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pawnshop_trash
Gold Member
USA
603 Posts |
 Posted - 06/15/2005 : 17:42:43
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hi, I'm currently using a PS-2 with its 'octave up' function in an effort to obtain the thunder of a 12-string bass from a normal 4-string bass. I can't set the PS-2's wet/dry mix very high though, as the added 'octave up' tone is very wobbly-sounding.
thus, to those who have compared/owned/tested any of the Boss phase shifter family of pedals (PS-2, PS-3, HR-2, and/or PS-5), my question is which one has the best-sounding (least wobbly) 'octave-up' function? or, please feel free to mention another pedal (preferably a Boss) that could be used instead. (I also have a CE-2B, but was disappointed that didn't seem to help much by itself or with the PS-2.) any advice or opinions you'd like to share would be most welcome, and will help educate my next pedal purchase.
finally, this specific application would be much better solved by simply buying a 12-string bass. however, in my case the desired 12ver (Hamer B12S) would be much more expensive than a Boss pedal, assuming one could even find a B12S offered for sale. |
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bossarea
Forum Admin
United Kingdom
3652 Posts |
Posted - 06/15/2005 : 17:48:58
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The only one of these I have is the PS-5 and I'm very impressed with its tracking. I've compared it to the OC-2 and OC-3 in "octave down" mode and found out that it tracks much better. Probably because it samples the signal and adds the octave digitally rather than analog.
I haven't used the Octave up settings much though. I would however expect it to be considerably better at tracking the original signal than the PS-2 as the digital electronics have become better over the years. |
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pawnshop_trash
Gold Member
USA
603 Posts |
Posted - 06/16/2005 : 20:53:01
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| thanks for the tip, bossarea! one of the online big box stores has the PS-5 on sale for jsut $130 new right now; if only it wasn't the wrong side of payday.... |
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pawnshop_trash
Gold Member
USA
603 Posts |
Posted - 06/27/2005 : 00:49:04
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FWIW, I borrowed a friend's HR-2 and A/B'd the octave up and octave down features of the HR-2 and PS-2 with a guitar and then with a bass. in both applications, the HR-2 sounds slightly better than the PS-2 (maybe due to a higher sampling rate?) for +1 octave, and significantly better for -1 octave.
however, this review should be tempered by the fact that despite playing with it for almost 2 hours, I'm still not sure how the hell the HR-2 works, even after downloading its manual (note to Boss/Roland: providing a .pdf where the pages are all sideways and where consecutive pages are rotated 180 degrees from each other makes for a horrible on-screen reading experience). more specifically, does the voice B control still add a signal when only output A is used? and does the key knob add additional harmony parts, or just serve as a sort of filter to help with tracking the input signal? egad... I guess I need to trek to guitar center and try the PS-5. |
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pawnshop_trash
Gold Member
USA
603 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2005 : 06:37:29
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ok, I tried the PS-5 at guitar center with both a guitar (don't remember what kind) and a bass (MIM Fender Jazz Bass), and the bad news is that the PS-5 is little better than the PS-2 or HR-2 -- the 'octave up' function was still very wobbly-sounding even at moderate settings.
dejected, I was about to leave when I was told that the recently-released all-analog Electro-Harmonix POG is perfect for my application. if you have any comments on it, I set up a new topic in the appropriate forum category:
http://bossarea.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=149
thanks! |
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walrus121
Silver Member
USA
187 Posts |
Posted - 10/20/2005 : 09:54:36
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quote:
Originally posted by bossarea
I've compared it to the OC-2 and OC-3 in "octave down" mode and found out that it tracks much better. Probably because it samples the signal and adds the octave digitally rather than analog.
Which OC-3 mode are we talking about here? It sounds like you are talking polyphonic mode. Technically both the OC-2 and OC-3 are digital.
http://www.bossarea.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=386
Ad I think our friend was talking about octave up not octave down. |
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walrus121
Silver Member
USA
187 Posts |
Posted - 10/20/2005 : 09:55:52
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quote:
Originally posted by pawnshop_trash
however, this review should be tempered by the fact that despite playing with it for almost 2 hours, I'm still not sure how the hell the HR-2 works, even after downloading its manual (note to Boss/Roland: providing a .pdf where the pages are all sideways and where consecutive pages are rotated 180 degrees from each other makes for a horrible on-screen reading experience).
Doesn't Adobe Reader allow you to rotate pages? |
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walrus121
Silver Member
USA
187 Posts |
Posted - 10/20/2005 : 09:59:43
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quote:
Originally posted by pawnshop_trash
Best 'octave up' phase shifter? (PS-2 -3 -5, HR-2)
I think you mean "pitch shifter." Phase shifter is another device. I don't know about much about the PS-2 or PS-3 but I know that they aren't harmonist pedals so I doubt that they would be useful for your function. |
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Best 'octave up' phase shifter? (PS-2 -3 -5, HR-2)
