Boss SY-200. New synth pedal on the way.

[fretmeister]

https://www.boss.info/global/products/sy-200/

 

Oooo!

 

I'm excited!

 

 

 

We need proper bass demos of course but until then...

 

 

 

 

Edited September 16, 2021 by fretmeister

[Al Krow]

Looks good!

 

Not sure it's new tech though - seems like a repackaged SY-300, which came out around 2015, in a smaller box? The 128 presets, plus the programmability of the SY-300, give it a nice edge over the SY-1. It also has the Boss visual UI which is better than the FI's and a lot better than the current C4. 

 

But in terms of core synth tones, if it is a rehashed SY-300 then IMO the FI and C4 will trump it. Assuming it has the poly tracking of the SY-1, that particular feature is awesome. 

Edited September 16, 2021 by Al Krow

[SumOne]

Another video (copied below) seems to say it's basically the SY-1 with saveable presets and some more control on things like pitch via midi controls but no more in-depth synth control.

 

I guess the pedals to beat are the C4 and FI, it looks like the SY-200 beats them for interface and if you don't want to plug in to a computer, but not sure about it being able to do the variety of Bass synth tones or things like envelope filters and octavers that they can do, seems a bit more guitar focussed.

 

The video says $300 which is £217 if the UK price is a direct conversion, other Boss 200 pedals are all about £200, that'd make the SY-200 tempting.   Edit...boooooo https://www.musicradar.com/news/boss-ir200-sy200-pedals says that it'll be £307 which is less tempting as that's C4 + controller, or FI sort of price. 

 

 

Edited September 16, 2021 by SumOne

[Woodinblack]

Looks good, I would have got that, although I got the FI so I guess I probably wouldn't get it any time soon. Looks an interesting pedal.

[Al Krow]

24 minutes ago, SumOne said:

The video says $300 which is £217 if the UK price is a direct conversion, other Boss 200 pedals are all about £200, that'd make the SY-200 tempting.   Edit...boooooo https://www.musicradar.com/news/boss-ir200-sy200-pedals says that it'll be £307 which is less tempting as that's C4 + controller, or FI sort of price. 

 

Yup $300 plus VAT & customs would put it at around the £280 mark. I guess transport may be a bit more from Japan --> UK than Japan --> US as well.

 

I look forward to getting a used one off @Woodinblack in 12 months' time and I will finally get round to selling him my Boss SY-1 at that point so he can have a spare...😁

[Al Krow]

3 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

Looks good, I would have got that, although I got the FI so I guess I probably wouldn't get it any time soon. Looks an interesting pedal.

 So you have the FI and SY-1 currently? Snap! 🙂

[paul_5]

Just listened to this and it’s not in tune. Could be his guitar wandering a bit, but it’s painful in places.

[Woodinblack]

18 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

 So you have the FI and SY-1 currently? Snap! 🙂

 

I do. I haven't used the FI though, literally I have plugged it in once and not used it - I got it as I thought it was cheap from a link on here, and it wasn't, so I had a bit of a down on it.

Should probably plug it in and see if I can use it for something at some point, not that I can really gig it as it is too big

[Woodinblack]

21 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

 

Yup $300 plus VAT & customs would put it at around the £280 mark. I guess transport may be a bit more from Japan --> UK than Japan --> US as well.

 

I look forward to getting a used one off @Woodinblack in 12 months' time and I will finally get round to selling him my Boss SY-1 at that point so he can have a spare...😁

 

Probably wouldn't be somethign I would sell - I was tempted by the SY1000 for a while, as a replacement for everything else, but it is the effort of having a 13 pin interface again. 

My SY1 now actually has a permenant song on our set list, so patches would be handy.

[Al Krow]

6 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

 

Probably wouldn't be somethign I would sell - I was tempted by the SY1000 for a while, as a replacement for everything else, but it is the effort of having a 13 pin interface again. 

My SY1 now actually has a permenant song on our set list, so patches would be handy.

Yeah - likewise, I was tempted by SY1000 and gave up for similar reasons of thought of having to put aside a bass to kit it out with the necessary interface.

 

So the SY-1 is finally getting gigged, result! Be interested in which song you using it on and what settings?

 

12 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

 

I do. I haven't used the FI though, literally I have plugged it in once and not used it - I got it as I thought it was cheap from a link on here, and it wasn't, so I had a bit of a down on it.

Should probably plug it in and see if I can use it for something at some point, not that I can really gig it as it is too big

 

That was definitely frustrating on the FI pricing for you. But shame not to use it - in terms of quality of synth tones I think it's still the best bass pedal currently available. And I'm not sure it's too much bigger than the SY-200?

[SumOne]

I like the sound of synth Bass but there's something with synth pedals that never quite gels with me (C4, FI, SY-5) I used to muck about a lot with keyboard synths and DAWs which seem better as far as synthesis, on-hand controls and accuracy/sustain etc. but I'm not giving up on Bass synth pedals as I prefer actually playing the Bass to playing keyboards or mucking about on a computer so could see myself getting the SY-200....and then selling it shortly later! 

