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Boss SY-200. New synth pedal on the way.

fretmeister

By fretmeister,
in Effects

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  • 2 weeks later...
Woodinblack Grand Master

Woodinblack

Posted
Posted
2 minutes ago, bassfan said:

Lovely. I have an FI but quite fancy trying one of these. 😃

 

I sold my FI to get one of these. No question about it, the FI is a proper synth and way more flexable than this, this is like a synth effect pedal, but for me, in a cover band, this is kind of what I need.

I have an SY-1 and use it quite a lot. This is an SY1+, more flexabilty for sounds and ultimately, patches, so you can switch between one sound and another without leaning down to change the knobs.

Although I tend to 'wing it' when playing and use whatever I feel like, I now have a couple of specific tracks that have an SY-1 patch that I have to use with them that I like and the band likes. To program these in, and just change to patch <whatever> to get to them is worth it for me.

 

Although playing around with it now, I found a perfect patch for perfect strangers, by deep purple. Which is a shame, as we don't do that!

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Al Krow Grand Master

Al Krow

Posted
Posted
14 minutes ago, bassfan said:

Might need to consider this more seriously! 🤔

On my upgrade list for 2022, too! Maybe I can get Woody's when he sells his? Not least given that he's been patiently waiting for me to sell my SY-1 for over 2 years now... 😄 

 

In the meantime, I'd best get around to working out how to switch my FI on before @ @Quatschmacher gives me a D-grade... 

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Woodinblack Grand Master

Woodinblack

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, Al Krow said:

On my upgrade list for 2022, too! Maybe I can get Woody's when he sells his? Not least given that he's been patiently waiting for me to sell my SY-1 for over 2 years now... 😄 

 

Well, I shall be moving on my SY-1 once I have copied my standard settings into the SY200 presets.

 

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Woodinblack Grand Master

Woodinblack

Posted
Posted
6 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Hah, it's not your SY-1 I'm after! 😁

No, but it would be funny!

 

I am now just comparing them back to back. It is quite a bit wider, although not much longer (apart from the jacks being at the back, not the side). And one thing I thought was odd, the SY200 runs on 3xAA batteries (included) instead of a PP3.

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Woodinblack Grand Master

Woodinblack

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Posted

So did a back to back compare. Where you can select the same sort of thing, the sounds are broadly similar, in that there is no quality increase or anything. Sounds very much like the same engine that powers both of them.

There are additional sounds though. Unlike the SY-1, not every type has the same number of variations.

So the number of variations is Lead = 30, Pad = 20, String = 14, Bell = 12, Organ = 13, Bass = 11, Dual = 9, Sweep = 9, Noise = 4, SFX = 22, Seq = 18, Arp = 9

The controls are Tone pitch/resonance depth, and there are the controls for bass volume/effect volume. These are saved in the patch though so switching to the patch doesn't use the current levels.

It loses the bass / guitar switch on the back as it is now in the menu.

 

The switch on the right, you can set it to do what you want but by default, the hold function is a bit different than on the SY-1 which is useful for my purposes.

On the SY-1, when the effect is on, pressing the button holds the note / effect you are playing indefinately. On the SY-200, pressing the button changes to the next patch up. Pressing and holding the button puts it into a hold mode (indicated by it flashing) without changing the patch, and when it is in this mode, pressing the button holds what you are playing like the SY-1. However, as it is now two buttons, pressing the on/off turns the synth off but this is independant of the hold. So if you turn it off while hold is active, it will still be active when you turn it back on. If it was actually a holding a note, it carries on playing that same note it was holding before. Seems pretty useful.

 

All in all, it is a logical progression of what the SY-1 was and if you were happy with the sound of the SY-1 you will be happy with the sound of this, but just get a bit more flexability.

 

IMG_2740.jpeg

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Woodinblack Grand Master

Woodinblack

Posted
Posted
22 hours ago, stewblack said:

This must be why the SY-1 is to be found so cheap second hand now. Might get another one.

