Having used the DD-500 in an ambient/worship setting for almost 4 years now, I can tell you that it will absolutely get the job done all day long. Not dogging on the Strymon, but there’s no need to feel that you have an “inferior” pedal if you have the DD-500 instead of the Timeline. It will keep up with the timeline just fine
Not trying to be a jerk but it's starting to annoy me how when one favors one effect over the other they say "it's not musical" or "its more musical." I mean, you can hit a frying pan with a wooden spoon and make it musical! It's almost a way for people to say I like it more but I don't know why, I just do.
+Leroy Barncord People are just trying to justify why they spent $450 on a TimeLine lol I have owned A TimeFactor, TimeLine, H9 Max and now a DD500. In my experience they are all different and they all have their different personalities. It comes down to taste and sometimes $$$
Aaaand here's a good specimen of exactly what Leroy was talking about! There's another thing about them - they can't seem to find peace without pointing out how they're simply better in some way.
I can hear the “warmth” that people are referring to in the timeline, but the imaging of the tone on the boss is next level. The clarity and distinctness of every repetition is unreal. Clarity of delay is key when you’re playing through a large band and using many other effects on the board. Warmth and magic become less of a factor, and are still going to be controlled with other pedals, amps, instrument, touch, etc., Sooo into this Boss pedal right now, I used it today for the first time with 2 keyboardists, Hammond B3, acoustic guitar, rhythm section, horns, soloists, and a choir, and it just sounded so clear and cut through everything. Just sharing some thoughts.. thanks for posting and for everyone’s informative comments
Misha Josephs Bingo...this is also the reason I don’t use a big box reverb. What’s the point in having miles of reverb when it’s just gonna get lost in a sea of cymbals/horns? If you aren’t a gigging guitarist, that’s one thing. If you’re a gigging guitarist in a trio with the sonic real estate necessary for hifi reverb, that’s another. But if you play in 5-9 piece bands, it’s just a big box sitting on your board, taking up space imo
You can dial the two in to sound pretty much identical, especially in this digital mode. Going to check out the tape comparison. I think it's more about the interface, functionality, and price than anything. Digital delay pedals are just getting better and better, so I don't really think there's an objective winner anymore.
j'ai tout de même une préférence pour la DD-500 de Boss. Je trouve qu'elle est moins confuse ! ! ! Les résultats avec un synthétiseur est extraordinaire. Très bonne démo. Bravo !
Pros for Boss: Cheaper price, easier layout at first, longer warranty. quality sounds that are bright and clear always Cons for Boss: Shimmer is too artificial like the harmonist pedal, no Feedback loop, Players may not like artificial brightness, excessive high end eq Pros Strymon: Amazing smoothness from the shimmer sounds, interesting delay modes like trem, feedback loop is a very under rated/unexplored feature as far as the internet reviews go, Smear, and diffusion settings really make a large difference. Cons: More expensive, warranty is shorter ( not a mega corporation like boss), display more tricky to use/advanced options) doesn't have the chimey digital boss processing sound on their shimmer/brighter sounds( however this could be a pro for someone who prefers smoother sounds, or would use EQ/the filter on the timeline to brighten their tone,the eq of their guitar. Side note: I love saving money on gear and making cheap gear sound great in recordings ( alesis quadraverb) but my ears would not let me take the boss over my strymon timeline due to the features of the timeline and the artifical shimmer sounds on the boss. Boss has some unique features that are pretty awesome, but they basically knew they needed to step up to the level of the timeline from the dd-20, and they delivered, however the flavor is different.
bluemooncollision Whaaaattt? I love the shimmer on this thing. 5 piece band? 9 piece? Doesn’t matter, that bad boy cuts right through the mix and makes the whole band go “hehe”
Strymon El Capistan and Timeline both tend to add some kind of wooliness to the sound. Its especially noticeable in the Digital settings. If you are after pristine crystal clear digital delay Boss can not be beaten. Timeline does not have that crystal clear sound one looks in digital delays. Its difficult to explain but Timeline sound is like playing behind a layer of wool? But Boss is to your face crystal clear. At least that is what I hear.
+konnektlive fair comparison. I find that with the right guitar/settings you can get a crystal clear sound of the strymon, however if you want to muddy it up into analog delay territory you can use the GRIT, filter, and MOD/speed knob to really craft a wooly sound. The shimmer on the strymon if used properly kills the boss in my opinion. If you like pitch shift that sounds like the ps-6 or ps-5 then the boss is your cup of tea, those always sounded a little to fake to me, where the timeline sounds like an amazing synth pad from a non cheesy processor.
This is tough for me... I own the DD3, DD7 and DD20 and they always served me well. I heard the Timeline and was so impressed I had to have one... but the price was too steep. So I've finally decided to sell some gear and get a Timeline, but now BOSS has the DD500 which is amazing itself. The demo is as I expect, the Timeline is warmer and more organic in the tails... that's what I love about it. I could save a couple hundred bucks and get the DD500 and I will be happy, but I will still want a Timeline... it's just my nature. The struggle is real.
