MXR M80 Bass D.I. +

The MXR M80 Bass D.I. + is both a standard direct input box and also offers up a variety of extra features that makes it seem more like a pedal than a DI box.  The unit has 1/4 inch connections that includes a standard input and output and a direct output as well as a parallel output.  This isn't a rack mountable piece of gear as it is a stomp box.

UTILIZATION

Using the MXR M80 Bass D.I. + isn't hard at all as it is pretty straight ahead in terms of the parameters that it has to offer.  The unit has a clean volume knob as well as a section for distortion that includes parameters for volume, blend, trigger, and gain.  The box also has EQ knobs for bass, mid, and treble as well as a variety of situations including phantom power, color, and gate.  This is pretty much all that there is to the box and unless you are a beginner, I don't think that a manual is necessary.


SOUND QUALITY

The sound quality of the MXR M80 Bass D.I. + is about average.  While it will give you a pretty clean sound if you aren't using the distortion, the distortion doesn't have a realistic sound in my opinion.  The EQ is helpful but isn't the cleanest sounding one in the world.  While this is probably designed for use in the studio, I think that it works better for live shows as you can get away with a little bit more and the extra parameters are more useful in a live show setting.  I don't think that this is best sounding DI box/effect pedal, but it is usable and does offer a good amount of versatility.


OVERALL OPINION

While I don't own the MXR M80 Bass D.I. +, a friend of mine in my band owned this and used it for live shows and it was pretty helpful to have as a DI box on the stage.  Having the built in effects and provides a variety of options and features that are handy for bass players on the stage.  I wouldn't use this in a studio however as I don't think that the signal is clean enough to put on tape.  The price of the MXR M80 Bass D.I. + is reasonable, but again I would only recommend looking into it if you are a bass player looking for a DI box to use on stage.

- This pedal has an analog circuit, top quality.
- A switch to activate another for distortion, so you can if you need to use that distortion pedal. Note that when the effect is set to completely flat, even enabled it is quite clear, as if it was not lit.
- A gate button, which activates an adjustable noise gate but only for the distortion knob with the "trigger" (not necessarily innate in the beginning, we need to know). Note that it is very well designed, I'm not a fan of the gates but it worked great and is very discreet.
- A button "phantom ground" that provides power to the pedal when it is connected to the console XLR with 48V phantom power supply, of course.
- 1 XLR output, 1 output jack, and a third parallel output without effect, ie bypass. Useful.
- And finally, my favorite, the magical "color" button, which made me opt for this pedal. It is a kind of "mid scoop", which inflates his digging mediums and boosting bass and treble.

UTILIZATION

The configuration is simple, I did not dwell on the manual as it has become clear principle. It is easy to find your clean sound, maybe a little less with the distortion that deserved a more tone setting because it eats a little too low. I would have preferred a more versatile therefore less aggressive overdrive, distortion and not strictly speaking. Only flaw that he has found, for this reason I put 8/10.

SOUND QUALITY

Let's get right to the point, it is huge, from my point of view anyway. Same set flat, I press the switch "color", and magical, I direct the sound I'm looking for! Its a super heated, well rounded, well dug and accurate. The analog circuit has much in sound quality! The équalo responds perfectly, it is clean, even with a lot of treble that does not scream, the associated frequencies are well chosen (60Hz / 850Hz / 4khz). End of the chain on my pedalboard, it enhances the signal loss, sculpts and corrects the final, especially with the color switch it provided the final as through my favorite amp, but WITHOUT amp! I finally MON his ideal, which just fits on my pedalboard. I performed all tests on a HK sound good quality, as well as my studio monitors completely transparent, so effective testing and no surprises later! I do not talk much about the distortion, because I have a little trouble taming. I find it too cold and difficult to resolve because there is only the gain and signal balance clean / distortion, the volume changing nothing in grain. But beware, this is a distortion not an overdrive, fuzz, etc.. It is probably for this reason that I do not catch, I never really liked the distortion effect in itself, whatever the brand. Suddenly, the saturated and settled with clean and gain balance to zero, and I play only on the volume for me to use it as clean boost, which eventually turns super efficient channel. Note that the color switch is still committed to the channel distortion; So there are many possibilities of sound between the 2 channels even cut distortion.

