BOSS OC-5 vs. OC-3 side-by-side comparison

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A demonstration to compare the BOSS OC-3 Super Octave with the follow-up model BOSS OC-5 Octave.
The guitar recordings in the first four minutes of the video have been made with a Marshall MA50C, picked up with a Sennheiser e609 and enriched with stereo chorus, delay and reverb to add ambience. Sorry for the rather bad sound quality this time!
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Ein Demovideo, um den BOSS OC-3 Super Octave mit dem Nachfolgemodell OC-5 Octave zu vergleichen.
Die Gitarrenaufnahmen in den ersten vier Minuten des Videos wurden mit einem Marshall MA50C gemacht, abgenommen mit einem Sennheiser e609 und angereichert mit Stereo Chorus, Delay und Hall, um den Klang räumlicher zu gestalten. Entschuldigt bitte die eher schlechte Klangqualität!
0:00 guitar setup
0:05 POLY mode comparison
2:46 OCT 2 & VINTAGE mode comparison
4:01 latency test
4:32 1:1 sound comparison

[@hectorosbert]

That was very informative and super helpful, thanks!

[@drdre4397]

In my opinion the drive function alone sells the oc3, it's a great sound. But also they are like 120$ CAD used and both the oc5 and oc2 cost more so not only is it the best, it's also the cheapest.

[@ReinisJaunais]

Thanks, this helped a lot!

[@danilocarrazzone]

Very nice Pepe, thank you and cheers from Old_Iron, gracias. ;0)

[@reycousticdilaojr.733]

I'm glad I've found a way how to make the OC5 work like the OC3 but with a much better tracking I'm glad I didn't gave up

[@depotgear]

Great demo, I am looking for this comparison for days!! Thank you very much!! I think Boss OC-3 is great if you connect the guitar to the bass input on the "OCT2" mode only. First get better tracking with more stable sound, guitar input creates many glitches which become much more noticeable if you use distortion pedals after it. Plus the Octave sound is really nice and similar to the classic OC-2.

[@TheMasonator777]

I have an OC-5 and that ALSO tracks low notes better on the bass input selection.

[@depotgear]

@@TheMasonator777 I haven't the oc5, but on OC-3 "OCT2" guitar on bass input is very cool. Otherwise in the same mode with guitar connected on its input is horrible

[@JohnPerryMusic]

Yeah?? I have the OC-3 and as many others also found it almost unusable. I need to try that bass input trick..

[@depotgear]

@@JohnPerryMusic only works for OCT2 mode!! Better tracking and stable sound, not warble and farts as the guitar input on the same mode

[@MKylander]

This didn't even cross my mind, but tyvm! Seems to be working better on poly mode also, now it does what I want it to! Guitar goes to an ABY switch, A to guitar pedal board and amp and B to OC-3, overdrive and bass amp. What a glorious racket!

[@gonzalosurvideos]

Thanks 🙏 for the video!!!?

[@gvillotinegrind439]

Thank u for uploading this video. I already own an oc3 and thought about upgrading to oc5. Now I know for me it'd be a downgrade bc of the sound. Thank you

[@PepeMusic]

Now you know why I sent the pedal back to the shop right after recording this comparison and the OC-5 demo video. But if you listen to another video at KZbin where all the three BOSS OC pedals are compared to each other, the OC-5's octave down sound is very close to that of the original analogue OC-2. The OC-3 has a sound that I find much more pleasing and so much more powerful.

[@PepeMusic]

@Jan Hammler I'm always happy to help. You might be right with your suspicion about BOSS paychecks. "He who pays the piper calls the tune." Enjoy the OC-3!

[@GreenhamGuitar]

Wow! Even a latency test!? Remarkable demo! I wonder if that extra split second of latency on the OC-5 just makes all the difference in allowing it to track that lowest note perfectly? Sounds worth it 😊

[@PepeMusic]

I wasn't sure if I should upload this video at all, so thanks for your nice words! :) Although it sounds as if the OC-5's Vintage mode is a pretty spot-on OC-2 simulation (according to a KZbin comparison video) I personally prefer the fatter sound of the OC-3. The volume drop of the OC-5 in this video is no error. I kept the original volume differences. I sent the OC-5 back shortly after receiving it. I had high hopes for the octave up mode, but I was completely disappointed. I had a Pearl OC-07 which has a nicer octave up sound and I kept the KORG KOT-401 for the PME-40X system which has an awesome octave up fuzz for this trick. Have a look at my other OC-5 and OC-3 demo videos to see all the tricks that the pedals have in store.

