Boss GE-7 - How Bad is the Noise Issue Really? Testing the Noise, and Mod to Drastically Improve It

[@arito]

Thank you for all the kind comments! The pedal in this video has long since sold, here is the current listing: reverb.com/item/85514190

[@jazzfullanaguitar]

Just thought about this problem at the very moment I plugged my brand new ge-7 at home. Not a super bothering sound on a live setting but it's definitely a big NO at the studio. Thank you for this valuable information!🙌

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! Glad to hear this video helped! I can only imagine that the noise would be an issue in the studio, hope you were able to work around it!

[@dep1001]

The Boss GE-7 - "Noisey since 1981!" Crazy to me that Boss haven't done anything about the noise issue in all those years. Cool vid, thanks!

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! Yes it's strange that they haven't really looked into addressing the noise issue. I understand the choice to use 022 op amps was it's low power consumption, and Boss wanting to keep it "battery user friendly." Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@sergeyv4908]

@@arito Is that Waza version also that bad?

[@adhaskym.a9536]

Noise is part of the sound

[@Mark-zi6nt]

They did. Boss NS-2.

[@Dr-Curious]

The noise was the reason I never used this unit after getting it. I got rid of it a while back. Always considered it a she it design.

[@megahurtz30]

Wow, much much better ! I'll probably do this mod. Thanks for the video, really useful !!

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! Great to hear this video helped! Hope the mod works out for you!

[@JAFOpty]

I wonder if the Wampler EQuator has the sames issues or is it better...

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! I've never used the EQuator, but it's a slightly different pedal since it's not a graphic EQ. Wampler makes great pedals so I'm sure there are no noise issues with their stuff.

[@dogpdsound]

Ive read in an article from analogmans website that only the earlier models can be modded because the newer versions have a different circuit board and how the components are installed.

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! Yes, I've also heard that Boss switched to surface mount sometime early this year, although I cannot directly confirm it. But any of the pre-2021 pedals can be modded so with close to 40 years of production, finding a used one in good condition should be pretty easy for now :)

[@dogpdsound]

Thanks for that info

[@tremdoctor007]

I own this pedal and have for over a year. Picked up an inexpensive Behringer for $22.50 at Sweetwater and it sounds much better! It’s brighter and crisper. The build quality on the Boss is awesome, it’s a tank, but by comparison it sounds muffled next to the Behringer. I’ll check the noise difference now.

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! Great to hear that the Behringer EQ pedal is working out for you! Behringer pedals are awesome!

[@tremdoctor007]

@ it’s good news for Behringer but not so much for Boss which costs 5x more 🤨

[@arito]

@@tremdoctor007 😄Behringer has been making clones of dozens and dozens of different Boss pedals over the years, I think they each have their place in the market at this point.

[@tremdoctor007]

@ just tested tonight. The Behringer is twice as quiet not engaged as the Boss, and the tone is brighter and clearer, not colored or muffled. The Boss is a very well made quality pedal, but the hissing really is not good and the basey muffling is unwelcome. I’ll need to ask boss why they added that

[@arito]

@@tremdoctor007 That's awesome! Great to hear the Behringer gave you such nice results!

[@2000SkyView]

excellent video

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! And thank you for the kind comment! I really appreciate it.

[@MrMem90]

Thank you for the very good video and clear explanation.

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! Thank you for the kind words, I hope the video was of some help for you!

[@thisdyingsoul76]

I did this mode 6 or 7 Years ago. The difference was quite noticeable. Maybe the next Waza series pedal should be tbe GE7?

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! Yeah, we're all hoping for a WAZA GE-7 :)

[@rjprivate]

Great video, thanks! The difference is just insane

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! Great to hear you enjoyed the video! Yeah, I was also quite surprised by the difference it made.

[@mrmet7]

Thanks a lot for this, I'll try this myself!

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! Great to hear the video helped, and hope the mod works out for you!

[@nikglazar2832]

Excellent comparison! I’m going to do this mod. Which caps do you need to change out to run this at 18v?

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! There should be 2 more electrolytic caps left after the initial mod. Those are the two that need to be changed.

[@MindFullCheeseburger]

i think its the buffered bypass that causes the extra noiase my wah was like that till i made it true bypass

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! Yes, wah pedals with the DPDT footswitch can definitely get noisy!

[@NorgGrimm]

What are the stock opamps? Will a couple NE5532S08 opamps be an upgrade as those would be more available to me than JRC5532.

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! The stock op amps should be some variant of the 022 family. Yes, the NE5532 should work, although I have never tried it myself, so can't speak from experience. Good luck with the mod!

[@rosskrause3926]

I must have gotten lucky with my newer Made in Taiwan GE-7..I bought it to use with my pedal board setup with a SS pedal amp and separate distortion pedal(s)..with that rig its very noisy. Then when I use it in the effects loop of my EVH 5150-3 50 watt Stealth head and the 15 watt Stealth LBX head there is no noise at all ! So I will use the GE-7 for all 3 of my high gain tube heads and my very quiet Biyang Tonefancier 7 band eq with the pedal board rig. You did a good job here on your pedal.

