Boss ES-8 / ES-5 / MS-3 Users and support group

[GMC]

Here's a curiosity with my Boss ES-5, I could call it a "feature". I've recently been using my ES-5 purely as a midi controller. I removed all of my pedals from the various loops and removed my ES-5 from the signal path entirely. So, no input or output cables either.
Previously I used all 5 loops populated, bass cable direct into the ES-5's input and the output from my ES-5 went into one of my Eventide H9's as the beginning of the Stereo top tier of my board. Everything after the ES-5's output was stereo.
Removing all the cables (and the input / output buffers) really reduced my cabling by a shocking amount. I literally reduced the weight of my board by over a kilo. The cabling became a lot easier to manage and reduced the "rats nest" considerably. I also noticed that my dry signal was a lot clearer, I think it's the reduced signal path. Having all of the pedals connected in close proximity had a shorter path than less pedals engaged, but each with a long send / return path.
So what's been the issue? Well I noticed that a lot of the midi chatter was bleeding into my audio signal. I spent ages problem finding...only to find that when I switched off the Beat Sync over midi on the ES-5 the chatter dropped considerably. This then lead me to realise that the culprit was my Boss ES-5. So I Put my ES-5 back into the signal path and all of the audio midi chatter disappeared. I put the ES-5's input and output back into my signal path and the chatter has completely gone and there is no hiss or noise at all.
I suspect that there is some kind of filter on the buffers used in the ES-5. I'm guessing that without those buffers, the ES-5 has some ground loop issues with it's Midi output.

 

[fyfo]

I don't think there is a HPF in there, if there is, I've never stumbled across it, though admittedly I wasn't looking for it.

In FX1 & 2 there is a Parametric EQ (which you can just leave in the flat position), with a low cut (HPF) and high cut (LPF) parameter. I set mine at 40Hz and 4kHz. But I'm still researching those values...

 

[b-bottom]

Can someone walk me through how to set up a clean blend into the loops? I just picked up an ES-5 and I'm a bit confused on how to pull this off. Thanks!

 

[jerrytheshoe]

Hello - I am interested in using an ES-5. I would like to be able to control my amp channel and use the different channels in my patches. I found a tutorial video that seems pretty straightforward regarding using the EXT CTL jack on the ES-5 and the channel switching jack on the amp. However, the video assumes a 1/4 jack on the amp, whereas my Mesa Boogie Rocket 44 uses a 5-pin jack for the channel switch. Is this compatible with the ES-5?

 

[crguti]

^ it should be. Check the schematics of your channel amp connector to make your own 1/4 jack to 5 pin connector.

 

[andyg_prs]

Hi, has anyone experienced noise issues when connecting the ES-5 midi out to devices? I'm concerned mine might have a fault.

The exact scenario is connecting to a Torpedo CaptorX and I'm using the ES-5 to change cabinet presets. That works fine.

However, as soon as I connect the midi out to the CaptorX I get a high pitched whirring noise. It's the exact same noise I once got when connecting the CaptorX to a PA or powered speaker using an balanced connector rather than XLR.

I've connected other midi devices to the CaptorX with no noise introduced - for example, an old Boss GT-3.

I've tried multiple different midi cables, and have the same noise every time.

As best I can understand searching the web, midi cables aren't supposed to be able to introduce noise.

I've got a good isolated power supply for the ES-5 and the Torpedo Captor X has its own separate power supply.

I've tried connecting the chassis of the ES-5 to the chassis of the CaptorX with a wire, just in case that solved any ground issues, but it made no difference.

I've raised a ticket with Boss and the Torpedo guys....but I suspect the Boss people will say the ES-5 has no warranty (I bought it second hand 3 years ago....) and the Torpedo guys will say the fault is the ES-5.

Any ideas what I might try?

Thanks,
Andy

 

[andyg_prs]

Right - it's amazing what a few hours of obsessing and trawling the net can do. The CaptorX uses a mini TRS connector - it has an adaptor to connect to the standard midi / DIN plug. That had me wondering about how it dealt with ground connections.

I don't claim to fully understand it all, but I happened across this document https://mitxela.com/other/ca33.pdf It states that pin 2 (ground) should be connected to the shielding within the midi cable, but not to the shield barrel of the midi plug.

I wasn't sure it would work, but for the midi/TRS adapter, I got some solid core cable (as opposed to the multi-thread copper that is more common and I bent it in half and then round again and managed to shove it into the sockets for pins 4 and 5 that are used for transmit/receive (which ever way around). For the midi cable from the ES-5 I used mini crocodile clips to connect pins 4 and 5 to the other end of the solid core cable.

Didn't work the first time, reversed pins 4 and 5....and hey presto, the switching of presets worked, and no noise.

I'm not sure where the issue is. I've tried multiple midi cables, Boss are industry standard, Torpedo CaptorX is pretty cutting edge.

I think this leaves me having to make or buy a miniature midi cable where just pins 4 and 5 are connected.....what a pain?

Quite some relief to have fixed things....but it has buggered my day!

 

[Gsnorgathon]

What a pain! Thanks for sharing that. Some day someone might stumble across that, and be very grateful.

 

[pseudoecho]

Anyone have any experience changing out a footswitch button on the ES-8 or 5? Patch 1 gave up the ghost on mine.

 

[TomL54]

Hi! new guy here. I’ve had my ES-5 about 5 1/2 years and it’s just now starting to have an issue. I’ll write a new patch, save it, go to a different patch, and then return to new patch. it’s still there(saved). However, if I turn the unit off, when I turn it on again, the new patch is not there. Anyone experience this? I’ve emailed Boss but have yet to hear anything.