MXR M80 Bass D.I.+ Bass Distortion Pedal Reviews

I've used this pedal as my main bass tone sculptor for over 20 years. It really does a great job of getting a usable, pre-EQ'd, DI tone without much work for the person operating the PA. If I'm using an unfamiliar backline rig I can still get great tone. I've been using it with IEMs and bandmates have commented on how great it sounds in their IEM mix. The distortion section is just the cherry on top; I use it for a song or two as a mild overdriven tone. It's bulletproof and useful for many situations. I consider it an essential piece of kit.

I typically have the "Color" tone circuit engaged at all times, as it's a nice pre-shaped EQ. I keep the bass at noon, the mids boosted to around 2 o'clock, and the treble rolled back to around 11 o'clock. When you engage the distortion channel, the "Color" tone circuit is always active and cannot be defeated.

What I like the most is:

- Easy to use
- DI is very useful for live and
studio applications
- Very clean punch sound
- Distortion adds more tone
- Gate keeps my bass quiet
- Well built
- Behaves very well with other pedals
- Very Versatile

The only thing that it's missing is compression that more high end pre amp pedals have, but for the price can't go wrong, and other than that I had this unit for over 8 years and no problems at all

I play bass for my worship band, and was looking for a preamp with DI capability to patch into our M32 audio desk, since dragging my Amp around was not in the cards. The M80 is a well rounded budget friendly solution that helps give me the tone I'm looking for. Best move I could have made, and thanks to Teryn at Sweetwater for all his help!

The mxr is a fantastic pedal with the distortion and gain and bleed setting you can customize your sound for any environment. Simple and effective.

This is an amazing pedal. The eq on it sounds GREAT!! distortion is terrible tbh and i don't like that the gate is only for distortion but as a DI pedal going right into a soundboard or interface its awesome. Its also amazing going into an amp and 2 outputs so you can go to both. Works great with other pedals and distortion.

Works really well for clean guitars too. Great purchase.

Simple, straight forward, built like a tank, transparent. Save some money for other stuff. This thing works like a champ. zero issues and sounds great.

This MXR covers all of the tones I need. I am playing a passive bass through a PA. I mainly need some boost and some color. This works great. I rarely use the distortion. The pedal really add to the bottom end. I reduces that hollow tone you can get playing live in an acoustical challenging room.

I'm a guitar guy and own dozens of fun pedals to use for guitar but for playing bass...this is the only thing I use. I got it as a gift when it was released around 2004 and it replaced a cheap but effective Ibanez bass distortion. For several years playing in a hardcore band it was the key to my sound. Pedals are entirely subjective and there's no pedal that is a universal fit but it works for me. Some people complain about the distortion's character but it is right up my alley. I always used a battery & prefer the sound over a power supply. Like most mxr pedals, it's very well built and mine still works like it did when it was brand new. Sound guys appreciated the fact that it had the DI feature and the m80 was able to cut through an obnoxious guitar player's volume and ridiculous treble the way the cheaper Ibanez pedal could not. It sounds a bit different than the SansAmp sure but it's a better fit for me and priced better. It has serious sentimental value to me. If it were swiped or broken, I'd order it again right now.

"Mxr makes great pedals".
This preamp/di pedal is no exception to that statement. If you are looking for a small preamp with DI capabilities and a great distortion circuit then look no further. This pedal performs all those features like a champ. It also has a noise gate, which makes sense when you have distortion running in your signal. It also has a color (shape) button which helps bring out the mids when needed.
With this and a good compressor (which Mrx has one of the best) everything else is just extra.
Most people's version of good gear usually has to do with what is particularly good for their needs. So, I highly recommend this unit if it is what you need.
I have it set up in a mini pedalboard with a Boss tu-3w tuner, an mxr Studio compressor and a Zoom multistomp MS60b unit. Its a winning combination.
So, Gettchaself one!

I really wanted a Sans Amp pedal but was not convinced it was worth the extra money. At the price point, I figured this was worth a shot. I currently run my bass guitar directly into a mixer/PA. This has significantly improved the tone. I was not too impressed at first when messing around with the settings, but once I used the contour button it really brought the tone to life. Without the contour button, it feels more like an EQ pedal.

Based on YouTube videos I've watched, it still seems inferior to San's Amp, but it definitely improved my overall tone, and is a great pre amp to run DI into a mixer. I am happy with the pedal, especially given the price.

Lastly, I didnt really care about having a distortion effect, but after playing with the pedal I've decided its a fun, and useful effect. The blend feature allows you to add distortion in way that almost makes it sound like you have 2 bass guitars playing. When the bass plays on its own you can really notice the gain, but when playing along with the band the low clean notes really punch through the mix more than expected. Satisfied with the purchase, especially for the price.

