BOSS Announces XS-100 and XS-1 Poly Shifter Pedals
BOSS announces the XS-100 and XS-1 Poly Shifter products, two advanced pitch-shifting effects for guitar, bass, and other instruments. The XS-100 is a pitch-shifting workstation with a massive eight-octave range, real-time pitch control via an onboard pedal and footswitches, and versatile connectivity to interface with other gear. The XS-1 distills the core XS-100 features into the famous BOSS compact pedal format, providing instant drop tunings, capo simulations, octave effects, and linear pitch control with an optional expression pedal.
In developing the XS series, BOSS engineers pioneered new methods to advance real-time pitch shifting and eliminate the tonal artifacts common in conventional designs. Powered by finely tuned algorithms and a specially selected DSP platform, the XS series provides balanced polyphonic performance that feels natural and musical across all playing styles, pickup positions, and pedal setups. The attack and tonal character are fully preserved, and even complex chords and sustained lead tones—typically a challenge for pitch shifters—are reproduced with stunning clarity.
XS-100 Poly Shifter
The XS-100 is a powerhouse expression machine that will transform how guitarists and bassists perform with pitch. An onboard pedal provides linear control of four octaves up or down, and independent pitch-change speeds for each pedal direction enable motor revving tones and other interesting effects. At the end of the pedal’s travel, an integrated toe switch can introduce momentary pitch jumps with adjustable range and rise/fall time. Two footswitches are also available to bypass the pedal shift and quickly retune an instrument at fixed semitone steps across eight octaves.
XS-100 users can customize the pedal’s range for different songs or techniques and fine-tune the response curve to suit different playing styles. In addition, the toe switch and footswitches can be reassigned to alternate functions. With 30 onboard memories, players can instantly recall favorite setups during live sets or studio sessions.
The XS-100 supports up to two external footswitches or an expression pedal, expanding the real-time control options. MIDI I/O opens the door to more advanced applications, from external MIDI control to sending MIDI commands with the pedal and footswitches. A secondary output mirrors the input signal, providing parallel routing flexibility for sophisticated rigs.
XS-1 Poly Shifter
The XS-1 Poly Shifter delivers instant retuning in a convenient pedalboard-friendly footprint, making tuning changes fast, fluid, and seamless. Users can authentically perform songs in drop tunings, change keys to suit a vocalist’s range, play with unique octave-shifted sounds, and more.
Offering a range of +/- seven semitones and three octaves up or down, the XS-1 adapts to virtually any musical need. The intuitive interface features a dedicated Balance knob for adjusting the mix between the direct and effect sound. Turning the knob to effect-only allows for full retuning, while blending in the direct sound can create 12-string effects, parallel guitar/bass sounds, and unexplored sonic colors. There’s also a Detune mode to produce evocative doubling effects with high-definition tone.
The XS-1 provides many control options for different applications. The pedal switch can be assigned for standard on/off or momentary operation, and up to two external footswitches can be connected for fast access to alternate tuning modes with the user’s preferred Balance settings. Alternatively, an external expression pedal can be used to create dynamic pitch-bending effects for dramatic, ear-turning shifts.
Availability & Pricing
The BOSS XS-100 and XS-1 will be available in October 2025 for $349.99 and $199.99, respectively.
To learn more about the XS-100 and XS-1 Poly Shifter pedals, visit www.boss.info.
*USD Price at the time of publishing.
About BOSS
BOSS, a division of Roland Corporation, has achieved legendary status among guitarists, bassists, and vocalists with a diverse, world-leading product lineup of creative tools with exceptional sound, intuitive control, and rugged durability. Since 1977, BOSS’s famous compact pedals have been used daily by everyone from beginners to touring professionals, with over 140 unique models introduced and over 19 million units sold to date. BOSS also leads the way with innovative gear in numerous other categories, from amplifiers, multi-effects processors, and loopers to wireless systems, vocal effects, tuners, metronomes, rhythm machines, recorders, and more. For more information, visit Boss.info. Follow BOSS on Facebook, X (Twitter) (@BOSSInfoGlobal), and Instagram (@BOSSInfoGlobal).
The post BOSS Announces XS-100 and XS-1 Poly Shifter Pedals appeared first on Music Instrument News.
Source: musicinstrumentnews.co.uk
