The Boss BE-5M is one of the first generation Boss multi-effects pedals, released around 1991 to 1992. It gathers five effect sections in a single box: a compressor, an overdrive and distortion section, a digital delay, a noise suppressor and a chorus1. Unlike a fixed-function pedal, it is programmable, so settings can be saved and recalled, which Mick and Dan of That Pedal Show described as the big difference with the BE-5M1.
The circuits behind each section
The BE-5M predates surface mount technology. On That Pedal Show, Mick and Dan noted it is built with big components and op-amps, the through-hole construction of the era rather than the compact surface mount parts used later1. Each section draws on a known Boss circuit:
| Section | Circuit based on |
|---|---|
| Chorus | Analog chorus, the CE-21 |
| Compressor | The CS-31 |
| Digital delay | Early DD-2 or DD-31 |
| OD/Dist | Overdrive and distortion in one section2 |
The delay section carries the character of those early digital delays. Mick and Dan found "There is a top end, a sizzle in the repeats that the DD2 and the DD3 have"1.
The OD/Dist knob is worth understanding. On Pedal Cam it is labeled overdrive character to the left and distortion character to the right, and Mick and Dan thought it softens off the clip and puts low mid in as you turn it1.
Bypass, loop and signal path
The BE-5M is not true bypass. Mick and Dan concluded it is analog dry through and buffered, reasoning that as a Boss pedal it would be buffered1. It also has an insert loop: "It even has an insert loop if you want to do four cable"1, meaning the drive sections can run into the front of an amp while the delay and chorus sit in the effects loop.
Because the bypass is buffered rather than true bypass, the BE-5M always sits in the signal path even when its effects are off.
What reviewers found
That Pedal Show compared the BE-5M section by section against modern boutique pedals: the compressor against the Origin Cali76, the OD/Dist against the Vemuram Jan Ray, the delay against the Providence Chrono Delay, and the chorus against the Jam Waterfall2. Their verdict on the drive section was blunt: "That drive section is incredible"1. The compressor came off less favorably; they found it noticeably noisier than the Cali76, especially with overdrive after it1.
The unit they used was loaned by Simon Vine2. On the used market, Mick noted it had been going for 150 quid on eBay before the video1.
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Questions
Is the Boss BE-5M analog or digital?
On That Pedal Show, Mick and Dan described the BE-5M as all analog, with one exception: the delay section is a digital delay, so the wet signal of the delay is digital. Everything else in the unit, including the chorus, is analog circuitry, and the pedal predates surface mount construction, being built with big components and op-amps.
Is the BE-5M true bypass?
The BE-5M is not true bypass. On That Pedal Show, Mick and Dan concluded it is analog dry through and buffered, reasoning that as a Boss pedal of this era it would be buffered. Your dry signal stays analog when the pedal is off, but it passes through the unit's buffer rather than a true bypass connection.
Can the BE-5M be used with the four cable method?
Yes. The BE-5M has an insert loop, which Mick and Dan on That Pedal Show pointed out allows the four cable method: running the drive sections into your amp's front end and the delay and chorus into the effects return.
What effects are in the Boss BE-5M?
The BE-5M carries five effect sections: a compressor, an overdrive and distortion section, a digital delay, a noise suppressor and a chorus. It is programmable, so settings can be saved and recalled, which Mick and Dan described as the big difference with the BE-5M.
Which Boss pedals is the BE-5M delay based on?
On That Pedal Show, Mick and Dan identified the delay section as one of the early DD-2 or DD-3 digital delay circuits. They noted the BE-5M's repeats carry a top end sizzle that the DD-2 and DD-3 have.
Does the BE-5M have presets?
Yes. The BE-5M is programmable and has a few presets. On That Pedal Show, Mick and Dan said the big difference with the BE-5M, compared with earlier fixed-function multi-effects, was that it was programmable.
Sources (2)
- 1991 Boss BE-5M Multi-FX vs Modern Boutique Guitar Pedals, That Pedal Show (YouTube), 2026-08-21
- 1991 Boss BE-5M Multi-FX vs Modern Boutique Guitar Pedals, That Pedal Show, 2026-08-21
