Am I crazy? Eventide MicroPitch vs. Boss PS-6 for W/D/W

[GreatRedDragon]

So I've always run my 2203 through a Suhr RL load into Amplitube, which functions as an IR loader and post-FX processor. But I'm tired of being tied to a computer, so I've scored a Boss IR-200 and I'm using that instead, and now I need to provide my own post-FX. I've had a Boss RV-6 for a while that I've never used until now and it does the job of providing ambience (although since I'm just using the Reverb + Delay mode I'm thinking of trading up for a DD-8). But the big hole in the sound is detune.

In Amplitube I split the signal out of my Reactive Load into three separate cabinets, dry straight up the middle, left and right pitch shifted up/down 9 cents and 100% wet. Basic W/D/W setup but super effective. The Boss IR-200 has an FX loop that can not only run in stereo, but can mix with your dry signal running center, which is just perfect. In going for a physical rig I immediately went for the Eventide MicroPitch delay, because it is "the real thing." I got lucky and scored a used one for $65 off retail. And it definitely sounds good, and Preset #1 gets that classic H3000 detuned tone. And I can run in stereo, which is fantastic. But I think the interface sucks, having to toggle between two levels to adjust different settings is unintuitive as all hell (this is why concentric knobs were invented!), and even the software that's supposed compensate for that sucks, because it doesn't output in Cents and Milliseconds, only in CC values.

Now I realize I'm sitting on a pricey pedal that offers a lot of flexibility that I can't really use. And as I'm thinking I remember the Boss PS-6... wait, doesn't that have a detune function. I check, and it does! It doesn't have the full range of the Eventide, but it has the +/-10 setting I want. And like the Eventide, it outputs in stereo. I do a quick poke and find Youtube demos showing what I'm looking for, and it seems pretty convincing. I go down to my local store and not only do they have it, they have one used for $75 off retail!

When I A/B the two in my rig, I hear no difference in the quality of the detune between the two. The Eventide has the added features of dual delays and modulation, but the delays are already handled by the RV-6, and the modulation isn't something I want or need right now (if I did, I'd rather pony up for a DC-2w and run the stereo outputs of the PS-6 into that). And of course the PS-6 has pitch shifting, harmonizing and dive bombing in addition to detune.

So the Eventide pedal will be going back to the store, dethroned by a humble - yet infinitely user friendly - Boss pedal.

 

[mooncobra]

Yes. Clearly you are crazy.

 

[Dig]

So I've always run my 2203 through a Suhr RL load into Amplitube, which functions as an IR loader and post-FX processor. But I'm tired of being tied to a computer, so I've scored a Boss IR-200 and I'm using that instead, and now I need to provide my own post-FX. I've had a Boss RV-6 for a while that I've never used until now and it does the job of providing ambience (although since I'm just using the Reverb + Delay mode I'm thinking of trading up for a DD-8). But the big hole in the sound is detune.

In Amplitube I split the signal out of my Reactive Load into three separate cabinets, dry straight up the middle, left and right pitch shifted up/down 9 cents and 100% wet. Basic W/D/W setup but super effective. The Boss IR-200 has an FX loop that can not only run in stereo, but can mix with your dry signal running center, which is just perfect. In going for a physical rig I immediately went for the Eventide MicroPitch delay, because it is "the real thing." I got lucky and scored a used one for $65 off retail. And it definitely sounds good, and Preset #1 gets that classic H3000 detuned tone. And I can run in stereo, which is fantastic. But I think the interface sucks, having to toggle between two levels to adjust different settings is unintuitive as all hell (this is why concentric knobs were invented!), and even the software that's supposed compensate for that sucks, because it doesn't output in Cents and Milliseconds, only in CC values.

Now I realize I'm sitting on a pricey pedal that offers a lot of flexibility that I can't really use. And as I'm thinking I remember the Boss PS-6... wait, doesn't that have a detune function. I check, and it does! It doesn't have the full range of the Eventide, but it has the +/-10 setting I want. And like the Eventide, it outputs in stereo. I do a quick poke and find Youtube demos showing what I'm looking for, and it seems pretty convincing. I go down to my local store and not only do they have it, they have one used for $75 off retail!

