BOSS ME-90 - Do the amp models suck? and other questions

More playing and tones in my first ME-90 video here:    • BOSS ME-90 - Quick Test  

Shorter version of this video here:    • BOSS ME-90 - Improving the Amp Sim To...  

Mostly talking in this video!!!!!!! Next video will be all sounds and no talking, demonstrating some of my favourite sounds on the ME-90.

In order to use Boss Tone Studio and the IR loader with your ME-90, you will likely need to update the firmware first by following the procedure below:

ME-90 downloads page is here: https://www.boss.info/global/products...
1. Download and install driver on your computer
2. Download and unzip the firmware update
3. Switch on ME-90 whilst holding the 'exit' and 'write' buttons simultaneously ('UP' should show on the ME-90 screen)
4. Connect ME-90 to computer via USB cable
5. Drag & drop the 'ME-90.bin' & 'ROMINFO.TXT' files onto the ME-90 (don't drag the whole folder)
6. Eject device

This video primarily focuses on trying to get the preamps to sound decent through a 'real' guitar amp; which seems to be fairly difficult. There's no doubt that this pedal can sound good direct, particularly if you load your own impulse responses (though you would think a company as resourceful as Roland could ship this with some decent IRs preloaded...) Its also odd that you can't use an IR without a preamp when playing direct. For more on this, check out John Nathan Cordy's recent video here:    • The Boss ME90 NEEDS IRs For Better Hi...  

Timestamps
0:00 firmware update procedure
1:54 parameter guide (checking out the hidden / substitute effects)
3:30 noise gate is usually switched on from factory
4:01 what to swap the EQ for?
4:44 reordering effects - limitations / workarounds
5:33 output modes - what's the deal?
6:55 substituting for the 'hidden' algorithms using Tone Studio
7:35 swapping different fx in is per-patch - (might be nice to have this configurable?)
8:23 loading some IRs
8:47 cab-sim is on in guitar-amp output mode?
9:10 taking a deeper look at why the amp models sound poor running into a guitar amp
10:19 cab sim is off in line-out mode unless using a preamp; cab sim is on when running a preamp in guitar-amp mode
10:46 frequency response of output modes
11:16 do the output modes nerf the preamps, or do they preamps just sound average in the first place?
13:45 summary of my whining about the preamps / output modes
15:26 Peavey 6505 to Marshall 1936 cab + SM57 / R121 clone, ME-90 bypassed
16:03 ME-90 engaged
16:21 boosting Peavey 6505 with the ME-90 tube screamer (extra noise due to USB connection)
16:39 DS-1 to 6505 clean channel, same mic setup.
17:31 blues driver to 6505 clean channel
17:47 now engaging ME-90 amp models running into 6505 clean channel
18:54 what if I trick the ME-90 with a pseudo-IR?
19:36 do you really need amp models if you're already using an amp?
21:09 less noise with USB unplugged
21:25 lead tones
21:52 current draw check
22:32 conclusion
22:49 pros
23:06 cons
23:29 build quality
23:41 much better than ME-80?
24:07 what sets this apart from other multi-FX?
24:19 who is it for?
24:32 can't have mod before dirt
25:03 can't power it via USB port
25:18 best use-case for the ME-90
25:34 final actual conclusion

tl;dw: quick audio clips trying to get decent dirt from the ME-90.
26:09 Engl Tube Preamp to IRs
26:21 ME-90 DS-1 to same IRs
26:28 ME-90 DS-1 through 'transparent' amp model, via same IRs but loaded on ME-90

In case I wasn't fully able to clearly articulate in this video my main gripe with the ME-90 at present, is essentially that even though we have the hardware switch at the top of the unit to change from 'D.I / line' to 'guitar amp' output mode, the ME-90 engages the cab sim when any preamp is engaged regardless of the top switch setting. I can understand this to an extent, in that it might sound odd using a preamp / amp model into a real guitar amp and cab anyway (even if it doesn't have a speaker sim), but then why have the cab sim automatically switch off in DI output mode
if you bypass the preamp? This is going to mean that all of the distortion pedals sound terrible when playing direct, unless you use one of the preamps.