Are Boss Getting Left Behind By Neural DSP, Line 6, Fender, Kemper and Fractal?
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- čas přidán 7. 05. 2024
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I only use Boss. I currently have both the IR-2 and GT1000 Core on my small board.
Combined, the two pedals only introduce 1.5 ms of latency. No other company cares as much about reducing latency like Boss.
Have a Boss 0D-200 its nice and quiet and great sounding with a TC Impulse Pedal!
I love my GT1000 Core, ditto on their handling of latency.
I think too the default of having a dual amp layout means you can go between two amps or simply use that as your higher gain and louder amp.
The company being left behind is Zoom. Rather than build on the G5 (metal case) they made the replacements look like toys made out of plastic. Boss is still a respectable name.
yeah really what they are doing !!
The biggest problem with all Zoom products is that they look so freakin ugly. I love their price point. They deliver the best quality for that price. But why can't they make the stuff look better?
Real
I personally don't think they are being left behind, but rather "picked over" for something else. They have very solid hardware and wonderful effect sounds that have already been proven time after time, but yet they still get picked over for another. It's funny though we mostly all have at least one or have had one BOSS effects pedal that we cherish and use quite a bit. BOSS is truly I believe a Great Company.
There is always something Boss on my board. EQ and Delay right now
I will agree with this. When it comes to that mid range multi effects units adjacent to the Helix Stomp and others, Line 6 seems to do really well at. Boss is just there.
Boss imo, seems to dominate the standard/essential pedal market and makes some of my favorite delays. No company seems to do the space echo better than them
Boss operates in a different submarket then the Kemper and Line 6 crowd. Their products are designed to bridge the analog and digital world, while other companies are trying to put plugins inside floor-based or cabinet-based computers. Boss isn't trying to create the next Helix. They're trying to take stubborn guitarists from the 1970s and 1980s and offer them the nostalgic experience with modern features and sound quality.
I've been using the Boss GT 100 for ten years to the day. I love it and a week ago I bought the ir-200 to see if I could upgrade the amps and experience ir amp loader for the fist. I'm not having best results I was hoping for, still have a long way to dig. I did the same thing trying the Xotic SL-preamp that worked excellent got the tone right away I wanted but then I found out I could find multiple ways to find the same sound using just the GT-100. The pedal also helped me tune my combo amp. I learned a lot from that little pedal. Now I don't use it. I think 24 bit is good. I can tell when someone is playing 32 bit before and up to the edge of break up. My fav is Kemper but I don't want one. I agree with you that Boss has the organic analog sound. 99% of my presets start with the natural amp. It's like what we call now a clean boutique amp with lots of head room. GT-100 the best invest I have ever made besides the guitar. So, the new Boss line up must be truly awesome.
Should I disclose that John convinced me to pick up the used Nextone Special at the local GC this week? Got it for half the new price.
@@revolead Ok but if something is worth the price in its initial state than is an update a problem?
@@fivefingerfullprice3403 Not at all. Updates are meaningless if you're happy. I played a 2004 Yamaha DG Stomp for 15 years and didn't even bother to look if anyone came out with a new modeler. When I was learning to play guitar, Boss had the best pedals on the market. I'm not even sure anyone cared until they jumped onto the forums and someone told them they needed a Fulltone. It's always fun to try new (to you) gear, and I have many times. But at some point, if you're happy with what you have, why change?
@@revolead My Helix and HX Stomp are way better now than they were before, and I loved them before.
Boss feels like I’m actually playing through an amp as compared to the others. I added a Tonex and an ox stomp in case I want to use them too. Pretty awesome
I have been using the Boss GX100 for a little over a year. I have had many QC and Helix players approach the stage and ask questions and complement my tone. The reality with most of these units is your ability to program the patches and your skills on your instrument. I bought a QC and ended up returning it because I actually liked the work flow and footswitch assignment better on the GX100. Maybe it would have been different had I started with the QC, but I am very impressed with the Boss GX100. I'm hoping for a new flagship, say the GX1000... come on Boss!
I’m a lifelong Boss fan and user. I chose my GX-100 over Helix floor because it sounded more realistic and dynamic than the Helix did in the store. Also I was able to do almost anything my imagination could think of when it came to chain order and double amps and foot switch assignments.
I'm a happy GT1000CORE owner and regular user. It does what I expect it to, and I rarely feel limited when I set out to go bonkers with the effects chain. I was aware of BOSS's stingy updates policy when I bought it, but it's a very well rounded product as it is, as long as you understand its design philosophy.
Like Josh Scott, I think their engineers are geniuses. But of couse I concede that BOSS could do way better in the marketing department, and that its engineering department would do good to make some concessions to market trends. I'm not one to worry about it, and I can't be bothered into plugging my device to the PC constantly in search for the latest update, but I understand it's the way things are.
