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BOSS Announces the MS-3 Multi-effect Switcher

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Dean-oh

Jul 19, 2015
73
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Greater Toronto Area
#1
Boss Introduces MS-3 Multi Effects Switcher - inSync

Looks super cool. I was hoping they would come up with an alternative to the ES series. The user interface looks really simple. Its basically an ES with only 3 loops, BUT it has BUILT IN EFFECTS. They even have some bass effects, but it seems as that list is short, though I think most of the effects should be fine. Built in tuner and expandable control/expression I/O makes this quite versatile. My local music (super)store is having a big expo tomorrow and Boss usually has a booth, hopefully I get to see it in person. If this unit is more affordable than the ES-5 its going to be hard to resist!

What do y'all think?
 
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#7
So I visited the BOSS booth at that big music expo I was talking about. Found out some more about the unit. First thing I asked about was the low number of bass specific effects. He said you could get away with using a lot of the guitar effects and it will work just fine and he also mentioned there is a possibility that in the future they will provide more bass effects through an update (not confirmed).

Here are some of the downsides of this smaller unit: Unlike the ES' you cannot switch the order of the 3 loops, they are fixed. Also, you can only use the built in effects IN FRONT or BEHIND the loops, not in between.

Anyway, I got to take a look at the unit and it is what you would expect from BOSS. Great build quality and feel and the thing is TINY.

Cheers
 
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#9
Dean-oh said:
Here are some of the downsides of this smaller unit: Unlike the ES' you cannot switch the order of the 3 loops, they are fixed. Also, you can only use the built in effects IN FRONT or BEHIND the loops, not in between.
Cheers
Click to expand...

I have a weird hybrid pedal board atm with a ME-50B i've had 10 years so i'm looking at it as a update, because it has midi control i'm thinking of connecting it to loop 3 in one of these, Invalid Link Removed then i'd have 2 loops at the front 3 somewhere in the middle and 3 at the back. Having listened to someone from Boss talk about it on a podcast I think they expect most people to mostly use drive pedals in the fuzz and the built in effects for most other things
 
#10
Dean-oh said:
So I visited the BOSS booth at that big music expo I was talking about. Found out some more about the unit. First thing I asked about was the low number of bass specific effects. He said you could get away with using a lot of the guitar effects and it will work just fine and he also mentioned there is a possibility that in the future they will provide more bass effects through an update (not confirmed).

Here are some of the downsides of this smaller unit: Unlike the ES' you cannot switch the order of the 3 loops, they are fixed. Also, you can only use the built in effects IN FRONT or BEHIND the loops, not in between.

Anyway, I got to take a look at the unit and it is what you would expect from BOSS. Great build quality and feel and the thing is TINY.

Cheers
Click to expand...
I was actually surprised to see so many bass specific effects to be honest. There's even a "bass slow gear" which I have no idea what would be different for a bass version of the slow gear.
 
#11
My experience with Boss is mixed. For years I was happy with my old trusty ME-8B, in fact I kept it just in case I happen to ever need its synths and envelope filters, the best I've owned from any device. OTOH my last Boss experience, a GT-6B, was a total failure, expensive, noisy, didn't sound as good as the ME-8B (to which I finally went back after selling the GT-6B) nor any of the four Zoom multiFX I've owned after that. Now, this MS-3 costs 469€ here in Europe. I must be saying this probably due to my Zoom experience (+ my bad GT-6B experience), I find this VERY POOR bang for the buck, even with those loops (not into individual pedals either).

EDIT: I think what mostly puts me off about this (besides price and not being a "Boss sound" fan) is the same limitations in previous models, you cannot simply add stompboxes to a chain: I mean you must select one (or none) from each "module" (FX1/FX2/MOD1/MOD2/DLY/REV). You can't use 2 effects within FX1 together, i.e. In modern (modeling oriented?) multiFX you just chain virtual stompboxes, the ones you want, no modules or anything, you can even repeat several of the same effect in the chain in some devices if you want. I see the same effects are apparently on both FX1/FX2 and MOD1/MOD2, so you might be able to repeat an effect at least once. Still, the modules arrangement is lame, and functionally poor for today's standards.
 
