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Will I be disappointed replacing a OC-2 and Micro POG with a OC-5?

blizzard

blizzard

Mar 31, 2005
1,391
386
Brisbane, Australia
#1
I currently have an OC-2 and Micro POG, and am thinking of selling both and getting an OC-5. The extra cash from the sale will help pay for some other pedal board updates (I don't need the money as such but it makes me feel a bit better on spending money on the other upgrades).

I currently use the OC-2 for classic -1 tone. The POG I use mainly for the faux organ all 3 octaves dimed tone and the octave up Justin Chancellor type tone. I wanted to get a sense if the OC-5 will cover both adequately. I don't really play many chords with the POG.
 
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#2
It really depends on how you like the POG's sound. I personally love it. I had the micro POG first and I ended up selling it. I've gone through the POG2, twice actually, and I have the OC5. While I like the OC5, I don't feel like it would replace the POG. It can and does do that organ sound. But not the way the POG can and does IMO. The POG has a really distinct sound. And it really works well in a band mix IME. I actually use the Pitchfork now. I use the octave up and down (-1/+1 octave) so it kinda gives me the best of both. But then I also tend to keep another analogue octave on my board too. Right now its a Meatbox. If that wasn't there, it would be the OC5 or I'd use the C4 for an OC2 style octave. I use the Pitchfork more than an OC sound though. For that organ sounding sound. It pairs so good with chorus and maybe some delay and reverb.

Not sure if this helps. But yeah, the OC5 does do an organ style sound. But not quite like the POG IMO. It's still good. Just different.
 
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#3
I think it's really just personal opinion. I replaced my micro pog with an OC-5 and I like the sound of the OC-5 a lot more. It's not better, just different, and to my ears and what I like it's a good difference. However, I still have my OC-2 or 3leaf on the board for the pure -1 sound. I like them slightly more than the OC-5 for that sound, and I prefer not to have to change settings on the fly.
 
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#4
Try out the oc5 before selling the oc2 -- I have an oc5 and end up using only the octave below. I'd leave things as is, unless you have a financial net gain by replacing the oc2. However, whenever I've tried to sell things, it's almost always resulted in some kind of unforeseen drawback or regret. What about buffering or true bypass? Mason Mangella's videos are daunting and there are all kinds of considerations in your chain with your particular rig and your particular bass and how you use it. The oc5 maybe a much different animal compared to the oc2 in more ways than simply the kinds of octaves it generates.
 
#6
I own the OC-5, and I am very happy with it. The band digs it, and I do use it in poly mode. I run a chorus behind it for a second voice. Honestly, I like the OC-5 voicing better than the OC-2 voicing, even for a single octave, so you may not want to listen to me! Haha… I had an EBS octave before, and I really enjoyed it, but it’s as the folks above have said, it’s just its own flavor of the octave dish. I suppose I need to put the OC-2 voicing through its paces and see what all the hubub is about!
 
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#7
The OC-5 was a disappointment to me. My complaints were as follows:

1. It does not achieve unity volume with just the -1 octave solo'd
2. It has a somewhat grating, midrangey tone that I didn't find pleasing. Yes, people say the OC-2 is midrangey too, but OC-2's sound good. The OC-5 annoyed my ear almost immediately.
3. The OC-5 overreacts to dynamics, similar to the SY-1
 
#10
I haven't tried the OC 5, but this last year I spent a lot of time trying out "affordable" replacements for my 80's MIJ Octaver.
The little Markbass pedal got me closest, but not identical.
I would've saved myself alot of time just spending the money on a second MIJ backup pedal though
 
#12
Never played OC-2 or Pog but the 0C-5 Doesn't track as well as my Broughton Subsonic. But I definitely enjoy using either side of the pedal. I have no issues with it whatsoever. Definitely more versatile than the MXR BOD it replaced. I recommend the pedal but as everything in the pedal odyssey goes personal taste differ.
 
#13
JazznFunk said:
There's nothing like the sound of the OC-2, particularly the 80s MIJ ones. I owned 2 early 2000s models before I finally got an '86 MIJ and man... the difference is not just a placebo thing. Definitely try it out first before you ditch the OC-2.
Click to expand...
I agree in principle. Even so, I've owned 2 MIJ "Octaver" OC-2, one sounds absolutely stellar, the other was much noisier and quieter and didn't track as clean. Lots of variation.
 
#14
To be honest, I think only you can answer this question.
I've owned several copies of the original Boss OC-2 and I love the tone but hated the rest of the pedal. The lack of input headroom, the lack of true bypas, the gain difference between fully wet and mixed, the variation in tone between copies...all added to the "I need to find a better OC-2" paradigm that many find ourselves in with their OC-2.
I first bought a MXR Bass Octaver Delux, it's a great pedal and resolves a lot of the issues the OEM Boss unit has. Out of the box it's a little brighter and more mids than the Boss...however it can be dialled in quite close (close enough for me). It's also got a few other tones which is nice for the variety, although this is mostly EQ variation. I find analogue OC-2 clones to be glitchy and have some weird artifacts with round wound strings that can be minimised with playing technique...or setting up a dedicated bass with flats helps a lot.
Then I got a Source Audio C4 / Spectrum and it's replaced my MXR analogue pedal completely. it can be dialled in pretty close, tracks better than any analogue Octave pedal ever has fro me. And i can dial in my specific control needs per patch. It's a pedal that's way more versatile than any stock octaver....because it's a synth, a filter, a sequencer etc.
However, I know some OC-2 purists say it's not exactly the same sound, so it's really up to you and where your priorities lay. For me it's close enough and I struggle the hear the diffrence, I certainly would never hear the difference in a mix.
 
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#15
Well I tried and bought the OC-5, comparing the -1 octave clean it sounds almost identical to the OC-2 with maybe a tiny bit more mids. Running both into a big muff yields a bigger difference, the OC-5 being brighter to my ears. Tracking is also better on the OC-5


Compared to the POG, the -1 octave is much better sounding to me. Also prefer the OC-5 +1 sound for clean, it's fair less metallic sounding. Running it into the muff the POG +1 sound is better for that faux dirty guitar. The poly tracking is also better on the POG.

Overall I'm happy with OC-5, it's 95% the OC-2 sound, and a much nicer +1 octave compared to the EHX.
 
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#16
blizzard said:
Well I tried and bought the OC-5, comparing the -1 octave clean it sounds almost identical to the OC-2 with maybe a tiny bit more mids. Running both into a big muff yields a bigger difference, the OC-5 being brighter to my ears. Tracking is also better on the OC-5


Compared to the POG, the -1 octave is much better sounding to me. Also prefer the OC-5 +1 sound for clean, it's fair less metallic sounding. Running it into the muff the POG +1 sound is better for that faux dirty guitar. The poly tracking is also better on the POG.

Overall I'm happy with OC-5, it's 95% the OC-2 sound, and a much nicer +1 octave compared to the EHX.
Click to expand...
The Micro Pog is a bit warbly on that upper octave, huh? I just use mine (actually a Mooer Tender Octaver v1, a clone except for stereo) to simulate an 8 string bass, but I’d never use it by itself unless I threw some dirt on it.
 
#17
JimmyM said:
The Micro Pog is a bit warbly on that upper octave, huh? I just use mine (actually a Mooer Tender Octaver v1, a clone except for stereo) to simulate an 8 string bass, but I’d never use it by itself unless I threw some dirt on it.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't say the POG is warbly, the tracking is better than the OC-5 overall, and much better tracking for chords. I just prefer the sound of OC-5 +1 octave, it's more natural. The POG +1 octave does sound good with dirt or fuzz.
 
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