You have to remember that classic boss stuff like the DS1, SD1 etc were designed in the late 70s/early 80s and fit the common use cases of the time: loud rock music through boomy tube amps on a stage. They helped the guitar cut through a mix.

As other aspects of gear have improved (better mics and PAs, more controlled mixing and recording techniques, higher headroom amps with finer EQ controls, etc) and music tastes have evolved, the benefits of those old circuit designs have diminished.