# BBE sound processing



## Wesayso (Jul 20, 2010)

Quite a few head units have BBE processing. I was wondering what it does exactly. I've read the statements on the BBE site but was wondering if there's more knowledge of this system.

I'll admid that I have had it turned on, setting -4 (lowest) and if I increase this it sounds a bit overdone. Just wondering what the opinions are on this altered sound. It seems to do as advertised and bring out a bit of life in otherwise dull recordings. But it is easy to overdo it.

Any thoughts?

Manufacturer: bbesound.com


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## FAUEE (Jul 22, 2010)

As far as I know (and me experience using it with Alpine gear), BBE is just another one of those "decompression" things. It's basically a Loudness setting. It's a standard EQ jump in your high frequencies and low frequencies.

So in theory it does't do anything an EQ can't do, but sometimes depending on your gear it may be desireable to turn it on to make it easier to get the EQ you really want.


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## Aaron'z 2.5RS/WRX (Oct 24, 2007)

Did you find this?



> *Functional Overview*
> 
> BBE High Definition Sound compensates for phase and amplitude distortion, restoring the brilliance and clarity of the original content material. The BBE High Definition Sound process begins by applying a linear phase shift across the full frequency range of the signal, which allows the speaker system to reproduce the transients and harmonics in the correct order. The BBE process then compensates for speaker amplitude distortion by progressively boosting lower and higher frequencies, and doing so within the context of the phase correction process. This efficiently creates a fuller, richer sound without excess equalization.


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## Wesayso (Jul 20, 2010)

Yes I did... that's what made me ask this question. I'm not native english but to me it sounds like a whole lot of words for a static EQ setting . I guess I'm most interested by the reference to phase correction. Is it simple EQ or is there more to it...


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## Fight (Feb 17, 2011)

Never mind, you already did. I can't get past the marketing.


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## hottcakes (Jul 14, 2010)

i've found this. doesn't really get into a whole lot of detail and it doesn't really say what product it is referring to, but it is "a simple explanation of the BBE theory." it does seem to call the process, or whatever, a static EQ sort of thing. 
this very question came to mind when i bought my HU and noticed that it had BBE. i've only three settings and off. the overall it does make the sound "really come to life", especially at lower listening levels, however the highs simply become too ear-piercing and painful and i've no way of taming them with the HU's EQ; parametric or graphic. whatever it's worth, i leave my at level 1 (the lowest) and tune after that.


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## jonson (Jul 21, 2009)

i agree it makes the sound more "sparkly"...which would be nice to some people, however i don't think the original music was supposed to sound that way...which makes it kinda gimicky...in a semi legit way.


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## rugdnit (Dec 24, 2007)

Glad this topic came up. I gave up on my factory Bose system through an ms-8 ( hi-level inputs ). Nothing sounded just right and was very frustrated as I couldn't find that sweet spot. I bought a Cowon J3 PMP to use as a source for the ms-8 through the aux inputs. I have been toying with the BBE options. I definitely prefer BBE std. The highs are a touch too sparkly with the volume up high, but I have not really had a chance to play with it yet. I am hoping to tame it down a bit, but overall very happy with the options through the pmp player.


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## Wesayso (Jul 20, 2010)

I had BBE of for a few days but put it back on the -4 level. It's doing something right but I was strugling some esses and was wondering if those where a side product of the BBE processing. I swapped the back chamber on my space one tweeters and that seems to help. I am enyoing the sound I have now.


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## peg_legs (Jan 31, 2011)

I use a BBE branded crossover in my band's PA. It's very much like an "exciter" adding overtones and such to make the sound more interesting, but not more natural. If the rest of my equipment wasn't so cheep sounding, I wouldn't use it. I do use it at very minimal settings. I have added exciters to my bass too. I guess in the end, if you like what it adds, use it.


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## FAUEE (Jul 22, 2010)

peg_legs said:


> I use a BBE branded crossover in my band's PA. It's very much like an "exciter" adding overtones and such to make the sound more interesting, but not more natural. If the rest of my equipment wasn't so cheep sounding, I wouldn't use it. I do use it at very minimal settings. I have added exciters to my bass too. I guess in the end, if you like what it adds, use it.


