Aphex's Audio Xciter !! Loving this app with my Yamaha EPH-100 on my iPhone

Oct 24, 2012 at 9:33 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 7

eat2na

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After over a year or more of just using equalizers apps on my iPhone I am now getting into audio enhancers and I am really enjoying them. I am using both the Aphex and the BBE and just realized that both are needed along with the Equalizer app. Sometimes there would be songs that would not sound right on one of them but would sound better on the other. With the Aphex, I downloaded the $4.99 app so I could get the sliders to customize the sound. Worth every penny. I think it's great that this legendary 35 year old company got this app out. Back in the day music artist used to pay $35 a minute just to use the Aphex enhancer. For some purist out there it may not be what you would like to do but for those who like to tweak and experiment it's a lot of fun.
http://www.aphex.com/
 
Here is a good article explaining recording studios audio enhancements and provide some background on both Aphex and BBE and how their enhancers work in the studio. It's a good read even thought they do not specifically talk about the apps, it explain their approach to their audio enhancements technologies.
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/1995_articles/feb95/exciters.html
 
Oct 25, 2012 at 12:26 AM Post #3 of 7
somebody put the same thread in there but not many members here seem to care about it, perhaph it's too "low class" for them
 
Oct 25, 2012 at 8:37 AM Post #4 of 7
hahahaha. They said the same about Monster audio when they were coming out with earphones. :D Many people view Monster audio as an overpriced overly hyped company but them many users on here fell in love with their Pro Copper and Mile Davis earphones. But who cares. lol. The Aphex and BBE app work for me, you and others. I will not listen to music without it anymore. It would be like choosing to listening to mono audio when I could be listening to stereo. :D
 
Oct 25, 2012 at 7:43 PM Post #5 of 7
These sound processors are all a matter of taste really. By definition you are listening to lower fidelity music, but if you find the sound more engaging more power to you. Not my cup of tea, but I respect that this is in large part a subjective interest, so obviously people should follow their ears.
 
Oct 27, 2012 at 8:28 AM Post #6 of 7
More engaging indeed. :) What I find is that I have a preference for a sound signature and there are so many variables involved that it would be impossible to just get to that sound I prefer just listening to it without altering it somewhat. Trust me, I have tried and given it time and only found myself bored. Different portables from different manufacturers would have    their own unique sound signature and the same thing would go on with the different earphones manufacturers. Not only that but every human would hear sound different due to their own anatomy and hearing. I am in my mid 40's and the way I hear sound now is not the same way I used to when I was 15 years old. So, when I listen to those albums, from my youth days, the only way I can hear them in a way that would make them "right" to my brain would be to adjust and tweak things to finally get to that good magical place that make it sound right. What's the point of listening to it flat if it doesn't work for me? Right now the only portable that offer these many choices would be the Apple and also some devices that use the Android os. 
 
Nov 11, 2013 at 6:17 PM Post #7 of 7
I'm resurrecting an old thread, sorry mods. Let me know if this is a no-no.
 
I downloaded the Xciter app today for my iPhone 5 using iOS7 with a V-Moda M-80 and briefly tested it out. I spent the $1.99 on the Silver version. The Pro version was reviewed as quite buggy. The silver version has been fairly stable. It has crashed a few times. My reaction varies from wow!!! to yuck, like totally gross, dude. It really does awesome things to jazz-pop like the smooth Yuka Funakoshi's A Junk·Street. It highlights the vocals and syths for JPOP/JElectronica like the sublime Perfume, but seriously detracts from the bass and drums. Can you say crash cymbals destroying brain cells? Listening to Bach violin concertos with the Xciter is much less than inspiring. Hendrix's Leslie'd Strat on Little Wing wonderfully jumps into your head with the Xciter. I much prefer the straight iPhone sound versus the Xciter  for Called Out in the Dark by Snow Patrol.
 
My impression is the Xciter compresses the signal, adds "soundstage" and presence. The noise floor is significantly raised with the Xciter. Phasey effects on cymbals and distortion on the drums is evident. It is a mixed bag, depending on the song. Some winners. Some losers. Some flip a coin. I'd say it is a tool worth $1.99. YMMV.
 

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