Tuesday 27 July 2021

Zoom G5n vs Boss ME-80 guitar multi-effects comparison

This will be probably of no interest to my regular readers, but just in case anybody Googles this looking for a comparison, the Zoom is infinitely better than the Boss. I bought the Boss first (about £250) and was not happy with it, so I then bought a Zoom (also about £250) and that thing is a joy.

The Zoom distortions and amp simulators sound awesome, unlike the Boss ones which simply aren't very good at all. The other effects are probably not that much different, all in all a bit better on the Zoom (although there are too many of them).

The Zoom is also easier to use (you don't really need the manual), it has far more user defined patches, you can see what you've saved etc. Sure, I have a couple of niggles with the Zoom (like scrolling through hundreds of options by hand with no 'fast forward' button), nothing is perfect, but there is no question about which one to buy.

7 comments:

Thud said...

One of my Les Pauls through a tube marshall and I'm happy, amplitude if I have to when recording through reaper.

Mark Wadsworth said...

Thud, if I had an sound-proofed cellar, of course I'd do it the proper way like you, but I'm in a house with family.

Thud said...

Mark, my commiseration, there really is no substitute for wattage.

James Higham said...

No idea what eiher is but carry on. Is it something to do with TikTok Alexa?

Thud said...

James, if you open your window I'm pretty sure you can hear my girls when they kickoff.

Scrobs. said...

I used to dream of getting a midi guitar, and had fabulous discussions with Steinberg's people, who were charming and helpful.

But that was back in the early '90s, and I had to work for a living...

I'm still working on a limited project using an iPad, but gardening comes first!

Mark Wadsworth said...

JH, they are guitar effect gadgets, for doing echo, distortion and all manner of weird and wonderful things.

S, I did vaguely think about that back in the 1980s or 1990s but I'm getting more old fashioned as I get older, I can't even be bothered using keyboards any more. Drum machine, bass, guitars and vocals is all you need.