MXR M288 Bass Octave Dx Review

Chronicle · #1 04-21-2009, 09:56 PM

Octave down galore. I got my MXR m288 Bass Octave Dx. pedal today and I must say, MXR is picking up the pace with nice sounding gear.

The tracking is quite good. It can't track my Low-E for the first hit but then it smooths out. It starts tracking flawlessly on F#(2nd fret). I hear it can track a low B but I'm going to be surprised if it does since it has trouble with the low-E.

The Mid's button and adjustable tweaks inside the pedal are a nice touch as well. A very necessary touch actually for it to be used live.

THE VERDICT IS IN
The MXR and OC-2 sound very much alike in the smooth octave(right knobs) but the left knobs sound a bit different. Let's just say I like the MXR much more because of the MIDs switch. Makes it much more usable.

This first soundclip is just me going from 850hz to 400hz on the mids button. All 3 knobs are 12oc.
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7538601

Dry: 12oc|Growl:1oc|Girth:OFF|Mids:OFF
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7538700

Dry:12oc|Growl:OFF|Grith:1oc|Mids:OFF
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7538707

Dry:1oc|Growl:10oc|Girth:2oc|Mids:ON
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7538717

Tracking E to A
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7538724

Citizen Erase(Mic'd)
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7539860

Citizen Erase with more Growl
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7539916

Growl ONLY
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7539874

Girth ONLY
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7539880

With...the BIT?! BONEKRUSHING!!
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7539917

whoatherechunk · #2 04-21-2009, 09:59 PM

have you played an OC-2 before? if so....which do you prefer?

Chronicle · #3 04-21-2009, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whoatherechunk

have you played an OC-2 before? if so....which do you prefer?

I have but the sound isn't fresh in my mind which is why I have to play it again tomorrow.

Right now, I love the sound of the pedal in the "Oh yeah" soundclip.

afroman · #4 04-21-2009, 10:09 PM

Haven't tried the OC2 or any other octaver, but this sound really good to me. I kind of prefer the character of the Growl vs the cleaner Girth.

Thanks for the clips!
Mine should be here this week

Gashaponcito · #5 04-22-2009, 12:12 AM

I'm really looking for a comparison between the OC2 and the M288

whoatherechunk · #6 04-22-2009, 12:22 AM

we all are

JimmyM · #7 04-22-2009, 01:13 AM

Definitely sounds better to me with mids on. 850 seems to be a good frequency for it. To my ears, anyway. I like it. Sounds like a bass but different enough to where it could also do synthy.

Toasted · #8 04-22-2009, 01:32 AM

Thanks for the review Chronicle. There's also a neat review here:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxQRMoMv_5s[/youtube]

whoatherechunk · #9 04-22-2009, 01:38 AM

i feel that this pedal is definitely a winner but for synthyness the oc-2 will probably hold its place in my heart forever.

bigchiefbc · #10 04-22-2009, 05:40 AM

I really like the girth clip, not big on the growl ones. I'd love to hear a clip of the girth cranked and the dry down more. Agreed on the mids switch, 850 sounded way better.

Thanks Chronicle!

RCCollins · #11 04-22-2009, 05:49 AM

color me underwhelmed. looks like i'm going back to the octabass.

rcubed · #12 04-22-2009, 07:27 AM

I'm with Jimmy and bigchief. I like it with the mids at 850. No GAS for me for this one (before and after I've heard clips). I'll get an analog octaver eventually but the Micro POG works for me. If I want it dirty, I'll use some OD.

FreaqyFrequency · #13 04-22-2009, 07:57 AM

Jovi, you're awesome. Thank you.

When you get a moment, could you throw up a clip of the Citizen Erased riff? (It's a MUSE song, if you don't know the riff it's stupidly simple http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiHUKVoYbdc&fmt=18 ) Feel free to use any fuzz/dirt you may posess, my only request is that you run the M288 first in the chain. Thanks a lot in advance,

-Sean

fivestringgecko · #14 04-22-2009, 08:47 AM

Chronicle,

+1 Thanks for the review and the clips! I'm looking forward to the comparison with the OC-2.

I've got an Octabass which I do dig, but I think I'll probably pick up the MXR for the other controls. I liked the Girth more than Growl, but I could see a mix of the two being pretty sick.

Can you tell us more about the internal MID adjustment? Is it a switch or a rotary knob... can you only select 850Hz/400Hz or could you dial in a midpoint?

5sg.

Chronicle · #15 04-22-2009, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fivestringgecko

Chronicle,

+1 Thanks for the review and the clips! I'm looking forward to the comparison with the OC-2.

I've got an Octabass which I do dig, but I think I'll probably pick up the MXR for the other controls. I liked the Girth more than Growl, but I could see a mix of the two being pretty sick.

Can you tell us more about the internal MID adjustment? Is it a switch or a rotary knob... can you only select 850Hz/400Hz or could you dial in a midpoint?

5sg.

Switch for the 850/400hz. There's another pot in there to adjust volume of the mid boost.

Jared Lash · #16 04-22-2009, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RCCollins

color me underwhelmed. looks like i'm going back to the octabass.

Hmm, I'm on the fence.

The OC-2 will stay on my main board for sure, but I am looking for an octaver for a smaller, fretless board. I was hoping for a modded MuTron or the Plaster Caster but I don't feel like paying or waiting respectively.

I want a smooth octave (yes, I know Pino used an OC-2, but I like the EBS better for fretless playing. I'm not sure whether to grab another Octabass or try the MXR. I know I like the EBS, but I kind of want to try something new.

I won't be using it 100% wet, so it may not make much difference. But I am a little wary of MXR's QA after my experience with the Carbon Copy.

Chronicle · #17 04-22-2009, 09:42 AM

The Girth control is pretty smooth sounding. I'm going to take more clips today.

Jared Lash · #18 04-22-2009, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chronicle

The Girth control is pretty smooth sounding. I'm going to take more clips today.

My understanding is that it is aping an EBS, so it makes sense. My question is whether it does it as well as the real Octabass.

Hard to tell from the clips since my playing style with an analog octaver is different from yours. It does seem to ape an OC-2 fairly well in "Growl" but from the beginning I've wondered why you'd want to blend those two tones. I may just have to check it out for myself.

Chronicle · #19 04-22-2009, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheBigO

My understanding is that it is aping an EBS, so it makes sense. My question is whether it does it as well as the real Octabass.

Hard to tell from the clips since my playing style with an analog octaver is different from yours. It does seem to ape an OC-2 fairly well in "Growl" but from the beginning I've wondered why you'd want to blend those two tones. I may just have to check it out for myself.

It sounded really good in that one clip. Best of both worlds I guess

dannybuoy · #20 04-22-2009, 10:23 AM

In the next set of clips, please can you set growl to maximum, the others off, then turn the pedal on and off. Then repeat with girth solo'd. I want to see what the solo octave sounds like, and also what it's volume is like compared to the unaffected signal (because the Boss OC-2 drops volume big time when using it for solo -1 octave).

Thanks!