Boss Super Shifter PS-5

PS-5 does what no other compact pedal has done before: shifting (basic or intelligent), harmonies, de-tuning, and a variety of whammy-type tremolo arm effects. Simple knob-based controls. Can be used with an optional expression pedal to shift pitch in real time.

Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price: $240.00

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User Reviews of the Boss Super Shifter PS-5

Submitted by red rumble from Livonia, MI (118 points) on May 19, 2009
Hmm... I can't stop using this pedal, but I wish I'd got it cheaper. I prefer the Pitch Shift and the Whammy-rip off effect for quick swoops up and down. The detune feature is a lame chorus, and I hate chorus (don't you?). Flutter feature is also lame, gets lost completely in a wall of noise. Harmonist seems to be the controversial setting... I don't use it much, but I do like having it on hand for textures that I can't get from just the Pitch Shift. This pedal sucks volume, and didn't do much in a FB loop. Find it used or go Behringer.
Good Points: Solid Good effect Nice variety of settings
Bad Points: EXPENSIVE Sucks volume Not FB loop material, but maybe I didn't try enough combinations
Price Paid: US$175.00
Purchased At: evil guitar center
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Submitted by jonah from San Francisco, CA (26 points) on Mar 15, 2009
The harmonizer feature on this thing is pretty good for noise. it, like many people here have said, doesn't track very well.. which is a good thing. instant aliasing. nails a decimator sound every time (note this only simulates a decimator, it doesn't actually work like a decimator does on your signal). also it's really good for blending sub-bass or high frequency harmonics into your signal since i believe this pedal is polyphonic whereas the ps-2 is not? don't quote me on that but.. i'm pretty sure. one really bad thing is the lack of choices for pitch intervals.
Good Points: a weird noise pedal.
Bad Points: limited pitch intervals. causes slight signal drop. eats batteries. exp jack is super limited. bad tracking for your racer x solos.
Price Paid: US$200.00
Purchased At: geeharr centaur
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Submitted by Jon from Huntsville, AL (500 points) on Nov 9, 2008
ARGH! This thing can really be frustrating when trying to use the Harmonizer... Very bad tracking indeed (Wouldn't be such a prob. if the harmonist didn't sound so much better than the standalone shifter, haha!) Also, if you want to pull of some crazy Gibby Haynes vocal effects, you may actually have better luck w/ a multi-effect and and EQ pedal! (I have, personally... The lows seem incredibly muffled and quiet on this pedal). The only effects I really use are the Harmonizer/P. Shifter... I feel I need to get a PS-3 now! Now, if this sounds overly neative, I should add that it's not all bad... In a FB Loop, this offer the standard high-pitched digital wind-storm sounds, but it actually sounds quite cool in the low-pitch settings and can reduce your sound to a sickly rumbling sound... It can also be fun (even if it is frustrating) w/ geetar harmonies... And the glitching is sort of the charm, I guess... But I just expect better!!! (This thing was realeased in 99 or something... Yet the technology seems less refined and "untamed"...) The highest pitch offers the classic, ultra-bright, stuttery "whammy" 2-octave-up sound, whic I'm actually sort of partial to. Overall, not bad, really... Just be prepared to do a lot of work making *it* work for *you*. It's fun to fuck around with, esp. for more ambient/droney stuff where it seems to work better. Probably much more useful w/ an exp. pedal.
Good Points: Can make some very cool low-end rumbling in a loop, Pretty decent overall pitch-shifting. The 2-octave-up setting can be cool, esp. w/ guitar (if that matters)... Sometimes the bad tracking is interesting, but usually just annoying! The T. Arm effect can sometimes be useful. I really dig the aquamarine color (haha)
Bad Points: Takes time to master, pitch-diwn sounds muffled. A complete cunt about tracking properly. You have to know what the fucking notes and all this music theory BS means to makes sense of the Harmonizer controls (without resulting to trial and error to get sounds you want). Outside of the low-pitch range, it gives pretty standard pitch-shifter noise in a loop (though it does sound better in a loop than multi-effects I've used). Most of the "guitar-centric" features here are useless to me in noise settings or otherwise!
Price Paid: US$0.00
Purchased At: Online gear trade
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Submitted by Ethan from San Francisco, CA (68 points) on Jan 31, 2006
Harmonist mode is the most useful for fast tracking. Delay effects can be found in the Detune mode and the time can be shifted with the top balance knob (far left). T.Arm mode is useful for expressive momentary shifts (off and hold on). Highly Recommended!
Good Points: Expression Pedal option. Stereo output option (run the shifted signal to one amp and the clean to another).
Bad Points: Can be very noisy even in DSP bypass. Mine was modded with an additional true bypass stomp switch.
Price Paid: US$90.00
Purchased At: ebay
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Submitted by series_ from Portland, OR (184 points) on Oct 20, 2005
