Hi,
Being how pedal technology and DSP simulation has been advancing at breakneck speed over the past 10 years, why isn't there a single multi-fx unit that can do polyphonic octaves? there's some seriously high-tech gear out there: Zoom's MultiStomp which packs an entire zoom multi-effects into a shrunk stompbox unit. There's Line 6's Amplifi, a full range amp with Bluetooth and DSP that simulates virtually any effect and amp ever created. Then there are vessel stompboxes like Digitech's iStomp or IK's iRig Stomp which are app-driven housings controlled by iOS devices. And yet, not a single one of them does polyphonic octaves.
What bugles me is BOSS was the pioneer, the Super Octave OC3 was the first polyphonic octave generator in the market released in 2004. it only made sense that Japanese giant Roland would design this technology since they had been at the cutting edge of digital modelling for the past 20 years. However, it took Electro Harmonix a year of (presumably reverse engineering) to jump into that area with the POG in 2005. They shrunk it down in 2007 with the MicroPOG. 2009 saw the release of the POG2; the HOG came out in 2011 and the unreal HOG2 in 2013. Their latest achievement is the competitively priced Pitch fork. Meanwhile, BOSS clutched to their venerable OC3. EHX became torchbearers and rightfully so, they pushed the concept to the limits and reaped big rewards, they sized up the octave pedal market with a vast variety of pedals catering to all budgets.
BOSS' latest top of the line units are the GT100 and GT001. As it turns out, their pitch shifting capabilities are proper (equal to the PS6 harmonist), but their polyphonic performance sucks big time. it's just terrible. Even it's octave shifter is a let down compared to the OC3 released 10 years prior. the GT100 exhibits all the documented issues of pitch shifters: aliasing, warbling, tone stepping, and latency (which is most apparent when a Bass guitar is used). Though it's an outstanding multi-FX, it's not just a bad octave pedal, it simply isn't polyphonic. Considering their track history, its a mayor disappointment. Digitech's RP360? same issue: new DSP engine, same old crap pitchshifting, in spite of their embrace of polyphony in 2014 when the Whammy V/DT/Drop were released.
Some people might argue EHX is a "true" analog pedal maker, while BOSS is all about digital modelling, and they would be wrong. What isn't well known is every single polyphonic octave pedal EHX has made since their 2005 debut runs on a DSP chip, the POG and MicroPOG where running on Freescale DSP56364 (or similar). DSP means Digital Signal Processor, which is exactly what BOSS' COSM, KORG's REMS or Digitech's DNA/2 are. EHX simply didn't christened it nor they go around telling and 'boasting' about it, so they retain an 'analog stompbox' vibe while the others do not.
So why doesn't BOSS, ZOOM, KORG, Digitech, IK or Line6 include true polyphonic effects in their DSP-based multi-effects? did EHX patent the algorithms? is there really a stranglehold on the poly-octave market or is it simply that the numbers aren't there, and the market is so niche, big corps see no incentive to jump in?
Being how pedal technology and DSP simulation has been advancing at breakneck speed over the past 10 years, why isn't there a single multi-fx unit that can do polyphonic octaves? there's some seriously high-tech gear out there: Zoom's MultiStomp which packs an entire zoom multi-effects into a shrunk stompbox unit. There's Line 6's Amplifi, a full range amp with Bluetooth and DSP that simulates virtually any effect and amp ever created. Then there are vessel stompboxes like Digitech's iStomp or IK's iRig Stomp which are app-driven housings controlled by iOS devices. And yet, not a single one of them does polyphonic octaves.
What bugles me is BOSS was the pioneer, the Super Octave OC3 was the first polyphonic octave generator in the market released in 2004. it only made sense that Japanese giant Roland would design this technology since they had been at the cutting edge of digital modelling for the past 20 years. However, it took Electro Harmonix a year of (presumably reverse engineering) to jump into that area with the POG in 2005. They shrunk it down in 2007 with the MicroPOG. 2009 saw the release of the POG2; the HOG came out in 2011 and the unreal HOG2 in 2013. Their latest achievement is the competitively priced Pitch fork. Meanwhile, BOSS clutched to their venerable OC3. EHX became torchbearers and rightfully so, they pushed the concept to the limits and reaped big rewards, they sized up the octave pedal market with a vast variety of pedals catering to all budgets.
BOSS' latest top of the line units are the GT100 and GT001. As it turns out, their pitch shifting capabilities are proper (equal to the PS6 harmonist), but their polyphonic performance sucks big time. it's just terrible. Even it's octave shifter is a let down compared to the OC3 released 10 years prior. the GT100 exhibits all the documented issues of pitch shifters: aliasing, warbling, tone stepping, and latency (which is most apparent when a Bass guitar is used). Though it's an outstanding multi-FX, it's not just a bad octave pedal, it simply isn't polyphonic. Considering their track history, its a mayor disappointment. Digitech's RP360? same issue: new DSP engine, same old crap pitchshifting, in spite of their embrace of polyphony in 2014 when the Whammy V/DT/Drop were released.
Some people might argue EHX is a "true" analog pedal maker, while BOSS is all about digital modelling, and they would be wrong. What isn't well known is every single polyphonic octave pedal EHX has made since their 2005 debut runs on a DSP chip, the POG and MicroPOG where running on Freescale DSP56364 (or similar). DSP means Digital Signal Processor, which is exactly what BOSS' COSM, KORG's REMS or Digitech's DNA/2 are. EHX simply didn't christened it nor they go around telling and 'boasting' about it, so they retain an 'analog stompbox' vibe while the others do not.
So why doesn't BOSS, ZOOM, KORG, Digitech, IK or Line6 include true polyphonic effects in their DSP-based multi-effects? did EHX patent the algorithms? is there really a stranglehold on the poly-octave market or is it simply that the numbers aren't there, and the market is so niche, big corps see no incentive to jump in?
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