Boss BR-800From real comments

Verdict distilled from 38 mentions across 14 aspects in comments under product review videos.

Positive sentiment43%
PROS 43%
CONS 57%

Rank based on 38 mentions across 14 aspects

View the verdict as

Buy this if...

  • You want a fast, standalone way to sketch songs with built-in drums and effects
  • You value excellent onboard condenser mics for quick vocal or acoustic takes
  • You're willing to invest time learning a deep, button-heavy workflow

What users love

Skip this if...

  • You need to record more than 6 fully independent tracks or bounce tracks freely
  • You need guaranteed driver support on modern Windows or iPad USB connections
  • You want a simple, work first-time out of the box experience

What users complain about

Compare in seconds

Based on user comments

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Articulate sound
Great with extended-range guitars
Strong overall tone quality
Price concerns
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Musical analog toneLong-term reliability and board loyaltySimple, intuitive controlsHigh price pointCheaper alternatives seen as comparableDistortion at high settings
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Musical analog tone
Long-term reliability and board loyalty
Simple, intuitive controls
High price point
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Distortion at high settings
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Mad Professor Sweet Honey Overdrive
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Touch-sensitive dynamics
Long-term favorite / durability of appeal
Sweet, low-gain tone quality
High price versus clones
Deluxe loses some original character
Limited mid control
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MXR Super Badass Distortion
Exceptional versatilityNatural, amp-like tonePowerful 3-band EQDemo videos undersell the pedalNoticeable noise floorVolume drop when engaged
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Exceptional versatility
Natural, amp-like tone
Powerful 3-band EQ
Demo videos undersell the pedal
Noticeable noise floor
Volume drop when engaged
5Premium
Eventide Orville
Exceptional reverb qualityHigh-quality warm pitch shiftingStrong aspirational appealHigh priceCheaper alternatives may sufficeEffect can feel like it plays for you
Eventide Orville
Exceptional reverb quality
High-quality warm pitch shifting
Strong aspirational appeal
High price
Cheaper alternatives may suffice
Effect can feel like it plays for you
6Premium
Origin Effects Deluxe61
Authentic amp-like toneExcellent low-to-mid gain driveUnderrated favorite among ownersHigh price pointLimited gain-staging flexibilityNo built-in reverb
Origin Effects Deluxe61
Authentic amp-like tone
Excellent low-to-mid gain drive
Underrated favorite among owners
High price point
Limited gain-staging flexibility
No built-in reverb
7Premium
Roland TR-808
Iconic, powerful kick drumWarmer, more alive analog characterCultural and historical influenceExtremely high collector priceAnalog noise and static requiring EQReliability concerns of aging hardware
Roland TR-808
Iconic, powerful kick drum
Warmer, more alive analog character
Cultural and historical influence
Extremely high collector price
Analog noise and static requiring EQ
Reliability concerns of aging hardware
8Premium
Moog Subsequent 37
Inspiring and addictive to playWarm, fat analog toneStrong DAW/VST editor integrationHigh price for what it offersLimited versatility outside bass rangeNeeds effects/partner gear to shine
Moog Subsequent 37
Inspiring and addictive to play
Warm, fat analog tone
Strong DAW/VST editor integration
High price for what it offers
Limited versatility outside bass range
Needs effects/partner gear to shine
9
Wampler Tumnus V2
Klon Centaur-style toneConvincing demo influenced purchaseExcellent clean boostNot suited for metal tones
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Klon Centaur-style tone
Convincing demo influenced purchase
Excellent clean boost
Not suited for metal tones
10Mid
Wampler Paisley Drive
Transparent toneVersatile across genresWorks well across many guitar typesTwo-channel routing complexityDry signal bleed-throughInconsistent demo impressions
Wampler Paisley Drive
Transparent tone
Versatile across genres
Works well across many guitar types
Two-channel routing complexity
Dry signal bleed-through
Inconsistent demo impressions
You are here
31Mid
Boss BR-800
Fast, creative all-in-one songwriting workflowUseful as a DAW audio interface / control surfaceGood sound quality and valueNo proper bounce function / limited track flexibilityBuild quality and reliability complaintsFile transfer and export problems
Boss BR-800
Fast, creative all-in-one songwriting workflow
Useful as a DAW audio interface / control surface
Good sound quality and value
No proper bounce function / limited track flexibility
Build quality and reliability complaints
File transfer and export problems

Who wins on what

Ranked by what users actually praise

Overall Impression

Its onboard mics and all-in-one songwriting workflow win over long-term users. Multiple commenters who've owned the unit for years describe it as a fast, creative way to sketch full songs with guitar, vocals, and drums in one box. The condenser mics are repeatedly called phenomenal, handling loud vocals well. Several say it beats laptop/DAW setups for speed and even outperforms dedicated audio interfaces for punch and clarity when recording vocals or guitars.

The learning curve and missing bounce function trip up many owners for years. Several users, some after 5-8 years of ownership, still struggle with mastering, bouncing tracks between virtual tracks, and understanding the effects chain. Tracks 5/6 and 7/8 are locked as stereo pairs rather than independent mono tracks, and there is no true bounce mode, so building past 8 tracks requires exporting to a computer and reimporting, which frustrates users used to more flexible recorders like the BR-860 or BR-80.

Connectivity and reliability complaints surface around USB, drivers, and hardware quirks. Users report trouble finding Windows 10 drivers, an iPad USB power warning preventing interface use, and phantom power supplied to only one input despite multiple mic jacks. One user experienced a stuck blinking REC button on a new unit, and another described a defective unit with unreliable touch controls that Boss support didn't resolve within the return window, though many others report years of trouble-free use.

Outdated / Not-accurate data?