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! Great to hear that the GE7 worked out for you without a mod! Looks like using it through the FX loop might be a good option!

[@rosskrause3926]

@@arito Yes you are correct..I have been very lucky with my EVH high gain tube heads..no noise at all even at higher volumes..but I have heard some and read other people saying theirs are really noisy..so I am lucky !

[@wademarlar9616]

@@arito I have a new GE-7 I love it . The noise I got was when you buy it there’s a green battery in the petal take it out use your power supply an put the petal in before your dirt hey it works great been using one for years this is my second one I wore my first out it lasted 38 years I do believe that’s great

[@arito]

@@wademarlar9616 Thanks for watching! That's amazing that your first pedal lasted so long! It sure is a great pedal!

[@erikpaterson1404]

I'm happy I came across this video. I'll definitely not be getting the standard eq-7

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! Glad I could help! The noise issue isn't that bad if you avoid really high gain pedals or don't use extreme setting on the EQ pedal. That said, it is kind of annoying for a pedal at this price point... Boss surely could do better.

[@nicxshaw]

well done man

[@arito]

Thank you!

[@bruceman9581]

Very nice result. Mine has the before noise and it's annoying.

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! Sorry to hear about your noise issue, I've heard rumors that the newer Made In Malaysia GE-7s using surface mount parts have less noise, but I haven't tried one myself so cannot confirm.

[@bruceman9581]

@@arito I will definitely try your mod in the near future. At the moment I have ordered TL072 chips because they are cheaper. Maybe it's a good enough solution. Some reviewers swear that the Malaysia pedal has no noise and other say that is has. :)) I will need to check it out for myself.

[@arito]

@@bruceman9581 The 072 should definitely work fine for the mod! Hope everything works out for you!

[@VaccinesOfficial]

Great mod.. please inform detail capacitor size for replace.. thanks

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! All three caps are 1uF!

[@VaccinesOfficial]

Okay.. thanks a lot..😊

[@arito]

@@VaccinesOfficial Glad I could help! Good luck!

[@VaccinesOfficial]

Yeaay.. my GE7 mod done with great result.. the noise reduce significant.. thanks again brother🤘🏽🎸 😁

[@arito]

@@VaccinesOfficial Congratulations! That's great! Glad I could help! 😃

[@PATRIK67KALLBACK]

Great mod!

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! And thanks for the kind comment, I really appreciate it!

[@thehotcorner3337]

Is JRC the manufacturer? Will any manufacturer of a 5532 work?

[@arito]

Hi, thanks for watching! Yes, JRC is the manufacturer, and on paper the NE/SA5532 should be of similar performance. I don't have any first hand experience with the NE5532, but the internet is full of hot debates about how the same chip model will sound drastically different by manufacturer...

[@TheBoomtown4]

Mine is quiet, I don’t need to push them up or down more than a couple marks though, powerful pedal.

[@arito]

Hi, thanks for watching! Yes, I made another video where I didn't max out the knobs and used a more "reasonable" setting, and the noise is far less noticeable. Great pedal!

[@alexoja2918]

Would you recommed the GE-7 with a mod or a MXR EQ pedal?

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! I've never used the MXR EQ so can't comment on it's noise compared to the GE-7. Also, the GE-7 is 7-band + Gain, but MXR is a 6-band only. Or, you can go with the large box 10-band + Gain. I think you have to choose depending on how you want to use an EQ pedal. Hope this helps!

[@alexoja2918]

@@arito Thank you for your input! Much appreciated! I've decided to go with the MXR 6-band due to apparent lower noise floor.

[@arito]

@@alexoja2918 Glad I could be of some help! I'm sure the MXR is going to work out great! Hope you enjoy the pedal and have fun!

[@chrissanders8362]

After all these years, Boss hasn't taken this pedal to the next level by getting rid of their shitty OP Amps. I have a 20 year old modded Boss Eq and Ill never sell it. Come On Boss - Get your act together.

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! I think they really want to keep this "battery user friendly," hence the op amp choice, although not many people use their pedals with batteries anymore. Definitely keep that modded GE-7!

[@chelericarte]

Hi, I have an overdrive pedal (op-amp IC Jrc4558) and my problem is that the output volume is low and I tried replacing a new Jrc4558 chip but still the output volume is still weak, also the tone is so thin to much highs. I check all the connections, its perfectly fine. What might be the problem? Should I replace it with higher output op-amp IC?

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! I can't really say without looking at the actual pedal, but if all the connections look fine, I think that might be "normal" for that pedal. There are many pedals out there that have low output volume. Changing the op amp probably won't fix the issues you mentioned, as there are so many other causes for problems in pedals.

[@stevelaferney3579]

What about the Boost? The 15db boost? Is there a reason you left it out? Thanks, though for the video. Had no clue this was so loud, and could be fixed.

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! Yes, the level (boost) knob runs off a different op amp, a NJM4558 and I didn't replace that since it's a good op amp. As a result, not much point in comparing the before/after of the level knob since any noise difference would most likely be a result of the other 3 op amps and not the level knob itself. There's another video on my channel comparing the modded GE-7 against an Ibanez GE10, and there I compare the level knobs, check it out if you're interested. Hope this helps!