I went from pod go to gx100 for the extra DSP and so far love it.. dual amps, seemless switching and fx galore. Great unit even if its never updated it will probably still suit my needs.
Same situation with me. I was a long-time Line 6 user, but when I moved to the GX-100 from the Pod Go, I found immediately usable tones with minimal tweaking. Whereas with the Line 6 stuff, I was constantly fighting with all the parameters to find something I was happy with. The seamless switching between completely different presets was such a huge bonus, that I never looked back.
I have a GX-100, it’s a good solid unit. Updates would be nice, just to keep things interesting and improving it.
Very cool. Comparing the GT1000 CORE and HX Stomp, the stomp gets pretty toasty if it's on for a while, whereas the CORE never gets hot.
@@mattpearce79agree, it is a solid unit and a perfect form factor that does all I need. Future updates would stop me straying to other brands when new units come out. For example I wish it had a harmonic trem... surely not impossible in future?
Great video, excellent points as usual. I bought a GX-100 last year and I absolutely love it - it meets all of my pedal/ modeling needs and is just so solidly built. I have a gt-1 that I've been using for a while, so I was already used to the boss patch workflow and way of doing things, but I find the touch screen interface to be very intuitive and easy to use. I agree that new firmware would be nice, but the features it has are pretty complete as is.. a real "hold" effect would be nice, and maybe a sitar sim, but it's certainly not a deal breaker. The one thing you didn't mention in your video that was a huge factor for me is latency. I'm pretty sensitive to latency when playing in headphones (one of the important use cases for me for this thing) and boss just eats the big 4's lunch where that is concerned. I know it's not as much of a factor for some folks, but for me it is critical. I believe that is the key thing people are experiencing when they say boss modelers have great "feel" - they really do, and part of it is because they respond so fast, just like analog gear. Thanks for all the great videos and lovely playing!
I don't think that every non BOSS pedal manufacturer in the world combined has sold as many pedals as they have. Yes, this is about multi effects, so regarding updates, I'd rather buy something for what it does now than what it might or might not do in the future. Quad cortex still doesn't have things that were promised at release, for example.
The gx-100 is Awesome!
Great topic. I really think you nailed it at the end. The product is still great and durable. They are just left behind in staying relevant by not having regular updates that keep you interested in the product.
I think that Boss focuses on providing you with a great sound engine, but they seem to save money on other small details that could make a huge difference if added. For example, I believe they could have made the GT1000Core much more popular if it came with Bluetooth and a USB-C port.
You are absolutely correct about the UI. I'm in the process of changing my rig, still looking at options, products etc. and have completely overlooked the Boss GX-100 for no other reason than products like the Fender TMP, QC and HX Stomp look prettier.
Ignoring the gizmos and gadgets and looking at does it have useable gig sounds that have intuitive interaction, it turns out boss is still the best.
I used a BOSS GL-100 live from the late '80s through the early 2000s. I used a GT-8 for a number of years--first through the return of a Classic 30, then direct through a Palmer PDI-09. I switched over to Line 6 for a while and tried to make it work with an HX Stomp and/or a POD Go. But neither felt right to me (plus all the drives sound kinda nasally to me). So I switched back to a BOSS GX-100, and I've never been happier. I've never cared about sounding just like a certain amp or player; I just dial in tones that I think sound and feel good. The GX absolutely gives me what I want. I run direct to FOH and have had cork-sniffer amp purists rave about my tone. You can keep your constant updates, fancy UIs, and humongous lists of amp models. I'll stay with the GX-100.
"I've never cared about sounding just like a certain amp or player;"
Personally, I think this is the right approach. I think a lot of those "soundalike" modellers are really praying on less experienced players lack of experience and unrealistic desires. In reality, if the system is flexible enough, you can dial in a great tone in conjunction with all of the other factors, pickups, room acoustics.
You don't have to have a tone that's identical to the tone on the original record. Heck, I've heard enough live bands to know they never have the same tone as they did on the record, but they still sound like themselves. Often they aren't even using the same guitars or amps as they did on the recording.
Oh, man, I had a GL-100 too! Those were great units, and it felt like you were in the rack game in the 80s even if you couldn't really afford it, lol.
@@Scott__C Yeah, A GL-100 and a Quadraverb, and you were good to go.
I love my gx100 all i will ever need and more
Honestly since getting a GT1000 immediately after release my GAS has pretty much been cured. Fractal, Kemper and the newer profilers haven't been able to tempt me in the slightest. The main thing to bring this about for me was the addition of custom IRs... since those arrived I've been pretty much done in terms of good enough tone and feel.
It also helps that I've been a BOSS user since my first DS1 at age 15 or so.
I think a big reason that they are not getting left behind is because they compete in a lot of different markets. I think Boss is much more prevalent in places like Japan and Brazil and a lot of other countries with a strong guitar culture.
