Boss GX-1

[Sascha Franck]

I think most people spending less than $500 want something flexible and fun to play.

Sure. The MG-30 is just that every bit as much as the GX-1. Dedicated switches for each block, 3 footswitches, 5 encoders (instead of just 3 on the Boss), EXP pedal. Seriously, regarding functionality, it's almost the same unit (minus the option to run it from batteries and USB buspower).

 

[Sascha Franck]

Man if I’m splitting hairs on a cheap modeler device with like $20 difference

Nobody's doing that.

 

[Dom Mcsweeney]

Nobody's doing that.

I dunnno... you kinda are...

Sure. The MG-30 is just that every bit as much as the GX-1. Dedicated switches for each block, 3 footswitches, 5 encoders (instead of just 3 on the Boss), EXP pedal. Seriously, regarding functionality, it's almost the same unit (minus the option to run it from batteries and USB buspower).

 

[Dez]

At Thomann, the NUX MG-30 is €249 whereas the GX-1 is €259.



Sure. I was just wondering because the majority round these parts is typically all up in arms in case whatever amps aren't represented properly. And in Boss units not one single amp is represented even remotely properly.
As you know, I'm not interested in authentic tones myself, but I'm kinda interested in "classic-ish" tones - and that's just nothing Boss units can do. Don't get me wrong, Boss' own creations are fine if you can deal with them - but they're defenitely not what people usually want from a modeler.

I think there’s also a “cost to what you’re getting” ratio thing here as well. If a modeler costs 1, 2k then it better deliver

 

[Sascha Franck]

I dunnno... you kinda are...

No. I only noticed the price because ian said the NUX would be 100 bucks more. Which it isn't.

The other part you quoted doesn't have anything to do with the price.

I think there’s also a “cost to what you’re getting” ratio thing here as well.

Sure. But you still get better amp modeling in the same price bracket.

 

[Whizzinby]

Man if I’m splitting hairs on a cheap modeler device with like $20 difference I’m immediately going with the brand I’ve grown up with and know

 

[ian_dissonance]

Nobody's doing that.

Great, now I’m researching the MG-30 to see how the footswitches work and then I see the parameter follow option and THEN I see it has fucking Snake on it. So it seems like I gotta get one now.

 

[Dez]

No. I only noticed the price because ian said the NUX would be 100 bucks more. Which it isn't.

The other part you quoted doesn't have anything to do with the price.



Sure. But you still get better amp modeling in the same price bracket.

Better is subjective here obviously - I get what you’re saying. Like this device isn’t for me, I have no stake in this. But if I legit thought Hotone sounded marginally better with minimal tweaking compared to a Boss unit I would still recommend the Boss unit to any beginner guitarist based on my experience with anything Boss

 

[Sascha Franck]

But if I legit thought Hotone sounded marginally better with minimal tweaking compared to a Boss unit I would still recommend the Boss unit to any beginner guitarist based on my experience with anything Boss

I actually wouldn't. Because I do have a lot of Boss experience as well.
Now, they might've gotten the UI a *lot* better with this thing, but the same is true for all the other contenders in this league. An MG-30 is every bit as easy (or as hard, depending on how you look at it) to deal with.
Anyhow, I think most people these devices are aiming at would rather have a great Marshall (or whatever) amp tone than a Tera Echo.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Must be something new (like big new) coming soon for the flagship (GX-1000 ?)

Wouldn't their new flagship rather be a GT unit? I mean, the GX units are kinda scaled down versions of the GTs (minus the touchscreen of course - but that's possibly just because the GTs are older).
Whatever, I'm defenitely curious to see whether Boss will try to stay inside the serious modeling market at all. They defenitely need to up their amp modeling game considerably - and their UI game as well.
And in case they don't know how to do better amps, they could just come up with an integrated NAM block. A GT-1000 Core sucessor with NAM loading capabilities and updated UI would be something I'd very seriously consider.

 

[JiveTurkey]

The idea of Boss "just adding a NAMM block" is great until you re-re-realize they couldn't manage to "just add IR loading " without fucking that up

 

[Dez]

The idea of Boss "just adding a NAMM block" is great until you re-re-realize they couldn't manage to "just add IR loading " without fucking that up

I can’t express how little interest I have in NAM - I hate the IR folder dive enough that I’ve stuck with the same 3 IRs for the last year or so, all from the same York pack. I don’t want that experience with amps.

