Boss DD-500

[Dandolin]

Lo-Res delay is one of my favorites ever and I've never been able to match it on any other delay.

Yep. The version on the M5 didn't really do it for me, and it was the killer app on the DL4 for me, other than the looper.

[CBA]

Lo-Res delay is one of my favorites ever and I've never been able to match it on any other delay.

Yep. The version on the M5 didn't really do it for me, and it was the killer app on the DL4 for me, other than the looper.

Good call... the M5 versions are markedly different from the DL-4. I find the DL-4's delays to be thickerer and richerier than the M5's.

[tremolo3]

Any clips of that DL4 lo-res?
I only had one and sold it like 1 week later.

Then I'll try to replicate it with a DD500.

[Pop]

'Fraid not... maybe online somewhere. I have a M5 as well so I'm up to my lo-res ass in Lo-Res delay.

[Jwar]

Got my DD-500 yesterday, but haven't plugged it in yet. I have to say I'm LOLing about a few things with this unit that almost annoy me enough to flip it now as opposed to waiting.

1. AA batteries. Ummm. What? LOL! Who the fuck uses AA batteries in pedals? I've NEVER seen that. Maybe it exists and I'm just dumb, but that seems silly as shit. Just don't use batteries.

2. The note on the back of the supply input that says ONLY use a Boss PSA adapter. WTF. Seriously? Why? Is the Boss PSA magic? Will any other 9v adapter fry it? How about giving me the power requirements instead of trying to make me buy something extra? OR! OR! Include an adapter you cheap fucks.

3. The expression pedal. Sigh. So does Boss own Roland? I can ONLY use a EV5? Why? If I have another 10k expression pedal, I can't use that?

What's up with the weird shit like they won't cover your warranty unless you buy all their extra bullshit. Is Boss just stupid? Am I stupid?

I'm going to try it but those things are pretty annoying to me.

[D.o.S.]

Boss is a wing of Roland.

[Jwar]

Boss is a wing of Roland.

Of course. Sigh. LOL

I'm using my Source Audio Reflex. They can suck it!

[Jwar]

The reason it's annoying to me is because I was actually reading the manual (I know right!) and the info on the expression pedal and supply seem like advertisements or forced purchases. It actually said using another expression pedal could damage the pedal. I'm not sure how? I mean, I just don't see that being possible. There's literally nothing special about the EV5 except that it's a 10k pot, I know i have one. If I have the Reflex, I can select that. So what the hell would be the difference?

[Jwar]

ANSWER ME DOS!!!!!!!!!!

[lordgalvar]

The power supply and expression pedal statements are way for Boss to protect themselves on the warranty. It protects the company from people saying "I used this other one and it broke it" without explaining the differences or claiming fault (like explaining to a mom, one that isn't into gear, electronics, etc, that a 9v center neg AC to DC adapter is needed and she goes and gets a 9v AC. Then the kid/dude/recipient of the power supply just plugs it in without thinking/looking...you know?). Adding expansive power supplies with protection and/or correction would possibly add size and space.

Korg and Boss commonly use AA batteries. (as did early Maestro Fuzztones and other pedals too). Probably has to do with form factor and possibly because they feel that the rechargable AA are better quality than the 9v...(and more common)

There is no expression pedal standard (which is why Source made theirs...still not perfect, but I think the intended for a "best fit" kinda idea...like 85% of situations or something). You won't get the right sweep with something like the moog (50k) and nothing may happen at all (meaning it just kinda gets stuck on one setting). Lastgasp pedals use either the moog or roland one because of the pot choice for the specific pedal control. I have seen some weird expression requirements (like 5k) and those aren't really made as production expression pedals. The whole problem with expression pedals is there is not a standard (and their are ok reasons for that...lots of pot values...).

Again, there are ways around this, but it would increase the price of pedals (for example: using the exp pedal to control a bulb's brightness and the pedal would have an LDR to change the pot value...but this would also change the way the control works and the overall feel of the control).

There are software ways too: Korg gets around it by like digitally encoding the sweep with software (calibration on things like the SDD-3000).

Boss has to use language like this to protect themselves from people out to sue, get free stuff, or too many warranty calls (they have to draw a line somewhere...and drawing a line by creating their own exp pedal standard and not worrying about what others do is easier than fielding calls and returns). Pretty common business practice really (Chevy = Dexcool III (shitty stuff, but it was "official") and stuff like that...my dishwasher even says "use finish brand" in the casting somehwere)

Anyway, been hearing good things down the line about the DD-500....doesn't do everything (nothing should/could) but it is solid and has a ton of depth. Sounds like a blast and a vast improvement on the DD-20.

edit: I really, really need to stop typing on my phone...haha, fleshed it out and clarified a few things. And fixed a bunch of dumb typos/mistakes.