[@shader26]

I did the wampler mods, pretty much the same one. I had two of them. When I compared after I felt that though the noise was minimized the frequency range had changed.

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! That's interesting to hear that the frequency range changed...

[@shader26]

@@arito don’t take it as “gospel” though. When I did side by side with the modded and original, they seemed to affect differently and I felt like it was the range of frequencies or rather that the bands weren’t the same. The Wampler mod changes out the op amps, but also some caps, and a few other components if I recall correctly. It was back in the 2000’s, so a long time ago. Maybe more of a thing to watch for, not certain I’m right.

[@arito]

@@shader26 Interesting, thanks for the info. Maybe the extra components had different values than the stock parts and shifted the frequency response of the pedal?

[@RabidGerry]

I don't have this EQ pedal but I do have another I really love but unfortunately it suffers from hiss when used as a boost in front of an already distorted guitar preamp. It uses RC4558 op amps and I am just wondering can these be swapped out the same way as they boss op amps are swapped with this mod? Thank you for amazing videos, they are really informative and useful, tie time taking to make them is appreciated.

[@arito]

Hi, thanks for watching! Most likely yes, the op amps can be replaced. But, it is preferable that your EQ pedal uses "through hole" components, as opposed to "surface mount" components. Surface mount chips are a little difficult to de-solder and the swapping process can be tricky. That said, if your pedal uses 4558 already, I'm not sure if you'll hear a noticeable improvement by swapping the op amps. I have a video comparing the Ibanez GE10 to the Boss GE-7 stock/mod, with the Ibanez having 4558 as stock op amps, and there is a slight difference in noise, but it's not huge. Hope this helps! Link to the video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fYqleGdmZdmMhas

[@RabidGerry]

@@arito thank you very much for your reply. AHH ok, I thought perhaps the op amp swap out might be the answer I need. The hiss from the Biyang EQ-7 is excessive when used as a front end boost for a little extra distortion. Even when the sliders are all at zero. I will watch your other video. Perhaps I need to find a different a eq pedal 😔 which is a shame as the Biyang is fantastic. Edit and yes it's surface mount PCB.

[@arito]

@@RabidGerry Although I don't know what the schematic of the Biyang looks like, I'm assuming it is similar to the GE-7. If that's the case, and the op amps are 4558s, I'm not entirely sure if the cause of the hiss is the Biyang, especially since you have the EQ sliders at zero. Before you spend any more money and buy another EQ pedal, try boosting your amp with other pedals, like if you have an overdrive pedal that can be used as a boost when the gain/drive is at zero and level at max. Hiss is one of those things that is really hard to nail down, and it could be that that's "normal" for your rig, but it just gets noticeable with the boost.

[@From_the_mil]

Their newest surface mount pedals fixed this issue

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! Yes, several people have commented about the new SMT GE-7s, but I'm hearing mixed reviews. Would love to see a direct comparison video.

[@petergoldie4078]

Hey thx for the video. I’ve looked online and I can see (from the website of a massive Chinese supplier of all things) they have JRC5532DD op amps, but there’s don’t have the next line spec that yours have; (FO47A). Is that 5 digit significant in this? Just wanna make sure I get the correct items. Thx again, great job.

[@arito]

Hi, thanks for watching! The numbers that you are referring to are just the production lot numbers, so no need to worry about them. But, I would be careful buying from "massive Chinese suppliers." I have heard that there are many fake op amps floating around on those places. If you live in the US or Canada, I would buy from reputable retailers like Digi-Key or Mouser. (I have no personal experience buying from them, as I live in Japan) Good luck with the mod!

[@misisipimike8020]

How long did the mod take? Did to require soldering?

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! Yes, it requires de-soldering the old parts, and soldering the new parts.

[@rcboals]

Impressive especially the before and after comparison. Where can you get this mod done like yours?

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! I'm sure you can do a search and find several places that do pedal mods. I would offer my services, but since I live in Japan, the added shipping costs would not be worth it...

[@godbyone]

Analogman does great also will sell. Has good rep if you ever sell it. Most guys can do good but with analogman 100 percent good job that people know

[@paulj0557tonehead]

Just get a soldering iron, solder, flux, desolder braid (better than _solder sucker_ imho, but especially for newbies). Like 10-12 usd's I generally use chip sockets, saves remove/replace, and troubleshooting time. Just note Pin 1 dot on chip and install new one in same orientation (and not upside down). Easy peazy

[@naomiwulandari4519]

My behringer use AD823

[@arito]

Thanks for watching!

[@Chonism]

Thanks for your hardwork . im new in mod world , Can you explain more about capacitor spec , Is that 1uf50v ?

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! Yes, the capacitors are 1uF. The voltage rating can be anything above 16v (or 25v to be safe) if you're using a regular 9v battery or power supply. Hope that helps!

[@Chonism]

@@arito Thank you so much for your kindness.

[@arito]

@@Chonism Thank you! Good luck on your mod, I hope it works out well!