 

Where are they cheap? I was looking round to see what to sell mine for, but they seem to be all overpriced on ebay (ie, I wouldn't buy one for that price, which means I couldn't sell one for that price!)

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stewblack Grand Master

stewblack

Posted
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4 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

 

Where are they cheap? I was looking round to see what to sell mine for, but they seem to be all overpriced on ebay (ie, I wouldn't buy one for that price, which means I couldn't sell one for that price!)

I saw one I think on Facebook for just over a hundred!

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Woodinblack Grand Master

Woodinblack

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, stewblack said:

I saw one I think on Facebook for just over a hundred!

 

Facebook market? I thiink your range is wider than mine, I can only find one sold in Bristol. Ebay is stupid, half the ones on there cost more than the full price, but I guess that was always the way of eBay!

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Al Krow Grand Master

Al Krow

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, 0175westwood29 said:

Juan did it on pedals and effects with two sy1’s having a bass and lead synth going but all down to set up I guess I’m digging it for sure 

 

I felt it was a pretty disappointing review by Juan of the SY1 - he does seem to be a bit hit and miss. I actually prefer the reviews done by the BasstheWorld crew, both entertaining and surprisingly informative.

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  • 4 months later...
Al Krow Grand Master

Al Krow

Posted
Posted (edited)
On 30/10/2021 at 14:41, 0175westwood29 said:

Only had a few hours on it while recording but found a big fat lead that sounded awesome will try and get some clips asap

 

You managed to get those recordings done for us? 😊

 

In the meantime, I recently come across this - there's definitely some usable stuff:

1.02 cut-through synth tone

2.44 decent filter

3.13 MJ Thriller-esque

3.45 Use of arpeggiator likely to be much easier for live use now that we can pre-set the rates to match the original drums - then be up to the drummer to lock in, haha!

4.07 Korg Miku sound but much less glitchy 

4.24 decent synth sound 

 

 

Edited by Al Krow
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0175westwood29 Veteran

0175westwood29

Posted
Posted
8 hours ago, Al Krow said:

 

You managed to get those recordings done for us? 😊

 

In the meantime, I recently come across this - there's definitely some usable stuff:

1.02 cut-through synth tone

2.44 decent filter

3.13 MJ Thriller-esque

3.45 Use of arpeggiator likely to be much easier for live use now that we can pre-set the rates to match the original drums - then be up to the drummer to lock in, haha!

4.07 Korg Miku sound but much less glitchy 

4.24 decent synth sound 

 

 

Sadly some sadly very crap family issues have got in the way of anything really I’m just starting to get back to what for me is a new normal now. 
 

so I’ll sort one soon! 

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Al Krow Grand Master

Al Krow

Posted
Posted
52 minutes ago, 0175westwood29 said:

Sadly some sadly very crap family issues have got in the way of anything really I’m just starting to get back to what for me is a new normal now. 
 

so I’ll sort one soon! 

Awww buddy, really sorry to hear about that. BC hug coming your way. 

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  • 3 weeks later...
Al Krow Grand Master

Al Krow

Posted
Posted (edited)

Well my own SY-200 has arrived. Liking it a lot so far.

 

PB - 2203 III.JPG

 

Interesting A/Bing with the FI.

 

The FI has a broader and more versatile range of core tones and is more synthy in a superb way, that a lot of us are already familiar with. Some ability to tweak on the pedal itself e.g. dry / wet balance is particularly useful for me.

 

The SY-200 has full ability to edit without recourse to a PC at all , several "usable" tones, flawless tracking / less glitchy than the FI, which for me means that, overall, the SY-200 will be my choice of synth pedal for live use. Part of the explanation for the SY-200's better tracking is that it is polyphonic which allows it to provide cleaner, sharper notes on fast bass lines (not uncommon in the synth bass lines we play) and, for me, is critical for a tight band mix vs a synth bass line that can be somewhat glitchy / "farty" on the FI and which negates the FI's otherwise obvious advantages in terms of core synth tones. 

 

Edited by Al Krow
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