Zoom 505

The 505 is easy to use, edit, tweek, etc; The manuel is laid out in easy to understand way.

The 505 guitar processor is noisy. A noticable hiss, the effects are
not weak in my opinion. Some of the effects tone is deep. I like mid tone but not quite that much. It is usable nontheless.

I only use the 505 with an adapter. It is reliable enough. I have used it without a back up.

Never tried to contact Zoom

I really only liked 1 or 2 distortions, the overdrive was clippy, Wish the pitch pedal effect moved only the played note and not hold the origianl. I have the expression pedal for pitch bend and wah.
The unique thing is the step effect. It is a rare find in my opinion.
Line 6 has it on their modulation pedal and not found much anywhere else. to my knowledge.The Digitech RP50 has 10 times better tone and warmth, The rp50 seems to be based on the Zoom 505 . The saying,"You get what you pay for" does not apply to the RP50 by Digitech. It rated #4 on best multieffects in Guitar Player magazine, over a 300$ Korg AX1500G! The Zoom 505 is a poor man's multieffects, kind of fun
but lacking tone and warmth, but for 60$ what does one expect?

Firstly, it is hard to edit without the manual in your hands if you are operating it for the first time. However it took me half an hour to figure out what those four small buttons and those two "small" large pedals did (of course with the manual).

There lies the flaw of a system having buttons that can do multiple stuff in different modes. It's hard to edit quickly on stage. However editing patches is relatively very very easy. I'll suggest the user to double check the patches before going with it for a gig (Actually I wouldn't an advice like that.... Read On!).

The manual is Great, really very detailed. Even the website has the manual on it in pdf format. Or else you can download the manual from "http://www.safaricomputers.com/505/505_manual.pdf".

I use it with a Gi"V"son guitar (in case you think this is some cheap imitation of Gi"B"son, you might be right but have a look at the reviews of GS 1000 before developing any premonitions. It's available here "http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/Data4/Givson/G-S-1000-01.html") and I use an AMD Athlon XP powered computer with nVIDIA nForce chipset as an amp. I have also used it in gigs and short shows but it disappointed me badly.

Firstly, it's noisy and I had a hard time configuring a decent "clean" patch. Almost all distiortion modes sound the same (a bit fuzzy and noisy). Secondly, it sounds drastically different when you play it with low and high volumes. Imagine not getting good amount of bassy region even with an Ibanez on stage when using Peavey amps and speakers. Thirdly, if I want to inceament the bass regions the treble is lost - which means it is not possible to get a heavy and sharp sound at the same time.

That is why I use a computer these days to pre-process my sound before sending it to the final amp (even on stage). I'll say the nVIDIA nV Mixer has greater acurracy and clarity of sound than this small plastic box. In fact it helps me to get full bass and treble and add reverb to the sound after it has been processed by ZOOM 505.

I have converted my small hostel room into a powerful recording studio and I'd rather rely on my Real-Time Guitar FX Software for recording than this one. If I can't rely on it in studio where external effets can be added, how can I rely on it while on stage? In case the small plastic box fails you definately need a backup (I'm sure that no other FX Processor will give out such a fuzzy sound - I've tried and tested some 20 types of them - and so you need another ZOOM 505 as backup!!!). To be frank, I tried using a Real Time FX software for my last two shows and it passed with flying colours as opposed to ZOOM 505. (WHY?? Read On...)

Moral : Never take this to the stage. NEVER NEVER.

The company logo says "ZOOM : Catch Us If You Can"... I guess that explains everything.

During a gig there was some kind of a problem with the adapter port and there was a constant disconnection and reconnection going on in the equipment. By default the patch is initialized to A1 whenever you connect it to the power supply. I tried calling them but as the saying goes "ZOOM : Catch Us If You Can" I couldn't catch them. So I took it to a local electronics shop and replaced the DC Adapter port. After that I swore never to take it on stage again.

I play Metal, Soft Rock and Pro.. It's not at all useful to me, but I made some interesting patches coupled with my computer which gives really cool effects but alas!! such kind of sounds are only avilable in trance music.

If you are planning to buy this look for something else... although it is cheap value for money is 2.5/10

Although entirely possible, it's not immediately easy to get a good sound out of this unit.
Editing patches is VERY advantageous, but takes some practice to learn how to edit.
I had to download the manual from the website to really figure out how to edit the patches.

Using with a cheapo Crate practice amp, Peavy Classic 4x12 stack, playing on an '89 Gibson Les Paul Standard with stock pickup in neck and an aftermarket DiMarzio that the previous owner installed.

OK, the sound quality of this unit is not absolutely mind-blowingly great. None of the preset patches are useful in real-world settings. After you edit things down, and (in my opinion) never use the ZNR, Distortion, or Metal processors, you can get some good sounds out of it. I find that it's best to not layer too many proccesses. I already own a Boss DD-3 delay, a Boss Flanger pedal, Ibanez Soundtank Tremelo, and Boss TU-2 tuner pedal, so my only need from this unit is Overdrive. I use the spring reverb found on my amp. What I've done is to craft a nice series of Overdrive patches in a row. Starting on a high-gain Overdrive, then a rhythm-gain-setting Overdrive with just a tad of reverb, then a moderate-gain Overdrive with a lower octave double note, then finally a high-gain solo sound with the Lead processor, an EQ bass and mid bump and a little reverb.