[@guitarstring5981]

Hello Arito, is this issue the same on old versión madr in Japan? Thanks

[@arito]

Hi guitar_string, thanks for watching! I've never used the older version, but I believe the schematic is the same, as well as the main 3 op amps. Although the MIJ version has a JRC4558 for its 4th op amp, which in mine has been replaced with a JRC2068. Not sure if that will make a difference in the noise issue, but if you do find your pedal noisy with overdrive, changing those 3 JRC022(or M5218) op amps should definitely help.

[@kylebollendorf329]

@@arito My MIJ has one JRC4558 and 3 TL022CP chips

[@arito]

@@kylebollendorf329 Thanks for watching! And thanks for the info! So, looks like it does use the 022 chips, which leads me to believe the noise would be very similar. I just recently acquired a MIJ version, but haven't gotten around to opening it up yet...

[@jinjxmusic]

Sweet video. To me: once the GE7 has the op amp mods it's almost irreplaceable. As in - I legitimately don't want to play a show without one. The way you broke it down how it adds noise even when turned down his hilarious - I wish we didn't have to get these modded after the fact, that they came right... though we do what we have to.

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! I totally agree, it's such a versatile pedal once you get into the habit of using it, it's hard to be without one. I still don't understand why Boss hasn't made changes to the op amp while some of their other pedals have gone through minor updates over the years. Maybe they'll do a Waza version...

[@jinjxmusic]

@@arito I agree completely: it's almost embarrassing to sell a pedal where so many corners were cut. You're completely right they've been rereleasing pedals and I hypothesize it's in their best interest to sell the "regular" versions along side the more expensive upgrade version. Peace to you and looking forward to more vids. :)

[@arito]

@@jinjxmusic Thanks for the support! I've been busy recently, but hope to get back to making some more videos in the near future.

[@AvnerRosenstein-ULTRA-LXV]

@@arito what's really hilarious is that there isn't a EQ Waza yet but there's a Chromatic Tuner Waza lol. Some are deserved Waza...like the Dimension C one.

[@arito]

@@AvnerRosenstein-ULTRA-LXV Thanks for watching! Yeah, when the Waza Tuner came out, I was like WTF!? It seemed like such an oddball, I never understood the reasoning behind it. That new fuzz looks cool though.

[@felipevsw]

Great quality stuff! Can you tell if the Texas NE5532P/LM5532P DIP8 could be a suitable replacement for this too? I couldn't find a JRC5532 locally...

[@arito]

Thanks! I'm not an op amp expert, so I can't say for sure, but my understanding is that the NE LM and JRC would all have similar basic performance if they're all 5532s.

[@felipevsw]

@@arito I opened my pedal and it has JRC 022D op amps. I guess that would be the same as the TL7022 right? I’ll order those Texas 5532 and test to see if it makes any difference.

[@arito]

@@felipevsw My GE-7 had the JRC022D as well. I don't know of the TL7022, but if you meant TL022, then yes, my guess is that those two op amps would be of similar performance. Good luck with the mod, and I hope the NE5532 does the trick!

[@lovecraftmusic8717]

Hi, great video. How did I you desolder the old chips so clean? I tried to remove one from my dyna comp and I screw it up completely and ruined the pedal since a part of the circuit track broke off.

[@arito]

Hi, thanks for watching! I am no expert with soldering, but my advice is patience, patience, patience. I used a braided solder wick to remove the old solder. Going through the 8 pins of an op amp, you can't spend too much time pressing the soldering iron against the wick, as it will heat up the op amp too much and damage it. Although if you don't plan to save the old op amp, that's not a concern. Anyway, I do short bursts of pressing the wick against the pins, removing the majority of the solder, then let the op amp cool for several minutes, then do some more short bursts with the wick, then cool again. After about the third time, all the solder should be gone, and the pins loose. If it's still stuck, I will sometimes slide a thin/sharp flathead screwdriver under the op amp and wedge it loose as I heat the pins directly(no wick) with a soldering iron. Hope this helps, and good luck!

[@lovecraftmusic8717]

@@arito thank you very much!! Keep up the good work. Let us know if you're planning on modding some other pedal :)

[@arito]

@@lovecraftmusic8717 Thank you! I have a bunch of pedals that I have modded, or plan to mod, and will be making videos of those soon.

[@nobup7]

Hi, LOVECRAFT MUSIC! I learned the desoldering from this video (in Japanese). kzbin.info/www/bejne/l3WueGCQecipmKs . I think you can find similar videos in your language. Solder blotting line is cheap and easy to use. This was my first Mod and I successfully swapped the Op-amps and 3 capacitors in GE-7. The result was successful and great.

[@mongnoy6004]

how to use the new capacitor input circuit

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! I'm sorry, couldn't quite understand your question, are you asking about why I changed the capacitors? There was not much of a reason for it, just that it was part of the main signal chain, and I had the parts lying around.

[@mongnoy6004]

10uf16v

[@luchoperetti182]

Hi! I don't know if this question is suitable but how did you determine that IC model would be less noisy than the other. I'd like to apply the same concept to a distortion pedal that's noisy too (if the issue is the IC, in that case) but I don't know which parameters to compare between ICs to reduce the noise. Thanks in advance.

