Subharmonic Synthesizer

Johnny-come-lately · Post by **Johnny-come-lately** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 5:28 pm

Hello again!
Anyone have experience with one of these? I have never actually messed with one and have little knowledge of them but I remember early raves and clubs way back when used them and when used properly the low-end sound was incredible.
If I remember correctly they worked very well with vinyl because vinyl has a limit to how low the bass can actually go but I am not sure if I am remembering this correctly. If I am remembering this correctly my question would be does CD’s, MP3’s and wav/aiff files also have this same limitation or can the bass go much lower on these formats? What makes me think that this might be the case is it seems like nobody is really using sub harmonic synthesizers to increase the low end anymore. Every once in a while I will hear a car on the streets that definitely still has one but that is about the only time I even think of these anymore. Would someone please straighten me out about this?
The reason I ask is because I have hundreds of pounds of vinyl that I still play and might pick one up for fun but seeing as I might finally step into the present sometime soon I wonder if I should just ignore my urge to pick one up as I plan on putting the vinyl away once and for all when I do make the change away from it.
Thanks for your time.

Johnny-come-lately · Post by **Johnny-come-lately** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 3:21 am

Wanted to bump this once before letting it slide into oblivion.
Guessing that Live users could use a plug in that provided a Subharmonic Synthesizer if one is needed?

Clearscreen · Post by **Clearscreen** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 4:39 am

i used to use an mda subsynth plugin about ten years ago (maybe less...) but it was a bit buggy and he doesn't seem to have it on his site anymore. i can't comment on how it worked on vinyl, but it did give some nice fat bottom end!

i guess this type of thing is handled more by exciters like spectralive, bbe or aphex these days although i guess it isn't actually the same thing.

subbasshead · Post by **subbasshead** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 7:57 am

hi
i use a dbx 120A subharmonic synth - mainly for sound Fx etc for film
but i do use on bass/low end in music at times....

imho there is no plugin that does what the subharmonic synth does,
mine is permanently patched a physical send/return on my 002r

i think you have to be careful how much/many subharmonics u add to a signal
as it can cloud the purity of a bass note
eg if i play my electric bass guitar thru it & have the subh effect too high
it feels like i am playing chords on the bass (ie its adding a 5th below etc)
& i dont like its effect on acoustic double bass,
which has so many beautiful harmonics it doesnt need such colouration....

but these comments are true of EVERY time you use ANY effect

its all in taste and how YOU perceive it...

For the money (& they arent expensive) they are def worth having
esp if you consider bottom end to be an important part of what you do...

Johnny-come-lately · Post by **Johnny-come-lately** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 1:28 pm

Thanks for the replies. Whenever I knew I was using one it was always a DBX. Not the 120A as that came out long after the last time that I actually even went to a nightclub.

funk313 · Post by **funk313** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 1:48 pm

subbasshead wrote:hi
i use a dbx 120A subharmonic synth - mainly for sound Fx etc for film
but i do use on bass/low end in music at times....

imho there is no plugin that does what the subharmonic synth does,
mine is permanently patched a physical send/return on my 002r

i think you have to be careful how much/many subharmonics u add to a signal
as it can cloud the purity of a bass note
eg if i play my electric bass guitar thru it & have the subh effect too high
it feels like i am playing chords on the bass (ie its adding a 5th below etc)
& i dont like its effect on acoustic double bass,
which has so many beautiful harmonics it doesnt need such colouration....

but these comments are true of EVERY time you use ANY effect

its all in taste and how YOU perceive it...

For the money (& they arent expensive) they are def worth having
esp if you consider bottom end to be an important part of what you do...

X 2 ...forget the plugz this one does it for real..

Johnny-come-lately · Post by **Johnny-come-lately** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 4:06 pm

Well I picked up a dbx 120A on e-Bay earlier today just after making my prior post. I usually don’t do e-bay but the Buy It Now price was $100.00 and it is coming new in box with warranty so I felt it was enough of a deal to make me break down and actually go e-Bay.
Yea, its my forth purchase on e-bay and if it goes successfully I will now be at 75% success rate for collecting items bought and a 50% success rate of no misdoing on the sellers part.

I had a thought a little while ago as to another reason why subharmonic synthesizers may be out of favor now and that it might be because everyone now has subwoofers and sees no need for one. Personally, that is even more cause to own one as a system with a subwoofer can handle these octave lower basses.
Every system in my house has a subwoofer so I figure I can at least put it on the entertainment system if I don’t need or keep it on my mixing stereo and seeing as it is hardware at the price I purchased it at I should be able to sell it for a minimal loss if it comes down to that.