I bought the timeline used instantly matched both my boss Waza and my boss digital delay through my studio monitors. sold the boss. If anything it’s a space save for me and underpriced.
I've owned a Timeline for years and its my absolute favorite pedal of all time. When the DD500 came out, it caught my attention. One of my friends bought the DD500 so we've A/B'd them pretty extensively and the DD500 is an amazing pedal but strymon just has some magic in it that can't be replaced. If you are looking to save some money, the boss is a fantastic value but I promise you won't be disappointed if you pick up a Timeline instead!
Hey man I have question to you 😇. In the boss dd500 I can choose the Bpm Of the delay ,and thats really helful more then the tap tempo option. My question does the timeline strymon have also the option of choosing the Bpm and saving it? Or in the strymon its justtap tempo?
To me they’re both on the same league, except the boss is cheaper. Both have MIDI, which, for me, is always a plus. You can’t go wrong with either of those units. As someone said on the comments, delays are getting just better by every second.
Neil Slade Neil Slade 22 minutes ago (edited) Tiimeline in STEREO From Strymon support: " Yes, Timeline has a stereo effect added to its outputs in order to create a stereo image with a sense of movement and depth. This is especially nice when using a mono input, but you still want to get a nice stereo image." This is probably from a slight delay offset between the R and L channels. Soundtoys Echoboy plugin also has this capability. DD500 does not appear to have this enhancement, nor is there an adjustment in it''s menu for it.
HUH. Very helpful for someone trying to choose between the two. I'd almost convinced myself to go for the Boss - seems to have overall more functionality and great price - but there is a subtle gloss to the Strymon's sound that I sure love. Also the noise on the Boss is not attractive!
I ended up going with the TL recently. Not a single regret. I find the menu incredibly easy to use, easier than the Boss. IDK what it is or why, but it really is crazy simple to use and I thoroughly enjoy it. This is for anyone watching or trying to decide 8 years later, the Strymon is totally worth it! Also, i hate the buffers that Boss use and the pedal adds noise to the signal and affects the original tonality when engaged. Strymon atw. The button positioning on the Boss makes it suck for a top row on a board. Slams the buttons closer to the pedal below it...
The TL does have those subtle treble overtones which makes it seem brighter. While the DD500 seems to have more mid-range overtones much like the DD-20. I wished he cranked the tone knob past noon but he never did. I think the addition of the Vintage Delay models make the DD500 a better worth while digital delay unit.
Timeline has a nicer stereo image: From Strymon support: " Yes, Timeline has a stereo effect added to its outputs in order to create a stereo image with a sense of movement and depth. This is especially nice when using a mono input, but you still want to get a nice stereo image." This is probably from a slight delay offset between the R and L channels. DD500 does not appear to have this enhancement, nor is there an adjustment in it''s menu for it.
DD-500 32 vs. Timleive 24 Audio quality / DD_500 5 year vs. Timelive 1 year warranty / Price BOSS 299.00 vs. Strymon 449.00. The Boss display is easier for use the Timline display is H.G Wells. Bang for your buck the DD-500 owns it hands down. Your 150.00 savings gets you on your way to your next pedal and the 5 year warranty speaks for itself.
+Mike Wong Strymon is the little guy, they can't offer five year warranties because they don't have the components/buying power that boss has. Boss modeled their pedal after the timeline because it was selling way better than their dd-20. The timeline ICE has more flavor and smoothness than the BOSS shimmer, which is a shrill algorithm derived from their harmonist pedal/pitch shifter that has to much high end frequency.
+Mike Wong There are filter tweaks, diffusion tweaks, smear tweaks, more filter ranges in the advanced setting menu's accessed by hitting the value button and scrolling down. There are also buffered tone options, or true bypass tone options in the global menu i believe. And the feedback loop. If the boss works for you that is awesome, but personally I tried both in the store and decided to keep my timeline. I'd love to walk away with more money and sell the timeline and take the boss, but my ears would not let me do that. due to the features/reasons I listed.
No one listed the feedback loop option for the timeline configuration or the ability to add a chorus sound by tweaking the mod speed and depth knob. However this is a great comparison. A big thing for me is the ice mode, and since I don't use panning, the timeline is my preference/there is alot of tweakability for both units. I do think the timeline excels in areas the boss does not. It comes down to what areas matter most. I still love boss delays, but I can get very clean modulated repeats by using the filter or darker analog repeats. Thanks for posting that comparison.
