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MXR M80 Bass Distortionplay button

MXR M80 Bass Distortion

MXR

collapse expand iconDescription

The MXR M-80 bass direct box with distortion is a powerful preamp and distortion stompbox that puts total control of your bass tone at your feet. With dedicated clean and overdrive channels, a 3-band EQ and professional-level routing options, the M-80 is built to handle any gig. MXR's M-80 is perfect for wedding bands, rock shows, studio sessions or anything in between.

Shape Your Sound With Flexible EQ and Distortion

The M-80 gives you crystal-clear tone or saturated overdrive at the flip of a switch. Dial in the perfect amount of full-frequency distortion with dedicated gain, volume, blend and trigger knobs. For pristine cleans, the 3-band EQ provides tight control of lows, mids and highs. A color button adds warmth and dimension to both channels. With so much tone-crafting power, you'll always achieve the sound you're after.

Silence Noise Between Notes With Onboard Noise Gate

Unwanted noise won't harsh your mellow thanks to the M-80's built-in noise gate. Click on the gate button to mute hum, buzz and other interference when you're not playing. The gate automatically tracks your dynamics, opening as soon as you start slapping, picking or plucking and closing tight when you stop. With the noise gate engaged, your signal remains clean and focused.

Route Your Way to the Perfect Setup

The M-80 provides XLR direct out, parallel out and amp out jacks for maximum routing flexibility. Send a balanced, studio-ready signal straight to the board via the XLR out, while also driving your amp or cabinet. Use the parallel out to create custom blends by mixing the M-80's signal with other effects or preamps. With professional-grade routing options built right in, the M-80 seamlessly integrates into any live or studio setup.

Take Control of Your Low-End

Compact yet fully-loaded, the MXR M-80 bass direct preamp and distortion stompbox packs everything you need to shape and route bass tone for any application. Experience the difference professional tone shaping and routing can make to your sound.

MXR M-80 Bass Direct Box with Distortion
MXR M-80 Bass Direct Box with Distortion
MXR M-80 Bass Direct Box with Distortion

collapse expand iconFeatures

  • Distortion channel with gain, volume, and blend controls
  • Color knob
  • 3-band EQ
  • Phantom power
  • 1/4" and XLR outs
  • Parallel output jack

collapse expand iconWarranty

All pedals - one year parts and labor warranty.

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collapse expand iconReviews

4.5

24 Reviews

71%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend

18524232201

Most Liked Positive Review

5

A very flexible tool to have

I've had this for over a month now and I think it is a great tool. I had A-B'd it against the SANSAMP BASS DI at Guitar Center, spent about an hour fiddling with both of them. In the end, I was much happier with the MXR because of the variety of sounds that I can get out of it, whether clean or with distortion. Also, it has more flexibility because of the 2 channels and the noise gate. And it it costs less to boot. I play in cover bands and I need to be a bass chameleon, this box really helps me add more flavors of sound. With the clean channel, I can accentuate the sound of my bass when I need to, tweaking on the tone knobs as needed. With the distortion on, I can dial in a controlled distortion for Geddy Lee sound, more top end for Incubus, and muted fat cigar smoking distortion like RATM. Nice and compact and solid.

VS

Most Liked Negative Review

2

buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Whenever I turn on this pedal, distortion or not it sounds like someone just woke up a beehive, The actual clean sound is pretty good but when you really dig into the pups it starts to make that pop sound louder which is a big issue for me at least, (shouldn't be due to volume increase) when the distortion is on, there's even more buzz AND it's a very bad distortion. The distortion also doesn't have a wide range of sounds and is only really usable at minimum gain and the blend knob almost all the way back, just get an OD , and an EQ pedal, trust me.

