BBE MaxCom Dual Channel Compressor Limiter Gate

2-channel compressor/expander unit with gate function and BBE Sonic Maximizer.

Item: BBEMAXCOM

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BBE MaxCom Dual Channel Compressor Limiter Gate reviews

Rate and Review This Product:

12 People rated this product : * * * * * * * * * * 7 out of 10

 

3 People wrote reviews

Read all BBE MaxCom Dual Channel Compressor Limiter Gate reviews...
* * * * * * * * * * 4 out of 10 zZounds has verified that this customer bought this product from us.

"Nice idea, pitiful implementation."

Feature:
There is no individual limiter, but the compressor can be set to limit. There is no individual bypass per channel: if you want the Sonic maximizer, you have to also have the compressor in line, but you can turn the sonic maximizer off. I/O is 1/4" unbal and XLR plus sidechain TRS loop. The metering has ladders for both input level and gain reduction, but oddly, the gain reduction ladder is all ON by default and the lights turn OFF as gain is reduced. The knobs and build quality is poor, but the chassis is very solid and a pretty shade of red.

Quality:
What finally got the thing sent back is the 60 and 120 cycle hum it generates internally! Putting the hamonic generation of the sonic maximizer on this hum makes it far, far worse. It hummed with any powercord, in any position, with any set of inputs and outputs I tried. The hum would get louder or softer based on the output (makeup gain) setting and whether the sonic maxmimizer was on. I bought a blemish unit, which I understand to be cosmetic flaws, but perhaps it was a bad one. In which case BBE has to get that unit off the market because I read similar reports on harmony-central. Apparently the wiring is substandard, but I didn't open it up to see. Since these units go for less than the 882i ($200 street vs. $250), but BBE claims it's the same circuit (and it has balanced i/o), they must have cut corners somewhere to also stick a compressor and gate in it.

Desirability:
I sent it back.

Sound:
The promise of this box is that you get a free 882i Sonic Maximizer along with a dbx166-style compressor/gate. Unfortunately, it fails in its promise because of miserable implementation. The compressor actually works OK on program material, and the Sonic Maximizer can help a dull track, but only up to a setting of 4 or so before it gets too harsh. Running the sonic maximizer in the effects loop of a guitar amp or after some ribbon microphones may be more beneficial. The compressor was fairly dismal on most individual instruments, including voice. Whether auto mode or hand-set attack and release, it wasn't very pleasant to listen to. Both the RNC and the Drawmer MX-30 (what I have on hand to compare it to) worked far better for those purposes. Even worse is the gate. It has a very severe release curve, and this means that it pops in and out loudly when it's set to the area of the noise threshold. The gate on the Drawmer MX-30 is vastly better.

Submitted: 11/6/2006

Style of Music: Various & Sundry


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* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10

BBE MaxCom Customer Review

Feature:
For the money you cannot get even close to these features.

Quality:
I rate the quality at at ten because for one thing it never comes out of the rack so im not beating it up everytime I have a gig. mine is two years old and is in new condition still. All the lights and dials still function as when new.

Sound:
I use my unit strictly for microphone use and has not dissapointed. There is no hum or any noise related to this piece. If you don't know haow to operate it and just use old nasty cords you will have issues. I spent a couple of hours trying out all of my microphones and it does seem to like EV mics the best, I can get a lot out of them while still maintaining very low feedback. I am buying another one today and will get rid of my tube composer and open up a spot for my new audio technica atw-3141 handheld microphone reciever. Hint; if you want this unit to perform well for you take the time to adjust it by itself while bypassing all other rack components first and use high quality low z cables, I have seen a buch of idiots using high z and wonder why there is noise!

Support:
never needed it.

Submitted: 3/20/2008

Style of Music: Rock, "Alternative", "Country


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About This Product!
Description
Docs
News
The BBE MaxCom is a highly sophisticated dual-channel compressor and limiter with gate; housed in a compact and easy-to-use package. It provides a live or recorded mix with all the clean, clear punch that only a truly professional dynamics controller can. However, the MaxCom is much more than a high-quality, superbly engineered compressor/limiter.

The MaxCom is the first signal processor of its kind to feature an on-board BBE Sonic Maximizer. The BBE High Definition Sound process employed by the Sonic Maximizer is world-renown among music and sound professionals for remarkable improvements in total sound quality, bringing crystalline clarity and air to the source material as well as revealing rich harmonic subtleties. The MaxCom employs BBE's latest High Definition Sound technology, in the very same 4th generation BBE Professional chipset which powers the 482i and 882i Sonic Maximizers.

The "over-engineering" in the MaxCom ensures that both its compression and gating provide versatility and excellent sonic performance in situations where other compressor/gates often produce undesirable processing artifacts. At the heart of the MaxCom is a THAT Corporation VCA known throughout the industry as the premier dynamics-processing VCA.

This single-rack-space dynamics processor includes two independent full-featured compressor/limiters, each channel having independent controls for threshold, compression ratio, attack time and release time. Additionally, the MaxCom's "linking" function allows for phase-coherent tracking of stereo signals and adjustment from the Channel One controls. Comprehensive metering is achieved via dual bar-graph meters on each channel that indicate input level and gain reduction.

MaxCom's intuitive design makes it easy to operate. Its rigorous engineering and robust construction assure clean, distortion-free audio and a predictable, repeatable range of control from undetectable to clearly identifiable. Whether the goal is to pull a "lost" instrument up in the mix, control vocal levels or dial in hard-limited speaker protection, the MaxCom can accomplish the task with ease, reliability and sonic excellence. By offering a superb, full-featured compressor/limiter with an integrated BBE Sonic Maximizer system, the MaxCom has no equal at any price.

Features
BBE Sonic Maximizer adds clarity and definition

"Auto" mode for easy setup

Dual bar-graph meters for input level and gain reduction

Stereo link for phase-coherent stereo compression

Dynamically controlled, program-adaptive gate for noiseless and seamless operation

Full-function 4th generation BBE Sonic Maximizer

THAT Corp. VCA

2-channel compressor/expander unit with gate function

Peak limiter to protect from clipping

Inputs and outputs via balanced XLR or unbalanced 1/4 in. jacks

Key in and out via 1/4 in. TRS

2 year warranty

Technical Info

Frequency response: 20-20,000Hz

T.H.D: less than 0.05%

S/N ratio: more than 94dB

Threshold: -40dBu to +20dBu

Compression ratio: 1:1-11:1

Attack time: 0.1-200 msec

Gate threshold: off to +10dBu
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