Boss ME-90

[Tonray's Ghost]

The latest in the venerable Boss ME line, using the latest AIRD amp/IR models from their flagship GT-1000 unit. Effectively Boss has created a pedalboard with all of their essential effect pedals built in, Amp models and IRs, a USB audio interface, and did away with the menu diving screen paralysis that most of us hate.

This was at a local shop who sold it a month ago and the customer returned it within 30 days for whatever reason, but it is pretty much unused and in mint condition. Got it at a $60 discount and I am thrilled. Didn't want to go the digital touch screen route..just too time wasting IMHO.

Knackered today but tomorrow will connect it all up and give my first impressions.

PS I fear I have just created the first Franken-Kitana with a Roland Jazz Chorus body and a Katana engine for a head.. The unit fits exactly the top dimensions of the JC22, almost like Boss was expecting some idiot to go this route eventually.

[tlarson58]

You"re putting together a great rig? It has amp modeling? By the name I would guess that it was just effects.

[toomanycats]

This post brings to mind a question I've pondered for some time, which some of the members who are knowledgeable in electric circuits (especially pedals) will hopefully provide some insight.

Back around 2002 I made my first foray into home recording by way of purchasing a BOSS BR-1180 DAW. It was advertised to have the latest BOSS COSM amp and effects models. At the time I was inclined to believe that most BOSS pedals were literally inbuilt into this unit, and capable of being chained together and tweaked in whatever configuration the user desired.

Was that true? Do these BOSS stand alone DAWs and pedalboards actually contain within themselves the same electronic circuit as every well known BOSS overdrive, distortion, reverb, delay, compression, phase, flange, and chorus pedal?

[Tonray's Ghost]

You"re putting together a great rig? It has amp modeling? By the name I would guess that it was just effects.

If you enlarge the 2nd pic, you'll see the preamp section in the upper left. Being retired, I have lots of free time and I really have enjoyed playing more during the day. What I found once I started exploring the JC22 jazz chorus amp was that it led me into avenues I normally wouldn't have gone down. Instead of my ritual blues rhythm and riffs I find myself exploring 'shoegaze' type things with more modulations and this Boss unit is a great affordable way to get a lot of those sounds to play with.

[Tonray's Ghost]

This post brings to mind a question I've pondered for some time, which some of the members who are knowledgeable in electric circuits (especially pedals) will hopefully provide some insight.

Back around 2002 I made my first foray into home recording by way of purchasing a BOSS BR-1180 DAW. It was advertised to have the latest BOSS COSM amp and effects models. At the time I was inclined to believe that most BOSS pedals were literally inbuilt into this unit, and capable of being chained together and tweaked in whatever configuration the user desired.

Was that true? Do these BOSS stand alone DAWs and pedalboards actually contain within themselves the same electronic circuit as every well known BOSS overdrive, distortion, reverb, delay, compression, phase, flange, and chorus pedal?

Good question, I'm not sure they contain the same circuits, but certainly emulate the Boss circuitry, whether better than other manufacturers I don't have a way of assessing that.

[sabasgr68]

The latest in the venerable Boss ME line, using the latest AIRD amp/IR models from their flagship GT-1000 unit. Effectively Boss has created a pedalboard with all of their essential effect pedals built in, Amp models and IRs, a USB audio interface, and did away with the menu diving screen paralysis that most of us hate.

This was at a local shop who sold it a month ago and the customer returned it within 30 days for whatever reason, but it is pretty much unused and in mint condition. Got it at a $60 discount and I am thrilled. Didn't want to go the digital touch screen route..just too time wasting IMHO.

Knackered today but tomorrow will connect it all up and give my first impressions.

PS I fear I have just created the first Franken-Kitana with a Roland Jazz Chorus body and a Katana engine for a head.. The unit fits exactly the top dimensions of the JC22, almost like Boss was expecting some idiot to go this route eventually.

IMG_20240920_180418.jpg

IMG_20240920_180407.jpg

IMG_20240920_180439_Burst05.jpg

Well, you can picture me envious in a good way - if there´s such a thing as feeling envious in a good way lol -!

The ME80 was always in my radar because of its simplicity compared to other deep-menu-diving units and because of having the feature of storing 4 presets in Memory mode to have 4 available sounds easily and fast. Couldn´t afford one ever, of course.

Then came the ME90, which I'm not sure if it's really a significant step forward, but seems to be a cool unit too, retaining its relative simplicity compared to others, despite its size.

One of the features I like about the ME90 is the feedbacker. Having seen lots of video reviews about it, I´m pretty sure I'll be totally ok with it, it has what I want and suits perfectly my playing style. Price tag is still high for me. It´s cool you got that one a little cheaper.

Will wait for your more in depth review.

Congrats!

[Tonray's Ghost]

The latest in the venerable Boss ME line, using the latest AIRD amp/IR models from their flagship GT-1000 unit. Effectively Boss has created a pedalboard with all of their essential effect pedals built in, Amp models and IRs, a USB audio interface, and did away with the menu diving screen paralysis that most of us hate.

This was at a local shop who sold it a month ago and the customer returned it within 30 days for whatever reason, but it is pretty much unused and in mint condition. Got it at a $60 discount and I am thrilled. Didn't want to go the digital touch screen route..just too time wasting IMHO.

Knackered today but tomorrow will connect it all up and give my first impressions.

PS I fear I have just created the first Franken-Kitana with a Roland Jazz Chorus body and a Katana engine for a head.. The unit fits exactly the top dimensions of the JC22, almost like Boss was expecting some idiot to go this route eventually.

IMG_20240920_180418.jpg

IMG_20240920_180407.jpg

IMG_20240920_180439_Burst05.jpg

Well, you can picture me envious in a good way - if there´s such a thing as feeling envious in a good way lol -!

The ME80 was always in my radar because of its simplicity compared to other deep-menu-diving units and because of having the feature of storing 4 presets in Memory mode to have 4 available sounds easily and fast. Couldn´t afford one ever, of course.

Then came the ME90, which I'm not sure if it's really a significant step forward, but seems to be a cool unit too, retaining its relative simplicity compared to others, despite its size.

One of the features I like about the ME90 is the feedbacker. Having seen lots of video reviews about it, I´m pretty sure I'll be totally ok with it, it has what I want and suits perfectly my playing style. Price tag is still high for me. It´s cool you got that one a little cheaper.

Will wait for your more in depth review.

Congrats!

I just saw the feedbacker thing on YouTube a few days ago. I could definitely see playing around with that.

[BatUtilityBelt]

Do these BOSS stand alone DAWs and pedalboards actually contain within themselves the same electronic circuit as every well known BOSS overdrive, distortion, reverb, delay, compression, phase, flange, and chorus pedal?

I can't say for certain, but I would bet good money they're DSP based in the ME-90, not actually analog circuits recreated.