Strymon, while having pretty delay sounds, kills the dynamics of your overall guitar tone - which is why I sold mine - less punch and thwack (maybe it's the buffer, but even in true bypass mode, I had to take it completely out of my pedal line and voila, my solid tone was back)
+Jimmy Angel once again subjective opinions. What other pedals/amp are you using, how does it kill the dynamics of your tone. the way you play will affect the dynamics of your tone. Dynamics meaning eq and volume/touch. If you know how to dial in setting and play fitting pieces of music it does not matter. The strymon has features like the feedback loop which are extremely unique. Your other pedals may not agree with the strymon due to order, your amp tone settings, guitar pickups etc. Too many factors that affect the sound. If you like the boss that is great, but saying it kills dynamics is wrong/misleading. I like boss delays alot, but for me the strymon enhances my dynamics for me personally. I also run it in an fx loop of my axe fx 2 xl plus and with a lexicon pcm70 reverb. and meticulously crafted axe fx patches.
That's why I never use the effects loop from any amp because having anything between your amp's preamp and power amp can kill the interaction between preamp and power amp especially if you want to drive your power amp section harder.I use a Suhr Reactive load and send the signal to another amp which is the only way that you can get a clean delay tone if you're cranking a non-master volume Marshall Plexi with no effects loop.
I agree. Listening through headphones, the Timeline had a stereo image with some great sounding movement. I couldn't pick up any difference on the DD-500. If it's there, it's much fainter.
Are all the delay modes of the DD-500 in real stereo? Playing around with mine in some cases I can't hear a stereo panning, maybe I am missing some settings?
Boss knocked it out of the park with this one. Where I can see strymon having “won” the “mobius vs md-500”, the dd-500 clearly takes this one, imo. The flexibility of that unit and its parameters allow you to create all sorts of sweet effects. For example, right now I’m in a Facebook group discussion about putting together a “zero through tape flange” patch using the A+B functionality and modulation parameters...and we’re eventually going to nail it because the boss is just THAT tweakable. So while I don’t subscribe to “teams” and firmly believe that anyone who does is a doofus, there are instances/products where, in my mind, there’s a clear winner...this being one of them.
are there any demos of these (BOSS DD-500 is what brought me here) that can demonstrate: 1. what they sound like with ANYTHING but a guitar. (ie. synths and drum machines) 2. what the lo-fi modes sound like. the crystal clear digital sound is not what i'm looking for. can it emulate a space echo convincingly? how are the lower bitrate modes? thanks
Strymon has more open top end detail, while the Boss has a little more natural delay sound. Both are good, but I agree Timeline kills the Boss in stereo mode. It has a more open spacious sound.
Good morning, I'm in big doubt about buying the DDD 500 from Boss or buying the Time Line. Would you tell me what the differences are between the two if the Laine timer has more features than Boss's dd 500 or if the dd 500's Boss has more features than the Laine timer because I am in this very big doubt between buying one or buying the other one understood and I am waiting for your answer to take this doubt from me to have prescribed this purchase
To my ear, the Strymon sounds much better and it takes up slightly less room on the pedal board. The price mark up is prohibitive for me and the fact that I would have to buy their power supplies when I already have the Voodoo power supplies is added fuckery. Strymon does not make it easy to choose quality with so many financial obstacles in the way. Disappointed.
+juan doming depends on the tone you want, if you turn the tone knob on the boss it won't keep it in tact, if you turn the filter on the strymon it could make your tone pop more than you ever knew it could/ or it could dull it even more, it just depends. try both for yourself in person, and in various setups with different guitars. ( fx loop)
To my ears the Strymon sounds a lot more musical. The Boss sounds more clinical and "stiffer". The TL's sound has a magical quality to it. Much richer and complex tones.
+T.I.N FEEDBACK LOOP, smoother shimmer sounds in the timeline, GRIT and FILTER CONTROL. The BOSS is easier for the average guitar player to dial in, but once you have a strymon and use it in an fx loop you will be hooked. I debated selling my timeline as I'd love to save money and get the BOSS. I'd be so sad if I had to use boss shimmer sounds compared to the timeline's shimmer sounds. and the boss doesn't have trem delay either, or the amazing feedback loop where you can put a rack or pedal into the timeline as an additional fx loop that syncs the repeats of the delay with your modulation pedal.
T.I.N you are making such generic comments. You say it sounds sterile but don't say on what modes, or describe what frequency sterile means to you. If you tried it, you can warm any sound up to more more digital or analog sounding. The mod will give you a nice warmth of analog sound. The filter and grit will also greatly alter the warmth or brightness/clean delays signal.
***** tin hasnt played them both or watched enough comparison videos. Both are great, however the strymon is not sterile, I'd say the boss is generally more aterile meaning high frequency lacking warmth, tinny sounding
Great box for 300 dlls... just like any BOSS pedal , is what you get, some good sounds , some great... but there is the Boutique difference, and I would never chose a BOSS pedal over a strymon... and I'm saying in sound quality, you can blindfold me and I will chose the strymon overtime... it just plain sounds better... That is why they have created such buzz in such a short time, they are pretty darn impressive... My vote goes for Strymon and their ridiculously good sounding effects.