I think America and a lot of Europe have more access to other modelers that have a philosophy of continuing updates. Boss puts something out and updates it rarely. I think that's appealing to a lot of people but in the west were so much more accustomed to new updates.
Boss would probably have a good hold on the American market if they adapted their technology but I think it might hinder their flexibility to release all their other products. Take Line 6 for example. Modeling and digital effects are kind of their bread and butter especially with the helix ecosystem but they rarely create standalone stompboxes. That is BOSS's specialty and simplicity is the part of the appeal. Business wise I think that if they went the route of updating digital pedals more frequently, we would see a shift towards all their products starting to bend more towards this digital thing.
The GX-100 is a great tool at a great price point, and I have found it to be exactly what I needed when I was ready to make the shift to modeling. Compared to HX, Fractal, etc. that I couldn't not afford and that most of the options would be wasted on me anyway, the Gx-100 has exactly what I need, easy to use, and affordable (oh, and it sounds phenomenal if properly tinkered with). Do I wish it had 32 bit instead of 24? Yes. I would love to not have to sacrifice one pedal for another...that being said, for real world practicality at a great price it's unbeatable.
I just use it as my practice amp, headphones on the couch
I'm really tempted with the GX-100, although I have a GT-1, pocket GT and a GT-001 and am struggling to justify the GX-100. Do you think the 32 bits makes a difference? From a pure sampling perspective, even 22 bits is beyond human perception, but I wonder if the additional bits comes with some better processing.
The over 30yr business Boss still very much holds it's own... Comparing Kemper, Fractal, Helix Line 6, and other high end modelers and trying to compare them with Boss is like trying to compare apples vs oranges. .Boss manufactures more products than the others... Katana is one of the best, most sold amps in the market. I'm willing to bet they are if not the #1 effect pedal sold, but definitely within the top 5. They appeal to both the amateur and pro. They have always been super affordable, well made and dependable.
They have been making modelers for 30 years but the company is 51 years old now. I agree with your post.
@@Stefan- www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boss_Corporation&ved=2ahUKEwj-l5_x1_6FAxXbKFkFHcxrBCcQFnoECCQQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3eor1Gi5txFSZau_ZLFftr
I recently switched from a L6 Stomp to a GT Core 1000. Even though I still think the stomp is a great unit, the Core is definitely more powerful. A better form factor, 5x less power consumption, dual amp, a ton of blocks in the chain and a bunch of nice features like frequency and dynamic path dividers, dual input (yes you can plug two guitars in that little thing), etc...
If you can get pass the pixelated screen and the quirky Boss tone studio, it's pretty hard to beat. I would love to see John making more vids on it.
My first BOSS multi-FX was a BE-5B, bought in the early 90s, still got it.
Good little do-all for gigs.
BOSS SE-70 - Bought mid 90s s/h. Still great fun. Drives and Distortions are analogue.
Then it's a handful of separates.
I've just passed my old Flextone2 with Pedalboard onto my niece.
I hope she likes it.
I had a mixed experience with the Firehawk.
Cloud based saving was a PITA and support for it ended prematurely IMO.
I held that Against Line 6 for some years.
Eventually though I gave in and got a Helix Floor, because it was the best deal around; both technically and bundle-wise -
I got Native and the 3 Metal Plugins AND a gig bag from GuitarGuitar for less than everyone else was charging for the unit on it's own.
Nice one GuitarGuitar 👍
In terms of UI, yes. In terms of tone, no. The newer GX series has a better color touchscreen UI, but still lags behind Neural. However, the same is true of Fractal and Axe Effects. Their UI is outdated, but people still love it because it sounds good. Same with Boss. Outdated UI, but still sounds great.
You touched upon the speaker modelling, but where Boss lag so far behind is that the gx100 (can't speak for the GT1000 but I suspect may be the same) doesn't host impulse responses. You can 'load' an IR, but it doesn't run it natively, it just converts it into some form of EQ curve that runs within the existing speaker modelling part, at a much lower resolution than the 1024 or 2048 sample point resolution of an IR. If you bypass the speaker SIM altogether and use an external IR hoster instead, it elevated the sound of the GX to a whole new level.
Nice summary man. Think you pretty much nailed it. I recently got a GX100 and I really like it. I totally get why it wouldn't work for some people though. I've never really been into amps. I just squeeze out the best tone I like out of whatever I'm using. I'm not bound by "that" amp sound. I'm getting some great tones out of it. The screen is dated but it's also nice and simple. I don't really use it though. I do 95% of my patch editing in the PC app and the rest with the mobile app. Yes the mobile app is horrifically slow to load/write and reflect patch changes, but all other operations are pretty seamless. The flaws are easy to work around in that regard.
It's clearly not the best product but it's not possible to beat on price if you want a full sized multi fx.