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! I chose the 5532 because it is sort of the industry standard as a "low noise hi-fi audio" op amp. Aside from some of the more exotic/expensive hi-fi op amps, the 5532 is found in a lot of hi-fi equipment for its low noise and audio performance. In the case of a distortion pedal, I'm not sure if changing the op amp will have a big affect on the noise, but it's definitely worth a try! Also, you might notice the distortion/clipping tones change, so that's another thing to consider. Good luck, I hope it works out!

[@bwz1979]

no sockets for the OP amps?

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! I thought about it, but with this pedal I didn't see myself swapping op amps like I would with an overdrive, so ended up soldering directly.

[@marie-christinekoehlschind9684]

Thx! I Wanted to buy it. I hâve Bern good about noise but not about a huriccane

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! I hope my video helped!

[@Millennial_Mike]

I use a GE7 as a boost for acoustic guitar. Not noticed this noise... guessing that's because I don't use drive?

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! Yes, most likely. I first tried testing the noise into a clean amp, and basically couldn't hear any. But, with a good amount of overdrive, you'll definitely start to hear it.

[@Yt5hdf5g5g5g]

Ne5532 will be also a great choice

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! Yes, the NE5532 would work great as well!

[@Yt5hdf5g5g5g]

@@arito it has low noise op amp

[@TrilobitesRTasty]

Do folks know alternative brand pedals to purchase? As opposed to purchasing the mod kit… and a soldering kit… and solder… and spending time learning to solder… and potentially ruining the Boss EQ? 😉

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! Yeah, I totally understand your frustration, hopefully someone will chime in with some good advice.

[@jenraider72]

I actually stumbled onto a solution myself, as even with a noise gate toward the end of the chain, which did help to a degree, the issue was not completely rectified.

[@dincorcelles]

I want to mod my GE7 but when i checked inside it is different from yours. It is surface mount but there are 4 op amps. 3 are lined beside each other and one is further away. My pedal is made in Taiwan. Are the 3 grouped together the ones I should replace?

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! I have never worked on the newer surface mount GE-7s and couldn't find any images online of what the circuit looks like. I would first check the numbers on the op amps to identify the chip models. If only 3 are the same, I would assume that those are the 3 to replace. If all 4 are the same, I really can't say, but it might be a good guess to assume that the 3 grouped together are the ones to replace.

[@dincorcelles]

@@arito The 3 that are grouped together are the same

[@arito]

@@dincorcelles Then, I can only assume that those are the 3 to replace. Good luck!

[@dincorcelles]

@@arito thank you

[@GRHbusnut]

@@arito Unless you are an experienced professional solder technician, I would NOT attempt to replace surface mounted op amps, even the company's that offer the kits will tell you NOT to attempt surface mount, you WILL destroy your circuit board.

[@handlethisyoutube]

Thanks for sharing. Very clear explanation and inspiring. I'm going to pick up a used one and try it!

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! Great to hear you found the video interesting. Hope the mod works out for you!

[@robertfrippers]

Can you recommend an eq without as much noise?

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! Unfortunately the GE-7 is the only eq pedal I've played. Some people have commented that the MXR is good, but I've never tried one, so have no idea on its noise. Hope you're able to find a good alternative!

[@danielmarti]

Good Video, thank you! The 3 purchased Cancers 022 have been removed. Now the device with 3x 5532 op amps can also be used with with a high gain Overdrive or distortion pedal. 🆘🚑💉👌🏼

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! Great to hear you modded your GE-7! Yes, with the noise reduced, you can now use it with high gain pedals. 😃

[@Feitan0123]

do you have the specs of the transistor ang capacitor?

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! I don't have either of the specs, but I'm sure you can find their datasheets online.

[@Feitan0123]

@@arito i mean the item that you replaced.. is it the op amp or something.. i just want to know the model

[@arito]

@@Feitan0123 The op amp that I replaced were three "JRC022." The capacitors were the same value "1uF" just a different brand.

[@Feitan0123]

@@arito thank you so much for this

[@arito]

@@Feitan0123 No problem! Glad I could help!

[@nickwilson9210]

Could someone forward me to this kit and where to buy it thanks

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! Someone posted a link or a shop name that sells mod kits in the comments here. Hope you're able to get it worked out!

[@guitarste]

Were your chips just cheap ones from china? These 5532’s are supposed to be cheap but ones l bought did not improve the signal noise

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! I bought my chips from a reputable shop here in Tokyo. I've heard that many of the cheap chips from China have a risk of being fake, so just to be safe, I stay away from sketchy sellers.

[@guitarste]

@@arito thank you for your reply 🙌🏾

[@arito]

@@guitarste Happy to help! Hope you're able to get things worked out.

[@andrewspade7969]

Can this mod or similar be done with a MXR 10 band EQ, because that needs it too

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! I don't know the schematic of your pedal, but if it's an EQ I would assume that it's something similar. So if the cause of noise is coming from the op amps, this mod would definitely work. Good luck!

[@DANTHETUBEMAN]

This is a great mod. I can't use EQ because of the noise. So I use xotic ep booster.