+juan doming As someone who has listened to the shimmer settings across many different delays by various companies. The strymon ICE shimmer sound is extremely unique, and the grit feature/feedback loop allow for very interesting sounds/combinations. I truly prefer the texture of the strymon shimmer because the boss shimmer reminds me of their pitch shifter harmonist pedal, that has a more cartoony pitch shift sound. Boss makes great stuff, but strymon crafts a different flavor. Great music can be made with both, but in my on opinion the timeline is a smoother flavor/more fluid than the shrill boss shimmer.
+bluemooncollision delay Vs delay, boss dd500 is a better tone crafting tool with more pristine delays. the boutique difference is overstated, strymon is great but not in a different league on this. there are better delay machines out there who perform better delay tasks.
I put the Boss at an equal standing to be honest, there are just things about the timeline the boss cannot touch ( feedback loop for modulation with whatever fx of your choice that coat the strymon repeats in a very unique way over every sound. it self oscillates the modulation fx with the repeats that you plug into the send/rreturn of the feedback loop for insane sounds. also the shimmer loses on the boss because it is just a pitch shift and delay, the strymon is pitch shift with a reverberation added in and a delay. However you are correct in delay to delay sounds that are standard/normal it is very close, boss with more mid tone/clear digital repeats, and the strymon always with rounded warm repeats( except if you eq the filter, your guitar, or use an eq pedal in your chain, or within software, or your amp emulation ( axe fx). I appreciate your opinions. Forgot that tremolo delay sounds on the timeline are very unique as well. If you use straight forward delays the boss is the right choice to save money and have pristine clarity. However if you want that ability, but then the ability for crazy options/fx the timeline is the right choice. I would say the timeline needs special eqing to have the clear delay tone of the boss. But the boss would struggle to find the warmth of the timeline in many settings
I appreciate your opinions, this is a good debate. I don't think there is ever a winner! It is all about your ears and what you want to do with it/imagine. Then you get into well what guitar, pedals, processors, mics, preamps, software, post production, plugins, pickups, volume settings, guitar tone knobs, strings, amp settings, emulation settings you are using. It gets insane, nothing will ever be exactly the same just very close in certain cases.
I like how the DD-500 is $150 less expensive than the Timeline.
I like how the dd500 is subjectively easier to use than the timeline.
es muy identico
I like how the Timeline is 150$ more expensive than the DD500 and it sounds much better than the Boss.
I like how the DD-500 copy everything from Strmon timeline even the design and functionality 😁
I like how I don't have either and saved $350-$450 dollars.
Having used the DD-500 in an ambient/worship setting for almost 4 years now, I can tell you that it will absolutely get the job done all day long. Not dogging on the Strymon, but there’s no need to feel that you have an “inferior” pedal if you have the DD-500 instead of the Timeline. It will keep up with the timeline just fine
Not trying to be a jerk but it's starting to annoy me how when one favors one effect over the other they say "it's not musical" or "its more musical." I mean, you can hit a frying pan with a wooden spoon and make it musical! It's almost a way for people to say I like it more but I don't know why, I just do.
+Leroy Barncord
People are just trying to justify why they spent $450 on a TimeLine lol
I have owned A TimeFactor, TimeLine, H9 Max and now a DD500. In my experience they are all different and they all have their different personalities. It comes down to taste and sometimes $$$
"It's more my taste and my taste is correct"
David Molyneux respect your opinion dude
Aaaand here's a good specimen of exactly what Leroy was talking about! There's another thing about them - they can't seem to find peace without pointing out how they're simply better in some way.
What a jerk. You must be deaf for not being able to discern whats musical from not.
I can hear the “warmth” that people are referring to in the timeline, but the imaging of the tone on the boss is next level. The clarity and distinctness of every repetition is unreal. Clarity of delay is key when you’re playing through a large band and using many other effects on the board. Warmth and magic become less of a factor, and are still going to be controlled with other pedals, amps, instrument, touch, etc., Sooo into this Boss pedal right now, I used it today for the first time with 2 keyboardists, Hammond B3, acoustic guitar, rhythm section, horns, soloists, and a choir, and it just sounded so clear and cut through everything. Just sharing some thoughts.. thanks for posting and for everyone’s informative comments
Misha Josephs
Bingo...this is also the reason I don’t use a big box reverb. What’s the point in having miles of reverb when it’s just gonna get lost in a sea of cymbals/horns? If you aren’t a gigging guitarist, that’s one thing. If you’re a gigging guitarist in a trio with the sonic real estate necessary for hifi reverb, that’s another. But if you play in 5-9 piece bands, it’s just a big box sitting on your board, taking up space imo
You can dial the two in to sound pretty much identical, especially in this digital mode. Going to check out the tape comparison. I think it's more about the interface, functionality, and price than anything. Digital delay pedals are just getting better and better, so I don't really think there's an objective winner anymore.
j'ai tout de même une préférence pour la DD-500 de Boss. Je trouve qu'elle est moins confuse ! ! ! Les résultats avec un synthétiseur est extraordinaire. Très bonne démo. Bravo !
