• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

MXR M82 Envelope Filter gets lost in the mix

PluckyThump

PluckyThump

Jan 4, 2008
1,054
239
The Hammer
#1
I've found with my M82 that if I set to unity gain I drop out of the mix when playing with the band. I have to crank the gain so that it's way louder than unity to hear it with band. Anyone else notice this? Also I have to dime the sensitivity knob and beat the bass hard to get a good high quack out of it. I'm beginning to wonder if I should continue to put up with it or find another filter. Thing is I only use it on one song with the band so it's hard to justify shelling out a lot of dough for a filter.

My settings are FX and DRY both around 2 o'clock, SENS dimed, Q at 2 o'clock and DECAY at 3 o'clock. Am I missing something? Is there a magic setting that makes it jump out of the mix?
 
#3
Also, make sure you're not cutting any treble coming out of your bass. I've noticed similarly that the M82 seems to go muddy fast if you're not giving it plenty of the higher frequencies or if you lower the sensitivity. But I haven't played with mine all that much lately, doing a lot more rock and not having as much call for it as I did when I got it.
 
#4
I'm guessing your problem with the effect not being pronounced enough lies in your decay setting. I have seen demos on YouTube where they'll tell you that the decay knob on the M82 is the duration of the filter sweep. This is utter nonsense. Per the MXR manual that comes with the pedal, the decay knob sets the stop frequency of the filter sweep. So, if you have it past 12:00, you are only using an upper portion of the pedal's potential sweep range. Try setting the decay around 9:00, and the Q around 11:00. Dry and wet mix to your liking.

As far as the sensitivity is concerned, this is entirely dependent on the output of your bass. I play an active bass, so I've never had an issue. But it also may be that you had that sweep range set so shallow with your decay setting that your triggering is really fine, but you're just not hearing the full sweep of the filter.

Hope that helps. BTW, I have NEVER had a problem with this effect disappearing in the mix... if anything it's more of a challenge to tame it so it's not too in-your-face. Given the love the pedal gets here at TB, I gotta figure there's a setting in there that will make you happy.

Have fun!
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back