How To Use The Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor Pedal More Effectively 

Well done. You just did what your video already said you would, showed the technique, didn’t waste time showing us your face or metal riffs, and didn’t yammer on like other videos. Thank you

Damn, straight to the point! No beating around the bush, no BS. This is how all instructional videos should be. Two thumbs up @ Rob L.

Why can't How To pedal videos be like this? That's why this still gets many views because it's straight to the point for a Noise suppressor pedal. I checked others and there are to much yapping and I got lost with their instructions and explanations.

Wow. I used this pedal for years and had no idea. This is much better.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. Quick simple demos like these ought to be the standard!

Thanks for cutting right to the chase with this demo and not noodling for half of it like most others LOL

Okay, following this guide will set up the pedal properly... but I think it would have helped people to understand how the signal is working if you followed the path of the signal for the tutorial. The signal is Guitar > NS2(Input) || NS2 (Send) > Amp Main Input || Amp (Send - aka Effects loop start) > NS2 (Return) || NS2 (Output) > Amp (Return - aka Effects loop end). The way you explained it in the video is the same result, but you jump back and forth between the start and ending points for each connection, so it gets confusing as to what is actually happening. The guitar is going through the NS2 to reduce guitar noise, then the signal is going through the amp Pre-amp, out of the amp effects loop, into the NS2 effects loop, back into the amp via the return of the amp effects loop. Basically, it's just way to get one NS2 to work on both the guitar signal and the amp signal. It's the same as putting one NS2 after the guitar, and a second NS2 in the amp's effects loop. Simple! This makes it clear where to put pedals - if you don't want them clipped by the NS2, you put them between NS-2(Return) and Amp(Return), and if you do want them affected by the NS2, you can put them either between Guitar and NS input (if you want them not affected by the amp pre amp and tracked by the NS twice), or between Amp(Send) and NS2(Return) (if you want them affected by the amp pre amp and the NS2 once).

Thank you for explaining the effects loop and where to plug in the Send and Return lines. I watched another video that had it wrong and I got frustrated. This did the trick!!!

Thank you! After the Pedal Input+Send to Amp Return (1), I got confused first, when you next connected Pedal Output to Amp Return (2) and then Amp Send to Pedal Return (3). I might have done it 1, 3, 2, just to understand better the path, but I guess it doesn't matter as long as we understand what we are doing and why. I was about to order this pedal through eBay and this video really helped me easily. Thanks

I guess if you were using the effects loop of or certain pedals on your board already and didn't want an extra pedal on the board, this could be velcrod to the back of the amp or something and have patch cables into the amp inputs.

An honest and practical review. Thank you very much.

This should be the commercial Boss uses for this pedal

A Boss Australia blog had it as pedal send to effects loop and pedal output to amp input and it didn't work for me when trying to use a compressor as well. I'm gonna try it your way. Thanks, man.

Great video! Straight to the point and. I will definitely be using the second method from now on.

I don't get why Boss didn't put this configuration inside the instructions

Thanks was getting frustrated trying to plug it into the loop I had it all plugged in wrong 😂👍

Thanks for foregoing the long epilog

Funnily enough, the NS2 adds a whole lot a noise in the 4-cable method, that was not there in the first place. This really grinds my gears!

Thank you very much for sharing this and the detailed information provided. This is exactly what I was looking for, I needed to know exactly how it was connected, and you showed it perfectly and explained it.

I just looked at few more videos on this and they’re disappointing. Yours is the best. Tone Craft’s is real good too.

Awsome i was just looming for a gate to put in the loop

That’s awesome! I had no idea about this! Thanks for pointing this out!

very clear description, thank you .

Just got mine works great!

Nice video, straight to the point.

Excellent information. I have a Boss Line Selector 2 that can be incorporated into this maze. It’s a great pedal too.

cheers. think I should get this for my pedal board

Damn man nice vid, totally straight to the point on how to hook up and I just bought one with a Joyo 6 ban Eq and a few more pedals soon haha thanks ! Quiet is the key here. Wonderful with this Boss 💥👍🏻🥂💯

For the second method, Where do you add other effects?

Great explanation of the set-up... But I have one question. Could you also put your delay/ reverb and modulation pedals into the FX loop?

THANK YOU!