[@GreenhamGuitar]

@@PepeMusic Well, between this and the other OC-5 demo, I knew I had to subscribe - that's the real compliment for your work 😁. So you sent the OC-5 back... I am waiting on them to arrive here in sunny South Africa. From your demo and others, the octave up has that same 'pinch' as the TC SubnUp... like a lazer from Star Wars and an organ got spliced together 🤣. I don't need the octave up, so I hope the reason you returned it had nothing to do with the suboctave, or the "lowest range" mode. In all my demos here, I use the SY300 as permanent subbass on low notes, but I really wanted to isolate it to the root note only... hence the OC-5 (or the OPFXS Dig Deep). Oh and thanks for this reply!

[@PepeMusic]

@@GreenhamGuitar The sub octave sounds are alright. Just in comparison to the OC-3 (that I have and like since its release in 2003) the OC-5's octave effects are less fat and not as loud. And thanks for subscribing!

[@GreenhamGuitar]

@@PepeMusic Oh that's a relief - I really just need the OC-5 to sit under my chords and not track 3rds and 5ths like my OC-3 valiantly tries to. But the OC-3 was the first pedal I ever bought! And it is still on my board too, so I get where you are coming from! 🤩 Appreciated that OC7 demo of yours as well. Anyhow, thanks again. Will keep hunting through your demos ✌

[@lolwithme36dd]

@@PepeMusic I subscribed because of this video. Thank you for the comparison. Just what I was looking for! Cheers from Sin City!

[@christianhernandez1286]

Hey, I have a question, So I wanted to give my bass player an octave pedal but I also want one as well (I play Electric Guitar), but I was thinking of giving my buddy the Oc-3 and me getting the Oc-5. Or Should I also get the Oc-3?

[@PepeMusic]

The OC-3 has a lot of punch as you can hear in my videos. I can clearly recommend this one for bass guitar. You might want to start with a single OC-3 and try it with both instruments. In the case of the OC-5 ... well, you can send it back to the shop if you buy it new and don't like it (just like I did).

[@Ian-nl9yd]

1:07 is there any pedal that could be used to bring back the attack in this low octave?

[@PepeMusic]

I don't know if there is a polyphonic (= digital) octave pedal that can do it. Both the OC-3 and the OC-5 have this behaviour in the POLY mode. The monophonic modes (VINTAGE or OCT 2) have a snappier attack. Of all the octavers that I have tried the analogue and monophonic '80s KORG OCT-1 has the best sounding low octaves when it comes to fast attack: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rWjcmHuknL-NZrM

[@Ian-nl9yd]

@@PepeMusic but no silly ways you're aware of to reintroduce it anew?

[@PepeMusic]

@@Ian-nl9yd There is no real chance that KORG is going to reissue their vintage pedals. I'm quite certain that there could be analogue boutique pedals that offer the sound you ask for, but I cannot lead you in the right direction (since I haven't had the urge to search for alternatives to my favourite octave effects).

[@Ian-nl9yd]

@@PepeMusic I meant, like, a separate pedal to increase the attack, to go with the octave pedal. like a Boss EH-2 or maybe some kind of midi thing? Sorry if I wasn't very clear

[@PepeMusic]

@@Ian-nl9yd Ah, sorry! There will be no real way to enhance the attack, neither with the fabolous EH-2, which encreases and adds overtones, nor with a compressor or another EQ. The basic material will stay as it is. You can get a few nice results with distortion or overdrive, but that shifts the whole sound into a whole different direction.

[@aaaaiiiieeeellll]

What do you recommend for bass?

[@PepeMusic]

Both pedals are great for bass. The big plus that I see in the OC-3 is the Drive mode which is one of the best bass overdrives that I have ever played. Although completely digital it sounds great. The only benefits of the OC-5 are the "Lowest" mode (but how useful is that with a bass guitar?) and the +1 OCT function (which sounds terrible with any instrument if you ask me). The OC-5 might have the better tracking, but that depends on the player and the instrument (strings, output volume, fret buzz, etc.).

[@georgefromgreece4119]

I think we use such effects for their uniqueness and the OC-3 is just much more musical, lofi and glitchy in a good way.

[@georgefromgreece4119]

Plus it is a lot more powerful, present and oomphy.

[@gonzalosurvideos]

I pick the OC3

[@ElisandroDeLeon]

I have the OC3 and I think the OC5 sounds better when playing chords based off this video.

[@moe45673]

Wow, both of them sound great. OC-5 tracks better, but OC-3 sounds solid nonetheless. Wish you'd done chords and such :\

[@PepeMusic]

You can find the chord stuff in my other two demo videos of the OC-3 and OC-5. This is a pure comparison video.

[@moe45673]

@@PepeMusic Thanks!