The GT-1000 CORE is the peak of floor units. Suuuper low latency, plays like a real amp, plenty of processing power, no unnecessary full-color touch screen, very infrequent software updates (because they hardly have anything to fix!), and it's built like a tank. I mean, the thing single-handedly ended my Gear Acquisition Syndrome. For those who don't need fancy gadgets and want a solid, no-BS solution, this is it.
I mean, if a unit needs constant updates, is it really done? I remember when products used to be finished from the factories aha ha hah
Its has certainly been a slippery slope regarding the quality of the products when they are released these days, when you can always fix things after they are sold (if they even ever do that)
Yes. "Frequent firmware updates" has always been marketing weasel speak for "we started shipping the product before it was finished".
These products are just another form of computer, in any other area of computing people expect software updates to come along after release so why would it be any different with these units?
All boss has to do is incorporate their existing pedal into the digital format.
Like when you buy a biss chorus pedal you get a plugin version of it
I have a handful of the classic, vintage Boss Pedals. I left them behind for the Boss GT-6 Modeler, as that had more Effects, and was an excellent all-in-one floor unit, perfect size, and sounded authentic to the Pedals. When it started to fail electronically, I could have gotten it repaired, but the time I would have been without it was excessive, as was the repair price, and the UI and Manual left much to be desired.
I also left the GT-6 behind as it sounded "dated" and I wanted something small enough to sit on my desktop, was an Audio Interface, had a VST Plugin, included fresher and newer sounds, was more versatile and was easier to program/create new sounds. The HX Stomp fit the bill, though initially dialing in sounds was far more challenging than I expected and the GT-6 Presets sounded better right out of the box. Now that I know what I'm doing, the HX-Stomp has exceeded my expectations, and is the best gear purchase I've ever made.
i have an hx stomp xl , headrush mx 5, pod go, but have switched to ampero 2 stage. the ampero has the sounds i crave and the layout i love, if you haven't tried the ampero you should! In a close 2nd is the hx stomp xl, l love the dedication to updates that makes line 6 awesome its sometimes hard to believe how relevant line six has kept 10 year old technology current. my nod to the ampero goes to the touch screen, the pedal layout, button configurability and the iphone app. i find that you both sound great for the money.
Boss Katana has printed money in way all the other modelling companies are envious of. I'm sure they would prefer that to having a Neural/Fractal killer.
Regular updates is huge! And a great community of users
These tones sure sound fantastic. 👍
I just got the boss katana go and it is kickass
I’ve got a boss gx 100 and it’s great for the price!! I have started experimenting and have put an Ampero mini through the send return and use the amp/cabs from that unit!! It works pretty well! Not a lover of the amps on the boss unit but the gx100 is really good for everything else!!
Actually, this was my question a few years ago as well. I know there are few people here on your channel defending Boss. I understand how these guys feel. I've always been a loyal customer for years. But within this decade, I do noticed that there are less customers buying and returning Boss GT1000 than usual though. These are not real FACTs, guys. It's just my own opinion. However, I do know (if I really want to know), I'm sure I can just research Boss/Roland's 10k Annual Financials through the last 5 years (2019 - 2023). BUT I'm not really dying to know right now. Lol.
Anyway, in my opinion (without researching), I believe Boss GT 1000 didn't really sell alot in the last 5 years. Even though I'm a loyal customer, I didn't buy GT1000 as well. I actually bought, helix and Fractal FM9. Lol. To me, I've always felt like there are better modelers out there than Boss' flag GT1000: i.e., Kemper, QC, Helix, Fractal, etc.). In a way, as a customer, I think I kinda left Boss itself. This is just my 2 cents. 😆
@johnnathancordy where did you find that list of real world equivalents to the amp models in the GX-100. Been searching for something like that for hours, with no luck. Would love to get my hands on it.
Fantastic tone
I bought and use almost always a gx100 to use as a multi effect into my amps. I mostly use none drive “pedals” so reverbs and delays (including the terra echo which I did not expect to love so much, for me the tone control needs to be set to the negative side [-18 for me] to avoid a strange high pitch screech thing it does). Then there’s things like slow gear, eqs and the rest of the regulars like chorus and phaser. Oh and even other oddities like ring modulators but with an “intelligent” setting which seems to be a bit more in tune with the notes and chords you play that I recently found. It can also do mono, dual mono, stereo and stereo WDW. I can also plug in more than just guita/bass and adjust and even assign different input levels saved and named and it all sounds great, I also plug in a Roland aerophone, digital keyboard, horns through a microphone or my mixer, old Roland td6 edrums and things like MPCs. As a bonus I really like some of the amp models that can be used as a preamp too into other amps. The input and output settings are crucial to be able to do all this and luckily there’s plenty of options. So far I’ve had no need for an upgrade, the only two things I wish it had (or maybe a gx1000 model as someone suggested in an other comment) are stereo inputs and combo xlr/instrument/line input and output jacks
I don’t think they are left behind. Boss units sound great even by today standards.