Start from the effects loop 1:14

Thanks now i can play my Les Paul jr with out getting a headache! and Strat of course

what is the difference between Guitar> distortion pedal> NS2 input/output>amp vs. Guitar>NS2 Input/Send>distortion>return/output>amp? Don't the pedals in the loop still get effected by the gate?

Thanks, brother!

I have a brand new 6505 that works perfectly well. When I connect the NS-2 in the fx loop there's more noise and hum. I did it exactly as you demonstrated in this video. When I do the first method everything is fine, but with the second method it's a big noise and hum and the sound is bad

Well, I guess I know what’s on my shopping list

Cool man rock on

Great work.

So if I were to run let’s say, an OD and tuner pedal into the input of the amp, and Reverb into the fx loop, and want to use this Noise gate with the second method, would the following make sense… Guitar > tuner pedal > OD pedal > NS-2 input> NS-2 Send> front if amp input. Then Ns-2 output> In reverb pedal> out reverb pedal into fx return. Then amp fx send > Ns-2 Return. I think i screwed it up, not sure.

Keep in mind if you have ground loop hum this is moot. I just tried both methods and still get trailing hum after a chord.

My amp doesn't have send and return option. In that case what to do? Throw away NS2 as in the first method even after connection of NS sound was too noisy.

Basically, Guitar Output > Pedal Input Pedal Send > Amp Input Amp Send > Pedal Return Pedal Output > Amp Return

thanks...this was really helpful.

Sorry, not sure if this comment will get through but say I have a set of distortion/overdrive pedals and a set of delays/reverb pedals. Note that DR = Delay/Reverb and OD = Overdrive & Distortion In order I'd have set them: Guitar --> NS-2 --> OD --> NS-2 --> DR --> Amp. And if connecting lines, I'm assuming that I'd go... Guitar (Out) --> NS-2 (In) & NS-2 (Send) --> OD (In) & OD (Out) --> NS-2 (Re) & NS-2 (Out) --> DR (In) & DR (Out) --> Amp (In) Would this make it so that the noise gate would affect only the pedals in between 'Send' & 'Return'? In the case above, would it successfully only apply the noise reduction on the OD pedals, and leave the DR pedals alone?

If your amp doesn't have an fx loop could you run it like: guitar > ns2 input/output > drive > modulation > ns2 send/return > delay/reverb > amp?

Nice demo 🤟

I have a Fender Champ. My inputs are Power IN and Power OUT. Power IN is Return and Power OUT is Send?

I'm not sure why this works for anyone to be honest. I have tried this with my NS-2 and my Randall RM100C and it makes it sound like I'm under water. I believe this is because the pedal is trying to compare an instrument level signal from the guitar with a line level signal from the amp's preamp. There's plenty of videos where this obviously works (such as yours) so I'm wondering why it simply doesn't work for me. I don't think the pedal is defective but that's always a possibility I guess. I just run mine with the output of the NS-2 to the front of the amp and my pedals in the NS-2's loop, but that doesn't silence the noise from my high gain channels on the amp.

could have played something while the pedal was on or off, so demonstrating any possible degradation of the signal. All well and good showing how to put this through the effects loop. what about the other pedals in the loop? DO you really want to suppress any time based pedals?

Wow thanks!!!

Can you still add effects to the effect loop on the amp using the second method?

The back of my traynor amp only has footswitch, amp in, and amp out

Really useful! Thanks!

Thank you, just got the 6505+ head, this is the simple effective minimal set up I want, how is the Boss Digital Delay? Thumbs up, subbed.

I just got this pedal and like most I was very nervous about it cutting tone the way fender noiseless pickups do. Don't listen to that non sense. This pedal has custom controls and yes it can cut your tone depending on how you set it, but set the right way and all it does is cut the noise and none of the tone. Glad I picked this pedal up.

I've always wondered how to use this in the effects loop if it's offstage (Iso-cab) and you are going DI from your board on stage. My amp is at least 80-100 Ft from where my board is.

hey man doubt you will see this because the vid is years old but how do you do this method with an overdrive pedal? sorry if its a dumb question im a noob when it comes to the pedal world but im trying to learn haha

why is there an in and an out power cord connection?

What if you are not using "effects." I know that sounds like heresy, but you'd just go input output, right?

