why the hate on multi-effects pedals?

[holcombj1]

I dont know if its because I've been playing for a short time (3 years) or if I am just not an audiophile like some hardcore bass players. But from my experience I have found that there are a lot of haters when it comes to multi-effects pedals! I purchased a digitech bp200 around christmas time and it has enhanced my sound 10x. I use an ampeg model for classic rock, mesa boogie and ashdown for hard rock, etc etc. And it cost 149.99. And I also bypass for some tunes to get the true sound of my guitar and cab. I have purchased overdrive, synth, distortion pedals separately in the past and now it seems like I wasted money! And my band mates agree that our sound is incredibly enhanced now with use of the pedal. So can the 3 of us just not hear or what? lol. Or are some people just stubborn to technology?

[Chef FourString]

For some people it works. They like the large array of effects and tones emulated by a multi-effect. Others will argue that the tonal aspects of the effects are not as good as the individual pedals themselves or the amps they are trying to reproduce.

[Matt Dean]

I don't hate on digital effects... but, to my ears they just sound too sterile or thin to me. Even the Line 6 M series sounds this way to me. However, I know and respect professional players who use and love digital effects.

[EricF]

If you're getting what you like out of your multi-fx pedal, that's all that really matters.

A lot of people don't like being confined my the limitations of what's in the package. The overdrive sound might be good, but if the chorus sucks, you can't just swap out that one effect. With individual pedals, I can put together a combination of exactly what I like best for each effect. It's not about being sutbborn to technology, it's about having more options to choose from to get the sounds that are right for my individual needs.

[CopperheadLXXIX]

Depends on the multi-fx. The Line6 M stuff tends to get a lot of love and for good reason (My M9 sounds great!), and I've had success getting good sounds out of the newer Zoom units, but I think in most (but not all) cases multi-fx sacrifice sound quality in favor of packing lots of stuff into one unit. Basically a lot of them are jack of all trades, but master of none.

[BigOldHarry]

Hate is a strong word.

Most MultiFX units promise the world and deliver... well, deliver *some*. I think that most M-Fx units are really designed to *thrill* at the store and then never be used again. There are exceptions, but in practical terms...

And yes, I've had several over the years. I have a board of separate pedals now.

[Bass Mayhem]

As long as effects are just effects and not part of themusic and tone, they are just effects, like a melody horn on your car. Fun, but of no good use except honkin', if you got my point...

There are always two sides: those who like and those who don't. I am a tone purist in my own way,like everybody else. I want to hear ME. I want to hear MY tone.

I've always practiced without an amp, just acoustic, or just as acoustic an electric bass can be. That has given me MY ideal: the tone of the bass and my hands, and then through the amp just louder, if you got my point.

I don't want an amp to color my tone, just magnify the tone I have. Coming to effects, I've had ALL the EBS stuff to play around with. But - I never PLAYED with it. I sold the lot and got myself a Boss GT-10B. Way easier to lug around and keep in order. But - I end up using it as a practice rig into my PC speakers.

Effects can sound nice with a player who actually can PLAY with them, not just switch them on and off. I can't. I won't. The only things I use except the basses and the amplifiers are my Avalon U5 direct box/preamp and my FMR Audio PBC-6A compressor, but I really do not count them as effects.

One more onboard gadget is in my arsenal: the Stellartone Tonestyler, built into my P-bass. I'll NEVER take it out! That's not an effect either, but the closest I get...

[caeman]

Originally Posted by EricF

If you're getting what you like out of your multi-fx pedal, that's all that really matters.

+eleventy

Just be happy with what YOU like for your tone.

[tekhedd]

Originally Posted by BigOldHarry

Hate is a strong word.

QFT

I've owned a couple. What I hate is that you can't change the order of the effects. I also always hate the speaker models. Um... let's see... if we're talking about the Digitech BNX, I can also say I learned to hate the soul-sucking compressor and the non-bass-oriented chorus/flange effects.

Well, somebody asked! *rolleyes*

[Dr. Love]

I don't hate multi-effect boxes, but but most I've used have pretty mediocre preset from the factory that just sound cheap. Some can be good if you get in the settings and tweak them to your specific situation though.

[jgroh]

Ive got the M9 and some of the models are fantastic...like the bass octaver for example. But, there are others that are not great, at least for bass. In my opinion that is the reason people bag on them. What they should do is build a multi pedal platform where you could load software onto it to emulate the effects like you would on a laptop in a recording software. Developers or pedal makers could develop the software. Like using that Ampeg SVX on a pedal board. That would be cool.

[MetroBass]

"Most" effects today are "digital effects" so whether you combine them through technology like many companies have in multi effect pedals or keep them as individual stomp boxes they're still digital. I don't believe one is that different than another when we're talking about "effects" in general. My rant excludes cabs and amps effects - since I never have understood why you need them when you generally play through a cab and amp of your choice.

