Aphex Systems

Aphex is a brand of audio signal processing equipment. Aphex Systems was founded in 1975 in Massachusetts by Marvin Caesar and Curt Knoppel, the inventor of the Aural Exciter.

The first Aural Exciter units were available exclusively on the rental basis of $30 per minute of finished recorded time.

The unit became so popular, especially with the Los Angeles music and recording studio crowd, that Aphex had to move to Hollywood. In the 1970s, certain recording artists, including Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt and James Taylor stated in their liner notes "This album was recorded using the Aphex Aural Exciter." Other users included Paul McCartney, Fleetwood Mac, Olivia Newton-John, Alan Parsons, and Warren Zevon.

Recognizing that there was a much bigger market than just the rental business, Aphex started selling the professional units, and introduced two low-cost models: Type B and Type C. The Aural Exciter circuit is now licensed by a growing list of manufacturers, including Yamaha, MacKenzie, Gentner, Emu and Bogen.

The original Aphex Aural Exciter, first offered in 1975, came without the Big Bottom circuit, which was added in 1992. Later revisions of the Aphex Aural Exciter included the Model 104 Type C and Type C2 units. Aphex has now released the Model 204 Aural Exciter and Optical Big Bottom, yet another refinement of the original unit.

The Aural Exciter is said to enhance clarity and intelligibility by adding phase shift and musically related synthesized harmonics to audio signals. The Big Bottom circuit combines a low-pass filter and dynamics processor to compress and delay incoming low-frequency information. The process is reverse amplitude dependent, meaning that more is applied as the input level drops and less as the signal gets hotter. Together the dynamics processor and time delay create sustained bass frequencies that are perceived as being louder yet don't noticeably increase peak output. According to Aphex, the Model 204 updates the Aural Exciter and Big Bottom processor blocks with improved circuitry, including an optical gain-control element for the Big Bottom compressor.

Aphex builds products for the professional audio, broadcast, fixed installation, touring-sound and home-recording markets. Aphex has developed a number of devices, such as the Compellor, Dominator, Expander/Gate and Expressor, plus the Model 1100 Two-Channel and Model 1788 Eight-Channel Ultra-Precision Remotely Controllable Microphone Pre-Amplifiers, and the Model 2020 Mk III Broadcast Audio Processor. Each product contains one or more of their over 30 proprietary inventions (patented or patents pending). A key element of all the dynamics processing products is the Voltage Controlled Attenuator, the Aphex VCA 1001. Another key element is Aphex' input and output circuitry, using electronic balancing techniques instead of transformers.

Aphex offices, engineering laboratories, production and warehousing are located in a convert|16000|sqft|m2|sing=on facility in Sun Valley, California. All products are now designed and manufactured in this facility.

Functionally similar units from competing manufacturers are generically known either as 'psychoacoustic processors' or more commonly just as 'enhancers'. Broadly comparable products are now available from BBE, Joemeek, SPL, and Behringer to name but a few; most are analogue signal processors, although a few digital units are now beginning to appear. The BBE Sonic Maximiser utilizes a similar process of frequency-dependent phase shifting, as do other brands to varying extent.

ee also

Electronic music recording artist Aphex Twin uses the same word in his moniker with permission, as recognised on all artwork for works under the moniker. He has explained in interviews that the 'Twin' section is in memory of his brother, also named Richard James, who died during child birth a few years before Aphex Twin was born.

External links

*http://www.aphex.com/