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Zoom MS-60B announced... at last

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#582
gleneg61 said:
Seems 2 me if anyone needs the extra flexibility, DI, USB, etc, just grab the B3, hook up with the 60B n away u go! Cheaper n more compact than the Boss multi fx 2! My 2c
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I like the 60B. I don't need all the stuff on the B3. It would go against the whole reason I got a 60B, I don't need that many of the effects on it. I originally got it for a chorus but now I think I'll be using it for a synth pedal. Just need to learn how to use it with my other effects in the chain now.
 
#584
I just picked up one of these little boxes on a whim...

I have been using a Line6 M5 as an all-in-one 'tacklebox' of effects that I don't use often or need "the best" version of. Stuff like chorus, flanger and delay. I just kept the M5 in my touring accessory case & pulled it out if needed on a session or gig for the random 80's tones or whatever. The M5 sounds pretty good with decent reverbs and delays + convenient programmability. But, it died on me last week, so I got an MS60b as a backup plan.

I like the MS60b! I'm not gonna lie - I've been a little prejudiced against ZOOM gear. Past products sound and felt very cheap to me and the name even makes me feel a little goofy - BUT - this little box really is powerful. The effects don't knock me over with sound quality, but many of them sound really good (definitely passable). The distortions aren't working well for me but I am digging the reverbs, delays, chorus and seek-wah tones. I think it's a keeper! Again, not the best-of-the-best by any stretch, but for a tiny-format multieffect for $99.... it's a no-brainer!

In my cramped home studio, the ZOOM paired with a Dunlop Volume pedal in front of it in my "auxilliary" loop on the loop strip:

20130717_154729_zpscd756604.jpg



For the meantime, I'm relegating the M5 (it got fixed in a day here in Nashville despite Line6's atrocious customer service) to my electric guitar setup:

20130717_154748_zpsa2a200e2.jpg




The MS60b has changed how I feel about ZOOM. Not amazing sounding, but definitely amazingly powerful for the $$$ and worth trying!
 
#585
Scubapig said:
Thanks chaps. These are both good workarounds, but they don't quite solve the problem...I mean, I'm not having a go. It's something that Zoom need to include in a firmware update.

Pauliebass' suggestion (which is the best solution in terms of actual bypass of a whole patch) means you have to sacrifice an effects slot. Perhaps not often a problem, but still, not 100% bypass.

Rocksolid's one, whilst correct, still means that you have to cycle through all the patches in your list to get to your empty "bypass" patch. Not very useful when you're trying to switch something quickly or cleanly.

No, what we need is instant bypass of each individual patch, as if it was a standalone pedal, regardless of A/B/C setup or the number of effects in the patch.

I would send Zoom an email about it, but they don't seem to have one for such things. I did try tweeting them, but got nothing.

Thanks again for the help anyway, these are certainly handy ideas until the problem is fixed.

I appreciate that it's not totally obvious how you would implement this feature easily, given the architecture of the software setup. I thought maybe a double tap of the footswitch, but this seems a bit silly, considering how standard the feature is on other pedals. Kind of the definition of counterintuitive!

To be honest, I can't really see why one would want to bypass individual effects within a patch in a normal playing situation. Surely you make a patch how you like it, then save it, then turn it on or off. You'll want to do it when trying out combinations and setting levels, sure, but that's all programming stuff. After that, it's either on, bypass or select another patch, IMO anyway.
Click to expand...

What about changing the tuner function from MUTE to BYPASS?

The manual says that "the effects are bypassed when the tuner is being used". I'm guessing that means you could turn off all the effects in the patch by holding down the footswitch.

The downsides are that you have to hold the footswitch for a second or two instead of it being instant. Also since your tuning could be heard, you'd either have to live with it or use your amps mute button (if you have a mute button).
 
#586
justbark said:
What about changing the tuner function from MUTE to BYPASS?

The manual says that "the effects are bypassed when the tuner is being used". I'm guessing that means you could turn off all the effects in the patch by holding down the footswitch.

The downsides are that you have to hold the footswitch for a second or two instead of it being instant. Also since your tuning could be heard, you'd either have to live with it or use your amps mute button (if you have a mute button).
Click to expand...

I'm still trying to figure out a way to use one effect on the pedal by engaging it in my chain and then disengaging it when I don't want to use it. I think I'm missing something but so far I don't see how I can use this pedal in my line of effects and only use the zoom as a "one effect" pedal easily engaged and disengaged when I want to only use that one effect.

On a side note, the main reason I got the MS60B was because I needed a chorus effect. I think the chorus is ok but damn is it loud. I get a lot of resonant noise when I try to use the chorus effect on it. I've tried tweaking the settings on it but the resonant noise persists. Anyone else having this problem?
 
#587
gregmon79 said:
I'm still trying to figure out a way to use one effect on the pedal by engaging it in my chain and then disengaging it when I don't want to use it. I think I'm missing something but so far I don't see how I can use this pedal in my line of effects and only use the zoom as a "one effect" pedal easily engaged and disengaged when I want to only use that one effect.

On a side note, the main reason I got the MS60B was because I needed a chorus effect. I think the chorus is ok but damn is it loud. I get a lot of resonant noise when I try to use the chorus effect on it. I've tried tweaking the settings on it but the resonant noise persists. Anyone else having this problem?
Click to expand...

