Boss TAE Core - Did Boss just release the perfect amp top box?

monquixote

Petepassion said:

monquixote said:

Totally agreed this is one of the reasons I see it as somewhat pointless to use something like a TAE

Loud amps sound good because they are loud not because they are running flat out. If you blast a modeller through guitar speakers and you are in the room with it, it sounds instantly way more like a real amp. 

The whole thing about "power amp distortion" is largely bunk, most valve amps being run on ten actually sound mushy and a bit shit for most practical purposes.

In terms of the reliability it's one more box so it's more cables, one more thing to go wrong. (The chance of your rig failing is the chance of all of the components multiplied together so adding one more box is always worse)

I have been in the situation where I had a non MV amp that was a bit hair trigger in small venues, but I don't see why a TAE or a Fryette should be any better than a an attenuator other than the ability to add reverb which I don't really care about in a live situation or can be added via the desk.

Reasons why the TAE can better a traditional attenuator...

1. EQ
2. Compression
3. Reverb
4. Delay
5. Solo boost
6. Multiple rig options
7. It can boost a smaller amp for live use.

Don't know about you, but I think that's a fair few advantages.

On the downside, for live work I would say it's relatively big and heavy, plus the 100w isn't as loud as I was expecting, but loud enough, so I think this latest model would struggle if used to boost a small amp for gigs and rehearsal.

Obviously it will be pointless to many people, including yourself, but it will also be a great asset for some.
My Powerbrake was great, but I went to the TAE as a cranked amp through a traditional attenuator can't be boosted volume wise.

I'm currently using pedals into a clean amp and getting a pretty good sound...but it isn't quite as good as when I use a form of attenuation, but the pedal route is less hassle.
Horses for courses as they say.

EDIT, I have used the Powerbrake, the TAE and also just pedals live and can say from personal experience that the attenuators work great.

Yep, totally agreed, as I said I've used an attenuator in the past with good results (I have a Jet City) and though it makes your rig more complex a passive load box is unlikely to go wrong. 

In the case of this 30w unit it doesn't really seem like it's got enough grunt to be useful live due to the lack of poke and if I'm just using it to silently record I can use the effects in the box so something simpler like a regular load box can be used instead. 

noisepolluter

Hmm. I’d ruled out the big one because I wouldn’t (technically) have been able to use it with my 75w Creamback 1x12. And also because it was big and expensive.

The question now would be whether a heavily attenuated SV20 would sound noticeably better than my DSL40 purring away with both the masters down - and also what kind of life I’d get out of the EL34’s.

Revolutions

I never even thought about these for live use - for me it lets me push my Marshall heads to sound cool at home, and gives me cab sims & a simple 1/4" out for recording via an audio interface.

pt22

Does anyone have experience with the TAE but in FX? Specially the ability to deliver decent stereo reverb and delay?

Are the spring and plate recents I decent? It’s there a decent tape echo?

noisepolluter

pt22 said:

Does anyone have experience with the TAE but in FX? Specially the ability to deliver decent stereo reverb and delay?

Are the spring and plate recents I decent? It’s there a decent tape echo?

If they’re the same as the ones in my GX100 then they’re perfectly respectable but not quite up to Boss’s stand-alone space echo/DM-101/RV-200 units. I’d probably still use my 4CM pedalboard with the TAE’s effects loop though the built in ones would certainly be useful if I wanted to keep things a bit lighter/simpler.

rze99

that pedal show need to do a review

noisepolluter

rze99 said:

that pedal show need to do a review

I’d hope the fan would be reasonably quiet 

paulmapp8306

monquixote said:

I find these devices completely pointless. 

You remove the connection between the amp and the speaker which is supposedly the important thing and then end up being powered by a solid state amp. 

It's just adding a load more wires and complexity and things to go wrong. I'd either use an attenuator or just use a modeller, or get an amp with a sensible master volume of which there are loads. 

not necessarily - thats why the fryette is good - its a valve power stage so you still get the amp/speaker interaction.  

newi123

pt22 said:

Does anyone have experience with the TAE but in FX? Specially the ability to deliver decent stereo reverb and delay?

Are the spring and plate recents I decent? It’s there a decent tape echo?

I think the stereo answer is yes and no!

There are stereo XLR outs for audio interface and such - but if you run use the reamping function back into a guitar cab (so using as an attenuator and onboard effect with your current rig, stand alone from a pc) then its mono. The FX loop is mono too.

ElevensLouder

Looks like a super useful piece of gear. Bloody love Boss - they just get things done.

tekbow

So is it the same thing as the TAE except without the IRs and a smaller power amp?

pt22

newi123 said:

pt22 said:

Does anyone have experience with the TAE but in FX? Specially the ability to deliver decent stereo reverb and delay?

Are the spring and plate recents I decent? It’s there a decent tape echo?

I think the stereo answer is yes and no!

There are stereo XLR outs for audio interface and such - but if you run use the reamping function back into a guitar cab (so using as an attenuator and onboard effect with your current rig, stand alone from a pc) then its mono. The FX loop is mono too.

I’m more referring to the FX out through USB or headphones, but your examples are understood thanks. 

allen

tekbow said:

So is it the same thing as the TAE except without the IRs and a smaller power amp?

It has a smaller power amp, but you can load your own IRs. 

I would like to see a table of back to back features, but at least this one has bluetooth audio in (backing tracks) plus bluetooth mobile editor - which is better than the full fat version.

pt22

allen said:

tekbow said:

So is it the same thing as the TAE except without the IRs and a smaller power amp?

It has a smaller power amp, but you can load your own IRs. 

I would like to see a table of back to back features, but at least this one has bluetooth audio in (backing tracks) plus bluetooth mobile editor - which is better than the full fat version.

Bluetooth at an extra price of £45 for the adapter.  

tekbow

Somebody posted this on one of the FB groups.

 
*30w vs 100
*2 (new one) reactive loads vs 16
*2XLR new one vs 2XLR  + 1XLR mono
* new one has mix assist, air feel, 64 IR slots vs 32 (old one)
*New has footswitch via Bluetooth
** new one 2.2kilo vs 17
** roughly 1/2 the size

rockmonster

OMG! Only 64 IR slots! I couldn’t possibly justify that!

guitarmangler

Back in the day I used a dual rec, into a passive load box, into fx, into a massive solid state power amp to a 4x12. It sounded great, but was a pain in the arse to hoof around and set up. Something like this would have been a god send. 

allen

tekbow said:

Somebody posted this on one of the FB groups.

 
*30w vs 100
*2 (new one) reactive loads vs 16
*2XLR new one vs 2XLR  + 1XLR mono
* new one has mix assist, air feel, 64 IR slots vs 32 (old one)
*New has footswitch via Bluetooth
** new one 2.2kilo vs 17
** roughly 1/2 the size

New one has optional bluetooth which adds
- mobile editor (with updated interface)
- aux in backing tracks

Old one has a reverb knob on the front, new one replaces it with air/feel (which is similar, but not)

FarleyUK

Ordered one - should be here next week.

Will post my impressions of it when it's arrived.

noisepolluter

FarleyUK said:

Ordered one - should be here next week.

Will post my impressions of it when it's arrived.

Following this thread with interest.