The Overdrive patch is the only distorted sound I like at all. The other grunge sounds are nasty!

The flanger is decent, but like I said, I use a dedicated flanger pedal. The chorus is ok, but sounds a bit thin. The Step effect is nice, but should be used sparingly, and the double effect definatly has potential, at least until I get an Octave pedal! I don't like the Autowah, but I've been spoiled by a friend's vintage CryBaby.


So, in summary, good sounds CAN be achieved with this unit, but you have to make your own patches, using few effects at a time.

Seems reliable.

I play lots of styles. I only use this unit for overdrive, so therefore it's only having blues, rock, hard rock, emo, etc. played through it.

It's not so hard to understand the system, but the limited number of buttons means they all have too many functions. And I am not particularly fond of using pedals for anything else than turning an effect on or off, but here I have to use it for other purposes too (although that's similar to a lot of other products).
Conclusion: It's easy enough to use, but editing patch etc. is a slow process.
A display with more than just to LED digits and maybe some knobs would have helped.

I used this plugged into a rather cheap amp and with an Epiphone SG G-400.
I don't expect great sounds, when I won't pay the money for it, but especially the distortions,Zoom's own step effect and to some extent doubling are useless as is the amp simulation.
The chorus and delay are very nice sounding at the price.

Nothing broke, but it's a bit plasticcy and doesn't seem too durable. I cannot rate fairly.

No contact with Zoom - didn't have any problems with (aside from the sound quality).

I play soft rock mostly - with some OD/DS or nothing at all
I have played for a couple of years and am far from professional. I sold the 505 already and wouldn't buy it again.
I liked the chorus and delay, but they no better than most.
If you can find a used unit cheap, it might be worth considering, but get some seperate OD/DS.

This is the easiest, most simple digital effects pedal I have ever used. period. If you're retarded, lazy, or just really dumb. This is for you.

I don't know what everyone's talking about. %90 of the idiots that reviewed the 505 say it sounds like shit... I think it sounds great. But you gotta play around with the effects a bit. You can't just put a whole bunch of stuff together and expect it to sound good. If you go to the zoom website it'll tell you some good settings and stuff. Or just play around with it untill you get a nice sound... it can be done.

I've had mine for only about 4 years... It's all shitty plastic but yet it sems pretty durable. I use this thing like a mad whore,and it's pretty much like new. But I wouldn't be surprised if it ever fell apart completely. The edit and store buttons are broken, i don't know why, but other than that... it's alright. Not great, but alright.

I'm gonna give them a 1 just for the hell of it. I've never dealt with them, but giving shitty marks instead of getting them for once is fun. revenge.

The unit is pretty easy to use in terms of scrolling through different function banks and such, but only up to a point. The tiny +/- buttons on the side of the unit remind me of those tiny LCD games from the 80s that would give you major wrist problems within minutes of use. You're going to want to read the manual to get the most out of all the different banks and customization available.

As pretty much every other reviewer points out, this unit definitely sacrifices tonal quality for price and number of effects and price. Realistically, it's only suited for playing through headphones or practice amps - the sound flaws become glaringly obvious at any sort of higher volume. Above all else, you'll quickly learn why digitally based effects sound almost nothing like the real thing.

This was definitely the Achilles heel of the 505. Beyond the plastic construction that is not suited for any sort of giggin or stage work, the unit(s) that I had experienced major electrical problems. At only a few months old, the 505 mysteriously stopped accepting input from the left/right pedals, and would not get out of tuner mode. I also couldn't scroll between effects anymore - it was locked on one particular setting, F1. One day I plugged it in an this was the way it operated. The store that I bought it from sent it back to the manufacturer, and they said that the circuits were fried, and sent a new replacement. Bearing in mind that the unit had experienced no power surge, power blackout or the like, this was quite enexpected. The replacement worked acceptably for about a year, then developed similar electrical/circuitry problems! Again, no scrolling, etc. That, and a second rate wiring job in the AC adaptor that came with the unit frayed and fell apart. The unit still plays, but not in its intended mode. Also, for a 88% plastic unit, I had to laugh when the four screws on the back of the case started to rust.

Didn't deal directly with the company, but they did send the dealer a replacement unit for me when I took it back. But then again, it developed the same problems.

This was the first multi-effects processor I ever bought, back in 1997, and I've finally got around to reviewing it. Since then, I've thankfully moved on to bigger and better things. I suppose for a someone just starting out, the 505 might make a good choice if you're interested in familiarizing yourself with several different effects, albeit some fairly watered down digital versions of them. Still, the overall quality and unreliability of the unit means that I definitely would not recommend it, unless you can pick up a dirt cheap used unit.

