Although the manual does not indicate its use for home stereo, that's what I hooked mine up to. Very interesting results and I have to admit that with a bit of adjustment and listening, it definitely makes the music more annunciated and bright. When you switch it off, the stereo sounds kind of muddy. I have the equalizer and tone controls flat and the controls set to about 1:00 o'clock with no subwoofer in use right now. After some time, I dropped the sub base just a bit and find that everything is loud and clear.
In my quest to get exciting sound from my stereo, I think this has worked out quite well so far.

I like the fact that it fits in my rack without taking up alot of space. My monitors had too much midrange. I was able to balance my highs from my mids from my lows. The added headroom was also a plus.

Adds volume and cleans the mix so that it doesn't sound muddied. By boosting the signal you don't have to play it as loudly which tends to reduce the clarity of the mix. Would recommend this for anyone doing live sound or recording and editing music. I have mine at the end of the chain where it seems to add demension to your final sound.

My reviews have been criticized as sounding too much like commercial advertisements. Well, with a product as good as this one, it is quite impossible not to sound that way. As advertised (by BBE), the Sonic Maximizer is not simply an equalizer. Its electronic wizardry actually restores the natural phases at which the high, middle, and low notes should hit the ear. This model, the 382isw, even has a phase-corrected ouput for connecting a subwoofer. The sound is phenomenal! Whether you own a high-end, middle-of-the-road, or entry level stereo system, the Max will improve its sound noticeably. For connectivity, all that's required of an amp or receiver is some kind of auxiliary input. Or, the Maximizer can be used in-line ahead of a set of powered speakers. Here's the result: Without straining to listen, you will hear details which you've never before heard in your favorite music! The highs are clear and distinct; the midranges are well-defined; and the bass is punchy, never muddy. And, in case you're curious, as I was, about whether the subwoofer is processed as well or is simply passed through unchanged . . . well, it IS processed, much the same as is the bass "contour" to the primary speakers; it works great. My only caveat is this: When adjusting the tone controls (subwoofer, bass, and treble), remember that "less is more"; very small, subtle adjustments can make very big differences, so be careful not to overdo the tonal boosts. Any Sonic Maximizer (I now have TWO) is well worth the cost. If your system, whether it be for home listening, for recording, or for a "live" sound application, is not giving you quite what you think it should, don't throw it out and buy a new one. Chances are that there is a far more economical, fully effective solution, the BBE Sonic Maximizer. Many thanks to Mr. Memo Romero of BBE for recommending the subwoofer model to me.

This is the second BBE Sonic Maximizer Purchase I've made. My old unit saw the rigors of the road for more than a decade and naturally the 1/4" inputs/outputs began to wear and show audible signs of corrosion. Decided to replace the unit with one of these for my permanent studio installation and have been extremely happy with it. The advent of the subwoofer controls including crossover frequency and subwoofer level make it easy to mix and master with differing degrees of inclusion. Having this hardware control at my fingertips is far more convenient than trying to tweak levels and crossover points in my DAW software. BBE makes some incredible machinery, and this is no exception.