get mashed easily. The connnections are solid. I think BBE concentrated on the housing to prevent mishaps and the overall construction seems professional and costly to produce. No cheap plastic was utilized.

Actually, it is my second BMAX. I've tried a few dozen other preamps and returned to the BMAX because I really missed the first one after I let it go. The first one had one red abalone knob inlay that came unglued. This was not a big problem. I also had an issue with hiss and returned it to BBE, who promptly replaced it with a perfect specimen. Maybe that first one was whacked in shipping. The replacement and this new unit have both been perfect.

I think BBE really shines in the customer support realm and ought to be given credit for their attitude.

I play classic rock, alternative rock, progressive rock, jazz, blues and some techno-synthetic experimental styles. The deep bass of the BMAX covers a lot of these styles, particularly the modern ones.

I like the fact that it is a component and not an integrated preamp with amp included. The BMAX does one thing WELL, and isn't complicated by other components that may fail or limit it's usefulness.

The BMAX is also a very economical way to get a professional piece of equipment that produces high sound quality. Compare it with the SansAmp RBI preamp as I did and you may be pleasantly suprised.

This is a first edition Bmax with the factory gain mod (more on that later). The solid state version. I purchased it on Ebay new in the original packaging in October of this year (2005). When I received the unit I noticed it looks slightly different than the ones seen in all the adds as it doesnt have the thin white stencil lines around the different sections of knobs on the front. Also the lights on the compressor are in reverse order. I contacted BBE and provided the serial number and date code on the back. They responded right away and advised that the unit was manufactured in 2004 and is from the first run of production. Otherwise it is exactly the same as the current models.

The manual was very useful in explaining how to set the eq section so that it is basically flat. The mid knob has to be set full on as it is a "cut only" control. The bass and treble are relatively flat when set to about #2. Other than that, its very straight forward, especially if you are familiar with how the Sonic Maximizer works.

I use a Yamaha 5 string with an Aquilar OBP-3 on board preamp as my main bass. I have a 6 space SKB rack with the following units:

Furman Pl-plus power conditioner
Korg DT-2 Tuner
Bmax Preamp
GK RB800 head
Eden 2X10T cab
Eden 1X15 cab

The reason I bought the Bmax is that although the RB800 has lots of grunt and growl, I was looking for a little more refinement and fast attack in my sound. I had a BBE 362 in the rack and was using an Aphex Punch Factory on top of the rack for compression. Both units are excellant but I did not want to get a bigger rack (6 spaces is big enough!) and had no more rrom to put in a preamp. I had considered selling the RB800 and gettiong a power amp but it has lots of power and is matched so well with my cabs.

So I finally bit the bullet and bought the Bmax sight unseen. No one stocks them around here (Vancouver Canada) and I bought it based reviews I had read. I am not disapointed at all! The preamp is so clean, fast and gorgeous sounding. The compressor is at least as good as the Punch Factory if not more transparent and the Sonic Maximizer section does exactly what my 362 did. All this in one rack space!

No regarding the gain mod. I had read in previous reviews complaints of faint clicking and popping sounds as well as the input stage being way too hot. This was exactly the case when I first plugged in. Even when using the Active input, the Bmax would clip and sound terrible unless I dramatically turned down my bass. The input stage was rediculously sensitive and the input knob had to be set ti less than #2 to keep the clipping dowm. Trying different bases didnt help much.

So again after just receiving the unit, I emailed BBE and they authorized me to send it in for a mod. I sent it off and received it back just over three weeks later modded under warranty. BBE also paid to ship it back.

Now the unit is absolutely fantastic. The input stage seems to be set properly and the unit really improves the sound of my GK head. I plug the Bmax staight into the effects return jack on the GK so it bypasses all the preamp and tone controls on the head. I am so impressed with the dramatic improvement in my tone. The Bmax runs hotter so the amp is way louder at the same power amp (master volume)settings than when using the pre amp in the head.

Having the two effects that I use, the Comp and the Sonic Maximizer in the same unit is a huge bonus. The compressor is very very good! Just one knob, it can be subtle or quite dramatic but it doesnt make any noise or destroy the signal. I love it and have relegated the Punch Factory to my combo amp (SWR Workingman's 12)

The unit has growl and warmth but is also very clean and fast. The head by itself feels sluggish and nasaly after comparing the two. What a grat investment this was. The price was incredible for the quality of sound. I cant believe there aren more reviews of this thing here!