I own a Boss ME90 I looked at tons of multi effects and after owning a Katana mk2 100 i took a chance and after using Tone Studio with a tablet wireless into the ME90 it's every single thing I need. I own a pedalboard too with JHS and some more Boss. Look at certain Boss pedals on boards EQ,Chorus DD7,BD2 etc there doing OK We have option paralysis
yes, a lot less amps, but surprisingly the X-Modded is the best sounding amp model i"ve ever heard, for both high and mid gain sounds (for me). Pretty much all my patches are some variation of the X-Modded, especially for high gain tones.
11:43, He said "gamechanger", everybody take a drink!
I've had a few Boss units and ended up selling them all.. problem is they release a product to great fanfare and then it's left to stagnate, no new feature updates, no quality of life or computer OS compatibility enhancements, they just go to their next big thing... like that daft Boss guitar thing they launched a while back. I'll stick with my Kemper Stage... the hardware form factor may be knocking on a bit, but the constant firmware and software updates keep it well and truly 'in the game'
LOLOL the Kemper needs to get updated to have stuff the Boss GT 1000 has on day one. If that makes you feel better than have at it. I love the GT1000 core and don't regret selling my inferior Kemper power head one bit.
Despite other companies having the same issue as mentioned above, this is the main reason I avoid Boss/Roland digital stuff nowadays. Even their construction quality isn't comparable to 20-30 years ago. I've had more issues with my Roland Blues Cube than most tube amps I've owned.
That's because BOSS releases fully developed, finished products. And when there is stuff to be fixed in software, they do release updates - see all the new features (not just fixes) the GT1000 got over the years as an example.
I think fashion comes into it. Line 6, Neural and Kemper are seen as sexy and fashionable. Boss is a bit old and frumpy. But if you invest you time and cash in something like the GT1000, the core or the GX100 you soon see that these are solid and dependable units that sound amazing and have decades of heritage and knowledge built in. I love my GT1000 core (recently acquired)
I've always liked the Boss stuff. It's not the most user-friendly, but I actually found some of the stuff that's supposed to be user friendly to actually be quite clunky to use (I'm looking at you Positive Grid), whereas a lot of the Boss stuff is quick to use once you've learned it. And I think, if you know how to dial it in, it also sounds good.
I've been using an old GT-1 for the last few years, because I've been travelling and wanted something portable. I've thought about upgrading, but, frankly, can't find a compelling reason. I also have an old Boss JS-8 which I sometimes use for practising and I have to say, the sounds are pretty good and the facilities are hard to beat.
I also have a Boss Pocket GT which is neat and sounds great, although the form factor is a little annoying (could do with a belt clip like I had on my old Boss BR-80).
I also have a NuX MP-3 which is great, but I'm really tempted with the Boss Katana Go because I think the execution looks better.
One thing I dislike with the Pocket GT and (by extension) the Katana Go is the practice features (looping, slow-down) are no-where near as slick as the JS-8 or the BR-80, even though the user interface is better.
A big comparison that I often see made is the Helix native and line 6 pedal platform, being lumped into the same category as the neural DSP plugins and the quad cortex. To be fair I think it's great that all of the options on the line six pedal is available in Helix native. But it's not nearly as impressive as when all of the neural DSP plugins will become available on the quad cortex... There will be provisions of tones that have never been achieved in a portable form factor unless you like taking your laptop with you. Some people might not find us to be a big deal but for those who have some of these plugins they really do offer some various tonal varieties that just aren't achievable with the stock captures or even additional captures that they really do offer some various tonal varieties that just aren't achievable with the stock captures... A year ago I switched from the Helix floor to the Tone master pro... Ugh what a grass is greener lesson 😅 I've moved to the QC and am really enjoying it just as much as the Helix floor but slight edge due to the capture tech.
I do not own a GX-100 but I do own a Boss MS-3 multi-effects unit and a Katana MKII head. The problem with the Boss stuff to me is software updates. They release products then let them die on the vine. The HXFX has replace the Boss MS-3 in my analog rig for a few reasons but a major one is that it hasn't been updated in a very long time and could definitely use modernizing, new models, improvements to existing ones (the drives are really not great in the MS-3 or the Katana IMO) as well as DSP usage optimizations, etc. But none of that ever comes.
My Katana head has not been played at all in well over a year. It had replaced my old red knobs Twin that dies in 2020 for our first post pandemic gigs but I eventually got my Revv Dynamis 7-40 tube head which has become my main amp in my standard amp rig.
When I decided to get a modeller rig as well last year, Boss/Roland were not even contenders for me and I have already gotten a ton more value from my Helix floor with all the updates it received, additional models, the new cabs, etc., etc. than with any "modelling" gear I own from Boss.
You are right that the main amp models (at least in the Katana MKII) still sound great but everything could use some improvements and the models in the Helix just sound better. So in some ways, I do think Boss are being left behind and they only have themselves to blame.
