Heard him play live several times in the last few years. He still is the master of sound, to me. Incredible stage sound. Make sure to be in the very front of the stage at the concerts!
Chorus and delays are always top notch when Boss does them and I liked the twists like the 16 stage chorus, the pitch detune was excellent and the Rockman-style clean was almost there but usable. I have a photo of Billy Gibbons' rack circa mid '90s with two of these side by side when he played through Marshall JMP-1s.
Awesome review! I've used the se-70 so much during my recordings I've managed to make a reverb with the 12 voice pitch shifter, it takes a while to program something like that, but it's totally possible. If you go manual mode with the 16 stage chorus and assign depths and delay times separately you'll get the symphonic sound. The wave chorus is just overkill, you can get it to sound like the infamous dytronics tri-chorus if you're patient and calculate the lfo values. I'm waiting for that vf-1 review Leon! Been wanting to get one for years
Great demo. I have had one of these since the mid 90’s. Great in the studio, but terrible live, due to the lag when using midi or a foot controller to change patches.
I had 2 SE-50 units. One stopped working. I loved the 5 parallel delays. Waiting for a New version to come out. I have one that still works. Use for fx with a mixer when needed.
another one of my old bits of gear! you can get some really nice clean tones using the limiter to really squash down on the transients. lots of stuff packed into a little box. boss did great with this one.
Both of my SE70s are pretty jacked. Probably should get around to fixing them. The chorus and multi-tap with individual modulation control per voice is pretty untouchable in its class and form factor. Of course both my SE50s still work. The one thing the 50 has on the 70 is the per-voice feedback control on the multi-tap algorithm which they replaced with the per-voice modulation in the 70. This allows super-wide stereo doubling along longer ambient/rhythmic delays in the same patch. One could also argue the 50 has more grit/character/color for comparable algos but that’s kind of a weak argument with maybe the exception of the Leslie which I find thicker and more present in the 50. Other than that the 70 is just better.
@@LeonTodd I think they SX700 is the best from that brand/era as a meat and potatoes multi-effect, mainly because the internal routing options are really effective and give you nice clarity and separation for running multi-algos with less overall quality deterioration from DPS taxation. In both my demos I ran straight through the SE70 and SX700 (against my better judgement) and the SX700 had cleaner/more transparent A/D. That being said. The SE-70 just FEELS more like a creative tool and tonal mushroom trip.
@@LeonTodd as far as I can tell, the gx700 is just the rack version of the GT5 with the added bonus of being able to run simultaneous pitch shifting and chorus for maximum 80s plinky cleans
@@LeonTodd the SE-70 has been my go to rack piece for more than 20 years...I run two of them(one in series, one in parallel)along with my PCM81 and Yamaha D5000. It does many things better than units at 5x the cost. Who do you thing turned AnalogKid onto these? Enjoy! FYI, the gx700 and sx700, don't even come close to the power of the 70's! In addition, ALL the drives/distortions are ANALOG! Great for boosts or setting up clean/dirt tones! Lastly, these units were pre COSM modeling so they don't sound like a half cocked wah all the time, if you use the drives. Bucket Head recorded an entire album using only an SE-70!
@@LeonTodd Dual sounds awesome, but dig this: Ronald Jones, the Flaming Lips’ original lead guitarist, used to play through *four SE-70’s* plus a pair of *H3000’s* because what kill is better than overkill 😂
Well done man. Thanks for pointing out in your comment on the Peavy Rockmaster video that you did this review. I realize now years later that my Boss SE50 was being underutilized. lol. Kind of want to go by one. But I currently have a Line6 PodGO that I'm using for recording & I can't imagine that I couldn't find very similar tones on that. Just another great demo. Like always. Your videos & insight are always appreciated! [edit]: The only downside to these units was the internal CR2025 (Might have been a 2020 or 2032) batter to store the settings. There wasn't a way like there is now with so many modeling units, to store it to an iPad or computer. You had to make sure that you changed that batter and did it quickly to save your settings. When that battery died.... you were back to factory settings.
I got mine in the mid/late 90's. I had a Rolls pedal switcher-into-SE70-into-Ibanez AD202-into-Boss SX700 (in stereo)-into-JC120 effects return. Total space rock, shoegaze, 4AD sound. I still have all the units...actually I have two of most of them. The Boss stuff still sounds great. Check out using a Slow Gear into the SE70 12-voice pitch shifter (adding different delay times for each voice) into some analog delay...some stereo chorus after, for some seasoning....massive wall of ambient weirdness. Also a rare and amazing patch, is the 20-tap delay. If you have the patience, you can make some crazy things happen. AND the vocoder! You wouldn't think it'd be good on guitar, but again...spend some time with it.
Glad u found time to check it out! This unit falls short from h3000 but is probably the best investment comparitivly. Sure there are better sounding units now but everything was ran in a mixer then so for the money it still wins for me! I now run mine with the Polly and short of the drive options that are now available in newer pieces I'll gladly make use of the dozen or so gain ,peddles me and everyone else has!