Very well built, everything is heavy duty and seems to be of really nice quality. The little chrome switches are recessed and feel good. The front panel is thicker than most rack components and the unit just oozes quality. The price really is outstanding for a unit of this quality. BBE service dept has been excellent so far. They have treated my great, amswered my emails and rerpaired the unit in a timely fashion. Couldn't ask for more.

As noted above, the unit required a mod to the gain stage. if using a powerful active bass, it really wasnt useable until this mod was peformed. Now it sounds just incredible. Customer support was excellent and despite being a lowly single customer in canada, I felt that I was treated really well by the service dept at BBE.

I play in a rock group and am always stiving for a clean clear sound that cuts through the mix. Been bass playing since I was 14. Am now almost 36. Love a growly mid heavy sound. I was torn between the Bmax and the Tech21 RBI. After searching the web for comparisons of both, I decided to go for the Bmax as it takes care of compression and the Sonic Maximizer in one rack space, and has an amazing clean sound. I had no use or desire for bass distortion or overdrive and have never liked the mid scoop sound of the Bass Driver di.

I am very satisfied with this unit and would buy it again without hesitation. I wish it had proper led indicators (clip lights) for the input stage. At least one clip light would be a great help. Other than that a dedicated tuner output with a footswitchable mute would be very useful. I can live without these features tho. The dramatic increase in overal sound quality to my rig was more than expected. I am still interested in trying the unit with a good power amp and may sell the RB800 in the future and replace it with a Stewart 1.2. I could then go down to a 4 space rack and actually ahve more power.

The Bmax is so inexspensive for what you get. There is nothing cheesy about it at all. I am always suspicious of units packed with features but now that the Bmax is modded, it really is a wonderfully pristine pre amp and well worth the money even if it had no Maximizer or compressor. I cant belive there are not more reviews of this unit here. I hope I have provided some useful information. If you buy a new one, consider getting the mod right away as it is vital if using active bases.

I found the BMAX very user friendly. The controls are marked a little funny, I.E. some are marked with a scale that reads 0 to 10, when the control is actually a cut and boost with 5 being flat, 10 being full boost, and 0 being full cut. Bass player did a review on this unit and the article was very informative as to the funtion of each control. You can go to Bassplayer.com and look up the review.

I use the BMAX through a Crown CE1000 tied to an Aguilar GS-112 cabinet. My basses include a Carvin LB75 and a Fender jazz 5.
The Pre is very quite. I have not noticed any noise of any kind coming from this unit. A previous reviewer mention some poping noises that were evident on a recording he had heard, but I have used this unit on two recording projects and it does not exibit the poping noise he mentioned. The unit is clean and warm and the records very well, especially if the compressor is used correcly.

I have been using this rig for approx 18 months and have had no electronic problems at all. The cool looking red knobs however are just a metal sleeve that is slipped over a black stem and the sleeve came off of the stem on one of the knobs. This is a minor problem because a little glue on the sleeve fixed the problem.
I would use this pre without a backup

Have not had to use it.

I play all styles of music of music and can always get the sound I want. I like the unit alot, but if it were stolen I may try something else just because I like to try other stuff.
I like the compressor and the sonic maximizer alot. I use them both all of the time.

Out of the box easy to get up and running. Manual easy to use, however, the parametric EQ is not typical-read insructions first.

Am using a Fender Jazz and Carvin Active Fretless with a Carvin DCM1000 poweramp into a GK410SBX cab. This pre is quiet and very warm and clean and "hi-fi" sounding. The Optical compressor is subtle and very nice. The sonic maximizer is great. I leave it on all the time - it really adds that extra clarity without changing your tone or voice.

I bought this unit in march, 2005 - seems very well made and would not need a backup.

N/A

Overall, I'm very pleased with this unit. It has a warm, clean tone and I would buy another if it was lost or stolen. The BBE website is very accurate in its description.

I'm surprised no one has reviewed this unit here. There are glowing reviews on bgra.net and elsewhere and clips on basstaster.com A very easy to use unit. I got this unit recently from riksmusic.com and have to decide whether to return it before the 21 days is over.

The main reason I'm putting a review here is that no one has mentioned the soft clicks and pops that occur on the decay of notes. It may not be evident live but if you are monitoring it in direct recording, it becomes obvious. Check out the clips on basstasters.com especially the chord clips of the BMAX and BMAX-T. Notice the clicks and pops. These are not recording errors but what's actually coming out of the unit.

I emailed the tech support email address on the BBE site a few days ago about the noise issue but I have not received a reply.

It's great possibly if you are using it live but if you want a pristine bass sound then the noise may drive you slightly nuts.