why the hate on multi-effects pedals?

[EastCoastThump]

Some multis are utter dogs, some multis give you some sounds that are useful in the right musical contexts, and no multi is everything to everybody.

In those ways, multis have a lot in common with single stomps and rack FX.

 

[superbassman2000]

I think that the hate stems from the perception of quality. What I've noticed in my time on talkbass is that the majority of people who dislike multi-FX boxes are the ones who own 200 dollar single stomps, and are comparing them to 200 dollar multi-FX boxes...the cheap multi-FX pedals are like having 10 twenty dollar pedals chained, so it's a little lopsided imo. I think the guys who use the 200 single stomps should compare them to the 10x200 dollar effect pedals, like the eventide harmonizers and the high end TC electronics and Lexicon offerings imo (i know that's rack FX, but to me, it's comparable)

 

[BBox Bass]

I'm in a cover band and I like MFX units because even though I don't use effects 95% of the time, it's nice to have them available for the few songs on my band's set list where the original bass recording had a recognizable effect. For example, the intro to For Whom The Bell Tolls needs fuzz or it won't sound "right" to most people's ears. When my last band decided to cover Poker Face, I used the flanger to great effect.

A few years ago, I picked up a used Boss ME-50B and it has served me well. In a live setting, I mostly use it for the tuner and a touch of compression, but it's nice knowing that it's there if I need it for other things. At home it works great for recording.

 

[lunarpollen]

I tend to think of them as toys for hobbyists or as budget boxes of tricks. It's a bit like those Swanson "Hungry-Man" dinners as opposed to individually chosen and purchased meal components.

 

[warwick.hoy]

I tend to think of them as toys for hobbyists or as budget boxes of tricks. It's a bit like those Swanson "Hungry-Man" dinners as opposed to individually chosen and purchased meal components.

'cept without the indigestion.

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

I tend to think of them as toys for hobbyists or as budget boxes of tricks. It's a bit like those Swanson "Hungry-Man" dinners as opposed to individually chosen and purchased meal components.

You know, I think that's a bit unfair... I've played with a few guitar players who made good use of them... but never as an entire solution - they kept them for one or two things they really liked... Never for all the fx...

 

[cheapbasslovin]

Here's how I see it. If you need A SOUND from an effect pedal, a multi is not likely going to get it for you. If you are constantly looking for the newest reach in out-there sounds, a multi is not going to get you there.

If you thing that a chorus kind of sounds like a chorus kind of sounds like a chorus, a multi will dial you in when you want a chorus. If you are just looking for a 'feel', and are open to a few ways of achieving that feel, a multi can usually get you there.

Occasionally, someone who resides in group one doesn't see the value in a multi that someone from group two does and they poop on the multi.

Plus some multi-effects pump more noise into the chain than a refrigerator store with 20 year old fluorescent lighting; especially older multis.

 

[Jawbone]

Hate, no hate, but why do they add all the useless stuff: Cab and amp modeling? What is the point of having a cab and amp modeling program when you play through an amp, cab or combo? I think a previous post spelled it out: give us effects, the ability to program order and get rid of the the superfluous stuff. I've owned a few but never gigged with one.

 

[SMILEYSIXX]

My ME-50B was the worst $300 I ever spent. Sure, it has 19 effects, but if they're all subpar, what's the use? M-fx boxes just seem gimmicky to me. Like the musical equivalent of a swiss army knife. A lot of stuff there, but nowhere near as useful as it's individual components.

 

[caeman]

I think it is sad that the FX will be subpar. How is it that Boss can make such reportedly awesome pedals, but not reproduce that quality in the ME-50B? It is as if they don't want the product to succeed on purpose, so you buy more pedals.

Check multis like the new Eleven Rack box.

 

[dukeorock]

Obviously, if you like it, it's cool...I've purchased a bunch of singles and multi's in my time...then I usually leave them at the studio and plug straight into the amp I mean, if I want distortion, I use a pick and beat the crap out of a P-bass...it WILL distort, and to my ears sounds better than any pedal...but I'm starting a new side band and getting pedals!

