The Aphex Aural Exciter Type C is a classic 1980s analog audio processor designed to add brightness, clarity, and stereo width to recordings, often used on vocals, drums, and guitars. It uses harmonic synthesis to enhance, rather than just EQ, high frequencies. As a budget-friendly rack unit, it features Drive, Tune, and Mix controls, typically operating at a -10dBv level, making it popular for project studios. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6] This video provides a great overview of the Aphex Aural Exciter Type C and its capabilities: Key Features and Impact: • Audio Enhancement: Adds "sparkle" or "air" to dull recordings, increasing perceived loudness without increasing peak levels. • Key Controls: Features a "Drive" knob for saturation and a "Tune" knob to select the frequency range being enhanced. • Stereo Imaging: Enhances stereo width, making mixes sound wider and more open. • Applications: Highly effective for adding definition to kick drums, guitars, and, particularly, increasing vocal intelligibility. • Usage Context: While excellent for brightening, it is best used in moderation, as excessive use can make dense mixes sound unnatural, says this article. [1, 3, 5, 7, 8] Technical Specifications: • Operating Level: Primarily -10dBV, intended for consumer/prosumer gear, though some units allow 0dB operation. • Bandwidth: Generally 20Hz-20kHz. • Inputs/Outputs: Typically 1/4 inch jacks. [2, 4, 6] The Type C is regarded as a more affordable, consumer-targeted alternative to the earlier, more expensive Type B, with minimal, if any, audible difference in processing quality, notes this article from mu:zines (). It is a "single-ended" process, meaning it does not require decoding. [3, 6]