When I A/B the two in my rig, I hear no difference in the quality of the detune between the two. The Eventide has the added features of dual delays and modulation, but the delays are already handled by the RV-6, and the modulation isn't something I want or need right now (if I did, I'd rather pony up for a DC-2w and run the stereo outputs of the PS-6 into that). And of course the PS-6 has pitch shifting, harmonizing and dive bombing in addition to detune.

So the Eventide pedal will be going back to the store, dethroned by a humble - yet infinitely user friendly - Boss pedal.

Do you still use the PS-6 in this way? I'm considering adding one to my board. One thing I'm curious about is whether you can delay the detuned signal(s) by a micro-fraction like you can with the micro-pitch delay. I can do that with the TC Electronic Brainwaves which is included in my Plethora X5, but I'm probably going to remove the X5. This delayed micro-pitch effect is something I'll need to replace, and I'm thinking the PS-6 might be the way to do it.

 

[harddriver]

After running my PS-5's for years for detune in my W/D/W and being completely happy with the quality of the detunes except the fact that they only detune in 5 cent increments and I really wanted that .9999cent Fair Warning and 1984 detunes is where the fidelity of the Eventide Pitchfactor shines IMHO.

I bought an Eventide Pitchfactor and I feel the detunes algorithm's are better but it's alot more expensive than the Boss PS-5 so YMMV.

Here's my PS-5 doing Fair Warning at a -5 cent detune instead of .999cents in a slaved mono setup(not W/D/W) to two cabinets. The .999 cent setting would sound more correct but the Boss doesn't suck by a long shot. I would imagine the new Micropitch pedal is competition for the PS-5.

 

[blackie13]

Don't worry...

My Sony DPS M7 won the duel with the Eventide Eclipse in the Micropitch setting...

Eventide is the factory standard...does not mean its the best for every use...

 

[itsme]

The PS6 is great for this. I use an H9 for micro pitch detune and my son uses the PS6 for the same and they both sound about the same

 

[GreatRedDragon]

Do you still use the PS-6 in this way? I'm considering adding one to my board. One thing I'm curious about is whether you can delay the detuned signal(s) by a micro-fraction like you can with the micro-pitch delay. I can do that with the TC Electronic Brainwaves which is included in my Plethora X5, but I'm probably going to remove the X5. This delayed micro-pitch effect is something I'll need to replace, and I'm thinking the PS-6 might be the way to do it.

No delay is built in. You would have to use the PS-6 in a sidechain with a delay.

I don't use the PS-6 for that anymore. I use an MD-500, and run the EVH-style +/-9 cent Detune in parallel with the SDE-320 sim for a mega juicy Symphonic-esque sound. My PS-6 is for harmonizing and octaving now.

Speaking of.... Boss really should put out a PS-200. The PS line is so stacked with modes that it just begs for a programmable model. I'm kind of thinking replacing my PS-6 entirely with the upcoming Line6 HX One, just to serve as a MIDI-controllable Harmonizer.

After running my PS-5's for years for detune in my W/D/W and being completely happy with the quality of the detunes except the fact that they only detune in 5 cent increments and I really wanted that .9999cent Fair Warning and 1984 detunes is where the fidelity of the Eventide Pitchfactor shines IMHO.

I bought an Eventide Pitchfactor and I feel the detunes algorithm's are better but it's alot more expensive than the Boss PS-5 so YMMV.

Here's my PS-5 doing Fair Warning at a -5 cent detune instead of .999cents in a slaved mono setup(not W/D/W) to two cabinets. The .999 cent setting would sound more correct but the Boss doesn't suck by a long shot. I would imagine the new Micropitch pedal is competition for the PS-5.

It sounds good!

It seems the difference between the PS-5 and the PS-6's Detune effect is the PS-5 has a short delay built in, while the PS-6 is capable of more of an EVH-style Detune without a delay. The PS-6 goes in 5 cent increments from -20 to +20, but it also has +/- 5, 10 and 15 cent settings that are tracked in stereo (left side pitches up, right side pitches down) that makes it sound massive.