I have a Line 6 Floor Pod...agreed that the presets are too gimmicky, but they can be changed...I dunno, some of the stuff sounds pretty good on there to me...Sold a couple high end distortion boxes and really wish I hadn't now...

My biggest concern with the multi's is if the unit goes down on the road, you lose EVERYTHING...if one of the 7 single pedals goes down, you can probably roll with it.

other than that, if you like it...it must be good

 

[takfar]

I think it is sad that the FX will be subpar. How is it that Boss can make such reportedly awesome pedals, but not reproduce that quality in the ME-50B? It is as if they don't want the product to succeed on purpose, so you buy more pedals.

I believe it's more like each of their good analog pedals has its own circuit structured around that one pedal, whereas in multis they have to digitally approximate everything, and it just never sounds as good as the individual solutions.

 

[mambo4]

My reasons for preferring stomp boxes -and I realize these simply are my preferences:

1.) Every digital multi pedal I have tried always has a slight delay when switching in/out (new ones may be better) Most stomp boxes kick in immediately. While too small for anyone else to notice, it feels unnatural.
2.) knobs > buttons + led menus. I like "one knob = one function", rather than "what this button does depends on what sub menu you have paged to" horrible usability IMHO
3.) related to the above: I don't like uncontrolled parameters: I want to know what each knob does and set it deliberately for the result I desire. Multi-boxes simply have more variables that might be hidden or difficult to access.
4.) Doing one thing well > doing everything meh. There's no way the compressor in a $200 multi box will compare to plopping $200 on a dedicated compressor.

That said, if you are starting our and want to explore what different effects sound like, then a cheap multibox is fine. Once you find which effects you dig, you start drooling over the moogerfoogers and such.

 

[ctrotier]

My take: I'm too lazy/unmotivated to read a manual or dink around with menus. I like to see what I have available laid out in front of me and choose what to use on the fly, hence I prefer individual pedals. I can see the effect and settings.

Perhaps I have ADD or I....oooooh! Shiny!!!

 

[ga_edwards]

I think it is sad that the FX will be subpar. How is it that Boss can make such reportedly awesome pedals, but not reproduce that quality in the ME-50B? It is as if they don't want the product to succeed on purpose, so you buy more pedals.

Check multis like the new Eleven Rack box.

Possibly because a lot of the 'awesome' boss pedals are the ones that have been modded by third parties. Therefore the models of their own pedals in boss multis will be 'stock' and thus only sound so-so.

 

[kaiser_sosea]

I have two issues with Multi vs Stomp boxes and those are 1.) sometimes the sound quality of the multi-fx suffers or sounds thin but this is not always the case & 2.) the multi's usually have too many options for me, I like to set and forget and have a few key effects to choose from easily, multi's complicate things more for me because I don't have the time available to go through and set up all the different patches, etc...

 

[ga_edwards]

Unfortunately the world is full of gear snobs. Whatever you buy, whether it's effects, guitars, cars, mobile phones.... someone will always look down on it and tell you why it's rubbish and not as good as their's. I find these people to also have a more disposable income and they find it hard to conceive that some people have to stick to a budget. Multi-fx cater for the budget conscious wonderfully.

Hell, even in stompbox land there's still gear snobs who look down on anything cheap or common place.

Best advice is to ignore them. Find what works for you and enjoy it. Personally I have owned a number of multis and now use a selection of stompboxes. But my signal path is relatively complex and I couldn't find something that caters for my exacting needs. However, if a compact all in one unit came out that did exactly what I want and sounds exactly right, I might just go back.

 

[Tommygunn]

I cant ever remember what I have, lol, but I love it a lot. Maybe I'm not a seasoned effects man, but it gets the job done and it sounds pretty good.

 

[ga_edwards]

Hate, no hate, but why do they add all the useless stuff: Cab and amp modeling? What is the point of having a cab and amp modeling program when you play through an amp, cab or combo? I think a previous post spelled it out: give us effects, the ability to program order and get rid of the the superfluous stuff. I've owned a few but never gigged with one.

Line 6 M series might be worth a look.

 

[Hutzbordello]

if its a good swiss army knife then sure.

but unless it can stand up to others that are made solely for that purpose then its not worth it. granted id have to think about a multi effect over a b word product...