About the exciters

[Lima]

I've read a lot about the "Aphex Aural Exciter" and the uses of it to revitalize a bad take or to eliminate the hiss of a recording.
(to do this is necessary to roll off the hi-end of the track using a filter and then let the exciter to recreate the hi-end).

How (teoretically) it works? I've read about some obscure phase modification caused by a delay, but I'm a bit confused.

Have we got a valid alternative to it in our effects? Is Psyq similar to it?

I've read that it is something that every pro studio must have and use a lot. Is this true or it is simply advertising?

I'm very curious to hear your expert opinion

[sharc]

I've got one of the original Aphex type C exciters and I have to admit that I haven't used it in ages. PsyQ certainly seems to have a different sound to it. I took the following from a review of one of the more modern units:

"Tune sets the corner frequency for a highpass filter that ranges from 800 Hz to 6 kHz. All frequencies higher than the Tune knob's setting are patched through to a harmonics generator. The Harmonics knob, which controls the number of harmonics added to the highpass filter's output signal, adds higher partials as you turn the knob clockwise. The Mix knob adjusts how much of this harmonics-rich signal is added back in with the dry signal."

Sounds like something that could be recreated in Modular easily enough.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: sharc on 2006-08-21 05:24 ]</font>

[hubird]

PsyQ is supposed to do what you're looking for, so it's probably not the same technology that is used.

Psych-acoustical processing is what it does, it makes the frequency spectrum better fitting to how our ears work (regarding the Fletcher-Manson curve), and it does stereo widening.
You get better basses and highs, unless you screw it by faulty settings, which can be done very easily
It's phase sensitive, wrong settings will make listening very fatigueing.


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<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: hubird on 2006-08-21 05:32 ]</font>

[at0m]

re: Sounds like something that could be recreated in Modular easily enough.

Probably yes, but a problem would be phase - you have no control on which DSP which module will run. That's most important on this kind of processor, for both stereo and dry/wet phase consistency.
Packing it as a device would allow the developer to force all processing onto a single chip, ruling out any phase issues.
In a patch you could work around by adding Flexor's Sampledelays, but that would need tweaking each time the patch or project is loaded.

Before I had PsyQ, I used Stecki's Exciter quite often. It's pretty old, but still does a great job IMO. I like exciters on synthetic hihats and other highs, to give some extra natural sparks or make them stand out a bit...

[garyb]

an exciter if just filtered distortion. this adds overtones that might have been lost during other processes(or especially in the case of synthetic sounds might never have been there). you can often do the same job with the tqdrive or other distortion....

[Lima]

Ok, I've a more focused idea now. I'll try the trick to filter a bit the top end and then to use distortion.

THANKS!

[katano]

for a nice snare sound, i often use a pitch shifter (octave up) and add some distortion to the shifted signal, nice effect

[ReD_MuZe]

exciter=

hipass -> distortion -> hipass

even or odd harmonics are done bu using a symetric or non symetric distortion module.

each exciter will sound diferently acording to the filters being used and the distortion module.

[dawman]

Brotha'Man at0m,
Do you still have Stecki's device? I would love to try it out as multiple options open my ears more, and I am weary of PsyQ's barely noticable stereo width enhancement.

ThInAdv,

[MCCY]

Concerning stereo widening:
I've the absolute KILLER-TIP for that:

Use the 31-Band-EQ set a relatively high Q-value and push the faders in contrary positions on left and right. This is the best stereo expander (expecially for mono signals) I've ever heard. It seems to be absolutely phase-coherent. I still can't believe it, but there was no problem, mixing L&R back to mono!!!

Try it, you'll be amazed.

Martin

[ReD_MuZe]

the problem with this technique is that its not compatible with some systems.

systems that play only one channel will only play one of the sides, which will sound bad. also in cars for instance each person is seated near one speaker...

another gr8 mono to stereo effect thats mono compatible, is mixing the origital channel with a delayed version of it (several samples) thats one of its channels is phase inverted.

diagram:

            -----[+delay]----(+)----L
in-------|                          |
      |     -----[-delay]-(+)-------R
      |                           |    |
      -------------------------

every sequencer offers a sample delay and phase inverter for the job, or you can just use hyperprism quasi stereo.

since the delayed channel is phase inverted, it disapears when mono summed.

becouse this effect creates inverted comb filtering on each side, this effect has the same problem as the stereo eqing, but its less noticable, since comb filtering is more natural sounding. (happens in every room).


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: ReD_MuZe on 2006-08-24 08:01 ]</font>

[at0m]

On 2006-08-24 04:13, scope4live wrote:
at0m,
Do you still have Stecki's device? I would love to try it out (...)

I still have it, and noticed it's not available from Z anymore. Maybe you can ask Stecki, via http://www.steckenleiter.de/ . I don't think it'd be appropriate if I uploaded someone else's devices, maybe he can upload it again or email it to you...

_________________
more has been done with less

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: at0m on 2006-08-24 13:00 ]</font>