Pros for Boss: Cheaper price, easier layout at first, longer warranty. quality sounds that are bright and clear always
Cons for Boss: Shimmer is too artificial like the harmonist pedal, no Feedback loop, Players may not like artificial brightness, excessive high end eq
Pros Strymon: Amazing smoothness from the shimmer sounds, interesting delay modes like trem, feedback loop is a very under rated/unexplored feature as far as the internet reviews go, Smear, and diffusion settings really make a large difference.
Cons: More expensive, warranty is shorter ( not a mega corporation like boss), display more tricky to use/advanced options) doesn't have the chimey digital boss processing sound on their shimmer/brighter sounds( however this could be a pro for someone who prefers smoother sounds, or would use EQ/the filter on the timeline to brighten their tone,the eq of their guitar.
Side note: I love saving money on gear and making cheap gear sound great in recordings ( alesis quadraverb) but my ears would not let me take the boss over my strymon timeline due to the features of the timeline and the artifical shimmer sounds on the boss. Boss has some unique features that are pretty awesome, but they basically knew they needed to step up to the level of the timeline from the dd-20, and they delivered, however the flavor is different.
bluemooncollision
Whaaaattt? I love the shimmer on this thing. 5 piece band? 9 piece? Doesn’t matter, that bad boy cuts right through the mix and makes the whole band go “hehe”
Strymon El Capistan and Timeline both tend to add some kind of wooliness to the sound. Its especially noticeable in the Digital settings. If you are after pristine crystal clear digital delay Boss can not be beaten. Timeline does not have that crystal clear sound one looks in digital delays. Its difficult to explain but Timeline sound is like playing behind a layer of wool? But Boss is to your face crystal clear. At least that is what I hear.
+konnektlive fair comparison. I find that with the right guitar/settings you can get a crystal clear sound of the strymon, however if you want to muddy it up into analog delay territory you can use the GRIT, filter, and MOD/speed knob to really craft a wooly sound. The shimmer on the strymon if used properly kills the boss in my opinion. If you like pitch shift that sounds like the ps-6 or ps-5 then the boss is your cup of tea, those always sounded a little to fake to me, where the timeline sounds like an amazing synth pad from a non cheesy processor.
This is tough for me... I own the DD3, DD7 and DD20 and they always served me well. I heard the Timeline and was so impressed I had to have one... but the price was too steep. So I've finally decided to sell some gear and get a Timeline, but now BOSS has the DD500 which is amazing itself. The demo is as I expect, the Timeline is warmer and more organic in the tails... that's what I love about it. I could save a couple hundred bucks and get the DD500 and I will be happy, but I will still want a Timeline... it's just my nature. The struggle is real.
Which one do you still have? Sold the Boss to get the TL and happy
I bought the timeline used instantly matched both my boss Waza and my boss digital delay through my studio monitors. sold the boss. If anything it’s a space save for me and underpriced.
I prefer the sound of the Boss here
More present and bigger
I've owned a Timeline for years and its my absolute favorite pedal of all time. When the DD500 came out, it caught my attention. One of my friends bought the DD500 so we've A/B'd them pretty extensively and the DD500 is an amazing pedal but strymon just has some magic in it that can't be replaced. If you are looking to save some money, the boss is a fantastic value but I promise you won't be disappointed if you pick up a Timeline instead!
Hey man I have question to you 😇.
In the boss dd500 I can choose the Bpm Of the delay ,and thats really helful more then the tap tempo option. My question does the timeline strymon have also the option of choosing the Bpm and saving it? Or in the strymon its justtap tempo?
To me they’re both on the same league, except the boss is cheaper. Both have MIDI, which, for me, is always a plus. You can’t go wrong with either of those units. As someone said on the comments, delays are getting just better by every second.
I'd buy a strymon if it had more than 30 seconds looper duration. Boss has 120 seconds in mono and 60 seconds in stereo
At 3:30 where he switches over to the DD500, the return is not stereo. It's mono.
Both are super nice!
Strymon pedals always have great stereo imaging. To get a comparison of what they sound like through a mono amp I had to turn off one speaker.
Neil Slade
Neil Slade
22 minutes ago (edited)
Tiimeline in STEREO From Strymon support: " Yes, Timeline has a stereo effect added to its outputs in order to create a stereo image with a sense of movement and depth.
This is especially nice when using a mono input, but you still want to get a nice stereo image." This is probably from a slight delay offset between the R and L channels. Soundtoys Echoboy plugin also has this capability. DD500 does not appear to have this enhancement, nor is there an adjustment in it''s menu for it.
