Specifications

Chapter 2: Aural Exciter Controls 3
chapter 2
Aural Exciter Controls
Aphex Aural Exciter Type III
Overview
Aphex Systems, Inc. first introduced Aural Ex-
citer in 1975. Since then, several refinements
and improvements have been incorporated into
its original design. The Aural Exciter plug-in is
modeled after the TYPE III Aural Exciter. Aural
Exciter has become a standard in the profes-
sional audio industry, and has been used on
many albums, CDs, movies, broadcast produc-
tions, commercials, and concerts. The Aural Ex-
citer plug-in for Pro Tools TDM systems contin-
ues this tradition of success, and is ready for use
with the latest cutting edge music productions.
Harmonics are musically and dynamically re-
lated to the original sound, and reveal the fine
differences between voices and various instru-
ments. Reproduced sound is audibly different
from the original live sound because of the loss
in harmonic detail, often sounding dull and life-
less.
The Aural Exciter is an audio process that recre-
ates and restores missing harmonics. It actually
adds harmonics, restoring the sound’s natural
brightness, clarity and presence, effectively im-
proving detail and intelligibility. Use Aural Ex-
citer on specific instruments or in the final mix
to bring life back to recordings.
Unlike EQs and other brightness enhancers
which only boost the high frequencies that of-
ten alter the overall tonal balance, the Aural Ex-
citer extends the high frequencies. The stereo
image is enhanced with the Aural Exciter. This
results in a greater perceived loudness without
an introduction of noise into the audio path,
commonly caused by increased gain.
The Aural Exciter is a single-ended process
which can be inserted at any point within the
audio chain (see Figure 1 on page 5). The input
signal is split into two paths. One path goes to
the output unmodified, while the other path,
known as a side-chain, goes through the Aural
Exciter, which is comprised of a tunable high-
pass filter and a harmonics generator. The Aural
Exciter applies frequency-dependent phase shift
and amplitude-dependent harmonics. The out-
put of the Aural Exciter's harmonic generator is
mixed back with the unmodified signal, lower
in level.
When used at nominal settings, the Aural Ex-
citer does not add significant average level to
the original signal. Even though the added in-
formation is low level, the perception is a dra-
matic increase in mid and high frequencies.
The Aural Exciter is patented in the United
States, Japan and most of Europe. Others may
claim they are doing the same thing, but they
can only resort to some form of EQ (amplitude