This is very true.

While it may do nothing more than add some EQing, if it makes it sound better to you then who cares? I think you could likely get the same result from a normal EQ, but sometimes our inhibitions kick in and the EQ wave we may like just looks so anti-SQ that we don't want to use it.


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## Wesayso (Jul 20, 2010)

I think the BBE processor in HU's works as the crossover peg_legs mentioned. It seems to add harmonics to a range of frequency's or at least "excite" them. It isn't easy getting that effect with EQ. I like what it does at moderate volume levels. The "excited" frequency's seem to fall into the range that a normal loudness setting would bump.


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## spaceace60 (Feb 28, 2011)

*Re: BBE sound processing(is not an Eq!)*



FAUEE said:


> This is very true.
> 
> While it may do nothing more than add some EQing, if it makes it sound better to you then who cares? I think you could likely get the same result from a normal EQ, but sometimes our inhibitions kick in and the EQ wave we may like just looks so anti-SQ that we don't want to use it.


actually theres more to the BBE than beingjust a candy coated eq!??(not really an eq at all!) from what bbe explains is that different freq sound waves move at diff speeds(ie higher is slower?/lower is faster)and reach our ears at diff times(kinda like what time alignment does for spkr distances?(except that time aligns deal w/all frqs at once)the bbe speeds up/slows down diff freqs individually so they all reach listner at same time(appearing louder/clearer!)these were 1st mostly used in the 80's in pa systems and on guitar rigs(ie called sonic maximizers)btw BBE its not an aural exciter either! BBE is good product but the company made a fortune on a little chip(sometimes put in a over sized big case to justify price or imo to look more high tech lol)these reminded me of a dolby type invention(ronco missed these areas!) Jim M.


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## Victor_inox (Apr 27, 2012)

I have BBe 882 and I love it, used many years in home recording studio. now thinking of installing it in my truck.


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## KSpan (Mar 9, 2012)

cajunner said:


> do you have BBE processing and an equalizer?
> 
> try to make one sound like the other, there's a difference.


I used to use one as a part of my bass rig. Once I figured out that increasing my clean headroom and boosting upper treble/sub bass gave the same result, I ditched it. The BBE processing certianly does something, but IME proper EQ and gain structuring get pretty much the same result.


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## Thumperx (Nov 20, 2007)

OMG, man this topic is talking taking me back. I had car audio 3012 model, which worked quite well. I hated to part with it, but I had so many in-line processors that floor noise was becoming difficult to handle.

Here's a link to the model I had used: http://www.bbesound.com/products/manuals/3012_manual.pdf

If I recall correctly, the BBE feature was on aftermarket head units and only had on and off activation switches. It does not compared to my dedicated processor (3012) which offers more controls and features. If you're looking for more clarity in your low to medium level sound system, I highly recommend BBE products. If you're in the high end, then your dual 30 band EQ will do the job.


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## Wesayso (Jul 20, 2010)

A bump with more info:



> (This a quote from an article of Paul White in SOS magazine)
> PHASE MANIPULATION
> BBE's Sonic Maximizer system is based on the premise that most audio systems introduce unwanted phase shifts into the audio signal, resulting in a lack of clarity. To remedy this, the BBE processor splits the audio signal into three frequency bands, then applies different delays to each band to restore the original phase relationship of the harmonics making up the sound. On the models I've used, frequencies below 150Hz are delayed by around 2.5ms, while those between 150Hz and 1200Hz are delayed by about 0.5ms. Frequencies above 1200Hz are not delayed, but do have some form of dynamic control (compression/expansion) applied to them so as to enhance transients. Unlike the Aphex process described later, the BBE principle does not add new harmonics, but rather attempts to realign the relative phase of existing harmonics, as well as using dynamic processing to emphasise transients.
> 
> ...


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## Wesayso (Jul 20, 2010)

BBE revisited...