I have used Boss GT1, Line 6 pod 6 Go. They are okay, but I prefer the Headrush MX5. It takes a bit longer to get the sounds I like programmed in, but i think the sounds are more realistic sounding. The touch screen is great too. They show what each Amp., cab., and other effects correspond to.
great playing mr j cordy love it
Is there not a lot of people using the GT1000, GX100, Boss ME-90 or the SY-1000?
Probably way more than it appears, for example in the sales ranking at Thomann the Boss GX-100 ranks at number 7 before the Line6 stomp at number 8, Helix 9 and POD Go at 14. Boss is and has been a major player in guitar gear for a very long time.
@@Stefan- Yea, when it comes to pedals, BOSS has seemingly always been the standard. So when JNC brings this up and i actually sit back and think about it, i really dont hear much about BOSS for multi-FX/modelling compared to Fractal, Line 6 and Neural DSP, which IS pretty weird. I expected to see/hear a lot more about the ME-90 and GT-1000 than i do.
I almost purchased a GT-1000 Core, but didn't because 1) UI on the pedal after being frustrated with my Boss switcher, 2) assumed the software would be clunky and quickly stop being updated, and 3) I didn't want the Boss "sound" of digital amps. But the first two were key. This stuff requires a solid, easy to use, intuitive UI/UX with regular updates.
I have a hx stomp and have got a hx one for slightly more dsp. Is there any way to make a video about using the hx one with the hx stomp and the different midi capabilities?
Like when you change the preset in the stop will the hx one change too ect...
Think you’ve hovered the state of the game fairly well. The various GT versions over time don’t seem to be getting the love or discussions that you’d expect given the overall quality of BOSS’s sounds. I think it’s been said more than enough times, there’s nobody out there saying a bad thing about the gear’s sounds, only the usual slog of laments over lack of updates or following the sort of thing every other modeller does. One thing I really do wonder here. Take Gamechanger pedals. These obviously never get updates , they’re pushing limits on all the algorithms they produce, hardware like the Bigsby pedal which are using seriously chubby polyphonics, everything great right, but Gamechanger much like BOSS gets precious little discussion in groups. People seem to buy and use them but when was the last time you saw a discussion in any group about their stuff ? In contrast to the all in one floor modeling stuff, which gets precious community growing around it, the Katana line doesn’t really seem to ever slow down, has seen both hardware and software updates and things there are like you say @john, totally sewn up.
John, where are you GT1000 patches in Boss Exchange? I looked and could not find them this morning. Please advise.
Had a GT1000 core for a while now. To me it offers the feel of playing a real amp. I haven't used the more expensive QC, Fender or other high end units so I can't compare. I do find that loading IR's seem to give you a better result than what the BOSS comes with.
I trust Boss product because I have Boss gt100 and use it almost every week at church for about 10 years. It still sounds amazing and no problem with all the knobs, switch and I/O till now.
But when I look at the line 6, Quad Cortex, Fractal even Nux or Valeton......
I wish Boss can have more attention and put more effort to what we want. The outdated touch screen and UI on the Boss gx100 and gt1000 is what drag me back for buy their new multieffect.
I still waiting they keep up to the new starting line of multieffects.
I'm planning a pedalboard for Boss gx100 2.0(Better UI) and Hx Stomp 2.0(Touch screen and more DSP) together. But I don't think that's going to happen in more than 5 years.
The tone at 1:17 is very reminiscent of “Clouds Race Across the Sky” by Joe Satriani. That is a good thing.
Only judging by the BossME80, I will have to agree with your statement......they still have this whole affinity to keep staying stuck in the 80s......i mean that is a niche in itself but then you should not market stuff for people who grew up in the late 90s and early 2000s and then provide dated tones......I'd like to have hope on the GT1000 core
Boss is so 1980s. I've never owned a Boss pedal, and I started playing in the 60s.
If Boss had an interface such as the Tone Master Pro, I'd probably give up my Helix and return to Boss. With the Helix I find that there's only a handful of amps that I use on a steady basis, so those in the GT/GX series would suit me just fine. Frankly, I don't have any interest in "captures" or "profiling" as I always end up tweaking an amp to fit the sound that's in my head-- I'd likely be undoing what the profilers were trying to accomplish in the first place. The only thing that keeps me from connecting my Boss gear to the computer is the hassle of the process-- that's something that Line6 finally got right!
I compared my GT1000 to Helix Native and found the effects and reverbs to sound more 3D and alive in the Boss unit, although the choice of effects may be more limited. Still love my GT1000 although a more appealing interface and better IR implementation would make me love it more haha
Again man, what’s on your hat! I’m so intrigued 😂
do I still need to buy an amp head to play these types of pedals, modelers, plugins thru a 4x12 cab? Is there a Multi pedal thats capable of powering cabs? I need to be able to hear myself in a Djent/thrash power trio situation.
