Is The MXR M169 Carbon Copy Too Good?

SurferJoe46 · #1 10-02-2010, 08:46 PM

I need a raspy, hollow-sounding stomp/effect with crippled HIGHS and good MIDs-to-LOWs.

It will be for a different harmonica amp I have as the old amp I was using decided to smoke and cease functioning.

The onboard effect I had in the old amp was perfect since I don't want brilliant HIGHs and twinkling slap-tones.

It needs a lot of dirt and just plain has to be noisy.

If the MXR Carbon Copy is too good and is too well-voiced, I may not like it.

I know a lot of players here use it so I was just wondering if it was worthwhile to buy one.

If so - does anyone have one for sale or do they have something like it?

One that sounds great is that super POS cheap Danelectro thing that looks like a Barbie Dream House Car. Not sure it will hold up as it's plastic and one good stomp should destruct-o it pretty fast.

Jake of Bass · #2 10-02-2010, 09:49 PM

Carbon Copy is an analogue delay, so it won't sound crisp. I've never used one but am pretty keen to try one out, if not buy one. All the stuff I've read about it suggests it has quite a dark character to its sound, and the repeats decay over time as opposed to something like the DD-3, which is digital and thus each repeat is an exact replica of the last.

SurferJoe46 · #3 10-02-2010, 09:55 PM

All those things are good so far. I may just buy one and try it - if it isn't very good for the harp, then it might be a good thing for my bass right next to my MXR DI+.

Still not totally convinced it's the best way to go yet.

Chronicle · #4 10-03-2010, 02:24 AM

Noisy? Dirt? Malekko 616.

SurferJoe46 · #5 10-03-2010, 05:57 PM

Let me find that - Google should - and I'll check it out.

Thanks

Kromwarp · #6 10-03-2010, 06:15 PM

You also might try an Ibanez LF-7 Lo-Fi pedal behind in the chain

Hhai · #7 10-03-2010, 06:59 PM

I have one, and I can't get the thing to stop going to hell whenever i play loud. even with the mix knob turned down really low it seems to feedback really intensely. that's when it's plugged into the wall though. when it's running off the battery it's way less intense.

i wonder if screwing around with the perimeters inside the pedal will fix this though, haven't gotten around to messing with that yet.

Headless Llama · #8 10-03-2010, 07:04 PM

For everyone - Do not buy a Carbon Copy until you try the Malekko Ekko 616. If you can't try the Malekko then just buy it. You will not be disappointed.

Swimming Bird · #9 10-03-2010, 07:07 PM

EHX Deluxe Memory Man. Analogue delay, way less headroom than the MXR, and you can overdrive it with the level knob.

Chronicle · #10 10-03-2010, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SurferJoe46

Let me find that - Google should - and I'll check it out.

Thanks

Even better, here's some soundclips.

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=8324493
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=8324534

SurferJoe46 · #11 10-03-2010, 08:13 PM

OK -- looked around and tried some bites, and I'm kinda lost yet.

For a harmonica, I think analog is best with rapid decay and no HIs at all. The emphasis is on the MIDs and a medium dose of LOWs for the best sound of a harp.

I could prolly live with digital and since the next small amp I'm using has it's own reverb in it, I won't be using much of a chain of stomps for anything else.

Above all else, it has to get dirty when I add a lot of notes to it and the more confused it sounds, the better. The notes should be crawling all over each other while they decay and never sound clearly or like a bell.

Going to my doc tomorrow to get some stitches removed from a minor surgery and I'll drop by a couple of GCs on the way back.

Thanks so far - and this isn't solved yet nor is it over. The quest goes on.

I just wish that old Fender amp didn't go smoke-o during that last gig.

If anyone knows a good place to stop somewhere between Loma Linda, Ontario, Corona, Palm Springs, Hemet and Temecula/Murrietta to try something out - let me know.

I'll be up and on-line for a while and watching my In-box.

Chronicle · #12 10-04-2010, 12:16 AM

Come by my store, it's only a...couple miles away

oh here's my dark clip of the malekko...It's my Carbon-Copy killer imo.
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=8761276

SurferJoe46 · #13 10-04-2010, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chronicle

Come by my store, it's only a...couple miles away

oh here's my dark clip of the malekko...It's my Carbon-Copy killer imo.
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=8761276

How late/long was the decay set on that clip? Hmmmmmm - interesting.

