DigiTech or Boss, better synth?

eastcoasteddie · #1 01-06-2010, 04:53 PM

As the title suggests, which is the better Synth effect?

I have the Ibanez synth, which can sound pretty cool sometimes, activated with my Polish Love I can get a really mean sounding sludge fuzz.

But sometimes I feel that it doesn't do enough...like the Auto Wah is very tame...you have to set it just right to get a good wah sound. Vary the sensitivity, frequency and resonance...and it barely sounds like a wah.

so I might be inthe market for a "better" synth. Which one?

(b)Assman · #2 01-06-2010, 04:54 PM

tomhanzo · #3 01-06-2010, 05:07 PM

It depends.

1. SYB-3
2. Digitech BSW
3. SYB-5

FreaqyFrequency · #4 01-06-2010, 05:44 PM

Totally different ballgames. The Boss units are honest subtractive synthesizers, whereas the BSW is much more along the lines of an octave/distortion/filter combo, with several different variations on those. There's no real better in this case, just what you prefer.

eastcoasteddie · #5 01-06-2010, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FreaqyFrequency

Totally different ballgames. The Boss units are honest subtractive synthesizers, whereas the BSW is much more along the lines of an octave/distortion/filter combo, with several different variations on those. There's no real better in this case, just what you prefer.

wow, I didn't know that....I don't know squat about effects.

But Now that you mention those 2 types, I think my Ibanez pedal is more like the distortion/filter. I have no idea what an "honest subtractive synthesizer" is...

FreaqyFrequency · #6 01-06-2010, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eastcoasteddie

I have no idea what an "honest subtractive synthesizer" is...

I was about to try to answer this, but I think wiki or other forum members would best answer this.

Seeing as how I am not other forum members...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Additive_synthesis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subtractive_synthesis

In a nutshell: additive = adding harmonics, subtractive = subtracting harmonics. Subtractive synthesizers are more in the ilk of the Akai Deep Impact, Korg G5, Markbass Super Synth...you get the idea.

sillyfabe · #7 01-06-2010, 08:21 PM

best synth in a box ever (for me): EHX bass micro synth

Kromwarp · #8 01-06-2010, 08:25 PM

Personally, I'm not a fan of synth all together. However, in this instance, I would go with the Digitech Synth Wah. I have a Boss SYB-3 and just prefer the Digitech settings to those of the Boss

cybersnyder · #9 01-06-2010, 08:30 PM

I'm a big fan of the Digitech BSW. You can usually pick one up in the For Sale forum for ~ $55.

jgroh · #10 01-06-2010, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cybersnyder

I'm a big fan of the Digitech BSW. You can usually pick one up in the For Sale forum for ~ $55.

Me too. It took some experimenting but I was able to get different & cool sounds for 5 of our cover tunes that fit in perfectly.

fightthepower · #11 01-06-2010, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eastcoasteddie

But sometimes I feel that it doesn't do enough...like the Auto Wah is very tame...you have to set it just right to get a good wah sound. Vary the sensitivity, frequency and resonance...and it barely sounds like a wah.

They both have their merits, both have their faults- depends what kind of synth tones you want. For monosynth tones ie Moog and whatnot, the SYB is the one hands down. The BSW has a nice suboctave which can be used without any other effects, and a halfway decent filter.. and an octave+filter mode, so if those are some effects you might use, the BSW starts looking pretty versatile; the BSW tracks quite well and has one of the better overall digital suboctaves out there imo. It also does a talkbox 'yeah' sound straight out of a Daft Punk song... pretty cool though I didn't find it useful.

Quote:

Originally Posted by eastcoasteddie

I have the Ibanez synth, which can sound pretty cool sometimes, activated with my Polish Love I can get a really mean sounding sludge fuzz.

I don't think you'd like the SYB at all for sludge riffing(have to change your playing style significantly to use it well), but the BSW will have similar feel to the Ibanez and its synthy tones. I don't hear much talk of the Ibanez compared to the BSW, and though I haven't heard Ibanez clips in a while, Im inclined to say that its a better sounding pedal.. at least a better suboctave

In my opinion, if you're looking for a potential upgrade to the Ibanez, the BSW might do the trick and you should be able to swap pedals for the price of shipping. If you're looking for something totally different and have some specific synth tones in mind that resemble the Moogy monosynth tones, and are willing to work with the pedals limitations to achieve those tones, then the SYB would be the way to go.

roceci · #12 01-07-2010, 04:51 AM

BSW all the way for me, great sounds for the price.

However, if you're sold on trying the Boss too, you could do worse than pick up a Behringer BSY600 - it's a clone of the Boss (SYB-3 I think, not 5) & are so cheap compared to the original that you won't miss the cash when you upgrade to either of the others. I've heard some say that the BSY600 tracks better than the Boss anyway...good luck with your further adventures in synthland.

phatbass · #13 01-07-2010, 05:57 AM

I think I paid about 40 bucks off the 'Bay for my Digitech. At around that price I'd just get one and, if you don't like it, you'll always get yer money back.

And the thing with the Digitech, if you don't like the synth sounds you still have the octaver function which, in my opinion, is well up there with the Boss OC-2, and you also get a not-half-bad envelope filter.

bigchiefbc · #14 01-07-2010, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roceci

BSW all the way for me, great sounds for the price.

However, if you're sold on trying the Boss too, you could do worse than pick up a Behringer BSY600 - it's a clone of the Boss (SYB-3 I think, not 5) & are so cheap compared to the original that you won't miss the cash when you upgrade to either of the others. I've heard some say that the BSY600 tracks better than the Boss anyway...good luck with your further adventures in synthland.

I own the Behringer, and I can confirm it is a clone of the SYB-5, not the 3. I have A/B'd it against the Boss, and I'd say the tracking was comparable, but the decay and freq knobs have slightly different ranges, with me preferring the Behringer. I will say though that I may get the Boss eventually just for durability's sake.

I have tried and didn't like either the Digitech or the Ibanez, but that's because I wanted something that actually sounds like a real synthesizer, rather than like Bootsy playing with a mutron and some fuzz. Only the Boss can do the former.

roceci · #15 01-07-2010, 09:28 AM

That said, I do use both the BSY600 & the BSW on my board, and I've got a bust up SYB-3 going in for repair shortly.

One day soon I'll go high end & blow stupid money on a Markbass SS or summin. But not this soon after Christmas.

wolf7883 · #16 01-07-2010, 06:36 PM

I just got my Digi-BSW...It rocks...really easy and fun to use! The envelope filter sounds WAY cooler than I ever expected it to. It's very useable. and some of the other more intense effects on it are really trippy too! Along with my whammy pedal and delay this thing is sounding like Armageddon in between songs at gigs. The tracking is really good to...for the price you can't beat it