[@vladledesma3765]

Why boss could Re-issue pedal

[@arito]

Thanks for watching!

[@waynegram8907]

What was the original Op-Amp part numbers before the JRC-5532 op amps?

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! The original op amps were JRC 022.

[@waynegram8907]

@@arito I typed in JRC022 on google and I'm guessing they don't make JRC022 anymore must be discontinued

[@arito]

@@waynegram8907 Didn't know that... I'm sure there is a similar substitute out there.

[@juandascanio]

The thing is that the original op amps have low battery consumption, but in exchange they are kind of noisy ... fitting some TL07x in there will reduce noise (considerably) but will also kill your batteries earlier. On the other hand, no one has ever use this pedal on batteries, so ...

[@arito]

Hi, and thanks for watching! Yeah, I vaguely recall reading somewhere about the JRC022 and their lower power consumption. But, just as you have suggested, I don't see myself using this with batteries, so it wasn't an issue. Although, just for fun, it would be interesting to see a comparison of how much the battery life changes with the op amps.

[@eternalism8274]

similar with cd players around 2000, they compromised fidelity of headphone op amp to gain battery life

[@arito]

Ahh yes, I remember those pre iPod days... portable CD player and headphones. "3 second anti-skip protection!" Had no idea about the op amp though, thanks for the info.

[@littlebritain64]

Hello! Boss asserts on its yearly booklets that we may use the Bass Equalizer coupled with this for more sound versatility. I am wondering if it would add more noise or not. Anyone tried? Thanks from Italy.

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! I've never tried that, but I can see how stacking the two would widen the range of tweakable frequencies and make it more versatile. Don't know about the noise, but would imagine that it would also stack up and increase a little.

[@spiderfan1974]

I've used a ge-7 and a geb-7 in my rig for over twenty years now. Get a noise suppressor (mine is an ns-2). It will sound like your amp is off when you are not playing.

[@jakeynightmare8482]

Would a noise suppresor tame that noise down?

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! Yes, I believe a noise gate/suppressor should cut the noise down quite a bit, although I can't say from experience, since I've never owned or used one.

[@vangimot]

Nice video I find mine had bye 97 if i remember well and I want to use as boost but battery don’t work any idea?

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! Does the pedal work with a power supply? The battery snap is simply connected to the power supply jack and ground, so if it works with a power supply, the only thing I can think of, is that the battery snap has gotten disconnected somewhere. Also, you can't have anything plugged into the power supply jack, it disconnects the battery from the circuit. Hope this helps.

[@philipbrister]

The new MXR EQ pedals are quiet. 108s I think.

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! And thanks for the suggestion, several people have also commented about the MXR, it might be a good alternative to the GE-7.

[@nevillegreg1]

Why did you change the 3 electrolytic capacitors? Is it necessary to reduce the noise?

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! I changed the capacitors because they are in the signal path, and I had some extras in my parts box. But to be honest, I don't think they have any effect on the noise.

[@DANTHETUBEMAN]

Do the MXR Eq next.

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! I'd definitely like to take a look at the MXR... Maybe if I can find a used one for a good deal.

[@DanielJackCosta]

Was just the OP AMPS the problem? Or is it required to exchange the capacitors also?

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! Yes, just the op amps are necessary. I only changed the capacitors because I had a bunch in my parts bin.

[@nikos4828]

I have boss equalizer 2x15 into 19' rack unit, maybe this mod can help reduce the noise. Thank you.

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! Hope it works on your rack unit as well!

[@sheldonnorton9035]

Would a True Tone power supply or similar take care of the noise issue or is it different from ground noise? Thanks for your help!

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! Changing the power supply will not improve this specific noise. I've used a battery here to avoid any power supply issues creeping in. Unfortunately, it does seem like changing the op amps is the only solution in this case.

[@billgrabbe9992]

Does anyone know if this same mod can be done to the bass version of this pedal?

[@arito]

Hi, and thanks for watching! I don't know much about the bass version, but a quick search on the web shows that the schematic is pretty much identical, except for the resistor and capacitor values for the different frequency bands. Although, it seems that the bass version uses a M5218P op amp instead of the JRC022 found in this model. Still, I'm pretty sure you can safely swap them for a 5532 without any issues. Good luck!

[@mudpuddledive]

Yes it can, as long as the pedal is older than 2021 as the newer ones are surface mounted

[@ronnieking1025]

i think you might want to get rid of those cheap cables

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! And thank you for sharing your advice! My cables are all DIY using Belden 8412 with Neutrik plugs. The cable to the left of the pedal is a DIY patch cable since there is an OD pedal just outside of the frame. For short patch cables, I just use generic plugs and cables. From the OD to the amp is another 8412 cable.

[@Ayyem93]

Is it possible that it's just your amp that it gets noisy with? I haven't heard of this happening before seeing this video, I haven't owned one myself though.

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! It could very well be my room/environment, but I have 3 tube amps and the results are pretty much the same. That said, the GE-7 is somewhat known for its noise issue which is why several mod kits and modding services, along with numerous blog articles can be found online.