I finally figured out why EQ couldn't do what BBE does. Basically BBE is just an EQ, with the addition of some active control. It adjusts the lows and highs depending on midrange level. More midrange means more boost in lows and highs. Low boost is centred around 50 Hz, high boost around 5 kHz.

That's the reason it feels more alive, it sort of mimics what you'd hear in a live performance (lol). When the midrange is swamped with more sound the drummer steps up to the game and pounds a bit harder, and the singer gives a bit more power too. At least, that's what it sounds like. Now I know why I liked it. It gets used in mixing and mastering to spice up a dull sounding demo.
You need very low settings to get the best results.
So it is basic EQ, but a dynamic controlled one. No parametric EQ setting will sound the same.
It only works well at lower listening levels and makes it kinda impossible to turn up your system past a certain point. But it does make the lower listening level a lot fuller sounding without cluttering up the sound. So it works kind of like a loudness setting, but one that's a bit more clear. No harmonics are added to the sound, it's not adding distortion.

The phase shift alone does not seem to do much that is audible. With the further processing disengaged the phase shift is very low. The EQ part will no doubt introduce it's on phase shifts. A BBE plugin with the low contour and processing off does not notably clean up the sound, at least not on most systems. Most do not notice any kind of difference. But with both knobs turned up just a tiny bit things change rather quick. Not much level of BBE is needed to make it sound way different. That explains the preference for the lowest setting in the car. The mixing pre settings are giving low values too. It (BBE processing) gets some use on recording instruments or voices to give them more body. Use with care 

Hope that helps someone...


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## sqnut (Dec 24, 2009)

*Re: BBE sound processing(is not an Eq!)*



spaceace60 said:


> actually theres more to the BBE than beingjust a candy coated eq!??(not really an eq at all!) from what bbe explains is that *different freq sound waves move at diff speeds(ie higher is slower?/lower is faster)and reach our ears at diff times*................... Jim M.


Jim,

Speed of sound is a constant for a given medium. Temperature has a slight effect on speed of sound, but a 40hz wave does not move any slower or faster than a 18khz wave, for a given medium and temperature.

Arun


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## spaceace60 (Feb 28, 2011)

*Re: BBE sound processing(is not an Eq!)*



sqnut said:


> Jim,
> 
> Speed of sound is a constant for a given medium. Temperature has a slight effect on speed of sound, but a 40hz wave does not move any slower or faster than a 18khz wave, for a given medium and temperature.
> 
> Arun


Arun, im not EXACTLY sure what the BBE does but its not just a preset eq!! take a look at the quote from the article from a magazine explaining what the BBE does that is posted by Wesayso(username) above that exactly explains what it does which it does mention manipulation of delay of seperate frequencies ect I wasn't too far off track lol!?? but again a simple eq its not trust me tons of studios wouldn't have bought them and touring bands wouldn't have used them in their huge racks of big $$ gear if they coulda got the same effect just by tweaking their eq's a little?!!! take care Jim Btw ive tried to mimic one by tweaking eq's and it definately makes a huge difference but a small amount goes a long way with these units! I used them back in the day on my guitar/Pa rack and loved them now looking forward to see if I will like them when used on my car system!!


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## LBaudio (Jan 9, 2009)

Had it 20y ago on Alpine ERA-G 320 processor.... Alpine suggested use of BBE filters among with Surround functions. I never liked it for normal music reproduction. There were 3 filters, and you could manipulate each one of them.......


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## Jason B (Jul 6, 2010)

LBaudio said:


> Had it 20y ago on Alpine ERA-G 320 processor.... Alpine suggested use of BBE filters among with Surround functions. I never liked it for normal music reproduction. There were 3 filters, and you could manipulate each one of them.......


I still am using this in an alpine 3342 EQ. It's incredible, and I can't get rid of it as it just sounds too good. I posted on an alpine forum asking people for a good android smart radio, or something else new to get updated, and everyone told me nothing will sound as good and to keep this is I liked the sound.


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