I like the Boss in this video tbh.
HUH. Very helpful for someone trying to choose between the two. I'd almost convinced myself to go for the Boss - seems to have overall more functionality and great price - but there is a subtle gloss to the Strymon's sound that I sure love. Also the noise on the Boss is not attractive!
The timeline sounds smoother. The boss sounds great, but you can hear it has that destinct boss sound that we have gotten use to over the years.
Exactly. Strymon sounds organic, boss sounds like boss.
I ended up going with the TL recently. Not a single regret. I find the menu incredibly easy to use, easier than the Boss. IDK what it is or why, but it really is crazy simple to use and I thoroughly enjoy it. This is for anyone watching or trying to decide 8 years later, the Strymon is totally worth it! Also, i hate the buffers that Boss use and the pedal adds noise to the signal and affects the original tonality when engaged. Strymon atw. The button positioning on the Boss makes it suck for a top row on a board. Slams the buttons closer to the pedal below it...
The TL does have those subtle treble overtones which makes it seem brighter. While the DD500 seems to have more mid-range overtones much like the DD-20. I wished he cranked the tone knob past noon but he never did. I think the addition of the Vintage Delay models make the DD500 a better worth while digital delay unit.
+Johan Yang There are EQ settings in the DD500 that can be tweaked.
+Johan Yang I always thought the strymon has more rounded treble/bass, where the boss has bright mids/highs
Timeline has a nicer stereo image: From Strymon support: " Yes, Timeline has a stereo effect added to its outputs in order to create a stereo image with a sense of movement and depth.
This is especially nice when using a mono input, but you still want to get a nice stereo image." This is probably from a slight delay offset between the R and L channels. DD500 does not appear to have this enhancement, nor is there an adjustment in it''s menu for it.
The DD 500 sounds very nice, but Strymon's modulation kills.
DD-500 32 vs. Timleive 24 Audio quality / DD_500 5 year vs. Timelive 1 year warranty / Price BOSS 299.00 vs. Strymon 449.00.
The Boss display is easier for use the Timline display is H.G Wells.
Bang for your buck the DD-500 owns it hands down. Your 150.00 savings gets you on your way to your next pedal and the 5 year warranty speaks for itself.
+lazoo2000 i agree but the TL is probably more expensive because it has more other types of sounds and tweaks that the DD-500 does not have.
+Pablo Ramales
The Ctl button allows a huge amount of tweaks.
Strymon has none. Longer looper on the Boss as well.
+Mike Wong Strymon is the little guy, they can't offer five year warranties because they don't have the components/buying power that boss has. Boss modeled their pedal after the timeline because it was selling way better than their dd-20. The timeline ICE has more flavor and smoothness than the BOSS shimmer, which is a shrill algorithm derived from their harmonist pedal/pitch shifter that has to much high end frequency.
+Mike Wong There are filter tweaks, diffusion tweaks, smear tweaks, more filter ranges in the advanced setting menu's accessed by hitting the value button and scrolling down. There are also buffered tone options, or true bypass tone options in the global menu i believe. And the feedback loop. If the boss works for you that is awesome, but personally I tried both in the store and decided to keep my timeline. I'd love to walk away with more money and sell the timeline and take the boss, but my ears would not let me do that. due to the features/reasons I listed.
No one listed the feedback loop option for the timeline configuration or the ability to add a chorus sound by tweaking the mod speed and depth knob. However this is a great comparison. A big thing for me is the ice mode, and since I don't use panning, the timeline is my preference/there is alot of tweakability for both units. I do think the timeline excels in areas the boss does not. It comes down to what areas matter most. I still love boss delays, but I can get very clean modulated repeats by using the filter or darker analog repeats. Thanks for posting that comparison.
Strymon, while having pretty delay sounds, kills the dynamics of your overall guitar tone - which is why I sold mine - less punch and thwack (maybe it's the buffer, but even in true bypass mode, I had to take it completely out of my pedal line and voila, my solid tone was back)
+Jimmy Angel once again subjective opinions. What other pedals/amp are you using, how does it kill the dynamics of your tone. the way you play will affect the dynamics of your tone. Dynamics meaning eq and volume/touch. If you know how to dial in setting and play fitting pieces of music it does not matter. The strymon has features like the feedback loop which are extremely unique. Your other pedals may not agree with the strymon due to order, your amp tone settings, guitar pickups etc. Too many factors that affect the sound. If you like the boss that is great, but saying it kills dynamics is wrong/misleading. I like boss delays alot, but for me the strymon enhances my dynamics for me personally. I also run it in an fx loop of my axe fx 2 xl plus and with a lexicon pcm70 reverb. and meticulously crafted axe fx patches.
