Would love to check out the MXR. I've had the OC-2 for 15+ years or so (used, beatup but still keeps on ticking) - sounds funky especially for deep mid register grooves but I found lower note tracking to leave something to be desired. I thought I could fill that void when I picked up the EBS Octabss last year but it just ain't so. So unless there is another option to consider looks like I'm picking up the MXR and give it go.
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MXR M288 Bass Octave Dx Review
- Thread starter Chronicle
- Start date
I'd say they're both the same, which isn't very long, but that's an analog octaver.
I have been a OC-2 user from years past and this pedal gets as good a synthy tone and tracks better. I was usng it with my Status S-2 into a 360+ pre into a Berg IP-112.
Just a side note: I really got carried away with this pedal at a loud rehearsal this weekend and blew the speaker in my IP-112 (guess I wasn't that familar with the Growl and thought it was the pedal's distortion rather that the speaker bottoming out) but it is an impressive pedal...just need to learn it at home rather than trying to learn it at a rehearsal (good thing I wasn't on a gig).
Hello Jim...aaaah can you help me with a repair
Just a side note: I really got carried away with this pedal at a loud rehearsal this weekend and blew the speaker in my IP-112 (guess I wasn't that familar with the Growl and thought it was the pedal's distortion rather that the speaker bottoming out) but it is an impressive pedal...just need to learn it at home rather than trying to learn it at a rehearsal (good thing I wasn't on a gig).
Hello Jim...aaaah can you help me with a repair
i picked one up it and doesn't track very well with my active thumb bass or active pbass deluxe. there's a noticeable delay and warble. using the "bass" input of my oc3, the tracking seems much more steady. i'll play around with it some more, but it looks back to the oc-3 for me.
Clips! Clips! Clips!
+1 for sure! I'd definitely like to hear clips from other people. Mine is scheduled to be here tomorrow, so I'll spend a little time with it and get some clips up as well!
5sg.
Hey 5sg, do you have much experience with analog octavers? I appreciate all the clips so far, but what I've really been waiting for is a long time octave user (OC-2, Octabass, BSW whatever) who has a good feel for how to play using one.
Most important for me personally, I'd like to hear someone who has clean technique with the 1 octave soloed on another octaver who can provide clips/compare the tone for me.
Me too. If this pedal can give me as good a synthy sound as the OC-2, but without the volume drop when I have the octave soloed, I'd buy it right now!
Unfortunately, my Octabass is my first single-effect octaver, so there are probably others out there with more analog octave experience. I've only recently (in the last 1 1/2 years or so) switched from multi- to single effects. Before the EBS, I was using the octaver in my Digitech BP-8, before that was a Korg Toneworks AX-1B and a Zoom 506 when I first started playing. I've never had a chance to play an OC-2 
and only briefly messed around with an OC-3 at GC, which doesn't really count. lol
As far as the Octabass goes, I've never had any issues with tracking other than what seems to be "analog octaver standard" where it starts breaking up when you get to the lower notes on the E-string.
I'm definitely looking forward to doing a good A/B comparison with the Octabass. My M-288 comes in tomorrow, so I should have some good clips up by this weekend. (I know, I know... lol. But I have a day job and am tied up Wed and Thurs nights) If you guys have any other specific settings on either pedal that you want to hear, let me know.
5sg.
and only briefly messed around with an OC-3 at GC, which doesn't really count. lol As far as the Octabass goes, I've never had any issues with tracking other than what seems to be "analog octaver standard" where it starts breaking up when you get to the lower notes on the E-string.
I'm definitely looking forward to doing a good A/B comparison with the Octabass. My M-288 comes in tomorrow, so I should have some good clips up by this weekend. (I know, I know... lol. But I have a day job and am tied up Wed and Thurs nights) If you guys have any other specific settings on either pedal that you want to hear, let me know.
5sg.
The Fedex Fairy stopped by today... I'm looking forward to A/B'ing with my Octabass. Will get clips up A.S.A.P. 
5sg.
5sg.
As per request: Staccato playing -100% wet through Devi Ever BIT. First, both controls on 100%. Long pause - Growl only, and then Girth.
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7560552
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7560552
+1, I know Chron only did it by request but it doesn't make me want the MXR or the bit
Okay, I finally had some time to sit down and do a review/record some clips with my M-288, sorry for the delay! Chronicle did a good job with Growl vs. Girth and various settings, so I focused more on comparing the MXR with my EBS Octabass directly, with my favorite settings on both pedals.
Build
Both pedals are built very solidly built and I don't worry about having either one on my pedalboard. The knobs on both pedals feel solid and rotate smoothly, the switches have the same stiff "clack" when you step on them and the jacks on both pedals are nice and tight. The EBS is heavier, but the MXR definitely doesn't feel wimpy. I like the finish on the M-288 better, but I like blue and it sparkles. (finish isn't that important of course, it's really about sound)
Features
By now, almost everyone probably knows these two pedals, but I'll do it anyway... Both pedals are really easy to use. The EBS has two knobs (Normal and Octave) with a Range switch, the MXR has three knobs (Dry, Growl and Girth) with a MID switch. The range switch on the EBS controls the mid voicing, the MID switch on the MXR boosts low/low-mid frequencies (selectable between 400Hz/750Hz) from +4 to 14 decibels.
Sound
I'll start by saying that both pedals have a great sound. Now for a little more in-depth...
EBS - To my ears, the Octabass seems slightly compressed when compared to the MXR. At the same time though, this makes the Octabass seem a bit smoother. The Range switch varies up the voicing of the Octave a bit and the Low setting adds an absolutely HUGE low end sound. I typically leave it on the Mid setting, which seems the most natural when compared to the Octabass's dry sound. The Octabass is better at a "wet only" sound for a bit of synth fun.