Very easy to use as far as a multi-effect can go. Editing patches is really easy too...

Well, the zoom 505 is by far one of the WORST things you can use to get a good sound. I never liked myself digital crap, but the 505 goes really far in the word "crap". It is horribly noisy, sounds decent at low volume but really gets awful when you turn the volume up. There isn't an interesting effect in there, everything sounds cold, digital and ugly with this monster. If you're looking for a good tone, never buy digital crap, but if you still want to use digital things, this things is definately the worst out there.

It's made of cheap plastic... I would never gig with it

who cares? better waste your money on another pedals than wasting your time with the guys that made this horrible thing

A friend of mine lent me his zoom 505 several years ago. I was looking for some effects, and I thought I could begin with a zoom to test and then buy anything better. If you want to play at home, the zoom isn't that bad. But never try to play it loud, you'll be frightened. After testing the zoom I got scared of effects and didn't buy any. Fortunately a couple of years later I began to buy single pedals (wich is the best option to get a good sound) and I learned an important lesson: there are two types of guitarrists. The ones that sound good and the ones that sound bad, no matter how they play. The ones that sound good use single pedals for specific ambiences; the ones that sound bad use digital crap. Period

A retarded dislexic monkey could operate it

Distorion, modualtion etc.....the usual

Killer unit for for practice amps

Decent depending on YOUR rig. Best with SOLID STATE amps that's for sure. Tube and digital are very unfriendly with one another typically.

Typical electronic sound with the distortions but not to the point of a synth....quite digital sounding but the right set up usually filters it out.

The effects sound great through my effects loop and distortions are fine as long as I only use them for voicing by setting gain at 2 and using my amps gain control.

Like I said, the effects sound awesome through my amp. The distortions can vary and not all are usable but the Fuzz is awesome as is the acoustic simulator. The amp simulator can be useful but too electronic sounding sometimes and the noise reduction works great for me.

I must continue though. This and other simular processors can give a 10 in performance granted you don't expect to play some major venue.

These little units were made for practice amps honestly. Take a 15 watt thru an 8 inch speaker amp and hook any of these affordable floor units through one. It will sound amazing period. You can get a good
20 dB of undistorted volume gain by using these type of units. That's a hell of a lot of volume increase.

Great for smaller single speaker combo amps 50 watts and under. For the time it came out, it deserves an 8 period.......
IT SET THE STANDARD.

Very reliable. almost 10 years old and just today one of the pedals finally came off. It's plastic but it's been stepped on, jumped on, kicked around, thrown, numerous liquid spills on it....you name it!

never met um'

Great unit for the beginner or simplist. FOr the most part the distortions aren't performance or recording quality but for my rig the effects sound great. If you were to hear them through my rig you would assume I was using all analog.

Get one of these for like a small Crate or Behringer you can pick up for around a $100 USD...or just whatever practice amp you may already have. You'll be getting close to the volume output of a two 12 combo amp with some of them not to mention for some reason practice amps just seem to work ten times better with these types of units.

DIgital can sound as good as analog this way!

It's quite easy to set up, and you do need to set it up...the stock patches are pretty bad

Ok...For the most part i use a samick going into a p.a.
Depending on the effect it can get noisy mostly on the Dist. and Thrash patches. I play mostly slow, fuzzy & heavey. Along the lines of The Melvins. All the effects are good eccept for Dist,OD,Thrash & Fuzz.

You CANNOT depend on it....I squashed mine.....Cheap Plastic

Never delt with them...

I play stoner metal/grunge This was a mistake
I've been playing for 9 years, now I use A samick-KorgA5-Boss Metal Zone-500 watt Powered Mixer
If it were stolen...Time to move on get something different
For the most part it's for beginers. Not profesionals

not hard to use, editing etc pretty easy. that said getting a good sound is phisically impossible for the device...

I've got a mid 70's riviera SG (aledgedly made by ibanez?) and a frankenstein (built it myself from 3 different amps) 150w tube amp.
the noise in this 505 unit makes mining equipment sound wisper quiet.
my amp and guitar sound kick ass, if I ever want to sound muddy and shit I hook up the ZOOM. none of the effects sound ok in any combination.

It'll stand up to a healthy battering (unfortunately) so there isn't even any satifaction to be had in beating the shit out of it.
gig with whatever backup you have, a poorly taxidermed goat would sound better live.

I'd commend them on a waste of plastic and a valuble contribution to land fill.

I play, punk/ rockabilly (bout 10 years). got a dano daddy O overdrive (surprisingly good pedal).
if it were stolen, I'd enjoy not having this pedal around to remind me of a wasted 70 bucks.
I bought this, when I had no experience or amp. I played through a mixer into my stereo at which time this pedal sounded ok. I've been pretty harsh in this review, but I'd like to emphasize that this is not a good bit of gear for anything other than playing at home through your stereo. If you can find one (but don't actually look for it) under 20 AUD consider it but DONT EXPECT MUCH.