That's why I never use the effects loop from any amp because having anything between your amp's preamp and power amp can kill the interaction between preamp and power amp especially if you want to drive your power amp section harder.I use a Suhr Reactive load and send the signal to another amp which is the only way that you can get a clean delay tone if you're cranking a non-master volume Marshall Plexi with no effects loop.
Which one does weirder shit? That’s the one I want.
Don't really care about the stereo. The boss seems to be more musical, nicer, warmer. I really like it :)
+Julien - Michaël disagree
agree
warmer???lol are u deaf??warm/darker sounding pedal is timeline.boss as u can hear adding a lot high end at the sound.u drive me crazy lol
Strymon sounds more 3D and magical when you hear it in stereo. You can hear it when you listen to this demo with headphones.
I agree. Listening through headphones, the Timeline had a stereo image with some great sounding movement. I couldn't pick up any difference on the DD-500. If it's there, it's much fainter.
After having the Boss DD-20(giga delay) sounds boss Is a step up and the winner here
Nice comparison. I defy anyone to be able to tell the difference between these two pedals in a live band context.
Are all the delay modes of the DD-500 in real stereo? Playing around with mine in some cases I can't hear a stereo panning, maybe I am missing some settings?
Boss definitely wins!!!
Boss knocked it out of the park with this one. Where I can see strymon having “won” the “mobius vs md-500”, the dd-500 clearly takes this one, imo.
The flexibility of that unit and its parameters allow you to create all sorts of sweet effects. For example, right now I’m in a Facebook group discussion about putting together a “zero through tape flange” patch using the A+B functionality and modulation parameters...and we’re eventually going to nail it because the boss is just THAT tweakable. So while I don’t subscribe to “teams” and firmly believe that anyone who does is a doofus, there are instances/products where, in my mind, there’s a clear winner...this being one of them.
are there any demos of these (BOSS DD-500 is what brought me here) that can demonstrate:
1. what they sound like with ANYTHING but a guitar. (ie. synths and drum machines)
2. what the lo-fi modes sound like. the crystal clear digital sound is not what i'm looking for. can it emulate a space echo convincingly? how are the lower bitrate modes?
thanks
Did you play with the panning of the DD500?? Because that makes the stereo sound on the DD500 much better!
In the tape setting, Strymon, but in digital, Boss.
Looool I lucked out so hard and got a Timeline for $360, but I honestly like them both, I'd say the only real difference is the price.
$335!
I don’t know why but Boss sound more natural , timeline sound like artificial.
My opinion .
I just got the timeline and it's glitching. Also the mix nob has static and is cutting out. It's going back.
Please bring back the Boss DD20
There's this sweeping feel to Strymon that you can't get from other brands
I like the fact that the DD-500 has a tone knob and more thorough interface.
The filter knob on the timeline does the same thing. There's also a HPF for every preset in a menu. They both look to do almost all the same stuff.
Boss DD500❤
Strymon has more open top end detail, while the Boss has a little more natural delay sound. Both are good, but I agree Timeline kills the Boss in stereo mode. It has a more open spacious sound.
Great comparison video! Love to play U2 and the Boss is closer to his sound to my ear.
For some reason I think strymon has a noise gate and a pre-programmed fade out on the banks.
Boss DD500 is more natural for me.
Blindfold any of the idiots arguing in the comments and I guarantee you they couldn't tell them apart.
Wow de dd-500 really work its butt off but still Strymon all the way :) Thanks Roman !!
in stereo I preffer the eventide timefactor... make a video tf vs boss
Good morning, I'm in big doubt about buying the DDD 500 from Boss or buying the Time Line. Would you tell me what the differences are between the two if the Laine timer has more features than Boss's dd 500 or if the dd 500's Boss has more features than the Laine timer because I am in this very big doubt between buying one or buying the other one understood and I am waiting for your answer to take this doubt from me to have prescribed this purchase
Actually prefer the boss. Thanks for saving me $$$
To my ear, the Strymon sounds much better and it takes up slightly less room on the pedal board. The price mark up is prohibitive for me and the fact that I would have to buy their power supplies when I already have the Voodoo power supplies is added fuckery. Strymon does not make it easy to choose quality with so many financial obstacles in the way. Disappointed.
dd500 kills it. keeps your guitar tone intact
+juan doming depends on the tone you want, if you turn the tone knob on the boss it won't keep it in tact, if you turn the filter on the strymon it could make your tone pop more than you ever knew it could/ or it could dull it even more, it just depends. try both for yourself in person, and in various setups with different guitars. ( fx loop)
+bluemooncollision the tone knob on the boss affects the repeats only
WOW thats a joke
i wonder how dd500 compare to dd20 😤
To my ears the Strymon sounds a lot more musical. The Boss sounds more clinical and "stiffer". The TL's sound has a magical quality to it. Much richer and complex tones.
