Anybody got a Aphex Acoustic Xciter D.I.?

sc morris · #1 08-31-2004, 02:27 PM

A buddy of mine is a product rep and Aphex is one of his main brands. He sent this little baby home with me to check out. I took it and used it as a my direct box to go straight into the house. Maybe it's just me, but I didn't really see any use for this thing. When I changed the dials nothing seemed to happen...at all. I got the same sound that I would have gotten using one of the regular direct boxes we usually use.

I usually run my K&K equipped Larrivee through a LR Baggs Gigpro, then in the direct box to the house. In order to test out the Aphex, I just ran my guitar straight into it....without the Baggs unit. I didn't want to color the sound at all....just wanted to test out this piece. Perhaps I used it wrong or something. Because I can really see no sense in paying well over 1 bill for something like this. Your thoughts....

kramster · #2 08-31-2004, 05:16 PM

I had one for a short time and brought it back. Seemed not to help anything.

harlon · #3 08-31-2004, 09:09 PM

I have one and - maybe I'm alone here - but I like it. In fact not long after I got it I had it running into the board at Church. (not as a DI, just in the chain). I wasn't thrilled so I removed it. The sound guys were, like - "whatever you changed, change it back." So I kept with it. Now I really like it. The changes are subtle, so they're not obvious right away. But now I don't hook up without it! Just my opinion, of course!

sc morris · #4 09-01-2004, 06:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harlon

I have one and - maybe I'm alone here - but I like it. In fact not long after I got it I had it running into the board at Church. (not as a DI, just in the chain). I wasn't thrilled so I removed it. The sound guys were, like - "whatever you changed, change it back." So I kept with it. Now I really like it. The changes are subtle, so they're not obvious right away. But now I don't hook up without it! Just my opinion, of course!

I was basically using it for the same thing. But the changes were so subtle, that I just can't justify buying it from him. BTW, he's offering it to me for only $80.....and I know that's a great deal. But I just didn't see any need for it. I'm glad your's is working out for you though.

randyfromde · #5 09-01-2004, 08:59 AM

They have samples on the Aphex website. From the samples they have, I can see how it'd be useful. But as everyone says, it's subtle. Not so much of an "effect" as a preset EQ curve.

sc morris · #6 09-01-2004, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by randyfromde

They have samples on the Aphex website. From the samples they have, I can see how it'd be useful. But as everyone says, it's subtle. Not so much of an "effect" as a preset EQ curve.

I think the samples are not all that accurate from the webiste. I didn't get even close to that much of a boost in the low end when I used it. Perhaps I just misused it or something, becuase it seemed to have little effect....if any...on the sound.

harlon · #7 09-01-2004, 01:40 PM

I really wan't that sold when our soundguys told me they liked it. I truly started to believe in the thing when I recorded a loop through my Boomerang and added 5 or 6 layers over the loop. I placed the Aphex AFTER the Boomerang. Then, using the button on the Aphex I A/B'd it. I was truly impressed. The different layers sounded much clearer through the Aphex than not. For that use (which I do a lot) it's not so subtle. Just a suggestion - if you have access to a looper.

sc morris · #8 09-01-2004, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harlon

I really wan't that sold when our soundguys told me they liked it. I truly started to believe in the thing when I recorded a loop through my Boomerang and added 5 or 6 layers over the loop. I placed the Aphex AFTER the Boomerang. Then, using the button on the Aphex I A/B'd it. I was truly impressed. The different layers sounded much clearer through the Aphex than not. For that use (which I do a lot) it's not so subtle. Just a suggestion - if you have access to a looper.

I don't even know what a looper is....

harlon · #9 09-01-2004, 03:53 PM

Quote:

I don't even know what a looper is....

That's cool - I didn't either at one time!! A looper is a one of these ....

Boomerang

There are several others. Basically you start playing a riff and punch the record button on the petal. Stop recording at the end of your riff (but keep paying). It then loops back what you just played. Then you can play a lead or fill or harmony or whatever and add that to you loop. Then keep adding cool stuff til ya just can't stand anymore! Actually they are a lot of fun and Phil Keaggy will blow your mind with one, although he used a Jamman. It's worth a little research. I'm sure others here could explain one a little better than I did. Feel free to e-mail me if interested and I can send you some pretty cool samples (I think my address is on my profile).

sc morris · #10 09-02-2004, 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harlon

That's cool - I didn't either at one time!! A looper is a one of these ....

Boomerang

There are several others. Basically you start playing a riff and punch the record button on the petal. Stop recording at the end of your riff (but keep paying). It then loops back what you just played. Then you can play a lead or fill or harmony or whatever and add that to you loop. Then keep adding cool stuff til ya just can't stand anymore! Actually they are a lot of fun and Phil Keaggy will blow your mind with one, although he used a Jamman. It's worth a little research. I'm sure others here could explain one a little better than I did. Feel free to e-mail me if interested and I can send you some pretty cool samples (I think my address is on my profile).

Ok, I get it now. I've seen Phil do his thing with one of these several times. Too technical for me though. I've got a hard enough time focusing on doing one thing.