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do you gusy use them?

pros / cons?

which types are worth the $$$$

Good topic. No I have never used them. I mean I have messed with them but I have never got satisfactory results from them so it is not a tool that I utilize. Possibly someone could shed some light on ways to apply them? Or situations where they are useful?

i use the exciter distortion in camelphat if that counts

Interesting article. I would like to know its more general uses then purely in terms of mastering, but the whole thing was a nice read. Don't really appreciate compression enough to get excititing... But i like a good dynamic range.

Back in hardware days I'd use a bbe sonic maximiser.

I don't really do it in software.

I use the aphex 802 a lot in mixdowns, especially on drum elements and re-synthesize murky low end in stems that were bounced WAY too hot.

They can be really fun, its a different vibe from eq and they work well in tandem.

They almost always sound like cock on program material tho.

exciters: yes, mainly to beef up dull digi stock synths (logic and aphex ones), or vocal fx,
but never on the master as sharmaji says,...

maximizers never.

Thought I had replied here but I cannot see it?!

I dont know enough about them to bother.

From what I understand (prob very wrong) they are used to boost frequency's to try and enhance the sound in some way.

I prefer to make things sound good using filters and FX alone.

serox wrote:Thought I had replied here but I cannot see it?!

I dont know enough about them to bother.

From what I understand (prob very wrong) they are used to boost frequency's to try and enhance the sound in some way.

I prefer to make things sound good using filters and FX alone.

not quite right not quit wrong:

exciters add HARMONIC distortion and synthezised harmonic overtones.

but i tend to us a highshelf filter more often too...but a exciter is said to add less noise than eq, and you only strengthen the harmoincs not the whole spectrum.

serox wrote:Thought I had replied here but I cannot see it?!

I dont know enough about them to bother.

From what I understand (prob very wrong) they are used to boost frequency's to try and enhance the sound in some way.

I prefer to make things sound good using filters and FX alone.

your missing the point, exciters (to my knowledge) just add subtle extra harmonic content either odd or even (if it has that option) via subtle saturation or distortion plus a filter stage for the added harmonics.
i see them as not being a fix to designing a sound, but once you have the basis of the sound, an exciter can either really lift or squash a track.

Personally I love the sound of Izotope's Ozone 4 Multi-band exciter. Its the bomb. Also for that matter i prefer its limiter (on intelligent 2 mode) to say the waves L2 or even at times Elephant. Its just seems more aggressive and gives that sound i want.

yeah...

I am trying to learn more about even ordered harmonics

I am debating getting a hardware aphex unit and running my drum bus through it...

I remember how my hats would just cut through all of the other sounds and seemed very tight

off to KVR to find a cheap or free vst...

Depone wrote:
your missing the point, exciters (to my knowledge) just add subtle extra harmonic content either odd or even (if it has that option) via subtle saturation or distortion plus a filter stage for the added harmonics.
i see them as not being a fix to designing a sound, but once you have the basis of the sound, an exciter can either really lift or squash a track.

Personally I love the sound of Izotope's Ozone 4 Multi-band exciter. Its the bomb. Also for that matter i prefer its limiter (on intelligent 2 mode) to say the waves L2 or even at times Elephant. Its just seems more aggressive and gives that sound i want.

I will have a look.

Any examples of stuff made with them?

serox wrote:

Depone wrote:
your missing the point, exciters (to my knowledge) just add subtle extra harmonic content either odd or even (if it has that option) via subtle saturation or distortion plus a filter stage for the added harmonics.
i see them as not being a fix to designing a sound, but once you have the basis of the sound, an exciter can either really lift or squash a track.

Personally I love the sound of Izotope's Ozone 4 Multi-band exciter. Its the bomb. Also for that matter i prefer its limiter (on intelligent 2 mode) to say the waves L2 or even at times Elephant. Its just seems more aggressive and gives that sound i want.

I will have a look.

Any examples of stuff made with them?

Urm yeah. i have a few, check out the oldskool dub/eskimo jam tracks, they were both subtly 'excited' (in the sig)

Depone wrote:
Urm yeah. i have a few, check out the oldskool dub/eskimo jam tracks, they were both subtly 'excited' (in the sig)

Hard to tell without hearing a/b

We appear to be using the same drums and your atmos sounds are also being used in my tracks lol

Trying to remember where the girl sample "your all going to die down here" is from....

i use the maximiser in protools, dunno if its the same sort of thing you're on about, but its just a gentle multitrack compressor to comp your mix. has a nice preset tho

i always found them to be kinda a lazy mans eq and stereo widener
that being said since paradigm x went on about it been using http://www.uaudio.com/products/software/spl/index.html alot

I use the uad maximiser - nice. Adds harmonics to 'thicken' sound, can be well overdriven for a nice but subtle distortion, great for subs to add a few upper harmonics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dyFk3HDBAc

Its all tricky but i think its a multiband jobby which splits the freqs, subtly adds harmonics then recombines. More for adding level by design, sort of inside out compressor if that makes any sense ! Brings the quiet bits up without dragging the peaks down.

Sonnox inflator is a native equivalent but i didnt like it much tbh.

The SPL is a transient designer a fin marvellous but totally different thing.

Exciters no, always end up sounding fizzy and harsh IMO.

damn it ben you're gonna have me experimenting more with my uad shit

that can't be a bad thing