Has anyone A/B'd any blenders?

[CrispyDelicious]

OK, I've been looking at the Barge, Boss LS-2, and Xotic, and I see people using and loving them, but I'm having a hard timne understanding something:

The Barge models have no master volume, and I've heard about this being an issue. The Boss has master. The Xotic has master.

The Xotic can give you ONE effects loop blended. The Barge can do ONE loop but with TWO blends (if you go for that model). The Boss I'm a little confused about. It can do dry+wet... can it do dry +wet1 or wet2, like the barge? And does this function on the barge really outweigh the lack of master volume?

The Xotic seems exhorbidantly priced for its function. What's the deal with that? It's more than 2x an LS-2!

SO why would anyone take an Xotic over the Boss (beside true bypass, which is not a concern for me using Boss)? Boss seems to have the same main functions as the Xotic plus many more. Do the boost and EQ make it that much more desireable, and do they justify the cost?

Ok so that's a lot of questions, but I'm having a hard time seeing why anyone would buy the Xotic OR the Barge, given the Boss' specs.

[bigchiefbc]

Originally Posted by CrispyDelicious

OK, I've been looking at the Barge, Boss LS-2, and Xotic, and I see people using and loving them, but I'm having a hard timne understanding something:

The Barge models have no master volume, and I've heard about this being an issue. The Boss has master. The Xotic has master.

The Xotic can give you ONE effects loop blended. The Barge can do ONE loop but with TWO blends (if you go for that model). The Boss I'm a little confused about. It can do dry+wet... can it do dry +wet1 or wet2, like the barge? And does this function on the barge really outweigh the lack of master volume?

The Xotic seems exhorbidantly priced for its function. What's the deal with that? It's more than 2x an LS-2!

SO why would anyone take an Xotic over the Boss (beside true bypass, which is not a concern for me using Boss)? Boss seems to have the same main functions as the Xotic plus many more. Do the boost and EQ make it that much more desireable, and do they justify the cost?

Ok so that's a lot of questions, but I'm having a hard time seeing why anyone would buy the Xotic OR the Barge, given the Boss' specs.

The Boss's blender is a bit more limited than that. It can only do a wet/dry blend in A+B Mix/Bypass mode. In that mode, it will blend whatever is in A with what is in B. If either loop is empty, then it is functionally a wet/dry blend. But if you want two distinct loops (i.e. one chain in A and one in B), then it will NOT do a wet/dry blend, it will do an A+B blend.

[groooooove]

Originally Posted by bigchiefbc

The Boss's blender is a bit more limited than that. It can only do a wet/dry blend in A+B Mix/Bypass mode. In that mode, it will blend whatever is in A with what is in B. If either loop is empty, then it is functionally a wet/dry blend. But if you want two distinct loops (i.e. one chain in A and one in B), then it will NOT do a wet/dry blend, it will do an A+B blend.

by A+B blend do you mean it can run a signal like

a- dry into envelope filter
b- dry into fuzz

and mix the volumes of the two as i like?

[Bryan R. Tyler]

The Xotic has two switches, one to turn the unit on and off, and one to turn the blend on and off, so at any given point you have the option of 100% wet, 100% dry, and whatever% blend that you have chosen for a single loop. None of the Barge models do this unless you custom order one that way (which I only assume you can do), which would probably put it near the price of the X-Blender anyways. Even after that, the Barge doesn't have the additional functions that the Xotic has (although the expression pedal option that Barge offers is great). bigchiefbc already pointed out some of the flaws with the Boss, and it also doesn't have all the useful features the Xotic has.

That alone makes it worth it to me, but in addition to that, the blend knob is large enough to be turned with your foot, it has a Series/Parallel option, and the Vol., Boost, and EQ knobs only work with the blended signal. This is an awesome feature as you'll often find that going 50% wet/50% dry will give you a slight volume drop, so you can boost your blended signal. You can also use this same function as a clean boost or as an EQ boost- keep the blend knob all the way down, turn up whichever EQ/Vol. settings you want, and kicking on the blend switch will add those volume or EQ boosts to your clean signal. The pedal also looks really cool It's pricey, but every feature on it is really well thought-out and is very useful, and not available on other blenders. You can also get them for around $160 used.

[CrispyDelicious]

Oh. Thanks for the review Brian. My wallet hates you now

[Jared Lash]

I've owned the LS-2, a custom VB-2 (two loops, no feedback, adjustable Z on one loop), the X-Blender and now have a VB-Jr.

The Xotic is the best single loop blender. Lots of options and it just works great. Of course the price tag is also high.

The LS-2 is a really handy tool but wouldn't be my choice for a blend pedal. I think it has much better uses than that. Of course, if you're talking about blending two effects loops in parallel (rather than a single loop with the other side empty for clean blend) then it's the right box for the job

My custom barge was nice, but I'm not sure they even take on those projects anymore and for me I just ended up not needing two clean blend loops in series.

The VB-jr is nice. It's small and simple and works for my relatively meager blend needs at the moment (just an FX25 and Turbo Rat with a 2/3 wet blend) but the Xotic is still the cadillac of blenders.

[bigchiefbc]

Originally Posted by groooooove

by A+B blend do you mean it can run a signal like

a- dry into envelope filter
b- dry into fuzz

and mix the volumes of the two as i like?

No. It doesn't work like that. It doesn't do "dry blend" as the barge and xotics do. It only blends together what is in loop a with what is in loop b. No dry. However, if you leave one of those loops empty, then it will do the same thing as a dry blend does.

