MXR M80+ DI

BillyIVbass · #1 01-20-2011, 01:33 AM

Justin,
I think I remember seeing a video of you on YouTube at a trade show checking one of these out. I was curious of your take?

My needs are pretty basic. I play a P-bass and want an all in one toss in the gigbag DI to go record demos. Not talking high-budget there's a fountain in the lobby recording sessions, just friend's demos.

If not this, can you suggest another? My reasons for like this is I can set two different volumes (clean/dirty) and there's a mid knob. I love mids like a fat kid loves cake! ...I love cake too.

Thanks!

jmjbassplayer · #2 01-20-2011, 10:32 AM

I helped to develop it, particularly the EQ.

I love it as a clean DI. I don't love the distortion sound so much, unless blended down quite low, then it takes on a very useful character, in fact. Others I know (e.g. Beck himself) love it just as a bass distortion. So there you go.

J

BillyIVbass · #3 01-20-2011, 12:40 PM

Thanks! Yeah can't beat real distortion. Nothing I love more than re-amping through a Fender Twin, if that's an option.

bassman1185 · #4 01-20-2011, 03:55 PM

I remember reading in Bass Player a few years back that you had one on your board, but I had no idea you helped develop it. Very cool. I love my M-80.

BrandonBass · #5 01-21-2011, 12:34 AM

Cool stuff, i dig the freq voicing on my m80, its always on my board.

The distortion sounded really crappy past 9oclock on my practise amp, but it sounded pretty good through a big amp the last time I tried. People complain about the color function always activated when u turn on the dist, but then dist sucks ur lows and i tink it evens out fine

casio · #6 01-21-2011, 04:05 AM

I've used it for years but decided to finally remove it.
I don't even mind the distortion for certain sounds, although it's not your typical allround workhorse thing. I could see it useful in metal od maybe certain NIN settings. But for dirt there's better pedals out there.
I loved the DI part of it, but I got it off my board due to many isses, from minimalising my effects, to the fact that I finally had some problems with the EQ.
This is the first time I may contradict JMJ on this one.

I found the EQ to be a bit glassy somehow (although it doesn't color the sound like a Sansamp), and the mids useful only past 12 o'clock, which ended up being strange. Now I just walk a few feet back and tweak the amp if I need, and just use the DI from my Mesa.

BrandonBass · #7 01-30-2011, 07:19 AM

May I know whats the specific frequency the eq boost/cut?

jmjbassplayer · #8 01-30-2011, 06:19 PM

Don't remember the number values, no.

colonelporridge · #9 02-01-2011, 04:42 AM

Have you ever used the colour switch much?

jmjbassplayer · #10 02-01-2011, 10:20 AM

No I don't like it personally.

the low one · #11 02-01-2011, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmjbassplayer

I helped to develop it, particularly the EQ.

I love it as a clean DI. I don't love the distortion sound so much, unless blended down quite low, then it takes on a very useful character, in fact. Others I know (e.g. Beck himself) love it just as a bass distortion. So there you go.

J

Hi Justin, in your opinion how low is "quite low" on the distorion blend ?

BrandonBass · #12 02-01-2011, 11:35 AM

Im no justin but I do agree that m80s distortion sounds too dry on high settings. I tend to set it to 9 o clock blend and 11o clock gain for a tad of grind

ack · #13 02-01-2011, 11:44 AM

just my .02 - I've had mine for a few years and i fell in love with the EQ & DI - I never play without it in my practice space. I run 1/4" to the amp and XLR to the board always. I use color every once in a while, but I also don't like the Distortion on it. Also, their Tech Support is also great...had an issue, they sent me a new replacement.

mozarwasagenius · #14 02-02-2011, 12:49 PM

I'm a huge fan of this pedal but I don't think it is perfect

For a clean (low noise, no coloration, high headroom) DI with lots of configuration options it can't be beat in its price range. For that purpose I prefer it MUCH more over the more expensive VT deluxe as a matter of fact.

I love the EQ control frequency points, taper and Q. The clean headroom especially when using the 48V phantom power (which is dead quiet by the way) is fantastic.

There are a few things I'm not crazy about:
1) I think the color switch is a good idea but too dramatic, thus I don't use it. I'm not a scooped-tone guy... I like to be heard in a mix. Maybe with a passive bass and slapping it might be nice.

2) I wish the color switch wasn't always engaged on the distortion channel. But I can see why they did it.

3) I wish the distortion channel had its own eq decoupled from the clean channel - but this would be tough to fit on the pedal.

The distortion has a *wide* range of sounds. It can get SVT-ish at the lower settings but not really in a tubey way. Much more of a grind to full on RAT-like dirt. I actually like the distortion for occasional use. However I LOVE the bypassed active DI tone (ie... it doesn't mess with my sound)

It can get a psuedo "Fool in the Rain" guitar solo tone when playing high on the neck.

I use the bypassed setting 90% of the time.

I use the clean channel as a reduced volume channel for "compressor" type use (I hit it if I'm doing something very dynamic). Sometimes I use it for a mute channel.

I use the distortion channel occasionally.

I think the reason I am a fan of this pedal is I love the sound of my bass and don't really want to mess with it much. Plus the glow in the dark controls are a plus

BrandonBass · #15 02-02-2011, 02:47 PM

I actually set my blend and gain on the dist channel to zero since im not a fan of it. I use the distortion footswitch as my 'color' switch.

I actually dig the color switch(part of the reason Im still keeping the m80 on board), especially for playing in a single guitarist band and it sounds wicked for slapping

the low one · #16 02-03-2011, 03:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrandonBass

May I know whats the specific frequency the eq boost/cut?

Searching around the EQ is as follows:
Bass +/- 18db 60 hz shelving
Mid +/- 10db 850hz
Treble +/- 12db 4Khz shelving

The following thread has a link to another site showing a graph of what the color button does:
http://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthr...=0&Search=true

BrandonBass · #17 02-03-2011, 11:53 PM

What does it mean by 60hz shelving? Does it mean if I turn it all the way down it will cut off all frequencies below 60 only?

Because to my ears the bass knob seems to be in charge of the 100hz region. I could be wrong, though.

the low one · #18 02-04-2011, 01:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrandonBass

What does it mean by 60hz shelving? Does it mean if I turn it all the way down it will cut off all frequencies below 60 only?

Because to my ears the bass knob seems to be in charge of the 100hz region. I could be wrong, though.

Yes, you're right. This thread explains it:
EQ and shelving, explanation please

Gnobility · #19 02-04-2011, 10:53 AM

Love this pedal!

I engage the (~850hz) Color switch, but also boost mids (~800hz) to reduce the scoop. I keep the distortion at zero, and just use the second channel as a volume boost to keep up when the other fellers get excited.

Cb

mozarwasagenius · #20 02-04-2011, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gnobility

Love this pedal!

I engage the (~850hz) Color switch, but also boost mids (~800hz) to reduce the scoop. I keep the distortion at zero, and just use the second channel as a volume boost to keep up when the other fellers get excited.

Cb

That's the great thing about this pedal, it really can be used in a lot of ways. If you forgo using the distortion, it can be a three-channel clean pedal.
1) bypassed tone
2) clean tone1 with 3band eq, defeatable scoop and independent volume control (can mute or boost)
3) clean tone2 with fixed scoop, 0-100% distortion, 3-band eq (shared with clean tone1) and independent volume control (can mute or boost)

again... I just wish the distortion channel didn't always have the scoop ("color") engaged.