Why does Boss COSM get such a bad rap?

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siraxemansiraxeman Frets: 1935
edited August 2017 in FX

GT100 vs the HD500x which is highly regarded (and actually sounds pretty close to the Helix in its amp modelling)


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  • It's just not brilliant. There are good, and interesting, sounds in it but it's not amazing. 

    I quite liked the cosm pedals (boss stack and there was the dyna drive too). But they had a pretty strong stamp on the sound. The newer boss digital stuff (such as the d1x, da-2 etc) is really good. Not sure if that's a new generation cosm tech or something entirely new. 
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  • menamestommenamestom Frets: 4641


    I think they should drop the COSM badge, it's associated with their earlier efforts and to be fair much of their stuff is probably better nowadays.

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  • gearaddictgearaddict Frets: 894
    I'm not sure the HD500 gets anywhere close to the Helix in reality. There's a load of sound clips and YT vids that seem to make them sound very similar, which is confusing for those of us trying to compare the units...but once you get both units in your hands they really are night and day. I genuinely don't understand how they manage to get them to sound anywhere near the same tbh.

    My experience of COSM is limited to the GT-8 and GT-10 and Roland Cube amps. I remember the GT modelling sounding very honky and nasal and just not nice and natural sounding like a real amp. Although I preferred the GT-8. I did like the Cube 60 I had and I felt like some of the sounds out of that were really good. Although, other people said it sounded harsh. I also had a Cube 80 later on but didn't like that as much.

    I'm not a big fan of Boss stuff generally. I know they are iconic and everything but I've rarely failed to be disappointed by their stompboxes. Just don't like the sounds.


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  • stratman3142stratman3142 Frets: 2177
    edited August 2017
    I've got a GT6 and also had a (more recent) ME-80 which I've now sold. The driven amp emulations and OD/distortions certainly aren't to my taste on either unit, and I even preferred my Podxt at the time. The other effects were OK in the GT6 and I much preferred them to the ME-80, which didn't work for me.

    None of those units were anywhere near my Helix LT.

    I like my Blues Cube Artist but they call that Tube Logic, not COSM.

    It's not a competition.
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  • siraxemansiraxeman Frets: 1935


    I think they should drop the COSM badge, it's associated with their earlier efforts and to be fair much of their stuff is probably better nowadays.


    Methinks you're right.....in forum land COSM has a bad rap...but in Kerrrchingg land which is what Boss ultimately care about it still sells. COSM now ie GT-100 engine is not the same as GT-6 engine - but y'know mud sticks and I still think a new name (emperors new clothes n all that) would fool a lot of naysayers into a new view/opinion. But then there's always going to be 15yr old bedroom rockers who have never even tried a certain piece of gear that will have a line 6 summat and be fanbois and spead mud on any rival brands product in the same market price/range.  
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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14323
    menamestom said:
    COSM ... associated with their earlier efforts and to be fair much of their stuff is probably better nowadays.
    Early digital modelling failed to live up to the hype. BOSS, Line6 and the rest were equally guilty. Back in the day, I tried some of the Line6 Flex-Tone combos. The modelling hinted at the famous amps being being imitated but something was always lacking.

    My brother has a BOSS GT-100. I managed to program up a few Belew type abstract textures but the straight ahead guitar sounds are never as satisfying as plugging directly into a small Fender valve amplifier. For me, something about A/D and D/A conversion saps the life out of everything.


    Be seeing you.
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  • My brother has a BOSS GT-100. I managed to program up a few Belew type abstract textures but the straight ahead guitar sounds are never as satisfying as plugging directly into a small Fender valve amplifier. For me, something about A/D and D/A conversion saps the life out of everything.
    It's not likely so much conversion issues and more likely you don't like the modelling. Otherwise all digital music would sound bad, and that isn't the case.
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  • TeetonetalTeetonetal Frets: 7801
    I think COSM just conjures up the sounds of the the earlier GT series, certainly I hated the GT6. The name has been carried on by Boss, but I think many still think of it as old tech.
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  • MegiiMegii Frets: 1670
    I seem to get on fine with the Boss/Roland COSM stuff - I have a Roland Cube 80XL that I use for gigging. All I normally want from it is a versatile clean channel that goes well loud if needed without distorting, and it does that. But the onboard effects, though fairly basic, do sound fine to my ears, and have been useful on occasion. Maybe part of the reason I like the amp is that I'm not comparing to any valve amp I've used/owned, I just like the sound on it's own merits.

    Is the Boss MS-3 COSM? - could well be I guess, but recently got one of those - sounds good to me. I do notice that there's no mention of COSM on the unit or box, so maybe the company is downplaying it these days.


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  • menamestommenamestom Frets: 4641
    menamestom said:
    COSM ... associated with their earlier efforts and to be fair much of their stuff is probably better nowadays.
    Early digital modelling failed to live up to the hype. BOSS, Line6 and the rest were equally guilty. Back in the day, I tried some of the Line6 Flex-Tone combos. The modelling hinted at the famous amps being being imitated but something was always lacking.

    My brother has a BOSS GT-100. I managed to program up a few Belew type abstract textures but the straight ahead guitar sounds are never as satisfying as plugging directly into a small Fender valve amplifier. For me, something about A/D and D/A conversion saps the life out of everything.


    It's getting much closer nowadays.  I don't think it is anything to do with the conversion, high quality, high headroom converters should sap nothing measurable out of a signal and considering most people use some digital pedals, it is a moot point most of the time anyway.  I too like a good  Fender valve amplifier, but most of the time I'm now using a Helix LT into the front of it.   The amp modelling is much better that the early days, but I don't use it too much, but one thing that has struck me with the latest generation is the overdrive models, which are now excellent - up until recently this was not the case.

    Re the amp modelling, I've nothing against it and do use it for bits of recording and practise, it's just what I have works so I'm sticking with amps.

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  • maltingsaudiomaltingsaudio Frets: 3098
    edited August 2017
    I think it comes down to expectations and what you yourself can get out of any unit and whether you actually like the sound or not and can use it practically. We say we all want a unique tone when actually all we want is the tone of our favourite player.

    In 20 years time everyone will be modelling the modellers!
    www.maltingsaudio.co.uk
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  • BeexterBeexter Frets: 597
    The COSM modelling algorithms must surely have moved on over the years so i doubt early incarnations would be the same as now but if you tried it once and didn't like it, you'll be less inclined to try it again.
    To be honest, I haven't come across many that rave over COSM so I'm not sure of the marketing benefit of it. IMO, they should drop the moniker and just let each product stand on it's own merit. That way, if they produce a unit that no-one likes, the rest of the range doesn't get tarred with the same brush. Of course, if everyone goes gaga for it, slap the moniker on everything! 
    I've also had both a Cube 60 and 80XL and thought both were really good all-rounders but have never really liked the amp model sounds of the floor units. Fx wise, no issues.
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  • JezWyndJezWynd Frets: 6021
    This one was nice...



    but generally I found COSM stamped too much of its own thing on the sound, esp. with distortion and drive pedals. The new Multi Dimensional Processing is much better imo. It still has an identifiable sound but much superior to COSM.
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  • WazmeisterWazmeister Frets: 9446
    COSM - not bad, not good... in this market place today, just 'ok' imho
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  • mburekengemburekenge Frets: 1054
    I had the purple Hendrix thing. Just awful
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