[rfurtkamp]

PSA is just their standard supply. Should be doable with any One-spot type unit.

The thing that kills me with the DD-500 (and I have enough other Boss/Roland stuff to love the ecosystem generally) is that it doesn't work with the ToneStudio software like the early promo said it would.

I'd have bought one in a heartbeat if it did - it's good software, and manually editing the thing and whatnot is just a pain in the ass versus big, happy onscreen 27" display.

So I bought myself a RE-20 recently instead, having wanted one to lessen the wear on my actual Space Echo for times I wanted *close* to the magic without firing up the motor.

[Seance]

Got my DD-500 yesterday, but haven't plugged it in yet. I have to say I'm LOLing about a few things with this unit that almost annoy me enough to flip it now as opposed to waiting.

1. AA batteries. Ummm. What? LOL! Who the fuck uses AA batteries in pedals? I've NEVER seen that. Maybe it exists and I'm just dumb, but that seems silly as shit. Just don't use batteries.

2. The note on the back of the supply input that says ONLY use a Boss PSA adapter. WTF. Seriously? Why? Is the Boss PSA magic? Will any other 9v adapter fry it? How about giving me the power requirements instead of trying to make me buy something extra? OR! OR! Include an adapter you cheap fucks.

3. The expression pedal. Sigh. So does Boss own Roland? I can ONLY use a EV5? Why? If I have another 10k expression pedal, I can't use that?

What's up with the weird shit like they won't cover your warranty unless you buy all their extra bullshit. Is Boss just stupid? Am I stupid?

I'm going to try it but those things are pretty annoying to me.

Yep. Using the EV-5 and only the Boss power supplies is just Boss covering their ass and a marketing ploy
(as lordgalvar said), all rolled up into one. Other of the Boss Multi-pedals run on AA bateries. Just pretend
they didn't suggest it and plug into your Voodoo Labs or other power supply.

Now. Onto the more important stuff... demo us up some clips!


I'm interested in this pedal. The ability to control multiple parameters at the same time is intriguing.
The deep editing to the sound, sculpting tone of repeats, layering algorithms, all are of interest to me.
And I'm interested in getting a Source Audio Reflex to control multiple parameters on different pedals
at the same time. Seems like a fantastic way to audio mangle and whangle weird guitar textures.

The existing demos of the Boss DD-500 are just "How do emulation sound?". Which is nice to hear.
But I also want to hear interesting uses of functionality. Like... drone it... tweak it... ratchet sonic
spectrum from one emotional band to another. You know... interesting stuff.

So... maybe you can make some clips and show "the weird" that's in this pedal? I've heard tell that
"the weird" is in there. But no clips (audio or visual) have borne this out so far.

[Seance]

The thing that kills me with the DD-500 (and I have enough other Boss/Roland stuff to love the ecosystem generally) is that it doesn't work with the ToneStudio software like the early promo said it would.

I'd have bought one in a heartbeat if it did - it's good software, and manually editing the thing and whatnot is just a pain in the ass versus big, happy onscreen 27" display.

So I bought myself a RE-20 recently instead, having wanted one to lessen the wear on my actual Space Echo for times I wanted *close* to the magic without firing up the motor.

Yes. Totally agree. I'm hoping there will be an update to the DD-500 firmware or the ToneStudio software to allow for this.
Seems insane not to include this functionality.

Even the Source Audio Nemesis delay, which is slow-rolling out just now, has the ability to tweak and alter parameters in their
"Neuro" app. Maybe the Nemesis release was delayed because they wanted to get the app up and running at the same time?
And all the Nemesis demos seem to indicate it can self-oscillate quite easily. Not so sure about the DD-500 in that regard.
(start around 4:10 mark)
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SB5S8sTmuyw[/youtube]

I have an RE-20 and I love it. It isn't an actual Space Echo. But... that's also part of what I love about it. Smaller, cheaper,
and *close* to the magic without firing up a motor.

[Inconuucl]

Is boss any good at firmware updates?

[Seance]

Is boss any good at firmware updates?

Erm... kinda seems like it depends.

I have an RC-3 and it had an annoying time lag between banks when you played one
then tried to switch over to the other. When I got the pedal this was annoying to me.
I wrote to Boss to ask if this could be changed. They said it wouldn't be.

But maybe 6-8 months later there was a software update that addressed and fixed
this issue on the RC-3 looper. So... that's my experience with Boss firmware updates.
Big whale move slow. But sometimes does.