That's easy to do! If you have a patch with one single effect unit, you just stomp the button to turn it off. Red light goes off, effect is bypassed. Now, if you want to use a patch with multiple effects in it - it gets trickier!

The chorus is working ok for me. I just dial back the effect level in the pages menu for that unit. Again, nothing AMAZING sounding, but I get a useful chorus sound.
 
#589
scotch said:
That's easy to do! If you have a patch with one single effect unit, you just stomp the button to turn it off. Red light goes off, effect is bypassed. Now, if you want to use a patch with multiple effects in it - it gets trickier!

The chorus is working ok for me. I just dial back the effect level in the pages menu for that unit. Again, nothing AMAZING sounding, but I get a useful chorus sound.
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I'm still struggling I guess. It's like if I step on the pedal it automatically goes to A patch, then B patch and so on. If I set it to where there is no A/B/C patches, I can just scroll to the one effect I want, leave it in that one spot and when I hit the footswitch it'll just engage the one effect I left it on?
 
#590
gregmon79 said:
I'm still struggling I guess. It's like if I step on the pedal it automatically goes to A patch, then B patch and so on. If I set it to where there is no A/B/C patches, I can just scroll to the one effect I want, leave it in that one spot and when I hit the footswitch it'll just engage the one effect I left it on?
Click to expand...

Yes, if you get out of scroll mode, you essentially are left with a "normal" stompbox. Use the middle dial to select the patch you want - then press the middle dial in. You should see the graphic of your selected effect and the red light will be on. Stomp the footswitch & the red light goes off - effect bypassed! This works even if you have letters assigned to each patch.

Keep in mind, however, that if you have more than one effect unit in that patch - stomping the footswitch only shuts off the effect displayed in the lcd. (This is a drawback to the MS60b, no way to turn off all the effect units in a patch simultaneously.[DEL] Even using the "Line Selector" unit doesn't accomplish it depending on the levels set in it.[/DEL])

edit: I did some more experimenting with multi-unit effects (say, reverb + filter + octave for example) switching: by putting the "Line Selector" unit as the 1st Unit in a patch - you can use it to turn on/off all the effects units in that patch simultaneously! Just make sure Line Selector is showing on the LCD & stomp the footswitch. Just set the 'Dry' output for unity gain with your instrument and "Efx" to how loud you want the effects on to be. Works great!
 
#591
This might have been covered somewhere earlier, but there are 30 pages and that's a lot of time to spend checking....

Does this pedal have a "latch" function, as per the EHX Freeze? I'm looking to get one of those, but if this pedal can do that, then I will definitely head the ZOOM way!
 
#593
heb9_28 said:
This might have been covered somewhere earlier, but there are 30 pages and that's a lot of time to spend checking....

Does this pedal have a "latch" function, as per the EHX Freeze? I'm looking to get one of those, but if this pedal can do that, then I will definitely head the ZOOM way!
Click to expand...

Not that I've found.
 
#594
I just placed a GC order for one, using the 20% off coupon they emailed me. Pretty stoked about it, hopefully it will work for me. Otherwise I will trade it in for an MXR Analog Chorus. But I am hoping to use the detune function to get a chorus sound more like my Polytope for my Nano, plus some other goodies like "analog" delay and possibly some reverbs too.
 
#595
Had a fill-in/audition gig last night where I was only doing the first set, using my rig. Had to tear down and get regular/leaving bassist set up between sets, so I wanted to be as portable as possible. Did not need any FX so no need for my board, but I wanted a compressor, maybe an enhancer, EQ etc. since I was only taking 1 of my 210 cabs.
I set up a patch on the 60b with a GraphicEQ>BottomB>160Comp>B-Man>PF350. I had the Graph up and active for on the fly adjustments. Batteries in 60b eliminated 1 long cord and need for 1 power spot.
Head and 60b fit in gig bag over shoulder, cab and stand in hand. Boy did it sound good!
And just got word I got the gig! Steady Thursday/Friday night gigs in two really cool clubs playing cool tunes with cool dudes! Life's good! All because of Zoom! ;)

J!
 
#598
bassySTARship99 said:
lotsa lov for ZOOM, whats the appeal to you guys, whats the golden ticket about the Zoom prods?
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For me it's not Zoom in general, it's these two products (B3 & MS-60b). The amp/preamp sims are a joy to use once you know how to set them up (thanks again CharlieC!), the FX are really easy to make sound good, the Compressors are stellar, and the units are solidly built. Live user interface could be a little better, but for the way I use them, it's perfect! I will own both these units for a long time to come.

J!
 
#600
bassySTARship99 said:
but dont most guys want metal housings, truebypass, holygrail chips and capacitors with carbon comp resistors? zoom doesnt do that, so why wast time tryn to sound like a studio recording where they didnt use zoom? just asking, dont want to sound like a jerk sorry shouldnt have said anything
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Both these units are metal. Don't care about true bypass, as one or both of the Zoom's are always on. Holygrail crap has never mattered squat to me, as long as it sounds good live, and these do. In fact, they sound great!
Didn't take your comments as jerky at all.


J!
 
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