If you got a few cold beers and some NYC thin pizza, I'm on my way.

An' some mussels marinara and some fresh oysters and some real linguine........and maybe some hot pretzels from a cart near the park .....yum!

ETA: ASAP.

Chronicle · #14 10-04-2010, 09:33 PM

We've got plenty of that in NY

sonic assassin · #15 10-04-2010, 10:08 PM

DOD fx 90 analog delay. sounds like its delayed underwater. wouldnt trade that glitchy POS for the world

SurferJoe46 · #16 10-04-2010, 10:51 PM

I didn't make it to NYC - I had a catalytic convertor collapse on my Isuzu and I hadda stop and get a new one installed -----

BUT - I went to a couple of GCs afterward and A/B'd a few different delays and what I found was exactly what I wanted.

First - the DOD was a little too clean - besides it's digital, I thought that was bad.

The MXR was great, but it was also a little too clear. Dang it too! I like MXR stuff.

The Malekko was pretty good ---- until I tried the Delta DD-1.

The Delta DD-1 is exactly what I was looking for and it is so controllable!

The tone is crappy in a very good way - the delay is adjustable, but not in the same way it is adjustable on the other units I tried.

I get a certain metallic ethereal, springy 'twang' on the delay when I add a lot of presence with it. Gawd! It's what a harpist needs!

Remember the old reverb units you could buy for your car radio when they only had AM - non-stereo broadcast? FM was only for odd-ball progressive jazz music and poetry reading.

In those days AM was all rock-n-roll and you bought this device (which was just a spring tank) for your rear speaker and it got echo-y and all sorts of spring noise?

That springy, ugly sound is just perfect for a harmonica.

I don't have any idea what it would sound like on a bass - but tomorrow I'll try it there just for kicks and giggles. I really don't expect it to be good for a bass - but who knows.

Chronicle · #17 10-05-2010, 10:32 PM

Which GC had a Malekko....?

ttasselm · #18 10-05-2010, 10:59 PM

Kind of interesting you settled on a digital delay for "dirty" sounds rather than a tape or analog.

From your original post, my first thought was to suggest to you a tape echo unit, specifically the EarthQuaker Devices Disaster Transport. Very cool sounding unit with minimal filtering, so you get some nice warbly echo trails when you push it.

If you already found something you like, though, then more power to you! Have fun man.

SurferJoe46 · #19 10-05-2010, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chronicle

Which GC had a Malekko....?

None of them - I tested the one from a friend who also plays bass in a Temecula winery. He has one - but he uses for a keyboard.

He laughed when I said I wanted to try one with a harmonica - but he was impressed when he heard it and said it would prolly improve any instrument if played through.

The GC near Loma Linda (on Hospitality Lane) has a really good selection of used stomps though - better then the Murrietta store by far.

I really wanted to try the Ibanez AD9 Analog - but no-one had it either.

For a while I goofed around with the stomp I got and put my Cry Baby in line after it to clip some freqs and I really like the effects. I'll have to play with that a little more though.

I noticed something odd with the Delta DD1 though.

It does NOT LIKE the MXR DI+ at all! I had to put the DD1 in front of the MXR or it just ceased passing a signal at all!

On bass OR harmonica.

Gotta figger that one out too, unless someone else has had this experience.

The DD1 instructions say it wants to be on the end of the effects loop, but it won't work there..

SurferJoe46 · #20 10-05-2010, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ttasselm

Kind of interesting you settled on a digital delay for "dirty" sounds rather than a tape or analog.

From your original post, my first thought was to suggest to you a tape echo unit, specifically the EarthQuaker Devices Disaster Transport. Very cool sounding unit with minimal filtering, so you get some nice warbly echo trails when you push it.

If you already found something you like, though, then more power to you! Have fun man.

Me too - surprised, that is. I didn't want to even consider digital, but this one makes such bad sound it seems to work pretty good.

That's OK - unless this is a defective unit and it isn't working correctly. Hrumph!

I wasn't even looking for that unit you mentioned:::

If I can't get what I want totally after all is said and done - I'll consider that one too. You see the price of that thing? Owww.