Line 6 MM4

The MM-4 by Line 6 is actually a modeler of several different famous modulation pedals of the past, along with a few modern ideas thrown in. The pedal features models of 16 different modulation effects. The pedal has four footswitches for four presets which can have values changed in real-time via an outboard expression pedal. Stereo ins and outs are provided for a full stereo sound when using multiple amps. This particular model is a floor based unit, however Line 6 did come out with a rackmounted version. The MM4 can be powered by battery but is best powered by an external power supply.

UTILIZATION

Hooking up the pedal is fairly simple. There are stereo inputs and outputs so if you’re using it in mono with one guitar and amp be sure to plug into the mono input and output. Editing the sounds can be a little tricky on the MM4 without the use of the manual, however Line 6 includes two stickers for the pedal to help you along. The pedal has your basic modulation knobs (Speed, Depth, and Mix) but also includes a Tweek and a Tweez knob that change different parameters depending on what pedal you are modeling. It’s nice that the pedal is tweakable, but this can get confusing if you don’t use the pedal often, so keep those stickers. Overall, the pedal is pretty well laid out and easy to use. Basically you just tweak the knobs until you find a sound you like, hold down on a preset button for a few seconds until the LED blinks and you’ve stored your sound to that footswitch. Basic usage is simple, but to get into all of what this pedal can do it is best to read the manual.



SOUND QUALITY

I am not overly impressed with this pedal the way I am with the DL-4. It is a good idea and I love the layout and functions but I feel this pedal falls short in the sound department. There are a couple choruses and a phaser that sound decent, but the other models sound very processed and digital, in a bad way. The tremolo and rotary sounds are especially disappointing. If you are looking for a warm analog sounding modulation you would better off looking elsewhere. Line 6 was able to get some great analog sounding delays packed into the DL-4 but, there is just something very digital sounding about this pedal which can be useful for some applications. There is also a significant drop in the volume when I use this in the loop of different amps.

OVERALL OPINION

Overall I think Line 6 had a good thing going with this pedal but fell short. I like the idea of the layout and I love my DL-4 but there is just something lacking in the sound and it is very digital and unnatural. Some people may like that and find it usable. There is also a definite drop in volume when engaged in my rig, although there are aftermarket modifications to remedy this. I feel this pedal is too large to keep on my board for the few good sounds it produces and that my money would have been better spent on a few separate pedals instead of an all in one unit. Great idea, bad execution.

Available Models:
• Opto Tremolo
• Bias Tremolo
• Phaser
• Dual Phaser
• Panned Phaser
• U-Vibe
• Rotary Drum
• Rotary Drum & Horn
• Analog Flanger
• Jet Flanger
• Analog Chorus
• Dimension
• Tri Chorus
• Pitch Vibrato
• Ring Modulator
• Panner


MM4 Specifications
Digital Effects 16
Factory Presets 20
User Programmable Channels 4
Controls Effect Selector, Speed, Depth, Tweak, Tweez, Mix
Additional Controls EX-1 Expression Pedal (optional)
Mono/ Stereo Stereo in/ Stereo out
Chassis Color Blue
Dimensions Length: 10-inches/25.4 cm; Width/Depth: 6-inches/15.24 cm; Height: 2.375-inches; Weight: 3.1 lbs

UTILIZATION

This pedal is a dream modulation pedal. It gets a ton of great sounds, can save presets and recall them easily, and has a lot of tweakability. Stereo ins and outs help a ton with routing options. The manual is very clear in detailing the operation of the unit, so no worries about getting into a stompbox that's too deep to swim with. For an added bonus of fun, use an expression pedal with the MM4!

SOUND QUALITY

This unit sounds great. I'm only giving it a 9 because I've heard some mods done on them that sound better than stock from the factory. So the pedal CAN potentially sound better, but it's really great to begin with. My favorite setting is based on the Flying Pan from Ibanez - it can pan between two amps, and with an expression pedal, the speed of the panning can be changed from slow to fast - it resembles a good Leslie effect, and sounds absolutely killer. The other rotary effects are great, and the Univibe is not bad. The choruses are rich and lush! Stereo is not required here, but again, it makes the sounds so much more full.

