True bypass versus buffered bypass

Post by **Doog** » Thu Jan 21, 2010 2:46 pm

I was just farting around with pedals and thought I'd share this..

► Show Spoiler

First snippet is 4 true bypass pedals, all bypassed, going into the Korg tuner, which is bypassed.

Then I replace the first TB pedal with the Boss PS-5 (a pedal with a buffer), also bypassed. Instant top end and clarity increase, it's crazy just how much difference it makes.

stewart · Post by **stewart** » Thu Jan 21, 2010 2:51 pm

that's pretty wild. i don't think my board has ever been completely stocked with TB pedals, but it's good to know how much difference there can be.

timhulio · Post by **timhulio** » Thu Jan 21, 2010 2:51 pm

More boutiquey pedal makers should include dip-switchable buffers on their boards like the Barge Concepts HP does (buy Fredric). That stuff doesn't take up much boardspace and can really help.

Post by **Mike** » Thu Jan 21, 2010 2:51 pm

Aye. One Buffer per 4 pedals is a good plan.

Haze · Post by **Haze** » Thu Jan 21, 2010 3:35 pm

I've had a problem or two in the past with high end loss and true bypassing. Adding the Nova Delay towards the end of the chain has helped a lot. Believe it or not the Lava cables i just added helped a bit too.

Now that i think about it, when i play with the band i always have a pedal engaged. SO technically my signal is ALWAYS buffered...

cobascis · Post by **cobascis** » Thu Jan 21, 2010 3:54 pm

BAH I NEED A BUFFER. Too bad Bassman takes funding priority. My tone has no high end, at all. With a JAG.

Nice to hear the huge difference, though. Now I'm convinced I need a good buffered tuner.

Consensus is Boss and Korg buffers are fine?

Post by **Mike** » Thu Jan 21, 2010 3:55 pm

Do Korg DT-10

Pens · Post by **Pens** » Thu Jan 21, 2010 4:00 pm

I remember one of my first posts over on JS.com detailed this exact issue.

Hence why I always have at least one Boss pedal in my chain.

Post by **Doog** » Thu Jan 21, 2010 4:01 pm

Mike wrote:Do Korg DT-10

Oddly enough, the Korg was in-line during both of my samples. I'll have to try putting it first and recording..

edit: yup, the buffered pedal needs to be at the start; having the Korg on the end of the pedalboard signal path made no difference at all, but as much difference as the Boss did when put first.

cobascis · Post by **cobascis** » Thu Jan 21, 2010 4:03 pm

Doog wrote:
Mike wrote:Do Korg DT-10
Oddly enough, the Korg was in-line during both of my samples. I'll have to try putting it first and recording..

Scandal! Lemme know what the result is in first.

Post by **Doog** » Thu Jan 21, 2010 4:05 pm

Doog wrote: yup, the buffered pedal needs to be at the start; having the Korg on the end of the pedalboard signal path made no difference at all, but as much difference as the Boss did when put first.

Just pop it in first and you're laughing. I only have mine last because it kills all pedal hiss and stuff dead, plus I rarely have more than 2 pedals on simultaneously, so it's not too much of a tap-dancing affair for me to get a clean signal to tune with .

Pens · Post by **Pens** » Thu Jan 21, 2010 4:18 pm

WTF my post on this over on JS.com isn't there anymore.

LOL though reading all of my old posts there, I was such a different person then. WOW.

timhulio · Post by **timhulio** » Thu Jan 21, 2010 4:22 pm

I use a Korg DT-10, which works well as already mentioned. I've also got an AMZ buffer with a single op-amp built into a microamp clone which is usually first in my pedal chain.

Haze · Post by **Haze** » Thu Jan 21, 2010 4:23 pm

cobascis wrote:BAH I NEED A BUFFER. Too bad Bassman takes funding priority. My tone has no high end, at all. With a JAG.

Nice to hear the huge difference, though. Now I'm convinced I need a good buffered tuner.

Consensus is Boss and Korg buffers are fine?

Boss' FET switching is great in my opinion, im certainly not complaining. However if you have to choose a tuner get the korg

Johno · Post by **Johno** » Thu Jan 21, 2010 4:24 pm

Boss have brought out the TU-3 now, don't know what the difference is between that and the TU-2.
I like the Boss as you can daisy chain off it.

Post by **Mike** » Thu Jan 21, 2010 4:25 pm

Doog wrote:
Mike wrote:Do Korg DT-10
Oddly enough, the Korg was in-line during both of my samples. I'll have to try putting it first and recording..

edit: yup, the buffered pedal needs to be at the start; having the Korg on the end of the pedalboard signal path made no difference at all, but as much difference as the Boss did when put first.

That's because the signal is already lost by the time it is buffered if you do it at the end.

At the start and midway if you have 8+ pedals is the way to do it.

Post by **Mike** » Thu Jan 21, 2010 4:26 pm

Johno wrote:Boss have brought out the TU-3 now, don't know what the difference is between that and the TU-2.
I like the Boss as you can daisy chain off it.

It just means it has a parallel output connected to the power input - there is nothing special about that, it's not doing any powering - what you connect to it is the thing that does the powering.

TieDye · Post by **TieDye** » Thu Jan 21, 2010 6:19 pm

I've used the Korg tuner and they are great. Now I use a peterson strobo stomp and I flipped the bypass off. Inside the battery tray and the side there are switches in there to do that stuff. So, it works great first, and then next in line is a tubescreamer (I know you think they suck), then 2 other distortion pedals, and then onto 12 other effects. Some of them are without true bypass switches so my signal integrity stays great. The peterson will power other pedals too. I've found that using a high quality patch cable in between each one has made more difference than most would think. I like George L's, and if properly assembled, they do not fail. Before I used the Korg DT-10, I used to have a Boss T-12. The Korg made a big difference when I swapped it for the Boss. So, if you can't afford a peterson, definetly buy the Korg.

cobascis · Post by **cobascis** » Thu Jan 21, 2010 7:16 pm

A strobostomp and a tubescreamer? You're done, son.

TieDye · Post by **TieDye** » Thu Jan 21, 2010 7:35 pm

Well, obviously, the music I play is different than your kind of music. I have no need for a heavy metal distortion pedal. I need to reproduce that style of overdrive/distortion that a tubesceamer does. Mind you, mine has been tweaked and modifed to perfection. The strobostomp is a more accurate tuner than the Korg, but perhaps, the strobe lulls you to sleep? The beauty of any guitar forum is the fact that all of us have differences. We are not to be expected to all be cut out with a cookie cutter, are we? If so, that would make for a very dull forum.