Microtubes X

[Reverend179]

Well he owns it now. We have very similar tastes and he wanted my opinion on it. He was specifically looking for something low gain and was just writing the X off because of the demo’s that are so polarizing. When I talk to people on the phone and I bring up DG stuff they almost always say something like “yeah that’s too aggressive for me, I don’t play metal”. And I have to take them into it. It’s the only company I have to do that with. Luckily Ive owned all the DG stuff and know how applicable they are in just about every pedalboard.

That friend would be me. I want something that's not necessarily lower gain, but less 'modern' sounding. All of the demos seem to be going for a hyper bright modern tone, and that's not what I'm in for. I got what I wanted, although unfortunately my x7 has the artifacts, switching my Voodoo Labs to 12v just causes a large amount of hum (probably because it's now under-amping the pedal), so I've gotta wait for an 18v cable from SW to make it all work without artifacts. I love the pedal a lot though! It's super versatile.

 

[Matt Dean]

i think that one of the reasons that 99% of the online demos demo it at high gain is because it does it so extremely well, but for me it gets such great punchy, slightly driven tones i use mine for that 90% of the time. it also has so many tonal variations, for some, it might take a while to discover the pedal's full potential.

This is how I use it too. I use most of my dirt pedals at lower gain settings. I think that bass still has to be bass.

 

[SquareWaves]

Old board


New board


I guess I’ve joined the cult. The potential of this pedal is really amazing.

 

[BurtMacklinFBI]

I just up and bought an X7 to go along with my X. Weirdly, I kind of like the simple elegance of the X over it's big brother, but all the same the extra EQ power is nice to have. I'm still fooling with the compression to see how much of it I want to use, if any; it seems like the sludgier I go with it the more it seems like adding more compression makes sense.

 

[johnk_10]

for me, the compression on the low end makes it sustain along with the top end dirt. if i'm running it semi clean, i use less compression.

 

[SquareWaves]

I play with a pretty distorted and sludgy tone and noticed if the compression is past 12 it’s almost too much? The low end on the sustain improves and my weaker strings sound bigger but I notice I loose some punch on the attack. That normal?

 

[johnk_10]

I play with a pretty distorted and sludgy tone and noticed if the compression is past 12 it’s almost too much? The low end on the sustain improves and my weaker strings sound bigger but I notice I loose some punch on the attack. That normal?

yes, i think so...........

 

[The_Owl]

So what are these artefacts people are talking about? What should I listen after when I get my X7?

 

[johnk_10]

So what are these artefacts people are talking about? What should I listen after when I get my X7?

fizzy distortion in the background of the clean low channel when running it with anything lower than a 9.6 volt power supply.

 

[The_Owl]

fizzy distortion in the background of the clean low channel when running it with anything lower than a 9.6 volt power supply.

Thanks. Luckily my PSU is switchable to 12v, so I shouldn't have any issues. The X7 can handle up to 18, IIRC?

 

[AdamR]

Im going to have to try mine at 18V. I can only do 9 or 18 with my Voodoo labs.

 

[Stepdice]

fizzy distortion in the background of the clean low channel when running it with anything lower than a 9.6 volt power supply.

Does this occur on the X as well, or only the X7?

 

[johnk_10]

Does this occur on the X as well, or only the X7?

i don't know, i replaced my X with my second X7.

 

[12bass]

i don't know, i replaced my X with my second X7.

Does this mean the X7 can cover everything the X can and more?

 

[johnk_10]

Does this mean the X7 can cover everything the X can and more?

IMO, yes.

 

[Darkglass]

Thanks. Luckily my PSU is switchable to 12v, so I shouldn't have any issues. The X7 can handle up to 18, IIRC?

Yup!

 

[The_Owl]

It's here!

 

[The_Owl]

My quick review:

Best. Pedal. EVER.

Now, I'm not a religious man, but plugging in the X7 for the first time was a spiritual experience. Seriously. I dunno what kind of magic you have brewing in Finland, @Darkglass, but the X7? It flat out crushed every expectation I had of it - and those were already extremely high. Major kudos. This is exactly what I've always wanted in a drive pedal. That fat, low end character that only a bass and amp creates along with a heavenly distortion circuit that gives you everything from tube grit to full blown insanity.

And yes, that is a Super Symmetry in the background.

 

[Joey Perron]

Hey Doug will there be a Microtubes X7 Ultra or a X pedal with a cab sim on the DI out?

 

[gregmon79]

Hey Doug will there be a Microtubes X7 Ultra or a X pedal with a cab sim on the DI out?

You can bet money there will be if DG history has taught us anything.