But to be honest, I have owned many single effects and multi-effect boxes and each has a place. As far as tone and adjustability I've been able to reproduce many of the effects I need through the adjustments on either the single or multi pedals. So I disagree with the "lack of tonal range" or "authenticity" arguments out there.
I will say that I just picked up the BP-355 and it is significantly more sophisticated and versatile then the earlier Digitech and Zoom models I’ve owned.

No hate here!

[VincentSalizeri]

I had a BP200 as well. Solid multi effects pedal. What I didn't like is that you couldn't mix certain effects (chorus, flanger, whammy, etc) and that the order was set in stone. Single pedals are a little more versatile, and they often have more controls to vary the sound even more. What I do like, at least about that particular box, was that I could control almost any setting I wanted with the expression pedal. That was really handy for setting overdrive level at different parts in a song without having to bend over and twist a knob. The selection of overdrives and distortions and even fuzzes was nice as well.

Generally, I like them. Overall, multieffects are kind of like a multitool: they do a lot of things decently, but fall a little short on specifics in most cases.

[A Strohman]

I don't hate multi-effects....I just prefer my stomp boxes. I used to have a Line 6 multi effects processor and some of the effects I could get were cool but when it came to live applications, it wasn't convenient to try to get from patch to patch....or to blend two or three patches, etc. With my pedals, I stomp on...stomp off. I can also dial each pedal to taste and they're easy to adjust. While I prefer the sound of my stomp boxes to multi-effects processors, I don't hate.....multi-effects are just not my thing.

[bassbrad]

Multi effects have their strengths and weaknesses and none are going to be the end all be all device they all seem to make claim to be. Most manufacturers seem to program really goofy stuff as demos and many players are turned off by that, multieffects offer many more possibilities than most players can grok or will take the time to learn to use. In most cases single effects do offer more control and better sound while costing as much or more than the average multieffect.

I use both singles and multi effects, single effects where analog is just going to be better compressor, envelope followers and distortions, digital for their strengths tuner, eq, modulation, pitch shifting, reverb & delays and memorizing "sound scenes" for recall.

[casio]

I started with a multi effects unit. In time I sold it but it was a great way to start and find out what I did like effects-wise.
I've just recently (a few days ago) gotten my first other multi pedal - the M5.
Still, I happen to have another 10 single pedals or so, and don't plan on going back to multi effects any time soon.
The combo works for me though, and whatever sounds you enjoy, wherever they come from, thats the right stuff!

[kuys]

I've always experienced an enormous amount of hiss or line noise when it came to multi-fx boxes.

That's why I don't mess with them.

[EricF]

Originally Posted by Bass Mayhem

As long as effects are just effects and not part of themusic and tone, they are just effects, like a melody horn on your car. Fun, but of no good use except honkin', if you got my point...

There are always two sides: those who like and those who don't. I am a tone purist in my own way,like everybody else. I want to hear ME. I want to hear MY tone.

I've always practiced without an amp, just acoustic, or just as acoustic an electric bass can be. That has given me MY ideal: the tone of the bass and my hands, and then through the amp just louder, if you got my point.

I don't want an amp to color my tone, just magnify the tone I have. Coming to effects, I've had ALL the EBS stuff to play around with. But - I never PLAYED with it. I sold the lot and got myself a Boss GT-10B. Way easier to lug around and keep in order. But - I end up using it as a practice rig into my PC speakers.

Effects can sound nice with a player who actually can PLAY with them, not just switch them on and off. I can't. I won't. The only things I use except the basses and the amplifiers are my Avalon U5 direct box/preamp and my FMR Audio PBC-6A compressor, but I really do not count them as effects.

One more onboard gadget is in my arsenal: the Stellartone Tonestyler, built into my P-bass. I'll NEVER take it out! That's not an effect either, but the closest I get...

Thanks for sharing your opinion, but it doesn't really relate to the topic.

[Radek]

Originally Posted by casio

I started with a multi effects unit. In time I sold it but it was a great way to start and find out what I did like effects-wise.

Yes... it's great to be able to check many types of effects using just a single and (usually) inexpensive package. Some of newer multi FX boxes have a drum machine, a looper and USB audio interface to computer. Those are great practice and rehearsal tools.

I've remember my Korg Pandora very well - it wasn't too great quality wise but how many sleepless nights I had spent using it... Well worth every penny.

Originally Posted by casio

I've just recently (a few days ago) gotten my first other multi pedal - the M5.
Still, I happen to have another 10 single pedals or so, and don't plan on going back to multi effects any time soon.
The combo works for me though, and whatever sounds you enjoy, wherever they come from, thats the right stuff!

I tend to reduce my gear to a bare minimum; a compressor before Shuttle6 can act as a booster and allows for nice tube overdrive so it's one effect less to worry about.

[fenderhutz]

Added Noise.