OVERALL OPINION

I used a loan in local rehearsal for several months, and I finally buy me one. For me it is just necessary, I can play without my amp by finding the same sound. Suddenly live, more surprises on the front, this is the same sound worked well, unlike the basic sound engineers-its make available and only a signal processing "flat" DI. Big sound guaranteed with MXR, without touching anything else! Same to save, share with you a very good grounding in the mix that makes everything else. If you love the color and sound of the DI, it is a winner on all counts. For me it is a very important asset logistics, able to switch from one amp and just have a briefcase pedalboard and low transport, what happiness. So much so that I fumbled repeatedly sell my amp.

Technology a priori analog transistor, this pedal is a kind of preamp / direct box / distortion.
Input jack, output jack classical parallel (no effect) and XLR to send to a mixing desk.

UTILIZATION

Very easy to use because it is very clear, this pedal does not require long time to operate correctly. All settings are available on the above, it is very instinctive, which is useful for live use that has motivated me to purchase.

SOUND QUALITY

The "preamp" which in the end is a rather equalizer is effective, "color" button to bring out the bass through any mix has a special EQ preset and can not be modified.
The distortion part is, even the relatively low gain, rather beefy, not nice crunch or overdrive here ... that's why we call it a distortion
The gate is very effective and cuts noise so truly effective and never cutting sustain involuntarily, almost a shame that this option is only active distortion engaged, I wish I could alleviate fuzz with upstream.

OVERALL OPINION

Strong, flexible, efficient, this pedal simply took the place of an amp for me on stage. Bizarre? Perhaps, but as anyway I did not afford me an amp "lamp", and the 9/10emme times the sound engineer takes before the amp with a DI, here at least DI is made for bass. And as I doubt that many preamp amp transistor are inherently better than tables mix sound engineer, I save back with this pedal that allows me to sound like I want (in this case, the engineer its a must my EQ, which is not the case taken before amp). In short, this little box is my Swiss Army knife that I carry everywhere and does it well!

Bass preamp pedal format with a built-channel distortion, with a XLR direct output and one output parallel
9v mains or battery power supply and 48v phantom using a mixer (very handy)

Side settings, it has a 3 band eq unique
For the clean channel volume and switch "color" that is rumbling low mids.
For channel distortion volume, the blend (mix clean / overdrive sound)
if you use a trigger locks the gate to reduce the breath of distortion when not playing and then the gain to assay the level of distortion.

UTILIZATION

Usage is very simple, I did not need the manual. It takes more or less time to tweak its settings, particularly if used in groups. Examples are provided with adjustment, it's little help to begin with. Otherwise an input an output jack for a conventional pedal.

SOUND QUALITY

In his clear and without incurring the button color, the sound of the instrument is respected. The equalizer does its job, then 3-band parametric necessarily a less versatile. Still in its clear, if we use the color you end up with the big rock well and personally apart from all its features I think it's the great thing about this pedal. For the distortion channel blend is very useful because all distortions as it is heavy on bass, so no dedicated eq must gain the right mix / blend to avoid losing too much bass.
The noise gate is effective, but it does not generate too much wind either.
The XLR output is good, it lacks a volume control or attenuator (-15db such as on a lot of DI) but for the price ...
The phantom power is very well regarded, for rehearsals I alimentais like that before having a pedalboard, and we appreciate not lugging the transformer.
Another plus for this pedal, when using color mode and that you put other disto upstream, it can inflate the bass to be very heavy and have a good presence.

OVERALL OPINION

Used for about two years, for its price it is frankly excellent. As usual for a larger budget we find the best equipment, but for 160 € frankly are not new photo. Not had any problems with just a switch that unscrewing it a little, we saw nothing unusual at the foot switches, turning the key and talk about it more. Overall I am very satisfied, so if it all over again, I would resume the carefree.