Best FEEDBACK Eliminator: Boss NS-2 or MXR Smart Gate?

Anchors · #1 01-29-2010, 10:23 AM

After tons of forum searches I still cant figure out which one of these pedals can effectively eliminate feedback caused by my vt bass pedal. I have it really dirty.

guitar > tuner > vt bass > mxr m-80 > amp. I've tried killing the feedback with the eq, but just muddies the sound. And it still happens even if im 8 feet away facing the opposite direction.

These pedals seemed to be geared more towards pedal noise and feedback killing seems secondary (ive only been playing for a year). I dont have any pedal noise to kill, I just need all the feedback destroyed.

Any help would be appriciated.

Thanks

Smurf-o-Deth · #2 01-29-2010, 10:50 AM

Any reason you aren't considering the ISP Decimator?

Anchors · #3 01-29-2010, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smurf-o-Deth

Any reason you aren't considering the ISP Decimator?

Forgot to add that the boss and mxr are easy to find used locally for me. It comes down to price.

rratajski · #4 01-29-2010, 11:03 AM

I'm interested in info on this issue as well.
My hollow body bass loves to make my muff scream when I'm not passing signal, well, intended signal.

I noticed that the NS-2 was a bit of a tone-sucker on my g****rist's board/setup, so personally, I would stay away from this one.

Info on the MXR and ISP please.

ItsMichaelYeah · #5 01-29-2010, 11:25 AM

Mxr smart gate all the way!

I use it. IMHO the boss ns-2 is just garbage. I tried it and it doesn't cut the extra Hum/feedback as quick and sucks my tone.

The smart gate is simple and easy to use. I even think it's better than the ISP IMO. And better for the price.

The noise gate is just as good if not better than when I had a dbx 166xl.
I got the smart gate because I was going from rack gear to pedals.

rratajski · #6 01-29-2010, 11:33 AM

So the MXR has no tone loss that you notice? No muddiness or loss of clean highs? Stops the feedback immediately w/out killing any sustain?

newbold · #7 01-29-2010, 11:35 AM

neither of these are feedback eliminators.

I suggest you look into the Behringer Shark. It's affordable, relatively pedal-sized (though athey can be rackmounted) and they actually filter out feedback.

Also - they're a preamp, have a compressor and a delay (without feedback though...so just delay...not effecty but useful for live audio)

Neat little units. Not what you're looking for but def. useful.

rratajski · #8 01-29-2010, 11:46 AM

What feedback elims are there in pedal form?
I don't know about the OP, but I am not interested in racked units.

Bardley · #9 01-29-2010, 11:57 AM

A Sabine FBX Solo is not much bigger than a pedal. I use quite a few of them at work on classroom mics. They can be found used.

http://sabine.com/Pro_FBX_Solo_index.htm

bassman1185 · #10 01-29-2010, 12:09 PM

I love my NS-2, mainly for the loop function. I have all my dirt/gain pedals in the loop, and my delay after that. It helps clean up my sound, especially when I'm dealing with abrupt, stacatto parts with open silence in between notes. I wouldn't gig without it now. I haven't used the MXR or the ISP, but the NS-2 is perfect for me. I haven't noticed any tone suck with it, but I also haven't even bothered running my board without it for about three years.

Also, I don't think that feedback eliminators like the Sabine FBX units or the Behringer Shark are anything at all like what you want. They simply automatically EQ out feedback, which is far more effective with mics than with basses. You are probably getting a lot of low end if you try to EQ the feedback out.

ItsMichaelYeah · #11 01-29-2010, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rratajski

So the MXR has no tone loss that you notice? No muddiness or loss of clean highs? Stops the feedback immediately w/out killing any sustain?

slightly by itself. In a show setting I don't notice. I play alot of pop/rock/punk. I use p basses and use a few distortion and preamps. It cuts the hiss of my pedals and that buzz I get from my ehx little big muff. And the Huge one knob is easy to adjust with my foot.

When you at x amount of pedals to the line you will lose tone but some more than others. IMHO this is the best one I've tried so far.

newbold · #12 01-31-2010, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bardley

A Sabine FBX Solo is not much bigger than a pedal. I use quite a few of them at work on classroom mics. They can be found used.

http://sabine.com/Pro_FBX_Solo_index.htm

Add in a compressor AND a noise gate on top of a preamp, and you've got the Behringer Shark.

http://www.behringer.de/EN/Products/DSP110.aspx

Anchors · #13 01-31-2010, 02:03 PM

Thanks for all the responses.

I'm probably gonna go with the MXR.
The "high range" mode might be what I'm looking for.

I read that the Boss is crap at the end of a chain.
I understand the chain loop kills pedal noise, but I'm not too sure it would help with feedback.
Wrong?

And yes, I know these pedals aren't made for killing feedback.

bassman1185 · #14 01-31-2010, 02:09 PM

It should work fine to help cut out resonance feedback. If you're dealing with squeeling microphonic feedback, you probably have an issue with your bass' electronics. Also, putting your VT in the loop will get rid of a lot of the noise that it can produce.

rratajski · #15 02-05-2010, 12:55 PM

I got the ISP Decimator today and it kills the resonance feedback, as I wanted it to do. I have the threshold set at -40. Perfect!