Xotic EP Booster alternatives.

markj

I've had a few EP Boosters over the years and thinking of getting another booster. What alternative boosters are there out there that are better / superior to the Xotic.  Never tried a MXR Micro amp so might go down that route. 

soma1975

Superior in what way? 

John_A

Nothing better, they are all just a bit different 

TheBigDipper

The MXR is functional enough pretty neutral. It doesn't enhance the tone like the EP does. I've got a Chinese EP clone called an XP Boost and that's very nice. It even has the same dip switches inside the unit that the original one has. 

Kebabkid

Have you looked at the Xotic Super Clean and Super Sweet? Like the EP, adjustments are made via dip switches but they're on the outside and these pedals are more about tonal shaping. Danish Pete did a good demo of them.

I have an Xotic EP but my other boost is The Catalinbread Serrano Picoso (mini). This pedal has one control and doesn't effect the tone as much as the EP up to around 12 o'clock and acts like more of a pure, clean boost. Beyond that setting, it will dirty up but personally, I don't like that sound and find it raspy, but the boost before that setting is superb. The company made bigger variants of it, too

I've also been impressed by the TC Spark (full size model) but this,too, does some tonal shaping and so it depends if you want that or just a pure boost/solo jump boost

kizzer

Clinchfx ep-pre

dilbert

TC Spark, even the mini is a gem.

mark_jwedge

If you are looking for the same type of booster as an EP boost then definitely the clinch fx EP pre.

Otherwise you can’t go wrong with a ThorpyFX heavy water

shaunm

Effectrode Fire Bottle. 

JMP220478

Chase Tone Secret Preamp - IMHO very special - into valve amps - clean crunch dirty - just works ;  compliments my Axe FX and Neural Plini too  ( based on various EP preamps afaik )

Mosky XP boost - as a very cheap EP clone

Also consider a decent eq - maybe a modified GE7 or similar - I say modified as out of the box the Boss unit can be noisy .

I also like the Voodoo Lab Giggity - another versatile preamp style ..

kossofffan

Replaced my Xotic EP for a Catalinbread Epoch Boost. Seems very authentic to my ears!

merlin

mark_jwedge said:

Otherwise you can’t go wrong with a ThorpyFX heavy water

+1. Or a Creation Audio mk 4.23

Danny1969

The MXR micro amp is basically the Distortion + without the diodes. It's a simple op amp circuit. The EP boost is a simple transistor boost ... it's not really modelled  on the Echoplex tape circuit they claim it is, that circuit is much more complicated. the Chinese could build an EP boost for less than a tenner and it would sound exactly the same. 
Oddly enough I have another one in for repair this week. They are built like tanks but the switches break so built like fallible tanks I guess

Fuengi

+1 for the TC Spark. It depends on your amp mainly, it does nothing for me through a tweed, but with my EL84 Blackstar Studio it's absolutely great. 

The full version is around £50 new. 

Cirrus

Thing about clean boosts is that moreso than most pedals, their operation and sound is down to the way whatever they're pushing deals with extra signal level as much as any character the boost pedal adds on its own. I once had a Boss FA-1 clone but I have no idea what it actually sounded like because my only memory of it is the way it made a bad "HiWatt" cheap transistor amp sound.

The MXR Micro amp is thick sounding

The CAE 401 boost is brighter sounding

I'm playing around with a DIY boost based on the Hudson Broadcast, it does a nice clean boost that starts to bark a little as the gain goes up

the SDD3000 preamp boost circuit is very nice, it does a very mildly in-the-diection-of-tubescreamer thing to the lows and mids - sort of puts the guitar sound into a very useable shape for a band, slightly tighter bottom, slightly bigger mids, slight compression. I'm thinking of building one actually.

Then if you move into overdrives that can be set basically clean, the world really opens up and almost anything can be a booster from a Rat to a Timmy to a Klon etc etc...

Sassafras

ZVex SHO.

markj

kossofffan said:

Replaced my Xotic EP for a Catalinbread Epoch Boost. Seems very authentic to my ears!

Just ordered one up, where is yours in your signal chain ?

kossofffan

Last one in the chain

stickyfiddle

The Micro Amp definitely has a bit of a mid hump iirc - though I'd say that's a good thing for a solo boost and it's certainly a great sounding pedal.

The SHO has a little bit of grit to it but also similar sparkle to the EP Booster.

The Alembic Stratoblaster that I swear by is probably a cross between the MXR and EP, though a much simpler circuit. I love it.

markj

kossofffan said:

Last one in the chain

After reverb?

kossofffan

Yes, it does suit all positions, however I like it very last!