+T.I.N Your opinion. I completely disagree. The Strymon sounds way better to me.
+T.I.N FEEDBACK LOOP, smoother shimmer sounds in the timeline, GRIT and FILTER CONTROL. The BOSS is easier for the average guitar player to dial in, but once you have a strymon and use it in an fx loop you will be hooked. I debated selling my timeline as I'd love to save money and get the BOSS. I'd be so sad if I had to use boss shimmer sounds compared to the timeline's shimmer sounds. and the boss doesn't have trem delay either, or the amazing feedback loop where you can put a rack or pedal into the timeline as an additional fx loop that syncs the repeats of the delay with your modulation pedal.
T.I.N you are making such generic comments. You say it sounds sterile but don't say on what modes, or describe what frequency sterile means to you. If you tried it, you can warm any sound up to more more digital or analog sounding. The mod will give you a nice warmth of analog sound. The filter and grit will also greatly alter the warmth or brightness/clean delays signal.
***** tin hasnt played them both or watched enough comparison videos. Both are great, however the strymon is not sterile, I'd say the boss is generally more aterile meaning high frequency lacking warmth, tinny sounding
Do you even know what you mean xD
DD500 win
Timeline kills it in stereo mode. Boss is barely noticeable.
David Rosario i notice that
that's settings issue. boss offer wide stereo delays
The DD 500 also does not recreate the Shimmer effect we have all grown to love which is a bummer.
Timeline sounds sterile to me. Boss sounds more musical
Strymon
Strymon for me.
Can’t hear the difference. Suppose it’s down to money.
Great box for 300 dlls... just like any BOSS pedal , is what you get, some good sounds , some great... but there is the Boutique difference, and I would never chose a BOSS pedal over a strymon... and I'm saying in sound quality, you can blindfold me and I will chose the strymon overtime... it just plain sounds better... That is why they have created such buzz in such a short time, they are pretty darn impressive... My vote goes for Strymon and their ridiculously good sounding effects.
you are hearing with your eyes. I respect your choice, but the time line is not worlds apart. that's hyperbole.
+juan doming As someone who has listened to the shimmer settings across many different delays by various companies. The strymon ICE shimmer sound is extremely unique, and the grit feature/feedback loop allow for very interesting sounds/combinations. I truly prefer the texture of the strymon shimmer because the boss shimmer reminds me of their pitch shifter harmonist pedal, that has a more cartoony pitch shift sound. Boss makes great stuff, but strymon crafts a different flavor. Great music can be made with both, but in my on opinion the timeline is a smoother flavor/more fluid than the shrill boss shimmer.
+bluemooncollision delay Vs delay, boss dd500 is a better tone crafting tool with more pristine delays. the boutique difference is overstated, strymon is great but not in a different league on this. there are better delay machines out there who perform better delay tasks.
I put the Boss at an equal standing to be honest, there are just things about the timeline the boss cannot touch ( feedback loop for modulation with whatever fx of your choice that coat the strymon repeats in a very unique way over every sound. it self oscillates the modulation fx with the repeats that you plug into the send/rreturn of the feedback loop for insane sounds. also the shimmer loses on the boss because it is just a pitch shift and delay, the strymon is pitch shift with a reverberation added in and a delay. However you are correct in delay to delay sounds that are standard/normal it is very close, boss with more mid tone/clear digital repeats, and the strymon always with rounded warm repeats( except if you eq the filter, your guitar, or use an eq pedal in your chain, or within software, or your amp emulation ( axe fx). I appreciate your opinions. Forgot that tremolo delay sounds on the timeline are very unique as well. If you use straight forward delays the boss is the right choice to save money and have pristine clarity. However if you want that ability, but then the ability for crazy options/fx the timeline is the right choice. I would say the timeline needs special eqing to have the clear delay tone of the boss. But the boss would struggle to find the warmth of the timeline in many settings
I appreciate your opinions, this is a good debate. I don't think there is ever a winner! It is all about your ears and what you want to do with it/imagine. Then you get into well what guitar, pedals, processors, mics, preamps, software, post production, plugins, pickups, volume settings, guitar tone knobs, strings, amp settings, emulation settings you are using. It gets insane, nothing will ever be exactly the same just very close in certain cases.
Boss sound is more fat and bigger
TIMELINE like 👌👍👍👍
I have an empress delay that is bettet for my style music than either one of them.
Can you say "belle epoch" by catalinbread? That's the ticket.
Did you read the title of the vid?
Timeline has better mojo
Timeline is the Justin Bieber of pedals (POP).. Boss is the Boss! for serious players.
Bet you dont have either
People: This isn’t even close. The Strymon blows away the Boss. WOW!!!
yes sure,if the boss costing 1000 euro and time line 450 then u would say the oposite.
i have the money to buy both but i will go for the boss )
Strymon timeline hands down
Boss copied strymon period wahahaha!