[@Ayyem93]

@@arito It's not a ge7 but I just bought an eq pedal last night and I noticed with that being the only thing in the chain and placing it before my distortion created this same issue, but after my distortion there wasn't much noise if any. Maybe it's just eqs? I thought it was strange I'd get noise placing it before a distortion with a built in noise gate

[@arito]

@@Ayyem93 That is pretty normal behavior for your setup. I can't comment on the noise gate, as each noise gate is different in its threshold/design. But, to explain what's going on, a distortion/overdrive takes the incoming signal, amplifies everything, then clips/distorts anything above a certain level. That is an oversimplified explanation, but more or less what happens in most amps and pedals. So, if the EQ pedal is creating some noise, then the distortion after it, is going to amplify everything the EQ pedal gives it, including the noise. But, with the distortion before the EQ, the signal has already been amplified before reaching the EQ, and whatever minimal noise from the EQ stays at that level. Hope this helps clarify the issue :)

[@sthengr]

I think you have a business opportunity here. Do you sell the modded pedal?

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! I'm preparing to sell modded pedals on ebay. Problem is, new off-the-shelf GE-7s are made with surface mount components, so I need to find "clean" used pedals to mod.

[@jetlee7743]

i have a noise gate

[@arito]

Thanks for watching!

[@smokepeddler]

Much better on the base and treble frequencies. Still noisy on the mids though. Maybe the mid frequency opp amp

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! Yeah, I wasn't able to get rid of all the noise... The mid frequency op amp was changed, so maybe a deeper dive into the design and schematic might be necessary.

[@lkb3rd]

Cranking any of them to max is way more than you ever need to do with this pedal, so under normal circumstances the noise will be negligible.

[@arito]

Yes, under "typical" use, the noise would be pretty much inaudible, I think.

[@John-Perry]

By virtue of how an equalizer works, if there is any noise in your rig, and there _always_ will be, it will be boosted along with your guitar signal, since most noise exists in the mid-high frequency bands, boosting those frequencys boosts the white noise as well.

[@PuRe_AdDicT]

Thanks for the video. If you could make EHX PitchFork quiet, you would solve all my problems :)

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! lol, I have no idea how the PitchFork works or its schematic, but I would assume an op amp won't solve the noise : )

[@karimsamy1379]

Wow, I was actually looking for an EQ pedal, but now I can't buy this, especially that you powered it with a battery, which should be the quietest.

[@arito]

Hi, thanks for watching! Yes, there were several comments in the past suggesting that it's only a power supply issue on my end, but as you have pointed out, I used fresh batteries, which would be the quietest option in this case. But, in Boss' defense, unless you push the knobs really high/low while having a high gain pedal or amp come after the EQ, the noise won't be too noticeable.

[@Archlegan]

​@@aritoa bad power supply cap could make it noisy even with batteries. I have a video on my channel running this pedal on a battery and there was no noise. If you're in there changing op-amps, may as well shotgun all the electrolytic caps too. The frequency range of each slider can be changed as well by swapping out caps. I take the 100hz down to 80hz so it can be used as a good low-cut. Hope this helps a bit~

[@arito]

@@Archlegan Thanks for watching! Thanks again for sharing your modding experiences! Gyrators are really fun!

[@jonathanjkemp]

Why don’t Boss just sort this issue out?

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! The question has been asked numerous times in the comments here, but the common consensus is the op amp was chosen for: low power consumption = acceptable battery life. The newer surface mount GE-7 is rumored to be quieter, but again, no one in the comments has confirmed this by testing them side by side.

[@DarthQueefious]

@@arito I have the new one and it is indeed quieter. Silent when subtracting and basically the same as the mod when adding.

[@everythingtakin]

Too much noise for me. Dam any pedals that have no noise mxr maybe?

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! I haven't tried any other EQ pedals, sorry I can't be of any help. Would be best if you can find a local store with a good selection.

[@rafa83fs]

"Vídeo pt 2". kzbin.info/www/bejne/hYjSq4d4qtGMgrs

[@arito]

Thanks for watching!

[@spiderfan1974]

Two words noise gate. I've had a ge-7 and a geb-7 for years over 20 to be exact. It sounds like my amp is off when not playing thanks to my noise suppressor.

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! Yes, a noise gate would be a great way to avoid any noise issues.

[@nobup7]

Thanks for the good video. I also swapped the OP-amps and the capacitors of GE- 7. My choices are MUSES8920D and WIMA MKS2 5% polyester capacitors. I think JRC 022D is too noisy for Equalizers, and the original GE-7 is not adequate for serious use. I don't understand why professionals recommend GE-7 without Mod. I think swapping the capacitors improved the sound, and I like it very much, but I am not sure. I feel so, but I cannot confirm the difference. Op-amp is more important.

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! I've heard the MUSES name before somewhere, as a high end op amp, although I don't know anything about them... I can imagine that it was a big improvement over the JRC022s!

[@nobup7]

@@arito Thanks for your comment. Yesterday I knew that some old MIJ GE-7s use 4558 and noiseless (or less noise). My current understanding is that GE-7s with JRC022 are noisy, but GE-7s with fewer noise Op-amps (4558, or Mod to 5532, MUSES, etc) are not.

