SPECIFICATIONS
Options (sold separately):
- AC adaptor: PSA-S series
- Footswitch: FS-5U
- Dual footswitch: FS-6, FS-7
- Expression pedal: FV-500H, FV-500L, EV-30, Roland EV-5
- MIDI/TRS connecting cable: BMIDI-5-35, BMIDI-1-35, BMIDI-2-35, BCC-1-3535, BCC-2-3535
SIZE AND WEIGHT:
- Width: 101 mm (4 inches)
- Depth: 138 mm (5-7/16 inches)
- Height: 63 mm (2-1/2 inches)
- Height (including rubber foot): 65 mm (2-9/16 inches)
- Weight: 610 g
first impressions
As with all BOSS pedals, everything is packaged well and from the first time you hold the pedal you can tell, it’s made to last. Every knob, footswitch, and input/output jack feels like it’s built to last a lifetime. The design of the pedal is very clean, which is something I’ve always loved about their products.
A quick glance at the pedal is enough to grasp the basic operation of the pedal.
On the back of the pedal, you’ll find stereo inputs and outputs, an additional control input for an expression pedal, and the power supply input. The left side of the pedal houses MIDI in and out ports along with a USB port.
How to operate the pedal
Adjacent to the display, three controls—Rate, Depth, and Effect Level (E.Level)—are common to most of the effects on the unit. Below these knobs are three parameter controls that adjust different settings of the selected effect (Refer to the video or the chart below for specific parameter details).
Below the large rotary switch, you’ll find the Tap Division button, offering different tempo subdivisions. Four subdivisions in fourths and triplets are available for setting the tempo.
The pedal features 4 preset slots that allow you to save and recall the sounds you’ve created using the footswitch on the right. To save a preset on the MD-200, hold the Memory button until the display starts flashing. Click the Memory button again and select one of the four preset slots to save your preset. Hold the Memory button again to finalize the save.
Parameter chart for each effect
| EFFECT | Param 1 | Param 2 | Param 3 |
CHORUS | SWEETNESS Higher values create a more enveloping sound. | LOW CUT FREQUENCY Adjusts the tonal character of the low-frequency region. | HIGH CUT FREQUENCY Adjusts the tonal character of the high-frequency region. |
CE-1 CHORUS (CE1) | TYPE Chorus sound of the CE-1 VIB: Vibrato sound of the CE-1 | LOW LEVEL Adjusts the tonal character of the low-frequency region. | HIGH LEVEL Adjusts the tonal character of the high-frequency region. |
FLANGER | RESONANCE Adjusts the amount of resonance (feedback). | MANUAL Adjusts the center frequency at which the effect is applied. | LOW CUT FREQUENCY Cuts the frequency components below the specified frequency. With the FLT (flat) setting, the low cut filter is not applied. |
PHASER | RESONANCE Adjusts the amount of resonance (feedback). | MANUAL Adjusts the center frequency at which the effect is applied. | LOW CUT FREQUENCY Cuts the frequency components below the specified frequency. With the FLT (flat) setting, the low cut filter is not applied. |
VINTAGE PHASER | TYPE THRU: Only phaser sound. CRUNCH: Distortion is added. | DRIVE Adjusts the amount of distortion when CRUNCH is selected. | TONE Adjusts the tonal character when CRUNCH is selected. |
CLASSIC VIBE | TYPE THRU: Only phaser sound. FUZZ: Distortion is added. | DRIVE Adjusts the amount of distortion when FUZZ is selected. | TONE Adjusts the tonal character when FUZZ is selected. |
VIBRATO | TONE) Higher values produce more complex modulation. | (DIRECT/EFFECT BALANCE) Adjusts the volume of the direct sound and the effect sound. | TONE Adjusts the tonal character. |
TREMOLO | TYPE TREMOLO: Cyclically modulates the volume. PAN: By alternately changing the volume of left and right, this produces the impression that the sound is moving between the left and right speakers when heard in stereo. (If you don’t use stereo output, this will not produce the intended effect.) | WAVEFORM Selects the type of wave. | TONE Adjusts the tonal character.high- frequency region |
ROTARY | SLOW SPEED Adjusts the SLW rotation speed. | FAST SPEED Adjusts the FST rotation speed. | ROTOR / HORN BALANCE Adjusts the balance between the horn and the rotor. |
AUTO WAH | RESONANCE Adjusts the depth of the wah effect in the region of the center frequency. | FREQUENCY Specifies the center frequency of the wah effect. | FILTER TYPE LPF: Low-pass filter. Only the low- frequency region is passed. HPF: High-pass filter. Only the high-frequency region is passed. BPF: Band-pass filter. Only a specific frequency region is passed. |
SLICER | PATTERN Selects the pattern at which the sound is sliced. | ATTACK Adjusts the attack volume of the slice pattern. | DUTY Adjusts the length of sound for the slice pattern. |
OVERTONE | LOWER LEVEL Adjusts the overtone one octave below. | UNISON LEVEL Adjusts the volume at which sound that is slightly pitch-shifted is added to the direct sound. | UPPER LEVEL Adjusts the overtone one octave above. |
How to save a preset on MD-200
1. Push the Memory button and select one of the preset slots (1/2/3/4).
2. Dial in the sound you like
3. Hold the Memory button until the light next to it starts blinking.
4. Click the Memory button to scroll the preset slot you want to use (1-4)
5. Long-press the Memory again and your preset is saved.
Is BOSS MD-200 good and worth the money?
BOSS pedals are classics for a reason: they sound great, are really well built and even if you manage to break one, almost every music store has a replacement in stock. The MD-200 may not be as sexy as some newer companies’ pedals might be, but you can trust the effects on the BOSS to get the job done and sound good while doing it.
I’m not saying I love every single sound from this pedal, but if I were building a pedalboard for a tour, the MD-200 would likely have a place on it due to its size and the multitude of great tones it can provide.
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