Filters
Best Uses
  1. Performances6
  2. Professional Recording3
  3. Amateur Recording2
  4. Home Studio2
  5. Outdoor Events / Games1
Cons
  1. Poor Sound Quality1
  2. Radio bleed1
Describe Yourself
  1. Experienced5
  2. Professional Musician2
  3. Novice1
Pros
  1. Excellent Sound Quality6
  2. Compact4
  3. Versatile4
  4. Responsive2
  5. Good Selection Of Effects1

Reviewed by 24 customers

  • Awesome MXR M 80 bass direct box

    5

    Verified BuyerVerified Buyer

    submitteda year ago

    byNoel

    fromSioux Falls SD

    Submitted as part of a sweepstakes

    Another great effects pedal from MXR! This direct box is very versatile and compact, so I can easily find room to fit it on my pedal board. It is loaded with features like distortion and clean channels, three band eq, phantom power, and noise gate, input and outputs.

  • Go-To for 8 Years

    5

    submitted2 years ago

    byZach

    fromTowson, MD

    I've had this box on my bass board for 8 years. I play a fretless 5-string in a bluegrass band and also play a fretted 5-string at church, and I power the pedal with an 1Spot CS12. The pedal appears last in my signal chain, after about 7 pedals. With bluegrass gigs, I use the DI to the soundboard and also parallel out to my amp, and it works great. At church, I just go DI into the soundboard - again, it sounds fantastic. For several years, I used this box as my only bass effect pedal (besides a tuner), and it worked splendidly. It was the only tool I needed to show up and play. Now, I use the EQ on the pedal in conjunction with a separate EQ pedal (MXR 12-band graphic EQ), particularly because I'm trying to achieve an upright-bass sound and need more specific frequency adjustments to get there.The ground switch is especially helpful. I don't use the distortion channel. I haven't been able to get a satisfying distorted tone out of it. I run an overdrive and fuzz pedal in front of it for my gain section. In fairness, my perception of the DI box's distortion flimsiness could be my solid state amp, so don't rush to impute that shortcoming to this pedal. If I had to do it all over again, I'd probably buy the MXR M81 Bass Preamp, to cut out the distortion circuit and downsize the pedal. But that's just a matter of preference and size. For what I use it for, this pedal delivers 100% of the time, and I highly recommend it.

  • Do you think (sports team) will win the game?

    3

    submitted2 years ago

    byChristian

    fromDenver, Colorado

    Not only is this a pretty good bass DI, it also picks up sports radio.

  • buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

    2

    submitted3 years ago

    byUndisclosed

    from.

    Whenever I turn on this pedal, distortion or not it sounds like someone just woke up a beehive, The actual clean sound is pretty good but when you really dig into the pups it starts to make that pop sound louder which is a big issue for me at least, (shouldn't be due to volume increase) when the distortion is on, there's even more buzz AND it's a very bad distortion. The distortion also doesn't have a wide range of sounds and is only really usable at minimum gain and the blend knob almost all the way back, just get an OD , and an EQ pedal, trust me.

  • It was a radio...

    2

    submitted5 years ago

    byMike R.

    fromMinneapolis

    I wanted to like it, and it did sound good, until I noticed the radio bleed through when playing. Returned the unit.

  • Good product and would recommend to any bassist

    5

    submitted5 years ago

    bybassazz bass player

    fromoklahoma

    very solid construction and holds up to the rigors of the road and doesn't sacrifice sound quality! sound engineers always brag about my sound

collapse expand iconQ&A

Have a question about this product? Our expert Gear Advisers have the answers.

  • submitted3 years ago

    asked byNeil

    fromNy

    Hi, if I purchased this product would there be any voltage issues if I used it in Ireland/EU? Thanks

    Hi, if I purchased this product would there be any voltage issues if I used it in Ireland/EU? Thanks

    Open Reply - Thomas
    Oh yes. 115v v 240v

  • submitted3 years ago

    asked byMatt

    fromundisclosed

    Can this pedal be just used as a distortion pedal? Does it need to be plugged into a mixer to actually use it? Please and thank you.

    Can this pedal be just used as a distortion pedal? Does it need to be plugged into a mixer to actually use it? Please and thank you.

    Open Reply - Thomas
    Yes, at the 1/4" output.

  • submitted4 years ago

    asked byTrev

    fromReno Nv

    Can you get a good Robert Trujillo tone with this thing?

    Can you get a good Robert Trujillo tone with this thing?

    Open Reply - Beau
    You would be able to get a good Robert Trujillo tone with the MXR M-80 Bass Direct Box.

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