Strymon and UAD pedals and even other boutique pedal companies are taking off, Boss have a great offering and legacy I wouldn’t say they are being left behind but they aren’t the first company I think of in terms of creating something innovative or fresh, but I’m sure I’m wrong.
Hopefully there's something on the horizon!!
John, you make anything sound good!
Right now I’m hooked on the Tonex because I captured my own amps.
But my god the UI sucks…
If Line 6 adds capturing I’ll be happy.
Why do i need 100+ amps and cabs???? I gig this every weekend...
More isnt necessarily Mooer, haha, Fractal Axe I have and love for studio and monitor work, Katana for making a noise and moving to 2 Katanas and artist hopefully the III out soon. Plus I use the Fractal through the Katana and it is surprisingly excellent. I tend to use a J45 for clean and Revv red for distortion and loud. Now having tone studio on the iPad is excellent and I use a xsonic switch. I actually have too much, therefore tend to do what you do which is standardise on the sounds I like. Using two katana artists together is lush😊😊😊
I tried switching from using the Ampero 2 stomp to the boss gt 1000.. i tried to give the boss unit a chance but in my ears the Ampero and HX stomp sound 10x better . Was very disappointed with the Boss modeling stuff.
Many other people are happy with it tho so to each their own!
Buy Boss, you will never regret it. Buy anything else and you will always regret it. That is my experience ;)
boss are the NOKIA 3210 brick. amazing build qualiy 20 years before the iphone. boss products do the same job with a old school intface.
I was going to buy a new modeller and considered the GX100. I liked it had the wireless Bluetooth for audio streaming and connecting to the Tone Studio app. The problem was the UI is like a 1990s programmable calculator plus they are inconsistent across their range with the effects. As a nit picky example the lower tier ME90 has the freeze effect but is left out on the GX100. At least Helix are fairly consistent across their range but in 2024 the hardware doesn’t have the features I want so holding out before I buy anything new. Got the Katana Go though and it’s top banana.
This happens with some gear manufacturers. I use and love some Strymon pedals. I recently bought the Cloudburst and it's extremely great for ambient pad reverb. No one can argue the staples of the Timeline and Big Sky on many boards. However the trend is now smaller pedals with great programming software. Will Strymon get left behind? Certainly the Boss modelors have some great tones. But it seems like when it comes to GUI, display, and software there could be better design choices for some of the gear makers. The industry is changing fast.
Boss 2025:
New flagship modeler + Katana MKIII
FOR SURE.
Even if they haven’t released something to compete all the other brands as for modelers , during these years the brand has still put so many interesting products on the market: IR-2, RV-200, GX-100, ME-90, Katana Go, DS1W, GM-800, RC-600, GA-FC EX, Katana 50 EX, SPACE ECHO…
My first pedalboard (hope to find again in a future life) was a Boss product and I loved it, my first distortion pedal I played live was a DS-1, always brilliant and efficient products with no problems at all, the customer support is always very good and my relation with other brands in terms of quality of the products and customer service have never been so good. Boss is Boss!
I guess in late 2024 or beginning of 2025 the brand will launch something new to astonish all the competitors
You're not paying attention. Theres still lots of life left in these products.
BINGO! Today they’ve just announced new Katana III will be available soon
Boss gonna catch up with monumental release. But the problem is, when?
I think weve gotten to the point where tone is all really good and simply debatable. Power will never be enough but is ample.
The winning market now is going to come down to User experience. Thats adaptability (modular hardware) and interface (easy software). Thats why Line 6 continues to be in the lead.
I had boss for pedals and multi effects for several years, great hardware software lets them down, on the unit not on the pc, are the worth looking at definitely
I think the biggest issue with Boss/Roland right now is they haven't adopted the current mindset of ongoing updates. Other companies not only offer value when you purchase a product, but also offer you ongoing value as they develop the platform.
I think they had not understand that now the EFX business is made different. For me the main problems are lack of quality models and permanent upgrade of firmware/new feautres. I have the GX-100 which I love, for me the touscreen is great and make it a breeze to use... But in order to get the tones I need I use it with the TONEX! I know lots of GX-100 owners do this... If I was working at boss i´d be so embarrased to know my clients do so....
I see many of the comments focus on their pedals but you're talking about modeling. I had a GT1000 and could not get the tones I needed out of it. Went on a bit of a journey and have now had the Quad Cortex since launch. Have never looked to Boss as a competitor for Fractal, NDSP, Kemper or Line 6. Also, updates were few and far between. Their floor modelers really seemed like an afterthought and never got much love.
I’d love to see Boss (or any other company) make a pro spec ME-90. High quality amps, profiles, and FX but with a knob per function workflow.
I think they have their niche. But as for myself, I constantly find dealbreakers in their products.
