MXR BOD Worth the Money over OC-2?

jufros · #1 06-02-2009, 03:55 PM

I'm running a micro pog right now I think I really need an analog octave pedal to get as much versatility out of my synth combos as I want to. The MXR looks like a great pedal and I'm very close to buying one. I'd just like to know if anyone thought that it just wasn't sufficiently better than the OC-2 to merit the price difference.

JMDT · #2 06-02-2009, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jufros

I'm running a micro pog right now I think I really need an analog octave pedal to get as much versatility out of my synth combos as I want to. The MXR looks like a great pedal and I'm very close to buying one. I'd just like to know if anyone thought that it just wasn't sufficiently better than the OC-2 to merit the price difference.

Actually, I think if your goal is a synthy music no pedal will beat an OC-2 with the OCT1 solo'd. Yeah it looses a little volume, but it sounds amazing and can be compensated for. The fact that they go for ~$50 never hurts either.

kevteop · #3 06-02-2009, 04:06 PM

If you love the OC-2 sound then no.

If you'd like more variety then yes.

jufros · #4 06-02-2009, 04:09 PM

I'm not really particularly attached to either but would like something that can do funky on its own, and synth with a filter and fuzz.

Proton Lenny · #5 06-02-2009, 04:13 PM

After playing with my MXR for a week or so, and also playing around with a friend's OC-2, I'd go with the MXR if you don't mind throwing down a few extra bucks. It tracks incredibly well for an analog octaver. It doesn't seem to have any volume drop or noise. Both the Growl and the Girth sounds are very usable soloed, with the dry signal, and mixed together. I don't use the mid boost feature (I have this with sub signal only 95% of the time), but it is a very useful feature if you want the dry signal mixed in. I am very pleased with it. To my ears (I have only played with an OC-2 a little) the Growl mode sounds almost identical to the OC-2. I'm sure there are some subtle differences, but not much.

That's my 2 cents,

Proton

Jared Lash · #6 06-02-2009, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Proton Lenny

To my ears (I have only played with an OC-2 a little) the Growl mode sounds almost identical to the OC-2. I'm sure there are some subtle differences, but not much.

In terms of the "Growl" vs the OC-2 the subtle differences are that the MXR doesn't have the noticeable volume drop when run 100% wet and it tracks slightly better when playing very low notes (below the A on the 5th fret of the E) while the Boss tracks better in general (with less artifacts) and has a cleaner/crisper suboctave tone.

To answer the OP's question, personally I'd say no. If they were around the same price, I'd say that the better bypass and versatility would give the nod to the MXR, but when they are $100 apart in price I have a hard time justifying the cost, especially when the Boss does (for me) the one thing I want from an octaver slightly better than the BOD.

But I'd agree that if you are primarily playing it with the dry mixed in the MXR could get the nod for its added features. Or even if you'd rather have that big, deep octave sound from the "Girth" knob rather than the harsh, "metallic" sound of the Boss.

newbold · #7 06-02-2009, 04:24 PM

From what I understand the MXR has more grit.

Fair generalization?

jufros · #8 06-02-2009, 04:25 PM

Boss sounds like a much better buy as a dedicated synth octave, but I could definitely see how the mid switch might put the MXR over the edge in a wet/dry blend situation. I'd side with the pedal that can do both 100% wet and wet/dry blend well. I need the versatility but both pedals sound so similar.

jufros · #9 06-02-2009, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by newbold

From what I understand the MXR has more grit.

Fair generalization?

I'd like to confirm this as well.

kevteop · #10 06-02-2009, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheBigO

To answer the OP's question, personally I'd say no. If they were around the same price, I'd say that the better bypass and versatility would give the nod to the MXR,

I've never had an issue with the bypass on an OC-2. It's one of the few pedals I've never even thought about routing around, its bypass sounds really good.

Jared Lash · #11 06-02-2009, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by newbold

From what I understand the MXR has more grit.

Fair generalization?

Nope. The grittier of the two MXR knobs is the "Growl" and it sounds nearly identical to the Boss. The mid switch gives the MXR more presence in the mix, but the tradeoff is that our ears hear the octave as being a bit thinner, not necessarily grittier.

Posted these in another thread, but here are two clips of the OC-2 and MXR with their 1oct soloed (Growl on the BOD) so you can hear how similar they sound:

Clip 1
Clip 2

Quote:

Originally Posted by jufros

Boss sounds like a much better buy as a dedicated synth octave, but I could definitely see how the mid switch might put the MXR over the edge in a wet/dry blend situation. I'd side with the pedal that can do both 100% wet and wet/dry blend well. I need the versatility but both pedals sound so similar.

I'm on record as not being a fan of the mid switch (I really don't use it) so the Girth knob is what sets the MXR apart for me. It's a lot smoother (which I like on fretless) and it can add some heft if blended with the Growl. The MXR is a great octaver, but if the question is whether it's $100 better than the Boss, I'd say no with the irony being that I had to pay to find that out.

Jared Lash · #12 06-02-2009, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevteop

I've never had an issue with the bypass on an OC-2. It's one of the few pedals I've never even thought about routing around, its bypass sounds really good.

To be honest I've never really compared the bypass on it. Every board I've had the OC-2 on has also had other known tone suckers on it (primarily the Moog LPF for dub stuff) so I was more assuming it wasn't a great bypass like other Boss pedals that I definitely have noticed it with.

bobbass4k · #13 06-02-2009, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevteop

I've never had an issue with the bypass on an OC-2. It's one of the few pedals I've never even thought about routing around, its bypass sounds really good.

Definitley, I've just got a Feedback/True Bypass looper and I've been obsessively checking all my my non TB pedals to see which ones are bad and the oc-2 bypass is really good, no real noticeable difference

Jared Lash · #14 06-02-2009, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobbass4k

Definitley, I've just got a Feedback/True Bypass looper and I've been obsessively checking all my my non TB pedals to see which ones are bad and the oc-2 bypass is really good, no real noticeable difference

That's good to hear as I've gone back and forth about whether I should include it in the loop of my Barge (with the Moog) almost solely for the purposes of a cleaner signal chain.

Probably the last nail in the coffin for the MXR for my purposes as well.

kevteop · #15 06-02-2009, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheBigO

That's good to hear as I've gone back and forth about whether I should include it in the loop of my Barge (with the Moog) almost solely for the purposes of a cleaner signal chain.

Some Boss pedals are great to have permanently in your chain for the buffer (esp. if you're using long instrument cables to and from your board). The OC-2 and LS-2 certainly sound very good in bypass, so does the LMB-3. Those are the only ones that stayed on my board for any length of time so I can't comment on others.

Edit: Sorry Jared I didn't realise I was replying to you - didn't mean to patronise.