# Boss NS-2 tone suck



## Dionysian (Apr 9, 2011)

So my 5150 II is obviously a very noisy amp and our rehearsal room is pretty tiny so I kinda need a noise gate to get rid of all the feedback so I won't have to play with my gain at 3. I borrowed my friend's NS-2 to try it out and .. well. I can't believe how much tone that thing sucks, it's unbelievable. I don't really know what I'm doing wrong. I'm playing at 1 volume at home and I have it set to Reduction mode (since mute simply .. mutes it all, all the time; is it supposed to do this?), Decay is at 0 and Threshold is at like 3 O'clock. Also, I'm running it as the first thing after my guitar. Tried it in the FX Loop, it didn't suck as much tone there, but I couldn't get it to gate properly.

Is there no way to make it work properly with no tone suck? I would prefer it that way since ISP Decimators don't really go used in Denmark so I would have to buy one new for 3 times the amount I would have to pay for a used NS-2.


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## ryan9896 (Apr 9, 2011)

First off.....Decimator good - NS 2 bad

Second, I would definately run it in your fx loop, not between ur guitar and amp input. All it's doing there is reducing noise in your guitar signal, it's not affecting the amp noise at all. It sounds like at the threshold u indicated, u would be minimizing your guitar signal therefore minimizing tone. U definately want to run any noise reduction unit in the fx loop to clean up amp noise, which is ur goal with the 5150. U can add a 2nd unit on ur guitar signal, in addition to one in ur loop to clean up any hum of interference ur guitar is picking up, but the threshold should be set low, just enough to eliminate unwanted noise but not chop up ur guitar signal. Try the NS-2 in ur loop, and make sure u have ur effect loop turned on ( if there is an on/off switch ) and make sure it is set on series, not parallel (if there is a series/parallel switch).

I am a huge fan of ISP Decimator, I use the ProRack G unit for in front of my amp input and in the series loop, love it


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## MaxStatic (Apr 9, 2011)

Yea, me and the ns-2 never really got along. I know there are plenty of dudes that still get good tone using them but I never could. Hush units didn't get me there either but were better than the ns-2. 

Then I found isp, its like don't even know they are there. I never dick with them, I just set once for the particular guitar, turn on and forget about it. The way you mute the strings effects how the gate works it feels like. Brilliant!

If high gain and no squeal/hiss is your thing, they really are worth it. Given the choice of no noise gate or the boss unit, I would go no gate and be quick with my vol knob. I love boss pedals but man I hate that fucking ns-2.

My advice, save up and buy once so you don't do like me and buy over and over and over again to arrive at the same place much frustration and money later. Good luck.


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## ryan9896 (Apr 9, 2011)

Also, reduction mode will make the pedal operate only reduction on/off where mute mode will incorporate the mute on/off.


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## Scar Symmetry (Apr 9, 2011)

I honestly believe that if you think the NS-2 sucks tone then you're not using it properly. The amount of professional artists that use it without complaint is off the charts. I've never noticed an "unbelievable difference", a very VERY slight amount I will agree with but "unbelievable difference" just sounds absurd to me.


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## Rook (Apr 9, 2011)

'tone suck' depends on the _level_ of the received signal. Buffered signals often suffer very little tone suck, and that's to do with impedance matching.

As somebody said, running the ns2 in your loop will have a huge effect on the tone loss, buffered (high output impedance) signals suffer far less at the hands of badly buffered pedals.


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## Duke318 (Apr 10, 2011)

My ISP g-string pedal is critical, definitely look into getting one. They're expensive, but worth it. It goes through the loop and also in the front end. I would disagree that the loop is the best place if you only have one noise supressor, most of the noise comes from the guitar and when the guitar is facing the amp and whatnot, the noise in the loop is just that white-noise you hear when the guitar volume is down. But it is nice to have absolutely no sound coming out of the speakers when you're not playing.


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## Iheartmidgetbooty (Apr 10, 2011)

I was dicking around with my rig where my band practices and my other guitarist and I use the NS-2. Well - I was trying to get the hissing and occasional screeching sound eliminated completely and I had an idea. I took my other guitarist's NS-2 from his rig and put it in my effects loop and kept my NS-2 in between the head and my guitar. I put a low threshold on the one in the effects loop and a 2/3 threshold on the one in between my rig and my guitar. Worked like a charm. NO noise - at all. Didn't take any of my tone either. I don't know why it would , it's only cutting off the signal after threshold has been surpassed...The NS-2 doesn't have any density and doesn't bleed signal. So yeah.

But whatever, if you believe the NS-2 is not for you... Then by all means, get that ISP Decimator. It's a bad bitch.


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## Gemmeadia (Apr 10, 2011)

I used my NS2 and loved the shit out of it since i got it. Any tube amp set at 1 volume is going to sound shitty, and theres nothing to really send out at that low of a volume. Set it to 100% on the first knob, 0-5% on the second knob and reduction. go guitar -> input on pedal -> output to amp input, and try playing a little louder. It shouldnt be giving you any problems.

Oh, and MAKE SURE you are either using a 9v battery or an adapter that is meant for pedals or it WILL NOT work properly.


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## ATRguitar91 (Apr 10, 2011)

Run it in the X-configuration. In front and in the loop.