But wait! You also need to grab an SE-50 because they changed some things between the two versions! I use it in tandem with SPX90 in the front, they're for that modulation/pitch detune spot and swapped depending on the style of the song. The rationale goes: SPX90 for juicy and very integrated 80's sound, SE-50 for cleaner, more "high-fidelity" special effects that don't integrate as tightly to the original sound. That's the best way I can describe the difference between SPX90. I guess the honest technical explanation would be something like the Boss units don't have a limited conversion that creates a low pass filter and they have probably more resolution and computing power. I'm pretty sure you know what I mean having played them both. I understand some electronic music artist also loved the SE-50/SE-70 which sort of implies that they're a bit more generally suitable. SE-70 clearly has more of the funny patches, step phaser was amazing. Personally I tweaked the chorus algorithm to sound something like Paul Gilbert, which in my opinion SPX90 doesn't do at all. You know the sounds like Down To Mexico. Same with pitch detune, in my mind SE-50 pitch detune fits better to the F*CK era Van Halen where the rawness had stepped aside and it was very clear sounds, SPX90 pitch detune more of that juicy RATT sound. I think I raved about the chorus stuff of SE-50 already in some of your older videos anyway. The only sad thing is I can't set it in the front AND in the back, it does have great reverbs and A LOT to tweak in the delay. I even tried creating that circular delay and got pretty satisfying results. Just in case I'd like to create something to complement MPX-1's Lexicon reverb/delay or a different vibe. Honestly in my experience it's hard to find better bang for buck AND bang for space than the SE-50/70. They aren't expensive. Nothing you conjure out of them will sound bad. Some of it you can make sound really good. Doesn't take a lot of space. Easy to use. Like if I was someone who had to choose just one rack effects unit because I was a poor guy but I needed one to play all sorts of things, I would probably choose this over any other rack unit I have. The others are more of a one trick pony or have some good and some bad, sounds or specswise. SE units won't leave a bad taste in your mouth.
I’m poor with an SE 50 I got earlier this year . I really need to play with it a lot more I bought it for the pitch Detune/chorus/delay/reverb algorithm . I couldn’t afford one when they came out I just had a 10w gorilla amp with no master volume and an encore strat . I do play a lot now with my computer H3000 plugin and that big Valhalla supermassive reverb . I also have a Boss GT1 & a NUX MG300 at the moment I had considered selling my SE50 as I plan to get an hx stomp & am currently saving for an Ibanez RG550 . Would it be a mistake to sell my SE50 I love retro guitar stuff and have an 80s JHS rock box (a rock an clone used on hysteria )
@@Havanacuba1985 my personal opinion is keep the SE-50 - they ain’t making any more of them, and as word gets out about the SE’s the prices are only going to go up as the number of available units go down… I’ve had mine for, like, twenty years and would never sell it so I may be a bit biased.
There was a rack unit called RSP550, that had many details in common with the SE70, despite some major differences, too. 550 had pre-/de-emphasis AD/DA converters, and some different algorithms. But the total character is similar. And no less stellar! 550 sometimes appear very inexpensive on the used market. Totally worth a try (I keep em both).
The modulation inverted delay is cooooool. About to fire up the axe and make some new delays lol. Love all the lfo modulation options, because it will be extremely easy to make. Great vid Leon!
Missing out not trying the multi's (guitar multi 2). The drive distortion circuits are all analog, the vintage drive circuit is modeled on an OD1. It is my favorite distortion/overdrive, I use it as a send (1/3) on my mixer with a DP/4 for big verbs, flanges... and a ProR3 for smaller verbs&ER like tile room or short gated fx for percussion. I run some feedback, comp, pitch it up, then eq, vintage drive, eq, then pitch it down and finally add some reverb (think I got it all, I set the chorus, delay and other fx in the multi to 0 to save the duty on the processor). It makes for a beautiful sonic destruction with character. I am so much happier in my musical head space now I am using old junk and being content with it rather than chassing the rainbow for an imaginary tone...
SE-70 was very good back in the day, and the VF-1 was a nice follow up to it. I was broke during college when they were out and could afford neither, but would totally buy today.
Would love to hear how you pair the two? I'm still finding new settings after all this time and now building a 2nd parerell line mixer to blend more channels in!
I had BOSS SE-70 + BOSS SE-50 .... after listening to both, I decided to keep the SE-50, it has a warmer sound (spectrum mirroring), despite the fact that the SE-70 has slightly better control and more algorithms, but by and large they are useless.... Butt hese are all younger models, but in fact they are stronger in sound RSP-550 or 330 series (SRV SDE SDX). If you really want to be surprised , try cheap fx - ZOOM 1201 ... also SONY HR-GP5 not bad
My guitarist has this, and I see them for sale all over reverb. I think it's a great little unit... Other than that, nothing like a little morning filth with my coffee by Leon.👍☕
I really enjoy these old rack videos you put together. Brings back memories of the days when I had a strong back and was dumb enough to lug around a 16 space ATA case. LOL! Have you ever tried the Rocktron Prophecy or Digitech Legend II? BTW... loved the Lynch bit @ 7:07.
