Flange it up: Maxon FL-9 vs. Boss BF-3 Review

Chronicle · #1 12-21-2007, 01:24 PM

So my Maxon finally got here. I've only played with it for about 30mins but i already hear differences in the two flangers!

The Boss BF-3 is a good flanger if you find it used on ebay. The 130$ price tag is a little harsh but it does have some nice features. It has many flanging settings, stereo options, and a guitar and bass input.

The bass input is quite dull if you ask me. I heard it's supposed to be like the Boss BF-2b, as in it doesn't swell as much. I like thew swells so i didn't like the bass input. The guitar input on the other hand, swells nicely.

Now, the actual flanging is cool. It does a good job at it but it lacks that taste the Maxon has.

Onto the Maxon. The Maxon is a expensive pedal. It's 260$ new but i managed to get mine for 180$ at the cost of a little nick in the paint, but i'm no baby when it comes to nicks in the paint on my pedals! (On my basses on the other hand...)

The Maxon FL-9 is a true bypass flanger. It has many things normal flangers do not have. If you research it some, you'll find out all the chips' names and etc that i forgot what they were called! haha.. It doesn't have as many features as the Boss BF-3 which is a major headstart for the Boss.

When playing the Maxon, it has this sort of taste in the flanger that makes it sound great! You gotta hear the clips in order to know what i'm talking about. :]

Right now, i'm not sure if i'll sell the BF-3- i might stick it on my forgotten guitar pedalboard.

These clips are Rickenbacker 4003 > Maxon FL-9 > Boss BF-3 >PC Sound card

In this first clip, I got both of the flangers on the same settings as each other. (Manual=width, Res. = Regen, Depth = delay, Rate = speed.)

First Maxon, then Boss.
http://media.putfile.com/bf-vs-fl9-57

Tonebender + FL-9/BF-3.
http://media.putfile.com/turbo-flange

More clips and thoughts to come.

syciprider · #2 12-21-2007, 01:35 PM

My stoopid QT plug in won't work.

syciprider · #3 12-21-2007, 01:43 PM

Hmm. I don't hear $130 worth of difference.

They're almost the same.

Drucocu · #4 12-21-2007, 01:43 PM

I like both

assboglin · #5 12-21-2007, 01:50 PM

I actually have to say I kind of liked the Boss pedal sound better at that setting.

Chronicle · #6 12-21-2007, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by syciprider

Hmm. I don't hear $130 worth of difference.

They're almost the same.

Yeah i don't hear quite the difference as well. But i haven't explored the Maxon's settings yet so who knows.

tumpinjahosafat · #7 12-21-2007, 01:54 PM

ya i think the soundclips sound the same. I had the bf-3, and it was OK but it was lacking something. So i got the DOD fx72, which ive had for about a week or two. Im not completely sold on it though, its not an amazing pedal but i do like the regeneration and delay feature on it. But its a 10 volt pedal, HA!

*smb · #8 12-21-2007, 01:57 PM

I preferred the Boss from those clips too

Chronicle · #9 12-21-2007, 02:00 PM

Heh, as of right now, the Boss is sounding better. :s I'll continue playing with it on a full stomach..

JanusZarate · #10 12-21-2007, 03:42 PM

I'll listen to these when I get home. I'm curious about this comparison...

I'm pretty sure you can't get me to give up my Mistress, though.

Chronicle · #11 12-21-2007, 03:52 PM

Yeah, if i decide to sell the Maxon- i'll try the mistress out.

RickenBoogie · #12 12-21-2007, 04:17 PM

I hated the BF-3 I had, but never plugged into the guitar input. And, I'm with Boo on the Mistress, totally a keeper. Love that filter matrix mode.

incognito89x · #13 12-21-2007, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chronicle

Yeah i don't hear quite the difference as well. But i haven't explored the Maxon's settings yet so who knows.

Personally after listening to the first clip, the Boss sounds a lot better to me. Just seems more lush and full. However given all the praise for the FL-9 I'm sure a better setting can be found with it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MysticBoo

I'll listen to these when I get home. I'm curious about this comparison...

I'm pretty sure you can't get me to give up my Mistress, though.

Having played both the Mistress and the BF-3, the two, while both technically flangers, are completely different beasts entirely.

JanusZarate · #14 12-21-2007, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by incognito89x

Having played both the Mistress and the BF-3, the two, while both technically flangers, are completely different beasts entirely.

I used to own a Boss BF-2. Had it for almost a year... in storage.

It's definitely a different beast as you said, so while I haven't used a BF-3 or listened to Chronicle's clips yet, I can definitely believe you!

markjazzbassist · #15 12-21-2007, 06:38 PM

try the settings in the FL-9 manual. They are a good start

Chronicle · #16 12-21-2007, 09:15 PM

That's the turbo setting in the manual. I'll post clips of the manual settings tomorrow.

jollygiantchris · #17 12-21-2007, 09:22 PM

you have the boss bf-3 plugged into the guitar in and not the bass in like you said you preferred on those sound clips yeah?

Chronicle · #18 12-21-2007, 09:24 PM

^Yes. I didn't like the Bass input.

JanusZarate · #19 12-22-2007, 02:27 PM

Hmm... something about the Maxon gives it a top-end flavor that I like over the BF-3.

But overall, the BF-3 does seem to sound more pronounced.

HolmeBass · #20 12-22-2007, 03:13 PM

First off, nice playing.

I agree in those clips the Boss sounded better, like it had more sweep and was a bit fuller. I use a BF3 myself and I know it has a pretty sizable volume boost and I was wondering if that alone might be the "fullness" I'm hearing over the Maxon.

I also wonder if it was in a mix with a band, the more even sound of the Maxon, maybe pumped up a bit in volume, might sound more even and punchy- in other words, actually be better. Tough to say from just that clip.