All user reviews of 4/5 for the Boss SE-70 Super Effects Processor

For which specific applications or uses have you chosen this product?
All studio effects, live PA, reverb, limiting, and mostly synths, guitar fx, and bass.

In what context do you currently use this product?
Studio, project studio. Still using the reverb algorithms only.

What are the pros and cons of this product?
Pros are: Still analog distortion units inside, no tubes though, but solid state analog. Which is its forte, and best thing, but which also contributes to its cons:

It can be a bit noisy due to this! The distortions are more or less based on BOSS-OD pedals with EQ filtering and compression. There's a noise gate though. For modern high-gain metal sounds, it falls a bit short, but for 70-80s distortion sounds it is great.

Many people have complained about its reverb, but the reverb is only so-so when used together with Guitar MulitFX algorithms. If you dial up the reverb only algorithm where it automatically jumps up to higher sample rate, and bit rate, the Reverb still holds a candle to these days reverbs that comes in any pedal. You can have sharp spikes, and snare drums into that reverb without any digital artifacts and grainy trails.I e all its processor capacity goes to the reverb calculations only. As fast as one wants more FX added on top, you have to split calculations to these tasks, and the reamining reverb calculations will suffer, with degradation of sound as a result.

If you use it for synth, or anything else, the VOCODER still got rave reviews, even today. Sure, the Vocoder is a bit too niched but since the prices you can get one for today, the Vocoder is worth the price alone.

Also, on the multifx of today, there's almost only a "patch" or effects that says MOD where you can choose either phaser, flanger, chorus pitch shift and choose that one only. On this unit, you can use phaser, flanger, chorus, pitch shift at the same time if you like. It's very rare in any fx unit. A hidden secret is the Leslie simulator. Although its an early one, together with its analog dist circuit, you can provide a very convincing rotary speaker, and connect it to an expression pedal to control a myriad of things. Say, you can turn up something as you press the pedal down, but something els is turned down. And all of that at a certain ratio. And you can control everything via MIDI.

The one minor snag is the bulky and unwieldy power adaptor that you must run with it at all times. But if you can provide 12 V DC at 1500mA with anything else, please go ahead. Another minor snag is the small display and that you have to cycle through menues to edit the smallest things. Those 3rd party vendors on internet that made PC editors for this should be checked out. Also, it holds up very well to its internal CR2032 button battery, which I had to change out after ...15 years. It will run for 15 years more. It's very easy to change this one out, as opposed to the SONY units from the same era.

By and large, I think it still holds up very well in a few unique sweet spots today 2016, like the 20 Step Phaser, Vocoder, and analog distortions. The distortion and amp/cab sims aren't digitally modelled in any way. The rest of the effects are not modelling either, but DSP made. Digital. I e not modelled after any "famous" brand or gear, but stands clearly on their own. Boss and Roland type.

My first purchase was the size criterion: half a rack to associate with the mixer Boss MX-10.
It may seem trivial, but it is not negligible!
For my needs, the proposed effects are almost too many ... but I will not complain.
This is an almost entirely digital module (I understand by reading the docs that the distortion was analog)
Power is supplied with an external transformer, heavy and bulky, you can not replace it with a modern cutting power, more compact, since it is an alternating current is expected.
A large part of the current consumed is converted into heat must be taken to place it on top of the plant, so it does not interfere with other equipment.

UTILIZATION

Current usage is easy: a switch to turn to select its preset, double knob to adjust the volume and ... simply pressing the switch to bypass the current effect, while keeping the volume control.
The manual is clear and even redundant: when several presets share the same characteristics, it was nice that they are grouped together rather than repeat the same information several times.
Editing effects is quite simple, although accompanied by the display, even if the number of pressing a few buttons available on the front can be daunting.
However, it lacks an editing software that would certainly be more flexible to use.
And most importantly, I could not find any technical documentation on the MIDI implementation, including on the website of Boss / Roland. So you can not set yourself even just a simple tool for backup / restore.

SOUND QUALITY

I use synthesizers controlled by a wind controller noon to emulations of classic instruments.
I therefore limited to chorus, reverb (and a bit of pitch shift) to give fullness to my sound.
By varying the depth of the chorus and delays, I can multiply the sounds and forget that my main synth (Yamaha VL70-m) is monaural.
What I like is that it does not add impetus to the original sound.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for a few months and I have yet to find fault, if there are too many opportunities for my needs.
New to the world of synths and effects, I have no point of comparison and myself based on reviews found on forums to make my choice.
If I had to replace it, I would look probably the same.

Rem: I complete the reviews by previous avoiding duplicate information.
- What are the effects, types of effects available?
almost everyone.
- What technology is used?
Distortion is purely analog (op amp CMS). the rest is digital.

UTILIZATION

- The general configuration is simple?
- Editing of sounds and effects is easy?
the patch effects are pre-routed. simply activate or not a particular effect in the chain.
100 presets and 45 users in ROM. ability to reset the config for 100 users "general" or config more guitar oriented.

SOUND QUALITY

- Effects are they effective, responsive and realistic enough?
The two-stage phaser (jusqu'20 floors) and the vocoder 21 bands are all just real killings. In my opinion, they alone are worth it buying a used SE-70.
The vocoder 21 bands is really good, provided we take a little time to adjust. It is much higher than the SE-50, nothing to see here.
- Which ones do you prefer?
the vocoder, the vocoder! The reverbs are not good on the other hand. the amp simulations are pretty average (we must remember that the SE dated early 90's).

OVERALL OPINION

- For how long have you been using it?
bought in 94.
- What thing do you like most/least about it?
it still pretty hot. In fact, at the power supply, the AC / DC converter and controller inside the box, which explains this. However, in 15 years, never had any problems.
The MIDI implementation is pretty ridiculous. We would have liked to control all parameters via MIDI, but it boils down in practice to 2 / 3 settings effects only.
- Did you try many other models before getting this one?
0 the time my reference was a fuzz pedal DIY home and a Marshall 75 reverb reverb.
- What is your opinion about the value for the price?
In the mean time (from memory, about 4000FF). Today, I find the coast very good opportunity for this vocoder madness.
- Knowing what you know now, would you make the same choice? ...
Should he fail, I would buy a live only for the two-phase and the vocoder.