[Jared Lash]

Originally Posted by bigchiefbc

No. It doesn't work like that. It doesn't do "dry blend" as the barge and xotics do. It only blends together what is in loop a with what is in loop b. No dry. However, if you leave one of those loops empty, then it will do the same thing as a dry blend does.

Right.

But maybe I was reading groooooove's post differently, but I thought he was asking if you could have clean INTO fuzz and clean INTO filter and blend those two signals together. If that's the case then yes, the LS-2 does parallel blending of effects. But as bigchief pointed out, if you have effects in each loop there's no clean blend available. Whatever is in each loop will be 100% wet and then mixed together.

[bongomania]

Originally Posted by Bryan R. Tyler

The Xotic has <many great features and qualities>... It's pricey, but every feature on it is really well thought-out and is very useful, and not available on other blenders. You can also get them for around $160 used.

Agreed with all of that completely. Also, for every thread we have here about how great each of the various other blenders are, there's also a poster saying their Barge/Radial/Boss/etc. would be great except for some big flaw in function or reliability, and every single time I can honestly say the Xotic does not have that flaw. Well, unless you consider the price to be a flaw.

[CrispyDelicious]

Heh, not so much a flaw as it is a delay in acquisition.

I had no idea the giant knob on the Xotic was designed for foot use. That's genius.

[groooooove]

Originally Posted by Jared Lash

Right.

But maybe I was reading groooooove's post differently, but I thought he was asking if you could have clean INTO fuzz and clean INTO filter and blend those two signals together. If that's the case then yes, the LS-2 does parallel blending of effects. But as bigchief pointed out, if you have effects in each loop there's no clean blend available. Whatever is in each loop will be 100% wet and then mixed together.

yes. i want to blend clean into fuzz + clean into filter. if i had just my filter in loop B i could always just turn it off, and use that channel B as my clean blend..right?

most of bootsys tone on chocolate city sounds to me like a 2 rig setup, one with a mutron the other with a fuzz... a LS-2 might be a cheap mans way to pull this off..

[Lindsay]

Originally Posted by Jared Lash

But maybe I was reading groooooove's post differently, but I thought he was asking if you could have clean INTO fuzz and clean INTO filter and blend those two signals together. If that's the case then yes, the LS-2 does parallel blending of effects. But as bigchief pointed out, if you have effects in each loop there's no clean blend available. Whatever is in each loop will be 100% wet and then mixed together.

Originally Posted by groooooove

yes. i want to blend clean into fuzz + clean into filter. if i had just my filter in loop B i could always just turn it off, and use that channel B as my clean blend..right?

most of bootsys tone on chocolate city sounds to me like a 2 rig setup, one with a mutron the other with a fuzz... a LS-2 might be a cheap mans way to pull this off..

This is exactly how I use it.

Loop A: Filter, synth, etc

Loop B: Fuzz (on or off, using the actual pedal)

or bypass everything

[Unrepresented]

Originally Posted by bongomania

Agreed with all of that completely. Also, for every thread we have here about how great each of the various other blenders are, there's also a poster saying their Barge/Radial/Boss/etc. would be great except for some big flaw in function or reliability, and every single time I can honestly say the Xotic does not have that flaw. Well, unless you consider the price to be a flaw.

I'll propose a flaw, just to be contrary.

It's not programmable. My eq settings to blend my filter with a clean tone require different frequency adjustments and volume control than my eq settings to blend in more low end for my BMS.

There ya go. Far fetched complaint but really, it's a very nice box.

[groooooove]

Originally Posted by Lindsay

This is exactly how I use it.

Loop A: Filter, synth, etc

Loop B: Fuzz (on or off, using the actual pedal)

or bypass everything

thats brilliant.. if only the LS-2 were true bypass. im assuming the bypass is really clean though, right?

[Lindsay]

Originally Posted by groooooove

thats brilliant.. if only the LS-2 were true bypass. im assuming the bypass is really clean though, right?

I'm sure people will offer many opinions on this issue, but I've never experienced any noticeable deterioration in my tone as a result of the LS-2's bypass.

[bongomania]

Originally Posted by Unrepresented

I'll propose a flaw, just to be contrary.
It's not programmable. My eq settings to blend my filter with a clean tone require different frequency adjustments and volume control than my eq settings to blend in more low end for my BMS.

Oh, I'm right there with you on that one! If it was programmable I'd marry it.

[Bryan R. Tyler]

Originally Posted by Unrepresented

I'll propose a flaw, just to be contrary.

It's not programmable. My eq settings to blend my filter with a clean tone require different frequency adjustments and volume control than my eq settings to blend in more low end for my BMS.

There ya go. Far fetched complaint but really, it's a very nice box.

I don't know of any blender pedals that ARE programmable, so I don't think that counts as a flaw. That's like complaining that my MXR Blowtorch didn't come with a "Launch Julia Stiles!" button.

[groooooove]

Originally Posted by Bryan R. Tyler

I don't know of any blender pedals that ARE programmable, so I don't think that counts as a flaw. That's like complaining that my MXR Blowtorch didn't come with a "Launch Julia Stiles!" button.

a programmable blender..hmmmm....

[Bryan R. Tyler]

Time would be better spent working on that "launch Julia Stiles" function...

What I'd really love to see is a programmable blend function built-in to units like the Musicomlab EFX or Switchblade- that way, you could program the amount of blend you want with each patch you have set, and in addition have the blend also be expression controlled so that you could alter it on the fly if you wanted.

[Smurf-o-Deth]

What, exactly, would a "launch Julia Stiles" button do? Fire her ass into orbit, where ever she is? Make her appear over your pedalboard? Restart her career as something more than "that skinny blonde what kisses black fellers in the movin' pictures?"