Boss ME-50

  • Thread starter Thread starter Toker41
  • Start date Start date
Nothing says that you can't be both arrogant and correct at the same time... not that I think he is...

know better...

or afford better...
 
I've had an ME-50 for a couple of years and I purchased it for the same reason you are looking at it - I have several guitar maps/combos (Marshall, Fender, Vox, Peavey, etc.) and a couple of amp sims (Pod and J-Station) - so I simply wanted an easy to use, decent sounding floor pedal. I didn't want amp sims - I just wanted a good, old fasioned floor unit.

In particular - I wanted something that I could quickly tweak knobs, rather than scroll through pages and pages of menus. I've got waaaay too many pieces of rack gear with display windows that don't work in certain lighting conditions, or require an advanced degree in engineering to navigate, etc. - I wanted an effects pedal that I could simply bend bown turn a knob and play.

The ME-50 has some very good modulation sounds (chorus, etc) and I think the delays are very usable. The reverb is weak.....but I'm not a big fan of much reverb on guitar.

The foot pedal for wah is not as good as a stand alone (Crybaby,etc.) - but it does the job. I don't play much music calling for wah - so my wah chops are not strong.

The noise gate works well- but the "EQ" section is worthless - I would have preferred a graphic EQ rather than the stupid "presets". There are plenty of I/O options...........but no MIDI.

Regarding the overdrive/distortion - I never owned most of the pedals it "simulates" so I can't attest to how accurate the simulation is.............but I never have a problem finding the sound I need. I try to use the guitar amp for my primary crunch - so I normally dial in only a little ME-50 distortion.

If you want a very easy to use multi effects floor unit - and if you prefer to tweak knobs rather than squint at a display window - and if you want something that will hold up to abuse (the ME-50 is built like a tank) - then you my like the ME-50. I know I am satisfied with mine.
 
Toker41 said:
I actually considered that, and the GT6. All these damn amp modelers are a pain in the ass, and lets face it....none of them sound anything like the amp they claim to "model". I've found the software gets in the way of simply programing a simple, straight forward effect. I'm fortunate enough to own the real amps. No need for limited copies. Better my money, and their RnD be focused on what an effects box is suppose to do.

With few exceptions, I was never a fan of using stomp boxes. Back in my day (the 80's) they were very limited as far as programing. Rack equipment was the shit for this reason. However, now that I don't have roadies to deal with all this crap, I'm looking for something simple and quick to hook up. If I were to ever tour again, then my Eventide still rules the day. However, for one off shows, jamming with friends, or quick preproduction, I just want something quick, easy, and travel friendly. In no way do I expect to match the quality of some of my rack gear, but it still has to sound good with a true bypass.
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Toker41 said:
thing that worries me is the lack of a midi input.
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if you have an open mind and don't have the Behringer is crap gear mindset as most people do, you may want to consider the Behringer V-Amp Pro rack mountable FX processor. I have the Bass V-Amp Pro and the FCB 1010 Midi foot controller and love it! very nice piece's of equipment and very useful both in the studio or on stage Just another option that is out there.
I will be the first person to admit Behringer does make an abundance of crap gear but they actually do make some good stuff too, the V-amp Pro preamp/FX processors and the FCB 1010 are both good pieces of gear.
 
It seems that most of you have totally missed the point that I was making. I wasn't being arrogant I was being practical. If all that you have ever used is cheap-o effects pedals like Boss then you probably won't fully understand. Toker41 has been using high quality rack effects such as Eventide. So for him switching from Eventide to Boss will be like trading a Ferrari for a Yugo. A dog will eat nasty smelling canned dog food until you start feeding it table scraps. Toker knows what I'm saying. If you guys are happy with your Boss or Line6 FX then great,more power to you. Rock on!
 
Now that's better... arrogant to condescending :D

Nah... point well taken... I get you now...
 
Roguetitan said:
if you have an open mind and don't have the Behringer is crap gear mindset as most people do, you may want to consider the Behringer V-Amp Pro rack mountable FX processor. I have the Bass V-Amp Pro and the FCB 1010 Midi foot controller and love it! very nice piece's of equipment and very useful both in the studio or on stage Just another option that is out there.
I will be the first person to admit Behringer does make an abundance of crap gear but they actually do make some good stuff too, the V-amp Pro preamp/FX processors and the FCB 1010 are both good pieces of gear.
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I already own the V-amp Pro, and Bass V-amp Pro. Good units. Just wanted something for quick direct recording on preproduction, and song writting. Wasn't really expecting anything great. Got rid of both my Pod Pro, and Bass Pod Pro in favor of the Behringer. The V-amp blows the Pod out of the water, and I've never had a day of trouble with either. I have seen Behringer units take a crap (not mine, though), but for $150....just buy another. I've actually considered the XV-Amp pedal unit, but it's made of plastic, and no matter how much I defend Behringer....I wouldn't go as far as to say that they could withstand a stomping on.
 
ocnor said:
It seems that most of you have totally missed the point that I was making. I wasn't being arrogant I was being practical. If all that you have ever used is cheap-o effects pedals like Boss then you probably won't fully understand. Toker41 has been using high quality rack effects such as Eventide. So for him switching from Eventide to Boss will be like trading a Ferrari for a Yugo. A dog will eat nasty smelling canned dog food until you start feeding it table scraps. Toker knows what I'm saying. If you guys are happy with your Boss or Line6 FX then great,more power to you. Rock on!
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Yup, I get what you are saying. It just took a few minutes.;)
 
first the arrogant response: :-)
yes. nothing great sounding, no fantastic tones and nothing low noise and musical has been recorded using "cheapo" boss pedals (or ibanez for that matter). they weren't used on probably 80% of all classic rock recordings and haven't been considered some of the greatest tone altering/generating devices in history.

oooooooooooook. Eventide? since when is a digital algorithm that emulates an analog circuit a "better" way of doing things than actually using an analog circuit? Other than for noise floor at least?

ok, now the analytical side: boss (and ibanez and many other) stomp pedals have very well designed very low noise analog circuits. not only did they actually INVENT guitar distortion circuits (as opposed to tube overdrive) and therefore define that type of sound, they have always been extremely well designed, built and highly trusted devices for both the studio and live musician.

