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Really the only way to tell a good buffer is to compare it to the straight-through tone with no following loading, so if you compare guitar into amp with guitar into buffer into short cable into amp, that should tell you.
There is a slight problem with some buffers (eg Boss) in that they sound good on their own, but because they very very slightly reduce the signal level - not enough for you to notice - when you run several of them in series the cumulative result is quite a noticeable loss of level, which is still too small to be obvious as a 'volume reduction' and shows up more as a perceived worse tone.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
I think that, like you say, you need to be able to instantly switch back and forth between the two several times or else we just wouldn't remember it exactly enough to compare properly.
Obviously there's also the bias of expectation where, if we expect something will sound a way then we might think we hear it.
That's part of the problem with minute subtleties in sound.
Thankfully, like sassafras hilariously pointed out, it doesn't really matter
All buffered pedals will change your tone in some way, some are worse than others, and some don't stack well with others, but even with just one buffered pedal I can hear the difference, and so should you if you have a sensitive ear.
I still maintain that the patch cables are not the main culprits. You can verify this by trying the following:
1. guitar--monster cable-->wah--monster cable-->amp
2. guitar--patch cable-->wah--monster cable-->amp
and see if you can hear a difference. If anything, #2 should have more treble than #1. This will prove that the "cheap" patch cable is not the issue.
Now try the following:
1. guitar--monster cable-->wah--monster cable-->amp
3. guitar--monster cable-->true bypass pedal--monster cable-->amp
You should be able to hear that #1 will have an altered tone due to the buffer, compared to the bypassed tone of #3. This will prove that the buffers are in fact the cause of the issue.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
The other thing is that sometimes just where you're standing in the room can make a difference to your tone, hence you might feel like something causes a massive change but it's just because you moved.
I like it.
If you buffer fairly soon after the guitar (eg at the start of the pedalboard) it will make the result more consistent.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
It's anything but transparent, but that's the point.
A Discussion of Buffered vs. True Bypass Pedals, with Pete Thorn and Thomas Nordegg
Duration 3:45
https: //www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOWeoizp4y0
Buffers, Cables, Capacitance, and more... a demo by Pete Thorn (FOR GEEKS ONLY) An uber-geeky demonstration of the effects of cable length and buffers on your guitar tone.
Duration 6:19
https: //www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNU5NZQGF2Y
Power.
R.
Eqd Speaker Cranker clone
Monte Allums TR-2 Plus mod kit
Trading feedback: http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/60602/
If you get a guitar with active pickups they are effectively buffered... but people don't like having to put batteries in their guitars.
As long as you understand when you need a buffer - which is really only when you’re using all true-bypass pedals, unless your guitar cable is really unusually long - then it’s not a problem.
If the fashion for true bypass hadn’t developed then it wouldn’t be an issue at all.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein