MXR M80 anyone tried one

[Skezza]

MXR M80 di  has anyone tried one are they any good?

[Defo]

I've had one a few years, perfectly capable DI and also a good eq, nice parametric mids. Some basses just sound better with it on.

[ezbass]

Built like a tank, good EQ. I found the distortion a bit too aggressive for my tastes and struggled to get a good tone with the effect switched on. But for clean, worked a treat. I only changed it out for a Tech21 VTDI because I preferred the mid voicing, but it also turns out that the distortion/overdrive is more to my taste (although not separately switchable ).

[dudewheresmybass]

I’ve been using one for close to 15 years. 
I first bought it secondhand to use as a Di for am amp less rig, and is still going strong ( although I have replaced one of the footswitches)
it did the job admirably. The eq I found to be very musical, and the distortion when used carefully sounded great using the blend. 
I very much prefer to use it over the other pres that I own. 

 

[lemmywinks]

Used one for years as a DI, boost and drive. Liked combining the drive with other pedals as you can retain a lot of your clean signal with it and end up with some really beefy but still cutting sounds. Was immense when paired with a Mastotron - massive dirty low end with that edge the M80 does so well.

 

Sold it as I just play clean now and wanted a more versatile pre with a tuner.

[krispn]

I was just chatting about this unit earlier. I preferred it over the sansamp BDDI as I found the MXR to suit what I was doing better. Paired with a jazz it sounded great with a hint of drive, had a good eq and paired well with my drive pedals at the time. 
I’m relying on a tone hammer as my go to eq unit but it’s a different voicing to the M80 with the TH a more vintage overall ‘flavour’.

[Lozz196]

I found the MXR to be much less coloured in the sound, unlike the Tech21 products. Which is why at the time I didn’t keep hold of it.

[krispn]

2 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

I found the MXR to be much less coloured in the sound, unlike the Tech21 products. Which is why at the time I didn’t keep hold of it.

I think that’s why I liked it. I guess some like that BDDI tone as it is ‘that’ tone. I found I could integrate the M80 more easily into what I was doing and make it more prominent if I wanted it to be. If I wanted the BDDI to be less prominent I had to switch it off 😀 

Just depends what ones sonic goal is but both good units and will last a lifetime. 

[dodge_bass]

On 04/03/2020 at 17:08, Skezza said:

MXR M80 di  has anyone tried one are they any good?

I've got two...they're very clean but do a great job, small footprint too. I tend to keep mine as a backup DI as I prefer a warmer tube-ier sound these days but very impressed by them. They're always the DI's I recommend to my bass students as a good starting point for when they're thinking about their signal chain. You can't go wrong with one of these.

[Lozz196]

12 hours ago, krispn said:

I think that’s why I liked it. I guess some like that BDDI tone as it is ‘that’ tone. I found I could integrate the M80 more easily into what I was doing and make it more prominent if I wanted it to be. If I wanted the BDDI to be less prominent I had to switch it off 😀 

Just depends what ones sonic goal is but both good units and will last a lifetime. 

Agree, at the moment for what I’m doing the non-colouring of the sound would make the MXR ideal.

[Skezza]

Thanks for all the replies guys.  I was thinking of carrying one as a backup DI.  Most gigs I play i use a Genz Benz shuttle 6

or the genx benz 3T.  But would like to try using a DI 

I play in two bands, bass in one six string guitar in the other.  I DI my guitar into the PA and have done for a few years.

I will look out for one

[Cosmo Valdemar]

I used one back in my Spector days. A wonderful combination.  Not sure why I sold it, if I'm honest. 

[fretmeister]

If it is clean you want then the smaller M81 is very very very annoyingly clean.

I never use mine without some sort of warmer-upper.

Maybe I need to trade for something else!  

Edited March 9, 2020 by fretmeister

[ClassicVibes]

The clean section is good.

The drive section is good for hard rock and metal but definitely not just a hint of valvey goodness. 

But the worst thing? The colour button auto engaging when you hit the drive section!

Hence, I would just buy the M81. 

[jimbartlett]

I agree with the colour auto engage. That aside I really like the pedal and tend to run the drive always on. I bump the mids up to about 3 o’clock to compensate the colour, gain down to minimum, blend about 9 o’clock. Both switches engaged. Sounds great to my ears. Just a little taste of bite.

[Skezza]

Thanks for all those

[jimbartlett]

Just a quick update. I’ve been in the recording studio the last few days. The engineer took a studio DI and also a DI from my M80. After the second song he stopped using the studio DI as said the MXR was better 👍🏼

[Skezza]

thanks