While there are obviously some amazing rack units that do incredible things with reverb and modulation that analog stomp boxes have never excelled at, there is nothing cheap or inferior about the circuits and components in these stomp boxes.

That's not a defense, it's actual fact. look at what these circuits are doing. look at what "eventide" etc is doing. The goals are actually different in many cases and they don't really try to step on each other's toes.

Eventide (again just using your example here) wouldn't dream of thinking that they can do distortion and stomp box tones better than boss has been doing for 40 years in their stomp boxes. It's a different thing completely.
 
oh yea, back to the point :-)

I own the me-50, love it for what it is. it's boss pedal emulations are very faithful and musical. the distortions and overdrives are very touch sensitive like the real thing. you can't use the overdrive pedals to overdrive your amp though unlike the real thing, but keeping in mind what this is doing, it's doing it perfectly to my ears. and it's pedal controlled pitch stuff is terrific!

also, it's modulations are quieter than the boxes it emulates while still capturing the great chorus sounds of the real boss chorus pedals etc that I own.

it's emulations of other great non-roland pedals are also very good, in some cases fantastic. nothing in it sucks in any way, and I can't say that about some other pedalboard multifx systems I've tried.

Cheers,
Don
 
As said before a nice piece of equipment. I bought it a couple years ago an i like it verry much. Not for nothing it costs the same as three years ago. A lot of options and effects. Only dont use teh compressor and the chorus. I use the boss compressor stomp an the super chorus also Boss. Because i dont like the compressor of the ME-50 and you also can not use two modulations at the same time. Such As chorus and phaser at the same time. I also use the me-50 often to pratice singing. Then i set all to zero setting and only use the hall and compressor wish i saved in 3 different settings and saved it in the last preset bank. I dont want to miss the ME-50. If you want to create youre own rare specific guitar sound, go on stomp boxes.

Robert
members.home.nl/rlottmann/index.htm
 
dkelley said:
since when is a digital algorithm that emulates an analog circuit a "better" way of doing things than actually using an analog circuit?
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Boss seems to think so. From it's fake nasal distortion to it's grainy effects the ME-50 is an "ALL DIGITAL" unit. Being analog or digital should not be a determining factor when judging the quality of an effect. Use your ears instead.
 
mikeh said:
Would you be willing to explain why you think the ME50 sucks?
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Yup. Tried, but kept having problems posting, so "it sucks" was all you were getting at that moment.:p

Chorus is harsh. Delays are ok (not good, but ok), but no matter how much I tweak it, I just can't quite get it right. Volume pedal is crap. I kind of like the Wah, but you have to keep in mind that I've been looking for a wah that doesn't sound like everybody else's wah. I think someone bitched about the compression, but I found that not too bad. Certainly usable. I can't really say much about the distortion, as I didn't play with it, and probably never will. To me, that whole section is a waste of space.
The thing is built like a tank, even though mine arrived damaged (the manual switch for the wah/volume pedal is not working). It's well laid out. I would like a little more option with the compressor, as it's kind of limited. The lack of a midi option is a serious con. Banking "up" and "down" does not work well for me. It will do for a kick around, and for the few times I play out, but it's not what I would consider a great piece of gear. At the risk of discrediting anything I ever say from this point on, I would have to say that my V-amp effects actually sounds better.

Oh...and the damn thing is noisy as hell.
I haven't written it off as useless (yet), but I'm not as impressed as I was hoping to be.
 
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dkelley said:
oooooooooooook. Eventide? since when is a digital algorithm that emulates an analog circuit a "better" way of doing things than actually using an analog circuit? Other than for noise floor at least?
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Well, I would have to say since the $3000 processor with quality components, and converters, emulates top shelf circuits that produce a much richer, higher quality sound than the $.45 worth of components in the $30 pedal that was assembled by a non English speaking worker making $3.00 a week.
 
Toker41 said:
I would have to say that my V-amp effects actually sounds better.
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I agree, I like the V amp better myself; that is why I made honorable mention of it.
Sorry to hear that the ME 50 did not work out for you. can you send it back for a refund or store credit?
no sense in keeping something you do not like.
 
Hey toker... you should call yourself

The Pink Stones and the Rolling Foyds...

What was the signal chain on the Guitars... they're stellar...
 
ocnor said:
Boss seems to think so. From it's fake nasal distortion to it's grainy effects the ME-50 is an "ALL DIGITAL" unit. Being analog or digital should not be a determining factor when judging the quality of an effect. Use your ears instead.
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LoL - no kidding. the me-50 emulates their own analog products in digital. and obviously it doesn't make a frickin difference, if you read what I was saying, that was my whole point.

I was defending boss when someone else was insulting them because of their supposedly inferior design etc (I used digital and analog in my description because it's really the whole point to me - he was discussing a digital piece that emulatest classic analog gear, and in the same breath insulting that analog gear. So I figure he's ignorant enough to not know what is really going on, that the digital gear is mimicking the analog.)

You don't need to freak out at me dude, I'm on your side here, just read some of my other posts on this site or get to know me a little - you'll find that I'm one of the biggest "who gives if it's analog/digital when it sounds musical" guys you'll ever meet.

maybe I wasn't clear in my post - but it was directed at the guy who slammed boss, and was talking down to his level.

Cheers,
Don
 
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