Boss PS-5 - any good?

[AlexL]

Has anyone tried a Boss PS-5 pitch shifter?

I had one of the old PS-2 pitch shifter/delay pedals, which I sold on ebay because I thought it sounded terrible if you shifted the pitch more than a third or a fifth. I bought that it the early 90's so I would think that technology has improved compared to the price point so that for the 150.00 it should be pretty good.

On the Boss webste, the sound samples seem pretty good, but there seems to be qute a bit of a delay between the dry and effect signals. Is that intentional, or does it just track that slowly?

Any comments would be appreciated. I have one more slot in my pedal board, and the empty space is driving me nuts.


- E.

[hippietim]

I had a PS-5. It pretty much sucked donkey balls. The older Harmonist pedal was much better sounding. There are some rack pieces that are much better choices - Digitech IPS33, IPS33B, DHP33 - Eventide of course. The Digitechs can be had for < $200 on Ebay depending on the model - the IPS33B and DHP33 have the added benefit of doing the Whammy pedal thing.

[AlexL]

Thanks, Tim. I should have just asked you first. Should have know if anyone here had used one, it would have been you.

- E.

[Twisteramps]

Man, my PS2 works great. You do have to use it in the fx loop though, and run a cable to the detector input then so it doesn't try to use a distorted signal for pitch ID.

Pete

[AlexL]

...and run a cable to the detector input then so it doesn't try to use a distorted signal for pitch ID.

Pete

This is an internal mod of which you speak?


- E.

[Twisteramps]

This is an internal mod of which you speak?


- E.

No, there's a detector input on the right hand side of the pedal, under the input. I use the extra out from my strobostomp tuner.

pete

[hippietim]

Man, my PS2 works great. You do have to use it in the fx loop though, and run a cable to the detector input then so it doesn't try to use a distorted signal for pitch ID.

Pete

The PS5 dropped the detector input. It needs it back.

[Twisteramps]

The PS5 dropped the detector input. It needs it back.

Without the detector, the pitch 'wobbles' all over the place, especially if you run it in the loop where it sounds the best. Bad move by Boss!

Pete

[AlexL]

Without the detector, the pitch 'wobbles' all over the place, especially if you run it in the loop where it sounds the best. Bad move by Boss!

Pete

I never remember mine having a detector input... strange. The ones I see on ebay don't have one either. But yeah, I found the pitch to be very wobbly beyond a shift of more than a fifth.

- E.

[MetalMedal II]

I also have a PS-2, and it doesn't have the detector input either. It's got the output on the left, the input on the right, and the tuner-out just in front of the input on the right.

I think I bought it when it was newly introduced, I think in early '89. I recently pulled mine out of retirement to screw around with after selling the Digitech 2120.

[Twisteramps]

Sorry guys, mine is an HR2 - harmonist pedal. DOH!

Pete

[AlexL]

Well THAT makes a little more sense!

- E.

[hippietim]

Sorry guys, mine is an HR2 - harmonist pedal. DOH!

Pete

we're on the same page then - I was beginning to wonder...

[Twisteramps]

Maybe that's why I really dig mine. I've been thinking about getting a PS5 and using an expression pedal with it... would I be able to get whammy effects that way? Or should I just get a whammy?

Pete

[hippietim]

PS5 as whammy was not good.