Boss ME-50 review - I think I've cracked it (long)

[wingsdad]

I traded most of my old pedals straight up for my ME-50 4 years ago and don't miss the pedals one bit. I love that extra tone control on the OD/Dist section...Like you, I don't use a wah much, so the ME-50's is quite adequate for my needs (you can adjust the travel sensitivity on the expression pedal).

I leave the Tone Modify off. I think the Noise Suppressor's pretty decent, and transparent. And the Reverbs? Well....I'll verify there's no need to override the T60's great 6-spring Accutronics tank.

To me, the Stereo Outs of the ME-50 are what makes it. I can send it stereo to my recording setup, 2 different amps, or in mono to 2 different signal chains.

... The Behringer AB200 I bought as a footswitch is a serious POS. ...

I picked up one of those to try to use with my ME-50. No comment on the quality, it works OK enuff, but it's a hassle, overly complicated. Like you, I was too cheap to buy 2 Boss FS5U's and when I got my ME-50, the FS6 wasn't available yet. But...I had a Digitech FS300 3-button switch on-hand that I got to go with a Vocalist Performer about 12 years ago, and it works perfectly for switching between the 3 Banks...while the A button switches Banks Up in Memory Mode or in Manual, turns the Tone Mod on/off; the B switches Memory Banks Down, and in Manual turns the Compressor on/off; the 3rd 'C' button on the FS300 adds a magic extra function in Manual mode: it switches BOTH the Tone Mod & Compressor on/off if they're both engaged...if only one or the other is engaged, it switches between the 2 with one click. Neat.

I got the AB200 so I could dedicate the FS300 back to the VP.[note: the AB200 is still useful to have 2 guitars hooked up to switch between without recabling] Scratched that and went back to FS300. Excellent, versatile switch that can replace the Boss FS6 or 2 FS5U's, and comes with a decent TRS-TRS cable for $40 US:
Digitech FS300 at Sweetwater

...The ME-50 has now been superseded by the ME-70 so there should be some good deals available.

True, that. My Local GAS Station has (or maybe had) a new ME50 on clearance at $249 (street price has been fairly universal and steady at $299 since it came out.

...Outside of four foot swithes (me70) versus three (ME50), I haven't looked to see what the differences are.

I checked out the ME70 online and while it does some things the ME50 doesn't, thus the 4 switches, one glaring change that I don't like is that they reduced the OD/Dist section from 22 options to about half that. IMHO, that's a downgrade.

[markb]

I checked out the ME70 online and while it does some things the ME50 doesn't, thus the 4 switches, one glaring change that I don't like is that they reduced the OD/Dist section from 22 options to about half that. IMHO, that's a downgrade.

It's a swings and roundabouts deal. They've reduced the OD/dist options to 10 but added some of the amp models from the GT10. The amp modeler can be switched off whence it becomes a proper 5 band (I think) EQ. This gives it more flexibility than the ME-50 for recording or direct to the PA gigs but loses the ME-50's "just the FX, ma'am" style which I prefer to "all bells and whistles". I've discovered that the two button footswitches that come with the Behringer V-amp (and some of their amps) work with the ME-50. They're a better build quality than the AB200.

[wingsdad]

It's a swings and roundabouts deal. ...

...They've reduced the OD/dist options to 10 but added some of the amp models from the GT10. The amp modeler can be switched off whence it becomes a proper 5 band (I think) EQ. This gives it more flexibility than the ME-50 for recording or direct to the PA gigs but loses the ME-50's "just the FX, ma'am" style which I prefer to "all bells and whistles"....

I've tried and had enuff amp modelers over the years to come to the conclusion that I don't care for any of them, although I guess my Roland Micro-Cube qualifies as one. Amp modelers are cool, just not for me. I'd rather keep things simple & have one go-to 2-channel amp (i.e., the Tech21 T60) that combined with the appropriate FX (besides the ME50, I've got a few other basic tricks in the bag...an old MXR 10-Band EQ maybe the most useful) can cover all the bases I need covered.

I've discovered that the two button footswitches that come with the Behringer V-amp (and some of their amps) work with the ME-50. They're a better build quality than the AB200.

Now, that's good to know : As long as you either keep the amp, or sell it without the switch to someone who just fell off a turnip truck... There's plenty of options besides the Boss switches...like almost any other mfr, they make it sound in the manuals like you MUST use their accessories, or you'll explode the amp...

[just strum]

I've discussed the ME50 on and off with Wings probably going back at least 1.5 years ago. I'm going to order one tomorrow after I talk to my sales tech at Sweetwater to see what kind of deal I can get.

[wingsdad]

Good luck with that quest, strummy : You can download the manual in pdf format at the Boss website (if you look hard enuff )...if you can't find it, I can send it to you.

Why? There's a 2-page Patch Sheet you could photocopy, or if you have the pdf, print at will, that you can jot your personally-created preset patch settings on. Truly handy, since they're only ID'd by numbers, not by name, on the ME-50.

The manual wasn't downloadable when I got mine, so I re-created the Patch Sheet in XL as a one page thing. I've attached it here:

[just strum]

Could one of you ME50 owners tell me what the input/output rating is on the adapter you are using?

[Eric***]

To me, the Stereo Outs of the ME-50 are what makes it. I can send it stereo to my recording setup, 2 different amps, or in mono to 2 different signal chains.

I know I've bothered you about this at length in another post, but if I may have one more question...

How do you have it output in mono to 2 different signal chains? This is likely in the future for me, so I would really like to know. Thanks!

[wingsdad]

...
How do you have it output in mono to 2 different signal chains? This is likely in the future for me, so I would really like to know. Thanks!

The L/R 1/4" outs on the back panel can be sent to different signal chain inputs using regular guitar cables, and that's OK for the dist/od and most things, BUT any of the stereo chorus or delay fx won't be equally split.

So to send a true summed mono signal (summed = the L/R sides of the stereo signals get blended together as one), stick one of these in the L output, and then stick a guitar cable into each of the female jacks.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/YPP111/

This isn't a stereo splitter, a/k/a 'insert' cable; the 'TS' means 'Tip-Sleeve', which is a mono plug or jack using just 2 conductors (pos & neg). For stereo (or a 'balanced') signal, you want TRS, which means 'Tip-Ring-Sleeve', 3 conductors - a pos for each L/R and a common neg.

This 'insert' cable takes a stereo out (like the ME-50's headphones out) and splits it into a true stereo L & R to go 2 inputs...a common use of the ME-50 into a mixing board, or into 2 amps to play true stereo.
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/STP202/

That's fine for desktop use, but a little short to go to 2 amps, so this y-cable version of the 1st one I linked to allows you to use guitar cables (TS) to reach longer distances:
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/YPP117/

[Eric***]

The L/R 1/4" outs on the back panel can be sent to different signal chain inputs using regular guitar cables, and that's OK for the dist/od and most things, BUT any of the stereo chorus or delay fx won't be equally split

Perfect. That's exactly what I needed, and as I had suspected. Thanks!