[Al Krow]

36 minutes ago, SumOne said:

I like the sound of synth Bass but there's something with synth pedals that never quite gels with me (C4, FI, SY-5) I used to muck about a lot with keyboard synths and DAWs which seem better as far as synthesis, on-hand controls and accuracy/sustain etc. but I'm not giving up on Bass synth pedals as I prefer actually playing the Bass to playing keyboards or mucking about on a computer so could see myself getting the SY-200....and then selling it shortly later! 

Ok, first dibs then please!😁

[Woodinblack]

45 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Yeah - likewise, I was tempted by SY1000 and gave up for similar reasons of thought of having to put aside a bass to kit it out with the necessary interface.

 

I think if I had just the one bass I played live it would be an easy choice, but there isn't, I use all my basses in rotation, so there isn't even one I use more than the others. If I had a 13 pin it would tie me to one bass.

 

45 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

So the SY-1 is finally getting gigged, result! Be interested in which song you using it on and what settings?

 

the SY-1 has been gigged quite a lot, but I randomly used it on an add-hock basis when I felt like it before, however, after putting the organ patch on 'need your love so bad' the band really liked it, so it has become a permanent on that.  It would be nice if it did have patch memories.

 

45 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

That was definitely frustrating on the FI pricing for you. But shame not to use it - in terms of quality of synth tones I think it's still the best bass pedal currently available. And I'm not sure it's too much bigger than the SY-200?

 

I am guessing not much in it. Yes, it would be good to use it but doesn't fit on my board. I will play around with it at home and see what I can do with it. As I said, i plugged it in once and spent about a minute going through some options, which is a bit daft really - I have bought it, I shold make use out of it!

[0175westwood29]

I’m 100% grabbing one ASAP!!! The midi adds so much useful stuff! 

[basskit_case]

So this is the SY-300 in a new form factor, unsure where this sits in the Boss Synth range?

[stewblack]

I love my Boss Synth. I have come to realise that the ball ache of using a computer to alter a sound is a huge stumbling block for me 

Also the individual context of a band or room always calls for changing on the fly.

If this is an SY1 but with saveable, easily changeable presets, then I'm in.

£280 new. Hmm.

Edited September 18, 2021 by stewblack

[SumOne]

[Al Krow]

I'm interested to find out just how much more tweakable the 171 presets are on the SY-200 as compared to the 121 presets on the SY1.

 

There appears to be an additional (and important) resonance parameter on the SY-200 in addition to the existing tone / depth which are already available on the SY-1; but what that is going to be able to deliver in terms of usable sounds will be key for me as to whether I'll be upgrading to the SY-200 in due course.

 

Edited September 19, 2021 by Al Krow

[Al Krow]

The other bit I've gleaned is that the SY-200 has 3 new modes compared to the SY-1:

 

dual - combines lead & pad 

sweep

noise

 

...looking forward to finding out what these deliver! 

[SumOne]

41 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

The other bit I've gleaned is that the SY-200 has 3 new modes compared to the SY-1:

 

dual - combines lead & pad 

sweep

noise

 

...looking forward to finding out what these deliver! 

 

Source Audio mentioning (just by chance around the same time that the SY-200 is launched!) that there will be a C4 type thing but with a screen and controls has got me thinking I'll hold out for that - unless it's years away or an extortionate price. 

[Al Krow]

1 hour ago, SumOne said:

 

Source Audio mentioning (just by chance around the same time that the SY-200 is launched!) that there will be a C4 type thing but with a screen and controls has got me thinking I'll hold out for that - unless it's years away or an extortionate price. 

I've popped the question on timing to SA on the TB forum - be interesting to see what they say. But an expanded C4 with with a decent visual UI plus all the stuff you have to buy as extras currently under one bonnet would be a great bit of kit.

 

The C4 has got a better synth engine / core synth tones from what I've heard from @Quatschmacher's clips than the SY-1. (Although he would probably still say that the FI is still the top of the pile in terms of synth engine). Where the SY-1 completely excels is in with its polyphonic glitch free tracking, which is just outrageously good!

[0175westwood29]

Yep this sounds great 

[Woodinblack]

Yes, would be keen on getting one of those. I assume it is basically the SY1 with presets?

[Al Krow]

3 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

Yes, would be keen on getting one of those. I assume it is basically the SY1 with presets?

 

Plus these 3 new modes compared to the SY-1:

• dual - combines lead & pad 
• sweep
• noise

Particularly interested in what these 3 new modes deliver. 

 

@Woodinblack - for completeness, I should add there also appears to be an additional (and important) resonance parameter on the SY-200 which can be tweaked (and stored) in addition to the existing tone / depth which are already available on the SY-1; plus MIDI which was a particular draw for @0175westwood29

 

Edited October 29, 2021 by Al Krow

[Al Krow]

16 hours ago, 0175westwood29 said:

Yep this sounds great 

 

Btw, seriously nice board, socks, ahh both... 😁