Plugin similar to the Waves MaxxBass?

[jresende]

Hi guys and girls!
Does exist some plugin that can be used as Waves Maxxbass?
Thanks in advance.

[Armageddon]

I believe PSP (http://www.pspaudioware.com/, look for "MixBass 2" in the "MixPack 2" section) and Voxengo (http://www.voxengo.com/product/lfmaxpunch/) both have plugs specifically for enhancing bass, comparable to MaxxBass. Both of them are great plugs, and considerably cheaper than MaxxBass. However, it should be pointed out that MaxxBass itself is simply a multiband EQ tailored to lower frequencies with some extra added low-end harmonics.

[Shooshie]

I think MaxxBass is a good bit more than EQ. Those harmonics are pretty big stuff. MaxxBass is sold separately to theaters, audio hardware manufacturers, and others to make even small speakers sound much bassier through psychoacoustics.

Waves began with the work of Michael Gerzon's audio research, popularized largely in an experimental field called Ambisonics. I'm not sure to what extent that research is used in all their plugins, but it is heavily relied upon for dithering and noise reshaping. Since the principles of Ambisonics seem practically magical, I suspect they have a lot to do with things like MaxxBass, which restructures the waves to produce more perceived bass content than is actually present in the waves themselves.

That said, I don't know who else does that. Pretty unlikely that Waves is the only one unless there is some sort of patent on it that simply can't be copied legally.

Shooshie

[Armageddon]

I think MaxxBass is a good bit more than EQ. Those harmonics are pretty big stuff. MaxxBass is sold separately to theaters, audio hardware manufacturers, and others to make even small speakers sound much bassier through psychoacoustics.

Waves began with the work of Michael Gerzon's audio research, popularized largely in an experimental field called Ambisonics. I'm not sure to what extent that research is used in all their plugins, but it is heavily relied upon for dithering and noise reshaping. Since the principles of Ambisonics seem practically magical, I suspect they have a lot to do with things like MaxxBass, which restructures the waves to produce more perceived bass content than is actually present in the waves themselves.

That said, I don't know who else does that. Pretty unlikely that Waves is the only one unless there is some sort of patent on it that simply can't be copied legally.

I wasn't aware that Waves's MaxxBass and the "MaxxBass" feature seen on some audio hardware was the same process. I do know Waves sells a hardware MaxxBass unit for analog mastering, and also sells a hardware Ultramaximizer/MaxxBass combo unit. I've used the computer plug on a couple of tracks as an effect, but never got what I'm sure was the intended effect (I used it on individual sounds, like gunshots and thunder, not a full mix with a kick drum and a bass). Whether the harmonics and Q couldn't translate to the mastering process or what, the tracks didn't gain much punch, so I'll continue assuming it's a plug/process intended for the mastering stage. And since I mainly work with either rock or multi-style film scores, where too much bass in the mix could be a bad thing, I've never dared to use it on a full mix. Still you should check out either plug I listed above. Voxengo's, in particular, probably comes close, and PSP's plugs are universally awesome. I own both plugs, but again, they're not the kind of thing I normally use, they're more like plugs I'll use for a certain effect. Or I may produce a rap album someday.

[Phil O]

iZotope's Ozone has a multiband harmonic exciter. I think part of what MaxxBass does is harmonic enhancement of some sort. It might not be the same technique, but I've used it effectively for similar applications.

Phil

[jresende]

Hi Armegeddon, Shooshie , and Phil.
Thanks for the help.
Shooshie,I think I will buy Waves MaxxBass .
I have some plugins to play the sub freq but I need one
to play the bass harmonics using small speakers .
Yes, you are right.MaxxBass is the solution.
See you.

[mikebeckmotu]

There's also a plugin called Lowender that does some similar things. Currently a Pluggo-based plugin, but their site says native versions are in development. I haven't used it so I can't comment much, but it's been on my list of things to eventually look into.

http://www.refusesoftware.com/products/feature/2

[KEVORKIAN]

Waves has a subharmonic synthesizer plugin called LoAir that does much of what MaxxBass does. I believe it is around $150

http://www.waves.com/Content.aspx?id=9939

[Shooshie]

Jota, I just checked out MaxxBass and LoAir, and I really don't know which one to recommend. You might look into it a little further, or possibly call Waves. LoAir claims to do even more than MaxxBass, and yet it is only $100. MaxxBass is twice the price at $200.

I think MaxxBass is the real thing, though -- the same algorithms they use in their hardware units and technology licensing. That's what they say in their advertisements, but obviously they could be doing something differently for the plugin without telling us all about it. When I use it, it doesn't rock the room the way it does in a movie theater, but it does sound like a subwoofer. I guess I don't start out with any room-rocking bass to begin with. I just use it to bring out the low end of chamber music.

If you can demo Waves plugins, try them both. (and the others that people named here)

Shooshie

[newrigel]

Hi guys and girls!
Does exist some plugin that can be used as Waves Maxxbass?
Thanks in advance.

Synth?

[jresende]

Hi newrigel!
Not a synth bass sound.
Eletric Bass.
I need the high harmonic from Bass Sound. To sound nice in
small speakers.
Thanks. See you.

[jresende]

Hi Sooshie!
I've checked both Lowair and MaxxBass.
I need the high harmonic from the Bass sound.
Lowair is good to improve and control sub low freq from Stereo
to 5.1 and more.
I downloaded MaxxBass trial and wow!!
Sounds very nice on small speakers .
MaxxBass is $200 . I've found Waves Gold that has MaxxBass included
on www,highprofileaudio.com . Price is: $599 for this month only.
Few days to decide.
Thanks Sooshie.
See you.

[newrigel]

A piccolo bass? An 8 or 6 string would give you the range but I have seen a bright attack transient from different types of plectrums etc, but how can you bring out a freq if it's not there to begin with? I usually just track with that tone so it's there to begin with but I guess I don't understand that a high freq can come from a low fundamental frequency.

[Armageddon]

Again, try the other plugs mentioned here. There are a lot of solutions that will cost you less, and the package that MaxxBass is in may contain a lot of plugs (not to mention, Waves's notorious 1-Up upgrading system that might cause expensive problems down the road!) that you won't need and wouldn't want to pay for. You can demo Ozone 4, Voxengo's Maxpunch and PSP's MixPack 2, and probably the others as well -- see if they stack up and have the features you may be looking for. Such is the advantage of having lots of people to suggest alternatives from before plunking down the hard cash.

As newrigel stated above (and as I stated in my original post), MaxxBass isn't really effective on a per-instrument basis -- you'll probably get the best results from using it in the mastering stage (where other instruments will also be affected).

[Shooshie]

I have often used MaxxBass on just a bass track. In fact, one of my favorite tricks is to create a bass Aux track with MaxxBass and an EQ, and use it as a "co-processing" bass track, sort of the way we bus tracks to reverb a Aux.