Buffers...

[blackie13]

why not get a wireless ???
why have 40ft cables nowdays ???

 

[Racerxrated]

I guess most of my pedals have built in buffers? I usually have one Boss pedal in use, and I've plugged straight in and using my board, sounds exactly the same with the pedals off. I've always thought Boss pedals have a good built in buffer. Or it could be my decimator II...

 

[f550maranello2]

Dont your pedal have buffers built in.. Iv never ever hear of using buffers... Sounds like snake oil to me fellas.

Snake oil?! You must not have a very discerning ear. It's pretty apparent when running a handful of pedals that you start to lose "treble/high end" in your tone.....as opposed to plugging straight into the amp. A Buffer helps to retain or add back that lost high end or treble.

Well... I think you video proved my point with your video (that pedals do the same thing)
.. Also amps do have a treble knob!

 

[Max Haze]

I bought the MXR MC406 CAE a few years ago and for me it was a big differens. Not like going from a clean sound over to a distorted sound differens but you could feel the buffer cleaning up the signal. I made a video about it that you can check out here...

 

[Fordman65]

Bumping an old thread for some advice.

Currently, I have two pedals with buffers in my setup. 1st is a Boss TU2 tuner in front of the amp, 2nd is an old 70's Ibanez Chorus in the loop. I'm looking at swapping those out for a higher quality setup.

Here are the pedals I am looking at:
1) ABY switcher from T1M http://this1smyne.com/shop/aby-amp-switcher/ This comes with a high quality buffer that will be the first thing both my amps hit on their front.

2) Suhr Koko boost to replace my Xotic RC boost.

3) A high quality chorus to replace the Ibanez. Do I need an additional buffer for in the loop? If so, was thinking this. http://this1smyne.com/shop/mb-mini-buffer/

I run about 40' of total cable. From front of amp to pedal board. Plus both 20' each way from my FX loop.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[mniel8195]

buy a koko boost thank me later.

 

[Fordman65]

buy a koko boost thank me later.

Yeah, I'm in the process of buying one now. My question is between the KoKo, the ABY and the Buffer for the loop, am I venturing into Buffer Over load? If I full on with everything I describe above, I'll only have one true-bypass pedal remaining, and that's my delay.

 

[VC4Ever]

Does anyone know if the RJM effects gizmo has buffers for each loop? Or is it true bypass. I want to add a buffer for the pedals in the effects loop.

 

[stratjacket]

I wanted to split my signal to have my Tuner out of the path, so I just bought a JHS Buffer. It's priced good and works great. I have a string of overdrive pedals that I like to switch between so only 1 is really active at a time. I'm not 100% sure if the buffer "helped" with any loss, but it certainly did not hurt and I after using an ABY switch for years, I think the buffered splitter works better. The Suhr and Empress mentioned above would be great choices too.

 

[moltenmetalburn]

Dont your pedal have buffers built in.. Iv never ever hear of using buffers... Sounds like snake oil to me fellas.

Snake oil?! You must not have a very discerning ear. It's pretty apparent when running a handful of pedals that you start to lose "treble/high end" in your tone.....as opposed to plugging straight into the amp. A Buffer helps to retain or add back that high end or treble.

Well... I think you video proved my point with your video (that pedals do the same thing)
.. Also amps do have a treble knob!

We all already understand that a pedal that has a built in or always on output buffer does not need yet ANOTHER buffer.

Dedicated buffers sound better than most built in. Tube buffers trump all for feel.

Passive guitar pickups are loaded by the capicitance of the cabling used.

The treble knob CANNOT restore the flattened resonant peak or energy lost secondary to this capacitance. It CAN simply brighten the sound more, a different result. Your pickup litterally gets revoiced.

 

[Purpleibby]

Can confirm about the Koko boost buffer.....I don't like buffers but if you run a lot of pedals and long cable runs and don't like tone suck it's a must have IMO. The Koko boost buffer is so good, even if you're a person that doesn't like buffers it is an awesome solution. For that reason, it is the first thing I plug into in my pedal shelf(i use it like an interface of sorts, matching outputs between different guitars, providing buffering, and it's functions). The one in my switcher is very highly regarded(axess)but I'm not wild about it, I have it turned off.....Koko boost buffer is the one IMO.

Why would you need one(snake oil guy up there, you're using one and don't know it if you use many pedals)?.....because instead of jacking up the treble and gain(not the same anyway) and dealing with tone suck and weakened tone, I prefer the response and tone I get from plugging a good quality 18ft cable directly into the amp....having a buffer like the Koko boost(there's nothing like it for this application) after my 18ft cable then run out through my pedals with a bypass switcher gives me pretty much that same response. It's that good IMO.

 

[Dopethrone]

Tube buffers allow pickups to maintain the electrical relationship between pickup and tube which is better for a real tube amp feel when using pedals. Best ones in my opinion are effecteode glass a, sarno black box and vht valvulator in that order. SS do the job but tubes maintain the feel.

Doesn't a tube buffer change phase?
Had spent time gassing for a valvulator but never popped as i was told it would "mess with phase" of some amps.

 

[moltenmetalburn]

Tube buffers allow pickups to maintain the electrical relationship between pickup and tube which is better for a real tube amp feel when using pedals. Best ones in my opinion are effecteode glass a, sarno black box and vht valvulator in that order. SS do the job but tubes maintain the feel.

Doesn't a tube buffer change phase?
Had spent time gassing for a valvulator but never popped as i was told it would "mess with phase" of some amps.

Ive never had any phase issues at all.

Each gains stage flips the phase 180 in an amp.

The only tube based gain stage phase issues I have ever encountered were mixing amps/channels.

 

[SpiderWars]

For those that have tried both, is the Koko Reloaded as good as the original? Once you get used to the switching that is. Some posts I've read claim the original mid boost is better but the clean is the same.

 

[mixn4him]

I have not tried the original but just picked up a Koko RL, and its perfect. It does take a little to get use to the switching but mostly I have left in the mid mode. When I got the pedal it was in true bypass and I could tell immediately once I stepped on it how good the buffer is, so flipped the switch inside and the buffer is on always. I have the MXR Cae buffer first in line and the Koko is about middle of my pedal chain and it does make everything else sound better.

I kept reading that the RL has too much gain but I don't hear it, I run the clean boost at 10 o'clock and the mid at noon. I like that they are separate boosts unlike the original as it cascades clean>mid.

 

[SpiderWars]

I have not tried the original but just picked up a Koko RL, and its perfect. It does take a little to get use to the switching but mostly I have left in the mid mode. When I got the pedal it was in true bypass and I could tell immediately once I stepped on it how good the buffer is, so flipped the switch inside and the buffer is on always. I have the MXR Cae buffer first in line and the Koko is about middle of my pedal chain and it does make everything else sound better.

I kept reading that the RL has too much gain but I don't hear it, I run the clean boost at 10 o'clock and the mid at noon. I like that they are separate boosts unlike the original as it cascades clean>mid.

Cool. I have a 2-button version on the way.

Many times I'm on the fence about a piece of gear, then I'll make the mistake of watching a Pete Thorn demo. Then it's usually game over, item on the way.