I’m a bit scared of my SE 50 😂 as I’m new to it , if I start experimenting with my patches I’m assuming I can do a factory reset to get it back to the original patches ? I bought it for the Clean sounds primarily the algorithm with pitch detune /chorus/ delay/ reverb sort of 80s sound , Landau /whitesnake Lukather Graydon ,huff etc
Leon, I probably shouldn't be allowed to watch your channel first thing in the morning because after watching this I ordered an SE-70. I'm seeing some stuff online about needing to run it at 100% wet - did you do this in this video? I am thinking that I'd need to get some sort of true bypass looper with a mix level control to run it through my effects loop of my EVH amp, and just leave the unit at 100% wet and mix to taste via the looper. Cheers.
It’s worth whatever they cost for the first tone alone it does the Van Halen, Zakk Wild chorus sound , I promised I typed that before you even played no more tears lol .
@@lovecraftmusic8717 The ProChorus -an analog rack unit or its digital counterpart on the intellifex. Rocktron does multi-voice chorus so well in my opinion!
Had one in the nineties. Was very happy with it I remember. I upgraded to an Ensoniq DP-4. Which was epic. I recently rediscovered the Zoom GFX-8 from 1999. The distortions/ preamps are analog. And they SOUND it. Distortion on multi effects would not sound THIS good for another 20 years in my opinion.
@@LeonTodd I found it robust sounding. Good converters I suppose. The zoom GFX-8 from 1999 is terrific. Analog distortions/ preamps with digital effects. They just sound good.
I am looking for rack effects to play tekno with a synth or drum machine. Need the possibility to chain effects. Hesitating between DP4 and SE70: what do you recommend ? Thanks
@@chaintrolab2585 Between those two, the Ensoniq DP4 is superior for a few reasons. The effects are great and can be used as 4 individual effects processors for 4 separate sources. Or , you can chain them together. Very flexible. Plus, they sound very good. Just need to find one in good condition. It's pretty old tech now.
What are those songs (if you think of them) of those clean chorus riffs your playing? I forgot, been getting into those 80’s tones lately, I think you played those riffs through the Eventide Tricerachorus too. Thanks again for the video Leon! Always have loved your guitar tone analysis
*I got one from Japan finally and waiting for another to go in my chain, however, the power/electricity things is an issue. I am in north America. Whats the cheapest way to deal with it?*
Dweezil Zappa used 8 of these in series PER SIDE (16 total for stereo) to achieve his signature guitar tones on Don Johnson’s “Heart Beat”. (Not really.)
I have the Boss GX-700, seems VERY similar! Also has the 3 voice detune, which kind of confused me. I don't know what to do with that one, keep it centred rather than panned? What did you do with yours if you already had +9 and -9 L/R?
@@LeonTodd @@LeonTodd it's a great unit, I run some pedals into it using a clean preamp setting, and it goes out to a Lexicon MPX-100, straight into the desk in stereo. You can select where you place the FX in the chain, which is super useful. Only thing I ignore is the cab sims, and I wish the FX loop was stereo. They're still super cheap as well. I think you'll like it, looking forward to the video!
@@funkmachine6420 yeah I payed next to nothing for it. Sounds very similar to the Roland GP100 I got recently too. Some great sounds in there for sure!
@@LeonTodd underrated for sure. I guess it's more of a "useful tool" rather than the SPX/Eventide etc stuff that have such legendary stuff on board, but I dare say these 90s boxes offer more versatility in a small rig. Enjoy programming it, it's pretty easy to get around
use it with a mixer, and you'll find it's a LOT more usable, and has a big bag of tricks the SE-70 doesn't have ;) (the reverse is also true, you kinda need both to get the full picture!)
*I am going o put holes in the cover, so the heat escapes and not build up. Waiting on my miniature vent fans to come in, they will be added to supply better circulation. meantime, I am about to pull the heat sink OFF, clean it and the goo from the board and ass NEW GOO and restick THE HEATSINK to the unit... that should cool things down dramatically, even on a hotter then hell summer day at a festival.*@@MadAlhazred
For the bozo's of us, well me anyway, how did you connect that to the Axe FX? You have to remember that there are some of us out here who are not the sharpest tools in the musical shed😂✌
F.Y.I ALL the distortions and drives are ANALOG in the SE-70. If you take the time to tweak "Guitar Multi" 3 or 4 you have a pre and post eq along with analog drives, they sound awesome, it just takes time. I have some KILLER fender twin and marshall presets I've come up with. LISTEN with your ears and you'll be amazed at how good the 70 sounds as a straight preamp. DO NOT use the "amp simulations" within the presets, they sound horrible. Buckethead used an SE-70 as a pre-amp/processor to record an entire album...
I do have one,, it sounds great but never spent time getting to know it. It sat on my touring rig PA rev aux send for years, but now brought into studio to use for insert patches. Also now wondering if i should maybe adapt onto my guitar pedal board to follow something like a Tonex using a midi controller to change patches?
