Classic BOSS styling meets modern innovation head-on with BOSS’s latest multi-effects station for bass
The venerable effects wizards at BOSS have announced the release of the ME-90B Bass Multiple Effects, a super-versatile all-in-one bass Multi-FX that packs a ton of useful bass effects and preamps into a conveniently sized and highly connectable package.
BOSS’s ME series has over three decades under its belt as a go-to Multi-FX option for guitarists and bassists. The ME-90B continues this tradition, with the added benefit of cutting-edge connectivity options for today’s player, and updated effects and preamps to boot.
For the ME-90B, the team at BOSS wanted to “deliver everything a performing bassist needs, accessed via the classic BOSS ME interface for fast stompbox-style operation,” while also providing “the ability to edit tones and change out some preamp and effect types” via integration with BOSS Tone Studio.
If the aim was to create the most versatile bass multi-fx processor of all time, BOSS may have hit their mark. But proceed with caution: getting familiar with this stompbox will prove to be no light affair. Let’s take a closer look at the, ahem, extensive rundown of features and specifications.
The ME-90B’s cool retro-styled chassis houses 61 bass-optimized effects as well as 10 bass preamps. Eight footswitches toggle your effects, while a built-in expression pedal gives you even more control.
The effects are logically organized by type to make the whole thing a bit more navigable, with corresponding parameter knobs for each section. Plus, you can store up to 36 custom effects with Memory mode.
Each footswitch has a corresponding colored LED, which is meant to help you sort out which effect is which on the fly – a nifty feature, as you’re going to need all the help you can get keeping all your settings straight.
And finally, as mentioned above, you can access, edit, and store even more tones by integrating with BOSS Tone Studio on your PC or Mac.
BOSS’s proprietary AIRD technology supplies 10 unique bass preamps, with everything from vintage to modern, natural to drive. You can also bypass the preamps and go EQ–only for a clean DI signal.
And the 61 onboard effects encompass everything you could possibly want for a bass tone – octave, phaser, chorus, trem, fuzz, wah – there’s even a “defretter,” which I personally am dying to hear in action.
Connectivity options abound, with ¼” mono and stereo outs, XLR out, and USB for recording direct in to your interface. And of course, a headphone jack for silent practice (and tweaking!).
BOSS’s latest FX powerhouse is sure to please a certain breed of bassist (ones with far better-developed attention spans than Yours Truly), and I expect it will be as big of a hit as their other recent additions to the ME series.
A retail price of $399 USD, while slightly steeper than its counterpart the ME-90, seems a relatively small price to pay for the amount of versatility and functionality the ME-90B has on offer.
Check out the video or head to BOSS for more info.
Quick Look
Images courtesy of BOSS
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