OVERALL OPINION

The MM4 is one of the best modulation effects yet released in the music world. It can do a lot of great sounds, and the ease of use is second to none. Being able to program 4 patches and recall them at any time definitely helps make this legendary pedal a big winner. Highly recommended.

The Line 6 MM4 is a modulation modeler that digitally simulates 16 classic modulation effects including choruses, phasers, tremolos, rotary speaker/Leslie, flanger, and others. These can all be edited with the on-board controls and saved to one of four memory banks. Both the inputs and outputs are stereo (plug into the Left side for mono). This pedal is not rack mountable (unless it is put in a drawer), but Line 6 made this unit in a rack effect.

UTILIZATION

Editing and saving the effects could not be any easier. Select the bank you want to save the effect to, select the effect, dial in the settings for the effect, then press and hold the bank button where you want to recall the effect until in blinks and you are done. The manual for this pedal is excellent. It gives a little history on the modulation pedal or effect the MM4 is replicating, and gives example settings and a description of how the controls work for each effect.

SOUND QUALITY

I have only ever used this pedal with my electric guitars. The effects I use the most on the MM4 are the Tri-Chorus, Phase 90, Leslie, and rotary speaker. This pedal works best in front of the amp and before distortion pedals. When I have used this pedal in the effects loop the guitar tone sounds overly processed.

OVERALL OPINION

The best thing about the MM4 is the convenience of having 16 different effects in one easy to use to pedal. The most unfortunate thing about the MM4 is that you can only use one effect at a time. It would be nice to have the option to use a chorus and a phaser simultaneously, but in no way do I believe this is a deal breaker for the pedal. The MM4 is a more than adequate substitute for many of the effects it models. Even if you use only 4 of the 16 effects, the pedal is a better bargain than buying 4 individual pedals to produce those same effects. Are the MM4 effects IDENTICAL to the original effects they are replicating? No, but they are VERY good imitations.

The Line 6 MM4 is a modulation effect modeling guitar pedal. It has two 1/4 inch inputs and outputs and also has an output for an expression pedal, which isn't necessary with the MM4. The Line 6 MM4 is not a rack mountable piece of gear as it is a stomp box.

UTILIZATION

The configuration of the Line 6 MM4 is pretty easy to follow, but does take a little bit of time to understand all the ins and outs simply because there is a lot going on here. There are 16 different modeling settings ranging from all different types of flangers, rotarys, phasers, choruses, and tremolos, in addition to a panner, a ring modulator, and a vibrato. As you can tell, pretty much all of the modulation effects you can think of are covered here and each is modeled after another stomp box or effect. There are four switches that you can save your own presets on by holding each one down while you've got the sound you like. There is then five knobs for controlling the sound of each setting, and each does different things depending on which setting you are on. For this reason the manual comes in very handy as it will outline what each knob does on each setting.

SOUND QUALITY

The sound quality of the Line 6 MM4 is pretty good, but nothing is too far above average in my opinion. While its certainly nice to have this many different modulation effects in one box, only a handful of the effects really stand out for me. I've only used this pedal with guitar although it would work fine for any electronic instrument. The sounds on here are probably best suited for live shows when you don't want to use five or six different stomp boxes at once, but for recording I would much prefer to use individual pedals as they have a much high sound quality than the MM4.

OVERALL OPINION

I've been using the Line 6 MM4 for about three or four years and it is a perfect pedal for live shows, and is not so perfect for recording in my opinion. The price of the Line 6 MM4 isn't too expensive and will certainly save you money if you are looking for all of these sounds. While I do like most of the products that Line 6 puts out, the Line 6 MM4 isn't one of my favorites in this line, as I think the sound quality could be a bit higher. However, taking into account the versatility of this pedal and its reasonable price, this is overall a good buy.