What if I had an overdrive/ distortion pedal as well, how would I utilize it then?

i mean sure yes noise is gone, but we cant hear guitar, how much of notes did this eat? especially if using some longer ambient reverb? plucking string should be included in this video with pedal off and on to compare how long note sustains

What happens if you only use the return/send on your amp and not the input/output from guitar to amp?

Hi, it's great but where I put my compressor in the second method?

if im running an overdrive pedal and an eq pedal into a high gain amp head, would i put the ns-2 with the four cable method before or after the other pedals??

Using the second method how can I connect the rest of my pedals

man thank you for this video! it saves my time. anyway you have to buy a new shoe. really.

Hello Guys!!! I already got an effect loop on my tube amp so I've understood that i have to choose the 4 cables method! My need is: Use the Boss ns2 on the high gain channel of my amplifier with a Maxon od808 as a boost. How can I do that? Please help me my friend!!!

On method 2. Would I put my delay on the send cable going directly to the amp or output going to the effect loop?

First of all great video, thank you! How you connect the 4 cable method with a preamp from Engl where the Output is the FX loop send? The example here is the Engl E530. Thanks

I followed both sets of instructions...with this pedal...turning it on or off had no effect on the noise... Must be broken?

What if you have more pedals involved?

Hi. Thanks for this video! By the way, I'd like to use the 4 cable method with my other 5 pedals on my rig but I will connect the last cable to my Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 3rd gen. Where should I put the NS-2 on this setup?

i never understand the sent-return thing. can you suggest a video ?

Can you show how this works with multiple pedals in the FX loops and in front of the amp?

What happens if you don’t have a return on your amp, then what?

My amp does not have an effect loop :-(

So say I have a fuzz pedal that makes it even more buzzy/staticy...can I do the second way but through the fuzz pedal and so forth or is this literally only if you're using the noise suppressor?

How would you do this if you already have delay going into your fx loop?

Nice my friend..but l wish you would have played..my question is does either method alter the amp or guitars tone?

How do you use it with other pedals if you’re using the send and return?

Good info, but now what if I want to use a distortion pedal outside the effects loop?

i tried this in my Laney GH100L using the behringer noise suppressor and it didn't even work normally (at all). I connected everything exactly as shown in step two, but perhaps it's just the behringer pedal not working the same way, or an issue with the return/ send inputs.

good stuff

What if your amp did have the FX Loop?

Hey Robo L. Mate, if I go into the xfx loop , that would not let me go into a overdrive plus time based on the floor board......or did I just miss something?? 🥂🤔

I am plagued by amp noise just like you showed here. I may have to have one of these.

My signal is muted specifically when I use the CS-3 in the loop of my NS-2. Any reason??

What if you don’t use the amp’s effect loop?

I'm buying this pedal 2nd hand tomorrow just to test a theory. But why do you have so much signal noise anyway?

wait mp3/line in is return??

how do you chain the second method with other pedals?

2:04 you can clearly hear, that the NS2 in the 4-Cable Method adds a huge ton of noise, that it has to cancel aswell. There seems to be a issue with the 4-Cable setup. I have twp Engls, one of them a SCreamer 50, which is dead silent even in High gain. As soon as I use the 4-Cable Method it gets super loud. Ofc it can be muted by the noise gaite, but once the gate is open the noise floor is still audible. How come nobody knows how to fix this?

Thx for video. I have a problem :I tried first method, I get 0 sound with pedal activated or off. Fx loop method, as soon as I connect from output of peda to return of amp, my amp gets muted. Is it my amp? What am I doing wrong? I'm trying this with a strat and a fender mustang 3 solid state amp.

Did you use strat or tele ??????

Will it affect negatively the sound of the notes?

What would be the way to do the second method if I'm running a microphone through the guitar pedal? I normally go from the mic into the guitar pedal and out from the guitar pedal into a Scarlett solo interface with with an xlr cable

great video ,thanku.Can u help me with something because i’m a beginner-What if i’m using a string of effects ( Flanger/Phase ) into the front of the amp -how do i use your 2nd method ( the amps effects loop) if im already occupying the into in the front of the amp?

Thanks for the video. Can this be used to stop the hissing sound that's generated by my 32 band graphic equaliser? I'm thinking about purchasing the Boss and placing it between my mixer where the mics are and the graphic equaliser before going out to my speakers.

If you use the secondary method, how can you still run the pedal through your pedal board?