Boss brings its smart Multi Dimensional Processing Power to its new revolutionary super granular NS-1X Noise Suppressor

Boss shakes up the Noise Gate Pedal market with its revolutionary Multi Dimensional Processing - which scans all incoming frequencies and smartly filters out noisier artefacts right across the frequency spectrum. It’s entirely unique in its approach, and thus can not only deliver a ’cleaner’ sound, it also has a lot more nuance in how you dial it in, and how you refine the clamping action, and the impact of that Noise Gate Clamp. You can kind of think of it as a highly intelligent comb style of filter that sifts out all the trouble-maker frequencies. You can then use the brand new Damp knob to let more of those through - adjust to taste! - as a sort of refinement control.

Versus the NS-2 all-analog device, which as a perennial bestseller will of course remain in production, the NS-1X has an additional Reduction Mode, and its Mute Mode works quite differently.

In terms of the two Noise Suppression Modes - the ’Reduction’ one is the softer more organic variety - for those playing mostly lower to mid gain overdrives or using Single Coil Guitars. While the ’Gate’ Mode is super fast and aggressive for those Modern High Gain players in particular. It’s easiest to consider those as Soft and Hard Modes of gating.

The Mute Mode is quite different to how it functions on the NS-2 - where on the NS-1X it actually activates the Noise Suppression when the pedal is in Bypass - so you have Mute for when you’re tuning up, and when Mute is off, and the pedal is in Bypass - then the Suppression Activates. By pressing and holding the footswitch you can switch between Gate and Reduction varieties for Mute Mode - whichever is most suited to your playing style.

Controls - Damp (MDP Refine), Threshold, Decay, Mode : Gate / Reduction / Mute.

You should be very familiar with Threshold and Decay - where Threshold sets the sensitivity level for when the Noise Suppression Activates, and the Decay is the Speed of the Clamping - a sort of Gate Attack / Release control. If you want a more organic / natural clamping action set the Decay between 9 o’c and noon typically. If you’re playing Djent style Metal, then Decay will be dialled all the way back typically.

The Damp control is entirely new here and allows you to refine the Multi Dimensional Processing and Threshold - to the extent that I consider it a sort of Threshold Refine control. Meaning you set the Threshold first - and then can fine-tune the Suppression / Gate via the Damp knob - to let more frequencies pass though, or clamp further ones. If you’re mostly playing High Gain - then it makes sense to start with the Damp control Maxed - and then dial it back until everything sounds just right. If your playing style is more lower gain - then you’re better off starting at the lowest setting of Damp and dialling it up.

Like the NS-2 there is a 9V Out port on the rear - meaning you can power another 9V pedal from this one as it uses so little current.

The distinct differences between the NS-2 and the NS-1X are that the NS-2 is all-analog, while the NS-1X is all-digital. The NS-1X has added features and granularity compared to the NS-2, and its Mute Mode works somewhat differently. Overall the NS-2 is somewhat binary in nature, while some may prefer its more organic analog nature. If you want maximum granularity and control out of your Noise Gate - then the NS-1X is the obvious choice.

There’s a couple of very typical scenarios that particularly suit the NS-1X - using the harder ’Gate’ Mode for Metal / Djent styles of High Gain playing - where the Gate clamps down a lot more aggressively than on the NS-2. And you have the Softer ’Reduction’ Mode which is particularly useful for players with noisy single coil pickups - the softer more organic nature of that really lends itself to that style of playing. Where the NS-2 is overall a little simpler and rather more binary in its core function.

The NS-1X will retail for $219 / €209 / £180, which is a somewhat higher level than the NS-2 which is typically at $110 / €109 / £99 nowadays. I highly recommend the Alchemy Audio modified version of the NS-2 which has historically been my own Noise Gate of choice - I got mine for $120 many years ago now, while currently the cost of the AA Modification alone is $60. You simply get some of the parts swapped out for more superior noiseless ones - metal film resistors etc. I still feel that the NS-2 is a worthy proposition, while there is no doubt that the NS-1X is a significant evolution of that - which gives you a lot more granularity and control. You be the judge of which one is best suited to your own rig and playing style. Horses for courses applies as always!