Boss VF-1 Effect Processor

I've owned three VF-1 in the past, haven't owned one for at least a year, and just picked up another one used. I guess I'll keep this one forever. :) 

Anyway, I updated to firmware 1.13, reset to factory defaults, connected it via stereo in/out, and cannot for the life of me get some of the effects to output with any volume at 100% wet.

For example:

* Choose patch Pb12 SMALL ROOM.
* Bypass signal and effect on signal are audibly the same
* Edit patch
* Edit Reverb
* Arrow to the Balance parameter
* Adjust from 100/100 to 0/100 so it's 100% wet reverb output
* Note the volume output drops to nearly nothing
* Even if you set effect and master = 100 there is still virtually no audio output volume

I've noticed that while on the main patch select screen the L/R meters are registering a loud input signal just below the maximum (setup per the manual to keep only the loudest notes engaging the top black block), but while in the patch edit screen I'm seeing virtually no metering activity.

Same thing happens on some other patches, such as Pb76 LONG ECHO which uses the Tape Echo effect. Set FX LEVEL = 100 and DIRECT LEVEL = 0 for a 100% wet signal and virtually no audio is output. Reverb level output on GUITAR MULTI 1 also seems low. Set FX LEVEL = 100 and it's like a super low ambience, you can barely hear the verb.

However, other patches seem to work as expected 100% wet such as Pb28 DETUNE CHORUS, and Pb34 CHORUS/REV1.  

So I'm assuming it's some sort of glitch or limitation with the effects within the patches, or maybe by design? Maybe a firmware issue and 1.12 is better?

Hmmm  Odd one - I have 4 now, and varying software versions, but never had
that issue...

 

  _____  

From: BossVF1@yahoogroups.com [mailto:BossVF1@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of
gastric123
Sent: Friday, April 22, 2011 1:43 PM
To: BossVF1@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [BossVF1] 100% wet level is too low for some FX

 

  

I've owned three VF-1 in the past, haven't owned one for at least a year,
and just picked up another one used. I guess I'll keep this one forever. :) 

Anyway, I updated to firmware 1.13, reset to factory defaults, connected it
via stereo in/out, and cannot for the life of me get some of the effects to
output with any volume at 100% wet.

For example:

* Choose patch Pb12 SMALL ROOM.
* Bypass signal and effect on signal are audibly the same
* Edit patch
* Edit Reverb
* Arrow to the Balance parameter
* Adjust from 100/100 to 0/100 so it's 100% wet reverb output
* Note the volume output drops to nearly nothing
* Even if you set effect and master = 100 there is still virtually no audio
output volume

I've noticed that while on the main patch select screen the L/R meters are
registering a loud input signal just below the maximum (setup per the manual
to keep only the loudest notes engaging the top black block), but while in
the patch edit screen I'm seeing virtually no metering activity.

Same thing happens on some other patches, such as Pb76 LONG ECHO which uses
the Tape Echo effect. Set FX LEVEL = 100 and DIRECT LEVEL = 0 for a 100% wet
signal and virtually no audio is output. Reverb level output on GUITAR MULTI
1 also seems low. Set FX LEVEL = 100 and it's like a super low ambience, you
can barely hear the verb.

However, other patches seem to work as expected 100% wet such as Pb28 DETUNE
CHORUS, and Pb34 CHORUS/REV1. 

So I'm assuming it's some sort of glitch or limitation with the effects
within the patches, or maybe by design? Maybe a firmware issue and 1.12 is
better?





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Are you able to actually try the steps I provided and confirm whether or not your unit(s) have the same issue with those specific sounds? Should only take a few minutes and I'd be very grateful.

Let me know what firmware you happen to be running. I'm pretty sure I ran 1.12 on my last units, I happened to flash 1.13 for whatever reason on this one but can flash whatever works best.



--- In BossVF1@yahoogroups.com, "Craig McRae" <dukemcrae@...> wrote:

>
> Hmmm  Odd one - I have 4 now, and varying software versions, but never had
> that issue...
>

I've flashed to 1.12 in case that was the issue. Which it wasn't. :)

The issue appears to specifically be if I feed an input to both the left and right rear inputs simultaneously. Which still isn't correct, most likely.

* Disconnect rear right input, works great
* Connect to front Hi-Z input, works great
* Leave rear right input connected but roll right input level off, I can hear the effects now but the direct sound is now panned hard left

I cannot recall if I've ever tried to use one of these as a stereo outboard effect before. But I expected to be able to feed it a stereo signal and have it process both channel simultaneously.

What seems to be the case is only SOME of the algorithms can successfully process a stereo input. Bass, Guitar definitely cannot, at least for me. But choose something like Pb33 Reverb + Reverb or any of the non-guitar/bass algorithms and they successfully process the stereo input.

This is possibly covered in the manual, though I couldn't quickly find where it mentioned this. In fact, all of the algorithm diagrams clearly show both L/R inputs feeding the first block, or feeding the stereo blocks as applicable.

Glad I'm not the only one with this hair pulling issue. I thought something was seriously wrong with my unit - and I was about to resort to checking if there was some kind of solder joint issue in the inputs..but it just seemed so regular.

It should work L/R input for full stereo processing. 

M

--- In BossVF1@yahoogroups.com, "gastric123" <chris@...> wrote:

>
> I've flashed to 1.12 in case that was the issue. Which it wasn't. :)
> 
> The issue appears to specifically be if I feed an input to both the left and right rear inputs simultaneously. Which still isn't correct, most likely.
> 
> * Disconnect rear right input, works great
> * Connect to front Hi-Z input, works great
> * Leave rear right input connected but roll right input level off, I can hear the effects now but the direct sound is now panned hard left
> 
> I cannot recall if I've ever tried to use one of these as a stereo outboard effect before. But I expected to be able to feed it a stereo signal and have it process both channel simultaneously.
> 
> What seems to be the case is only SOME of the algorithms can successfully process a stereo input. Bass, Guitar definitely cannot, at least for me. But choose something like Pb33 Reverb + Reverb or any of the non-guitar/bass algorithms and they successfully process the stereo input.
> 
> This is possibly covered in the manual, though I couldn't quickly find where it mentioned this. In fact, all of the algorithm diagrams clearly show both L/R inputs feeding the first block, or feeding the stereo blocks as applicable.
>