Boss GX-100

[fretmeister]

The “know what we like” thing is interesting.

 

My favourite speaker is the Celestion  G12-65.So I bought the official IR from Celestion.

 

In addition to the different mics and distance files etc there are also dozens of “fat” “thin” “dark” “bright” etc etc of them.

 

I had no idea I’d prefer the thin option. Seems counter-intuitive for the stuff I play. But it has a bite to it I really like.
 

If I only had 16 slots I might have never loaded it up to try.

[jimfist]

21 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

Home auditioning for live use doesn’t work though. Good tones at home are very different to good live tones.

 

Good old Fletcher-Wotsit curves. 

 

Well, it worked for me. You mix it loud, for starters, to excite enough air in the room to wreak havoc. LOL.

I'll admit that having done a crap-ton of studio and live mixing - as wall as performing - helped my situation a lot, and certainly not everyone will have worn those three hats to garner enough experience to understand how each can relate to the other. And of course my personal taste in bass tone and how they should sit in a mix are also subjective. I digress.

 

It can also work for those relying on IEM for at rehearsal and performances.

[dave_bass5]

2 hours ago, fretmeister said:

If I only had 16 slots I might have never loaded it up to try.

Why’s that, if you don’t mind me asking. 

[Al Krow]

On 04/03/2022 at 12:01, Greg Edwards69 said:

Looks great and a nice form factor.  Take off the expression pedal and this is what the stomp XL should have been.

 

I note no XLR output though. Having independent XLR and 1/4" outputs is one of things stopping me from going to anything smaller than my Helix LT.

 

I can live without a dedicated XLR, provided the 1/4" out is balanced. Maybe the manual will give us clarity on that? 

 

But if it doesn't have any form of balanced out that's a pretty glaring omission for a standalone multi fx. 

[dave_bass5]

25 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

 

I can live without a dedicated XLR, provided the 1/4" out is balanced. Maybe the manual will give us clarity on that? 

 

But if it doesn't have any form of balanced out that's a pretty glaring omission for a standalone multi fx. 

Why would you need balanced if going to an amp?

[dave_bass5]

 

[dave_bass5]

Manuals are on their website if any wants to get them. As far as i can see no mention of balanced out, nor connection to PA. Just to amp/rigs. 

https://www.boss.info/global/products/gx-100/support/

[Al Krow]

24 minutes ago, dave_bass5 said:

Why would you need balanced if going to an amp?

Because it might not be going to an amp. 

[dave_bass5]

20 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Because it might not be going to an amp. 

Well even then, its not really an issue for most people using it (IMO of course). Balanced gives you more protection against noise over long cable runs, but if its an issue you can use a DI box.

 

 

[Al Krow]

8 minutes ago, dave_bass5 said:

Well even then, its not really an issue for most people using it (IMO of course). Balanced gives you more protection against noise over long cable runs, but if its an issue you can use a DI box.

 

 

Well yes, obviously. But then you no longer have a standalone multi fx if you need a DI box. 

 

Zoom B6 and most of Helix multis have balanced out. Heck, even the Hotone Ampero has one... 

[dave_bass5]

2 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Well yes, obviously. But then you no longer have a standalone multi fx if you need a DI box. 

 

Zoom B6 and most of Helix multis have balanced out. Heck, even the Hotone Ampero has one... 

Agreed, it would be better to have it for the odd occasion, but for most of us is it really a deal breaker?

 

[fretmeister]

1 hour ago, dave_bass5 said:

Why’s that, if you don’t mind me asking. 

 

My assumption that the ones labelled “thin” could not possibly be what I want, combined with the Hassle of auditioning 100 files only 16 at a time instead of being able to try all of them, with just a twist of a knob on the modeller. And / or the hassle of having to take a PC to rehearsal to do the IR swapped in those batches of 16.

 

Not being able to instantly A/B IR 2 in batch 1, with IR 4 in batch 2, but having to delete and upload again and again.

 

Probably having to make written notes of what I liked in Batch 1 of 16 files, then Batch 2 etc. then making a sub batch of 16 I liked to listen to again and A/B them. With 100 files and only 16 slots there would probably have to be a third round of the batch process.

 

I would have probably given up before getting to the one that was actually perfect for my needs.

 

All of that nonsense can be avoided by having enough slots. 
 

 

IR slots are just a library. Doesn’t mean the content is used all at the same time. But there’s no good reason to limit ease of use. Some modellers have 3000 slots now!