[@arito]

@@nobup7 I didn't know that! Thanks for the information. I thought that they always used the JRC022, but that's interesting to know that they used the 4558 in the earlier versions.

[@nobup7]

@@arito I am unsure... Quite unsure. That is a rumor.

[@kylebollendorf329]

@@nobup7 I just checked my MIJ GE-7 and it had the JRC4558 and the noise level is acceptable but not nearly as silent as @Arito Suzuki after his mods

[@mr.s5333]

Alternatively, don't spend £80 on this pedal so Boss is forced to fix it. There are £30 EQ pedals out there with no noise.

[@arito]

Thanks for the comment! I was able to grab mine used for $25, so it's not a big deal, but I do wonder why Boss hasn't addressed this issue. Would be great if we could get someone from Boss to comment :)

[@mr.s5333]

@@arito That is a good deal and worth doing the mod at that price. Not at the full price of $124 and expect better from a company such as Boss. That being said, I have a few other Boss pedals and they are still going strong after 30 years.

[@arito]

@@mr.s5333 I agree. Boss makes tons of great pedals, and it seems they could make this one great as well. Maybe a WAZA version!?

[@stratslinger3921]

What are the other pedals you’d recommend looking at?

[@kingrjlegaspi1137]

There's a noise suppressor Pedal if you need it. 😎

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! I think I'm good for now. 😃

[@veerchasm1]

They aren’t noisy if you use dedicated power like a Voodoo Labs and good cables

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! Yes, the quality of the power supply unit, and other factors like ground loops and cable quality/length will definitely cause noise issues & hum. Which I why I use batteries and short cable runs for these videos.

[@philipbrister]

Hard to get more isolated than the 9v battery used in this video.

[@coachcleats13]

Sniper Mod is similar

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! I'm not familiar with the Sniper Mod in particular, but it seems like this is the most common/popular mod to do.

[@musicchannel7651]

You are not using the pedal correctly what you want to do is slightly bump the mids.

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! And thanks for the advice, very much appreciated!

[@SanFranciscoFatboy]

shouldn't we e using it stand alone for a test? no way there is that much noise coming from Boss....... i get what u r doing, to amp up the problem noise so listeners can hear it.... but .....

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! Yes, everything you suggest is correct. Boss make amazing pedals, and I'm a huge fan. Although the DIY gain pedal I used was an overdrive and not a heavy noisy distortion, alone into a clean amp, you'd probably only notice the slightest hint of noise with the knobs at extreme setting. Modding pedals is one of my hobbies, and this was a fun experiment for me :) So, even if you'd most likely never notice the noise, if the mod improves it, why not?

[@SanFranciscoFatboy]

@@arito cool :) i use 2 boss n 1 crybaby for my pedals..... because they r so simple n sound good.... but as all guys in am chasing tone everyday!!!!! do you take work in ? do you have any mods for my trusty boss distortion1.... the orange goddess!!!! the other one is a boss delay3.... no tap tempo needed, just pick a setting..... cheers... lemme know if u wanna do a peddle and make a lil money.... i love supporting small shops like your :)

[@arito]

@@SanFranciscoFatboy Yes, Boss pedals are built like tanks with a no frills simple control layout! Thanks for the offer, at the moment I'm not doing mods for a living, but either way, I live in Japan, so shipping costs alone wouldn't be worth the mod :) As for the DS-1, there are so many mods you could do! Change the tone circuit to your liking, and/or change the clipping characteristic, but it's also a great pedal as is!

[@owentuckett938]

You didn't actually show HOW you removed and replaced the components. A still image saying 'successfully removed' is not helpful at all. It could have been magic for all we know. Do these components slide out? Do you have to cut or solder? For someone who is not an electrician this is pretty poor.

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! I apologize for leaving out the process, this video was mostly aimed for folks who have some experience modding pedals, since it's quite easy to cause damage in the process and these pedals are not cheap. But yes, you have to unsolder the components to remove them, I use a desoldering braid/wick, but there are other methods as well. Hope this helps.

[@owentuckett938]

@@arito thanks for getting back to me and sorry if I seemed less than polite. I shall find a friendly electrician and ask their help. It’s a great pedal but very noisy and this modification seems to be the answer. Best wishes.

[@arito]

@@owentuckett938 No worries, I totally understand your frustration. Anyone with some soldering experience should be able to perform the mod for you. The 3 op amps are what's important, the capacitors will have little to no effect on the noise, I only did it because I have tons of those green "hi-fi" capacitors lying around. Good luck, I hope the mod works out for you.

[@adriandavidpayne]

Why do they even make these things? That is ridiculous!

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! The general consensus is that Boss has design parameters on current draw/power consumption so that under battery use, it will last for a decent amount of time. The 022 op amps are probably the best choice in that case. With the mod, you kinda have to use a power supply, or swap batteries quite often.

[@DarthQueefious]

I bought the new SMT Malaysia version and modding is unnecessary now. Subtractive is silent/makes it quieter (as you would ordinarily expect from an EQ) and additive is indiscernible compared to the mod in the video

[@arito]

Thanks for watching! Great to hear the new versions are quieter and worked out for you!