I'd have to agree with what K. has said below. I got this while searching for another PS-3 as well, and it doesn't really touch the sound of the PS-2 or PS-3. It warbles all over the place to find the pitch it's trying to harmonize, and this is with me running solid tones thru it. It tracks fast, but not well at all. The only sound I could imagine anyone would want this for, is if you like the mettalic high pitched sounds of a pitch shifter freaking out - you get plenty of that. I spent about an hour or so with every feature - then I just took it back to the shop. Still waiting to spot another PS-2/3.
Good Points: It's got loads of features.
Bad Points: Couldn't get much to sound good, or as it should.
Price Paid: US$125.00
Purchased At: local shop
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Submitted by ck3 from Portland, ME (402 points) on Jan 11, 2005
I found one of these NIB at a local surplus/salvage store for a great price. I have only used it with an electric guitar and in a feedback loop ... but also hope to eventually conduct arual experiments with a drum machine and vocals.
Good Points: Produces crescendoing sheets of atonal metallic noise in a feedback loop with most settings. The T. Arm and Flutter settings allow you to "reset" the aforementioned din by depressing the footswitch. The detune mode cascades well with other modulations. An expression pedal and/or the Flutter and T. Arm modes allow for radical and mechanical sounding pitch bends. It is allegedly built with a type of switch that will not wear as quickly as others.
Bad Points: An EV-5 expression pedal (the one recommended in the instruction booklet) does not seem to have any influence over pitch bending until it is closer to the toe position. There does not seem to be a "magical setting" that works well for all of the different modes ... and improperly tweaked knobs can lead to volume loss during pitch bends. No gradual pitch shift/delay mode. The chasis is teal (yuck).
Price Paid: US$108.00
Purchased At: Marden's Surplus and Salvage
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Submitted by Benjamin from Winston Salem, NC (4 points) on Dec 24, 2004
This pedal is incredible! If you're trying to get harmony, this thing does it with minimal amounts of lag (which I have ALWAYS had problems with even with shifting in other pedals). It has some delay in regular pitch shift mode, but if you want flawless, delay-less shift up or down, the harmony tuned to octave up or down is stellar and makes weird gurgling effects (very neat and wobbly) when you use several effects with it (or just do two notes). I would recommend this pedal to anyone who wants a really high quality shifter
Good Points: Fastest tracking I've ever heard in a shifter when its on the harmony setting.
Bad Points: It's regular shifting has the latent delay problems of every shifter. Its kinda obnixious on every other setting.
Price Paid: US$150.00
Purchased At:
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Submitted by K. from Sealy, TX (532 points) on Feb 25, 2002
Purchased new when I was unable to find a back-up PS3, unfortunately this pedal is nowhere near the PS3 in sound. The pitch shift setting on this pedal is pretty standard, and lacking a control for feedback, which is what enables such great noise possibilities from the PS3. The harmonist is probably ONLY useful for guitarists, and detune and flutter modes are completely lost in an all out noise barage. The t-arm effect can be interesting, smoothly shifting the signal up or down, but can end up sounding more as a novelty if overused. I've always had a love/hate thing going w/ the pitch shifter, it can really give your noise some balls when used right, but at the same time it can spit out some cheesy nonsense. If you're looking for a pitch shifter, best to find a used PS3 and pass on this one.
Good Points: T-arm effect can be interesting
Bad Points: Limited control over pitch shifting mode, detune and flutter effects lost amid noise.
Price Paid: US$120.00
Purchased At: Texas Music Emporium
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Submitted by matt from Billings, MT (126 points) on Jan 25, 2002
the super shifter is amazing. with several options in it, it can do anything. first, you have the pitch shifter. it can make your sound high-pitched and then it can go lowwwwww. i've gotten sound down to a rumble. then there is the harmonist, which will take a sound and harmonize it in 5ths, 4ths, 7ths and so forth. then you have detune which will detune any sound. also there is is the t. arm effect. that basically is like a tremolo bar on a guitar but works great for noise. and the fludder effect which will give the sound a fluddery sound. all effects except flutter can be manipulated with the pitch knob or an expression pedal(i recommend the expression pedal) also you can change the harmonizing key. you also have a speed knob and a decay time knob. this pedal is a must if you want sounds from the frightening to the sub harmonic. you can also run it into two amps and get it stereo.
Good Points: expression pedal(optional), killer noises can be produced. easy to use
Bad Points: none
Price Paid: US$150.00
Purchased At: hansen music in billings, mt
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