MXR - The MXR's MID switch makes a WORLD of difference. Without it, the M-288 has a good beefy octave sound (as expected), but with the MID switch on, it adds an awesome midrange punch that all the difference and really helps cut through the mix. It seems like the wet controls on the MXR aren't meant to be soloed because they seem a little weak on their own.
Tracking - Both pedals got the active/passive bass treatment and seemed to track the same with each. On average, the EBS tracked pretty well down to about A on the E string (an occasional blip here or there, but nothing persistent, you'll hear it in the EBS tracking clip) and started having trouble below that. This isn't that big of a deal for me since I make a habit of playing higher on the neck when I use octave. The MXR tracked better, consistently tracking down to low F# on the E string. I didn't have any problems with blips like I did on the Octabass.
Verdict
For me, the MXR wins. The MID switch is what really does it for me... It gives the BOD more attitude and cuts through the mix better, but the dry/octave sounds can still blend nicely if you leave it off. You'll hear from the recording that the MXR isn't too much different than the EBS, but through my rig, it's different enough to have earned it a spot on my board replacing the EBS. It's the MXR's subtle differences that make it a winner. Plus it's blue. And sparkly.
My favorite M-288 setting: Dry @ 5:00, Growl @ 2:00, Girth @ 4:00 with the MID switch on @ 750Hz (of course
)
By the way... Doug Johns was at the Rocky Mountain Bass Slam this weekend, and he was using an M-288. It sounded incredible and he IS incredible.
Hope this all helps!
5sg.
And now, the clips:
MXR M-288 vs. EBS Octabass
(clean, MXR without MID, MXR with MID, EBS)
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7574511
A note: The groove I played in these clips crosses between the A and D strings, you can hear the frequencies where the MID switch really kicks in even between strings in the third section of this clip.
MXR Tracking
(on E-string, C# (9th fret), down by 1/2 steps)
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7574522
EBS Tracking
(on E-string, C# (9th fret), down by 1/2 steps)
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7574518
Build
Both pedals are built very solidly built and I don't worry about having either one on my pedalboard. The knobs on both pedals feel solid and rotate smoothly, the switches have the same stiff "clack" when you step on them and the jacks on both pedals are nice and tight. The EBS is heavier, but the MXR definitely doesn't feel wimpy. I like the finish on the M-288 better, but I like blue and it sparkles.
(finish isn't that important of course, it's really about sound)Features
By now, almost everyone probably knows these two pedals, but I'll do it anyway... Both pedals are really easy to use. The EBS has two knobs (Normal and Octave) with a Range switch, the MXR has three knobs (Dry, Growl and Girth) with a MID switch. The range switch on the EBS controls the mid voicing, the MID switch on the MXR boosts low/low-mid frequencies (selectable between 400Hz/750Hz) from +4 to 14 decibels.
Sound
I'll start by saying that both pedals have a great sound. Now for a little more in-depth...
EBS - To my ears, the Octabass seems slightly compressed when compared to the MXR. At the same time though, this makes the Octabass seem a bit smoother. The Range switch varies up the voicing of the Octave a bit and the Low setting adds an absolutely HUGE low end sound. I typically leave it on the Mid setting, which seems the most natural when compared to the Octabass's dry sound. The Octabass is better at a "wet only" sound for a bit of synth fun.
MXR - The MXR's MID switch makes a WORLD of difference. Without it, the M-288 has a good beefy octave sound (as expected), but with the MID switch on, it adds an awesome midrange punch that all the difference and really helps cut through the mix. It seems like the wet controls on the MXR aren't meant to be soloed because they seem a little weak on their own.
Tracking - Both pedals got the active/passive bass treatment and seemed to track the same with each. On average, the EBS tracked pretty well down to about A on the E string (an occasional blip here or there, but nothing persistent, you'll hear it in the EBS tracking clip) and started having trouble below that. This isn't that big of a deal for me since I make a habit of playing higher on the neck when I use octave. The MXR tracked better, consistently tracking down to low F# on the E string. I didn't have any problems with blips like I did on the Octabass.
Verdict
For me, the MXR wins. The MID switch is what really does it for me... It gives the BOD more attitude and cuts through the mix better, but the dry/octave sounds can still blend nicely if you leave it off. You'll hear from the recording that the MXR isn't too much different than the EBS, but through my rig, it's different enough to have earned it a spot on my board replacing the EBS. It's the MXR's subtle differences that make it a winner. Plus it's blue. And sparkly.
My favorite M-288 setting: Dry @ 5:00, Growl @ 2:00, Girth @ 4:00 with the MID switch on @ 750Hz (of course
)By the way... Doug Johns was at the Rocky Mountain Bass Slam this weekend, and he was using an M-288. It sounded incredible and he IS incredible.
Hope this all helps!
5sg.
And now, the clips:
MXR M-288 vs. EBS Octabass
(clean, MXR without MID, MXR with MID, EBS)
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7574511
A note: The groove I played in these clips crosses between the A and D strings, you can hear the frequencies where the MID switch really kicks in even between strings in the third section of this clip.
MXR Tracking
(on E-string, C# (9th fret), down by 1/2 steps)
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7574522
EBS Tracking
(on E-string, C# (9th fret), down by 1/2 steps)
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7574518
Isn't the Growl knob (left on MXR) supposed to imitate the sound of the OCT 1 knob (right on Boss)? The Girth knob (right on MXR), which you are referring to as the smooth octave, is supposed to imitate the EBS. So you are saying the Girth knob sounds like the OCT 1 knob?
It doesn't make sense to compare the OCT 2 (left on Boss) to the one octave below knobs on the MXR. A -1 octave would clearly sound different than a -2 octave.
I just got mine in! Haven't lit it up yet...but I will tonight!
you'll be very glad you bought it!