I like capturing my own amps to be able to grab in my modeler at any point - I don’t care about other folks’ captures

 

[Sascha Franck]

The idea of Boss "just adding a NAMM block" is great until you re-re-realize they couldn't manage to "just add IR loading " without fucking that up

Touché.
The block would likely be like 1/10 of the volume of their amp blocks by default without enough output volume headroom to compensate.

 

[Sascha Franck]

I can’t express how little interest I have in NAM - I hate the IR folder dive enough that I’ve stuck with the same 3 IRs for the last year or so, all from the same York pack. I don’t want that experience with amps.

I like capturing my own amps to be able to grab in my modeler at any point - I don’t care about other folks’ captures

Fwiw, I was absolutely every bit like that before I got the Tonex One.
I'd still prefer component modeling, but for the time being, given my needs, my TXO based setups are incredibly great.
Was playing my first pure fun gig (as opposed to all the stuff I need to play for money...) in quite a while two days ago, so I had enough freedom to finally put my (big) GT-1000-dual-TXO-plus-analog-dirt setup through its paces - and I can't even remotely remember the last time I enjoyed my stage sound so much.
So, it seems as if captures are in fact working great for me, at least in case I've got enough other means to sculpt my sound further.
Still would prefer component modeling regarding the basic idea, but the sound I'm getting out of my current rigs defenitely suggests I don't need it.
Sure, when I got the first TXO, it was a bit of a rabbit hole for a while - but not even remotely as deep as it's been with IRs back then. I was really concentrating on the core tones I knew I'd need and then pretty much called it a day.

 

[Sedaxel]

It still surprises me everytime someone points out things like "indestructible", "reliable" or the likes, about this kind of units. I mean... I had a plastic zoom for decades and it works just as the first day. Not a single time it stopped working, or whatever. I know a bunch of mates that had/have those kind of cheap units and noone had a single issue. That could be said for almost any unit I´ve had. The only fails I had was a Fender Mustang Floor, made of metal, built like a tank... it´s just that the phones socket of that tank started to short-circuit and the main output stopped sounding because of that (or something like that, I don´t remember clearly). I also know a mate with a Cerberus (made of metal, built like a tank) with a switch that failed after a few months of use. Also knew about, 2 or 3 faulty expression pedals in the Helix LT (made of metal, built like a tank and yadda yadda).

I don´t know... that supposed reliability is something that goes very low in my priority list, since I´ve not observed it as a real frequent problem in cheapo/plastic units.

 

[Lysander]

I still surprises me everytime someone points out things like "indestructible", "reliable" or the likes, about this kind of units.

Is not "these kinds of units" IMHO, it's Boss in particular - who earned a reputation after putting out pedals for 50 years now.

When WWIII hits all that'll be left will be SD-1s and four cockroaches.

 

[ragingplatypi]

I’m curious with those who have experience with the Boss multieffects units- have they ever glitched out in any way or had physical parts fail?

 

[JCW308]

The Valeton units don't give me certain bits of flexibility that I want for my main live rigs (basically global blocks - something the GTs offer) and they're not good enough in terms of latency when nesting things inside their loops.

Both of my setups utilize a GT-1000 (full and Core) and a Tonex One (for all amp duties) in one loop, then some analog pedals in the other loop. With both loops engaged and the Tonex One (with a capture loaded) that's 4 full ADDA cycles and my overall latency is still just around 3.5ms (in fact it's even a tad less). The Valeton GP-50 (which I have and love quite a bit) comes with 5ms already - if that translates to their larger units, I'd end up with something around 10ms just with one loop in use.

I'm back to the GT-1000 again. It's nice not to have to dig through captures anymore.

I’m curious with those who have experience with the Boss multieffects units- have they ever glitched out in any way or had physical parts fail?

Never in all my years with two GT-1000 units has one ever had a single issue. Hundreds of gigs, they have been absolutely perfect.

 

[Jarick]

It’s cheap, has the modeling from the GT1k series, it looks easy to use, and it’s from an extremely reliable brand you can find in stores. Not much to complain about.

I saw a lot of people complaining about midi…it’s $220. There are tons of boss units that do midi. It’s not trying to be the heart of a $5,000 pedalboard, it’s a little modeler for a new player or a small backup/travel unit.

I dug through the manuals and it has all the amps and most of the effects from the big dogs. It does look like stereo delays are going to be a huge gap…doesn’t appear to be any dual delay in the unit. Would need to see one in more action to confirm.

Otherwise it looks super cool. Like the fractal am4, it’s an easier approach to editing which looks more appealing than the more complex units.

 

[JCW308]

The only thing I wish they both had is XLR outs.