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#12
I've had a little bit of time with one of these. You can have multiple types of the same effect rather than the style of usage stated above.
The fact you can't add anything from the effects within the loops (just before or after, again as stated) is a pain but then whatever you're looking to move you can add from the effects list

In my mind the main buyer for this is the pro/ semi pro guy who wants to control is pedal board but then can create A/B'd presents and use as a stand along units on things like small stages or fly dates.

Either that or people who have used some effects sparingly or borrowed something in a studio for one song and want to add it to their existing setup.

Otherwise you would either own a multi effects for home use or an ES8 as a switcher or an Helix/ Axe FX for top end usage.
This sits in between all of these styles of usage in my view
 
#14
andruca said:
EDIT: I think what mostly puts me off about this (besides price and not being a "Boss sound" fan) is the same limitations in previous models, you cannot simply add stompboxes to a chain: I mean you must select one (or none) from each "module" (FX1/FX2/MOD1/MOD2/DLY/REV). You can't use 2 effects within FX1 together, i.e. In modern (modeling oriented?) multiFX you just chain virtual stompboxes, the ones you want, no modules or anything, you can even repeat several of the same effect in the chain in some devices if you want. I see the same effects are apparently on both FX1/FX2 and MOD1/MOD2, so you might be able to repeat an effect at least once. Still, the modules arrangement is lame, and functionally poor for today's standards.
Click to expand...

I guess its a Processing limitation the CPU may not be able to handle running 4 delays at a time etc.
 
#15
Iheartreverb said:
I've had a little bit of time with one of these. You can have multiple types of the same effect rather than the style of usage stated above.
The fact you can't add anything from the effects within the loops (just before or after, again as stated) is a pain but then whatever you're looking to move you can add from the effects list

In my mind the main buyer for this is the pro/ semi pro guy who wants to control is pedal board but then can create A/B'd presents and use as a stand along units on things like small stages or fly dates.

Either that or people who have used some effects sparingly or borrowed something in a studio for one song and want to add it to their existing setup.

Otherwise you would either own a multi effects for home use or an ES8 as a switcher or an Helix/ Axe FX for top end usage.
This sits in between all of these styles of usage in my view
Click to expand...

On bass I can see it being pretty popular for people playing cover bands etc, and more broadly then that, there are plenty of people around that just want a couple of decent drive pedals maybe darkglass ones, then maybe a good compressor but other then that sometimes use other effects but not often.

Anyway sorry for the spam apparently I wasn't subscribed
 
#16
I actually pulled the trigger on one and received it today. I haven't had a chance to fire it up but the main draw for me was the smaller size, delay and Reverb (since I removed those pedals from
my board a while ago), and the ability to do some moving of effects. Also, I got a coupon to knock down the price a bit haha. I have a lot of Source Audio pedals that I can control with their Hub via midi and a Future Impact, which is also midi controllable, so any other effects I need, I'm hoping to find in the MS-3.
 
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#19
simotek said:
There is now a new GT-1B i'm guessing they share a similar bunch of sounds (Without bothering to look hard)

Click to expand...

When was this announced? Any word on the price?
I was wondering when BOSS would do something like this, I have a ME-20b and its OK. I always felt they needed to bring out a "better" version. I usually rely on the ME-20b for when my I don't want to lug my pedal board around because I don't have to worry about a power supply, the tuner "works" and I find it has quite a few usable sounds in it (the distortion and OD are garbage, though I love the synth sounds). It seems to me that this is pretty much just a re-vamped version of the ME but the amp modellers interest me. The built in looper is a nice touch too.
 
#20
Dean-oh said:
When was this announced? Any word on the price?
I was wondering when BOSS would do something like this, I have a ME-20b and its OK. I always felt they needed to bring out a "better" version. I usually rely on the ME-20b for when my I don't want to lug my pedal board around because I don't have to worry about a power supply, the tuner "works" and I find it has quite a few usable sounds in it (the distortion and OD are garbage, though I love the synth sounds). It seems to me that this is pretty much just a re-vamped version of the ME but the amp modellers interest me. The built in looper is a nice touch too.
Click to expand...

From talking to a rep its meant to be the ME-20B replacement, they announced it 12 hrs ago, I guess it will be a similar price to the GT-1 for guitar.
 

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