Boss EBand JS-8 Audio Player Review

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(More customer reviews)I've owned a lot of Boss guitar products over the years. Before getting the JS-8, I was using a Boss ME-30 and a Korg Pandora PX4D. I never thought anything could replace my ME-30 until now. Simply put... The JS-8 is an amazing device! The jam tracks installed at the factory are top notch and you can add your own. If you run out of storage space on the included SD card, buy a high capacity SD card and store your entire music or backtrack library on the machine. Personally, the included jam tracks will keep me occupied for months.
The other impressive feature(s) are the guitar effects, which are based on the GT-10 effect engine. The designers included dozens of preset effects, but you can also make up your own. Now if you're a tone junkie like me, the JS-8 will allow you to dial in just about any guitar sound. The amp modeling is simply amazing! The first distortion patch I made included a Peavey 5150 amp model as the foundation. It took me about 40 minutes to set up my first patch because you can tweak so many sound parameters. After learning the interface real well, I could probably design an effect patch in under 15 minutes. The buttons and knobs make everything associated with the unit a cinch to use.
The only negative thing I could say about this device is the speakers. A lot of reviewers have also commented about them. But don't let this turn you away. The speakers are really a positive thing because you can take it on the road and play quietly in a motel or dorm room. You can also attach headphones and achieve satisfying results. The unit also comes with a USB cable that will allow you to use it as an interface with your computer. After setting the driver parameters, I was playing it through my Mixcraft software. And Boss, (unlike other companies out there), provide 64 bit drivers for both Vista and Windows 7. They also have firmware updates and add-on jam tracks. This was a very big selling point because I use Windows 7 x64. I should also mention that I saw several Mac OS drivers on their website.
Furthermore, the unit has RCA jacks on the side which allow you to play it through a regular stereo or boom box. That worked fine for me, but I had to try it with my Crate 4x12 amp. I simply ran a mini-stereo cable out of the unit's headphone jack, and added a 1/4" guitar adapter on the other end, which I plugged into the amp. With a little sound tweaking, I got VERY impressive results. So much that I dumped the ME-30 and just use the JS-8 with my main amp. I've even read about players running this thing directly into a PA system at gigs. From what I've experienced, I think that would work well because the JS-8 really shines when plugged into higher-end speaker systems.
So who would really benefit from this device?
1) Players who like to play along and improvise with good jam and rhythm tracks
2) Players who use computer software to write music and need a solid, versatile digital interface
3) Players who are real fanatical about their tone and don't mind digital/solid state devices
4) Players who need something relatively portable and easy to use
5) Players who will only buy things that are sturdy and well constructed
6) Players who need a new toy and can afford 300-400 bucks
The JS-8 has many other features such as a nice tuner and the ability to record. I suggest you check out some of the videos on YouTube and read the spec's on the Roland/Boss website. My personal favorites are Jack Thammarat's YouTube videos.

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