 

 

[krispn]

Boss don’t appear to have included a ‘direct to desk’ option in their literature  
 

 

[jimfist]

I think that Boss is more gearing this toward guitarists with switching stage amps or those who use 4-cable method than those who would want to use it as an all-in-one.  And a lot of people aren't happy slapping a Whirlwind IMP2 on their board to send to FOH, and will want something better in quality that can add significant cost.  Though this type of thing isn't a dealbreaker for me personally (my stage rig has an XLR feed taken pre-preamp, right at the input of the amp), it has been expressed often that it's a drag.   But I'd rather have sturdy 1/4" outs than a shoddy XLR which is prone to break down.

[dave_bass5]

14 minutes ago, krispn said:

Boss don’t appear to have included a ‘direct to desk’ option in their literature  
 

 

No, thats what i was saying earlier. This i also why i mentioned going to an amp. Obviously you can go direct to desk, but its not being sold as a box that does.

if i was using a rig on stage, id just be using it an FX board, just like I did with my Helix. For this it seems purpose built. Possibly a missed opportunity though.  

[krispn]

17 minutes ago, jimfist said:

I think that Boss is more gearing this toward guitarists with switching stage amps or those who use 4-cable method than those who would want to use it as an all-in-one.  And a lot of people aren't happy slapping a Whirlwind IMP2 on their board to send to FOH, and will want something better in quality that can add significant cost.  Though this type of thing isn't a dealbreaker for me personally (my stage rig has an XLR feed taken pre-preamp, right at the input of the amp), it has been expressed often that it's a drag.   But I'd rather have sturdy 1/4" outs than a shoddy XLR which is prone to break down.

Oh aye I agree. What folk think it should have and what the engineers or design goals were are often at odds. They could have and I suppose some folks will be frustrated they didn’t. 

Edited March 5, 2022 by krispn

[Al Krow]

Just checked and this thing is 18" x 8" in size. Considerably wider than an HX Effects, so it's not exactly pedal board friendly. I personally would be wanting something this size to be a standalone multifx that I could grab and go.

Zoom have paid very careful attention to how their multi fx might actually be used by gigging bass players with their B6 and have provided some excellent DI out options. 

The Line 6 Pod Go, which this seems to be being pitched at, also has a balanced out. 

I agree with the comment that it was a very obvious missed opportunity for players who want to go directly into their PA or FOH.

For me the biggest omission, however, is Boss leaving out some of their most attractive fx from this and the GT 1000 Core e.g. OC5, SY-1 etc. 

[hookys6stringbass]

 

Check out this review.... I was quite surprised that the GX sounded a lot erm warmer than the Core.... 

[stewblack]

On 06/03/2022 at 09:34, Al Krow said:

Boss leaving out some of their most attractive fx from this and the GT 1000 Core e.g. OC5, SY-1 etc. 

Good lord. Glad I read this before getting excited about these units. I mean, I already have both the SY-1 and the OC5, but that's not the point!

[jimfist]

51 minutes ago, stewblack said:

Good lord. Glad I read this before getting excited about these units. I mean, I already have both the SY-1 and the OC5, but that's not the point!

Exactly this! I could forgive the lack of balanced/XLR output on a unit as I've been gigging my B3n/G5n for years, but when you don't have any bona-fide synth options? Still a compelling pedal, the GX-100, but lack of synth gave me pause, too.

[stewblack]

2 minutes ago, jimfist said:

Exactly this! I could forgive the lack of balanced/XLR output on a unit as I've been gigging my B3n/G5n for years, but when you don't have any bona-fide synth options? Still a compelling pedal, the GX-100, but lack of synth gave me pause, too.

B6 does so well in this area

[jimfist]

1 hour ago, stewblack said:

B6 does so well in this area

 

I think the popularity of the XLR out is underestimated by manufacturers, including Zoom in the "n" series.

Getting some nice fat synth tones, too.

The sounds you can get from the OC-2 octaver simulation are really interesting. Well done on this by Zoom.

I never owned that pedal, but now understand why it's considered to be so cool.

The OC-2 followed by a fuzz or dirt followed by an envelope filter/auto wah can yield some great synth-like tones.

[T-Bay]

Just had mine delivered today. Planning on mostly guitar use when I bought it but after an hour on bass I am seriously impressed. It has a good range of sounds and once you get your head around it, it’s easy to tweak to your taste. I wasn’t planning on gigging it on bass but think I may well give it a go now.

Edit: had a chance to play with this more today and am SERIOUSLY impressed. The system is easy to navigate once you get your around it (doesn’t take long) and it’s easy to build patches from scratch or adapt the ones there already. It has a lot to offer us bass players and even more if you get stuff off the Boss tone studio (I think that’s free but not sure).

Edited May 18, 2022 by T-Bay

[Lfalex v1.1]

Lower down the price scale (~£260?)

Is the Zoom B2 Four.

 

Due in Autumn 2023.

 

Looks promising at the price.