First for the OD-200 and DD-200, it was the UI. FFS, I *need* to refer to the manual to change any of the settings. Now I was vaguely thinking about GX-100 or GT-1000CORE for an iPad looping application, and it turns out they're not USB class compliant audio interfaces. And if they worked, it seems there's some inconsistency with updates and iOS versions. So that went right out the window.
OTOH, BOSS do have some really cool features. Best in class low latencies mean they play really well with other digital FX. Seamless preset switching is nice -- probably the lowest priced multi FX to offer that.
... GX-100 can act as a USB interface. Is this not compatible with IOS devices?
@@willgo7898 I've read they are not USB class compliant, so no. Needs a driver basically, and iOS drivers don't seem like a priority for BOSS.
The GT 1000/core is easily the best sounding best feeling least latency modeller in existence right now. If youre leaving that behind because of marketing and amp names thats on you.
used to have a GX-100 and if they fixed the IR loading and how it even sounds I would have probably kept it
I would say the most successful digital modeller is the boss katana. That thing has sold bucket loads. Add a digital screen to the katana three and an ir loader and boss win
I sold the gx 100 and returned to hx stomp. I did not like the pc interface and have troubles with the Bluetooth. I hate when saving it took to much time into the apps and even the back up of the banks took me to time tom understand. Amps Sounds for me was better on the hx stomp. I love the multi switches on the gx 100. May be some updates on the software or the gx 100 will improve the experience on the pedalboard.
Boss has long struggled with UI. For me, fewer amp models are a benefit. I don't want to wade through 300 amps to try to figure out what the minor differences are and which three I'll actually use. And, of course, I'm always saying how Boss' MDP amp models are a big selling point for me. Capturing/profiling is also something that isn't important to me, though if it allowed them to address the "not enough amps" for people who want that without actually adding more amps, that might be good. A software version would be a big bonus to me...although since I've moved my music work to the iPad, I can't use those anyway. (Except for Tonex, and IK really needs to update Amplitube and integrate it with Tonex for me to consider that as an option. If Line6 brought the software Helix to the iPad Pro, I just might finally become a Line6 customer.) A lack of firmware updates is a sticking point for me with Boss too. Overall, I think in some cases it's more about providing different trade-offs to the market, but there are certainly a few areas where they could improve.
If you don’t consider the Katana as a modeler, then they are being left behind. But if you factor in the katana, they are right in the thick of it.
The problem is that their UIs are a generation and a half behind the times. This is true across all the Boss/Roland brands.
Not helped by having Gibson acquire them and then run the whole thing into bankruptcy.
Err, what. When did Gibson acquire Roland/Boss?
Boss tend to release a new product rather than update and utilise the products they have through software like line6 and others.....they are a hardware company abd are struggling to capitalise with blending the software side and releasing frequent updates to draw new customers month by month......it feels like they tie their advancements to hardware releases which requires you to buy a new product
i had them all, fractal is the best.
Definitely left behind in the pitch shifting effect. Helix can tune my bass up or down as many steps as I want. Boss GTX-100 couldn't do it at all, which was very dissapointing. Nice enough unit apart from that. Software update process was awful.
BOSS makes great products...products they ignore and don't actually support at all as soon as R&D is done.
I still use ny yamaha DG Stomp!
I bet it sounds amazing. I love Yamaha gear
@@CharlesStratton-oi8ef i also have the acoustic version!
Why does everyone forget about Sansamp when discussing early modelling?
12:36 was a weird jump from talking to playing. Glitch in the matrix?
What brand of strat is that one?
Have a Helix and a RC-600 - The problem with Boss is not the audio quality, the Katana is a great example of that. But their user interfaces is like going back to the eaely 80's, it's so bad.
After owning a boss 1000 series pedal, I feel they left us (customers) behind.
I have mac, and boss did not release updates following the macos updates, meaning I couldn't use the devices on my PC. They only updated drivers when I contacted customer care, who then had to contact the HQ at Japan (not the customer care's fault). Awful.
To make things worse, this was the time when boss released the gigcaster series. The guitar effects were based off the same algos, and while they instantly added mac support for that new product, they didn't seem to have an intention for the rest of their flagship products.
I loved the sound of the boss effects, but I refuse to get another digital flagship product, as I have a odd suspicion that the support they'll provide later will be close to nothing. I've been using my HX stomp for a while now, and it just provides me the confidence to know that I'm not using a dying product.
I have a GT-1000 core and hook it up to my Mac running Sonoma.
Agree 100% on the updates front. Without significant firmware updates, your product just ages, so you're forgotten. Having a major update every 12 to 18 months keeps you in the chatter. Few updates seems cultural at Boss, so not sure this will change. Fortunately, they release finished products, but the market will favor a different approach, I think. And I think it would be a really bad move for Boss to just give up this market to Line 6 and the others.
With any product, if you buy it and it meets your needs, frankly, the firmware updates aren't needed. It will still always do those things.
5:38 Headrush? Are they still in the game?