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## HeavyRiffin (Apr 10, 2011)

ATRguitar91 said:


> Run it in the X-configuration. In front and in the loop.



I've heard various different things about running it this way. Some people dig it and a few people didn't find it worked that great.

I do have a few problems with my ns-2 when running with my 6505. i find that when i'm playing palm muted single notes quickly they don't cut through and sound stupidly dry.


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## Double A (Apr 10, 2011)

ISP G String. It is as important in my set up as my guitar and amp. Way worth the money and it is definitely something that if you have a board you just set it once and forget it.


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## ryan9896 (Apr 10, 2011)

The G-string pedal isn't a dual channel reduction unit, for the record. The guitar channel is only for tracking the signal for the Decimator channel to do it's job. So when u run ur guitar through the guitar channel and your loop through the Decimator Gstring, all the pedal is doing is reducing noise in your loop. So the pedal is meant to be hooked up to both ends. But, If you want a dual channel Decimator unit, u have to upgrade to a ProRack. (or 2 separate pedals)


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## ChordBender (Jun 14, 2013)

I had pretty iffy results with a Radio Shack power supply so I tried a few other types until I found a good quiet one. Must be the NS-2 likes really unwavering DC power. 

Buying: Some dealers offer free stuff (like a power supply that the NS-2 actually gets along with) so include free when you Google for where to buy one.


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## greendog86 (Jun 14, 2013)

the boss ns-2 is my "always-on" pedal whenever i play clean or dirty... i use
it to clean up the noise generated by my OD9 (tube screamers can get really nasty) and to avoid feedbacks. the problem with this pedal is that it only works well !before! your amp to gate your signal and clean up your dirt pedals...
and it really f*cks things up when placed in the FXloop. when placed in the amp's loop it wont cut the noise properly, suck up your tone and sometimes even generate more noise (seriously...).
if you want to silence your amp's dirty channel - the decimator G string
is your holy grail. but if you only want to silence some noisy pedals - look
no further than the ns-2, it works great, wont suck your tone, and costs
less than half.


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## NinjaRaf (Jun 14, 2013)

I never had any issues with tone suckage from my ns-2s. I always ran it in 4CM. Kept one knob at 9 o clock and the other at 3 o clock...but I dont remember which at which lol....its been a year since Ive owned a gate.


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## glytch5 (Jun 30, 2014)

I saw a couple videos, one said to take the ns-2 and put your guitar into the top input, run the next wire form the top output to your OD pedal or pedals, then run a wire going from your output of your OD pedal back to the second imput of the ns2, then the send or second output ns2 wire to your amp. So this only cleans up the pedal noise? My amps are pretty noisy along with my od808, I was kind of hoping to shut up both.


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## VBCheeseGrater (Jun 30, 2014)

Scar Symmetry said:


> I honestly believe that if you think the NS-2 sucks tone then you're not using it properly. The amount of professional artists that use it without complaint is off the charts. I've never noticed an "unbelievable difference", a very VERY slight amount I will agree with but "unbelievable difference" just sounds absurd to me.



It all depends how you use it.
1. In front of amp (hard gate) = no tone suck, but amp hiss will still be present - solution = stop using insane amounts of gain in live setting, it'll sound better and be more audible if you turn the gain down anyway. 

2. In amps loop = Tone suckage, dependent upon how much the gate is turned up, but it will also kill the amp hiss. The X-pattern method will do the same thing, only adding a hard gate up front.


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## Albionic (Jun 30, 2014)

I found my ns2 took a bit off the top end but it was easily fixed by rolling up the treble on the amps eq


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## TheWarAgainstTime (Jun 30, 2014)

Albionic said:


> I found my ns2 took a bit off the top end but it was easily fixed by rolling up the treble on the amps eq



This was my experience as well  I found it cut some extreme high end and added a "different" kind of compression that you love or hate. I run it in 4CM with my Maxon OD808 in its loop all going into the front of the head and nothing in the FX loop except my delay. I only use my NS-2 at practices with my second/smaller pedal board, so I can live with it haha

Also, holy necrobump, Batman!


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## WarMachine (Jul 2, 2014)

Play with the settings dude. The NS-2 is crucial. Like it's been said, any amp that's set on 1 will suck no matter what pedal you put in front of it, just how it is. I've never had 1 issue with mine. I run a 5150 so it benefits me more to have it in the loop to kill the hiss of the amp, but ran in front when set right will shut it up great as well. Not being a smart ass but a lot of the noise you can kill depends on your playing technique. When used right, the NS-2 is badass IMHO.


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## Mikeitloud (Jul 6, 2014)

I have a Decimator, I got an NS-2 for my sons amp, I tried every setting, every configuration with that piece of s*** , on both of our rigs, dump the NS-2 and get the Decimator....


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## 7 Dying Trees (Jul 7, 2014)

My Deimator rack unit is probably in my top 5 pieces of gear I have invested in. If it dies i'd buy a new one. I've hated pretty much every other noise gate i've tried, which is a lot...


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## MarcusProg (Jul 9, 2014)

For the love of God, lower your gain. You never need as much as you think, not to mention, it can hide bad technique underneath all of the mud.


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