Actually the vast majority of pros are still using ns2's in this day and age......... mastodon, metallica, killswitch engage, machine head, steely dan, dillinger excapeplan, slipknot, periphery, symphony x the list is huge and its still the most popular noise gate amongst the pro's. Tone is subjective but I dont think noise gates are so ill go along with the pro's sure a few use ISP but who even uses the mxr noise gates??
I've had the ISP and the NS2 and MAYBE the ISP is ever so slightly better but for the money it really isnt worth it. Were talking about the smallest amount of noise reduction and does it matter when youre playing guitar any way? For pedal hum and a hi gain there may be a little noise but turn your volume down too and its gone and youve saved your self some money!
The things isin fairness I get you only need some thing in the front of your amp which saves on cost but if anyone wanted a noise gate for the input / fx loop the boss ns2 is £69 new (Cheaper 2nd hand I got mine for £30) and the isp decimiator g string ii is an extra £100 which is just robbery imo !!!
That being said if money isnt an issue go with the isp
I'm guessing they use the boss because they're easy to get hold of. If I were in a world touring band I'd use what I could get hold of easily, too, just in case everything decided to die.
I agree that the g-string is very expensive. Kiichi said his amp doesn't have a loop, though, so he only needs the bog standard decimator, which is a lot less. Also, as I said, I had limited (read: no) success with trying to cut anything other than pedal noise with the ns2 if I couldn't use the x-pattern (which you need an fx loop for). Those pro guitarists' amps probably have fx loops. If your amp has a loop, I'd agree that while the boss probably isn't quite as good as the decimator, the decimator is an awful lot more expensive for slight improvements.
Guys, no need to get heated over this. The Boss and the ISP are different concepts!
The Boss is meant to reduce noise going into the amp, or coming from noisy overdrive/boost pedals, the ISP (and Rocktron Hush Pedal which I mentioned) are more for going into the effects loop (and to cut down amp noise).
you can use the ns2 in the loop if you use the x-pattern method, though
Im not getting heated mate I just think I was just misunderstood. I just wanted to make the point that the NS2 isnt 'redundant' before any thing else. By definition it cant be if so many pro's still use it which one is better is down to the individual but I think its misinformation to say some thing is useless and the music industry has moved on when its used to good effect by so many people.
Oh and KSE and Slipknot are pro's whether you like them or not doesntmatter im not a superfan of either but ill trust bands who play massive festivals and gigs which knowledgable techs to pick the right noise gate (And yes ISP fits in there too and as ive said is a tiny bit better)
FWIW I agree it's not redundant (and I like KSE :lol: ). I do prefer the ISP, though- like Toe-Knee says, the Boss isn't that transparent. I wouldn't say the ISP is totally transparent, either, but it's a lot more so. Now, of course, some people (like GuitarIv) might like what the Boss does to their tone, and that's their prerogative.