I sure hope MXR doesn't take this out of the lineup, because that would be a shame. The M81 is a worthy preamp, but it's no substitute for what's going on in this box; the distortion circuit compresses in just the right way for your slapping and popping pleasure when used judiciously, and blending back some cleans via the clean knob ensures your full, round bottom never ah, craps out. You'll also find a setting suitable for grinding the metal, in which case, the gate is not just useful, but essential. However, the crowning glory is that unobtrusive little button labeled "color". Other companies would call it "contour", and it seats your instrument beautifully in a mix, whether stage or studio; other M80 users I've spoken with report that they leave it on all the time, as do I. Or, I did. I'll be buying another of these, cuz I loaned mine to a bass-playing colleague, and I never got it back. It's said that a word to the wise is sufficient; buy this, before it's gone.

I've owned this pedal for several years and prefer the distortion tone to the sansamp that most of my friends have. It works great as an amp if you need to go direct in to a PA, which I did several times. I've thrown it in front of an ampeg solid state, and a carvin hybrid and each amp it added so much to. For a small pedal with a fair amount of options - you CAN'T beat it in it's price range.

I prefer this pedal over the aguilar tonehammer! This pedal is killer and the distortion section is actually really good when blending it just enough and not too much. It really sounds killer. I have the color button knob down all the time! really cheap for what it does too

It's a back up if your rig fails that actually sounds good. It's got killer overdrive that can be used to give just at touch of growl or full on death metal melt down. It sounds great through any PA system regardless of the gig size. It's a great DI for recording, no amp necessary. I wish I had bought this years ago. Tough as nails too.

I've had several of these units, simply for the fact that it's the one that I also come back to. I love the distortion, though i understand it is not for everyone. However for me, i just does exactly what I need. I've come full circle after years of tone quest. I've had the Darkglass B3K, B7K and Vintage Microtubes as well as a slew of other great distortion pedals. For the price point, this pedal cannot be beat. I don't love it as a clean preamp, but if it really came down to it, It would still pass in my book. This is a very versatile unit, and it's worth every penny.

I love this pedal. It gives your sound a little boost in the best way! I personally think it sounds better than the Sansamp DI. It's also built like a tank! Been using the same pedal for over 10 years, it's my secret weapon, for fat bass tone!

Whether you're looking for some overdrive, full distortion, or a clean boost this pedal is equipped for all of it. I have used it live and in the studio and get endless compliments about how amazing my bass sounds. I keep it constantly engaged at the beginning of my effects chain. This lacks the harsh ear-piercing metallic tone of the Sansamp. A lot of people recommended the Sansamp to me and I tried it multiple times...it was unbearable. I've had great luck with every MXR pedal I've ever used.

A pedal that does the job needed to be done! It's a bass effect and XLR direct out box merged into one epic gadget! The clean channel dials in a nice tone with the ability to drop in low end sounds to the highs. The distortion mode can give you that metal rash blast to blow away the crowd! MXR has that sound for any musician. Had the opportunity to use this thing at a gig with forty people. All positive feedback, and the sound technician was completely blown away! Go with this pedal!

This is an excellent Direct box! The Distortion switch opción is also very useful in live sessions, I have also use this pedal in my Gibson Les Paul Studio and it's pretty good to use it with some other effects. I recomend this product so much if you need a preamp for your live sessions in small places so you don't have to carry out big amps.

I have had this for years and I recommend to anyone. I've used it at gigs for years. It does make a lot of basses sound similar due to it's qualities...but I find that to be desirable. The distortion is nice, especially if you just want an agressive tone, not a full distortion. I run a recording studio and I consider this the very first step out of the guitar itself. I run through other preamps to get final product, but this is always in the chain.

I've been completely satisfied with the MXR M-80. Live or in the studio it has never let me down. The virsitility of this pedal blows me away from how it is powered (AC, 9 volt battery or phantom powered) to the tone controls. I wasn't sure about how much I would use the distortion, but I have worked into my sound here and there. I know there are better distortion effects out there, but it's still descent. I didn't buy it for the distortion anyway. The quality and cleanliness of the signal coming out of the M-80 is flawless, completely noise free. Highly recommended!

I have limited space in my small but high tech studio. A bass amp would be a problem in my recording room. So I bought the MXR M80 DI box after doing some research. It has lived up to its billing. It has just the right amount of features to make any bass sound great. The EQ section is especially well designed to get the best possible sounds. Even if I had the room for a large bass rig, I'm not sure I could get any better sound than I do with my MXR.

I dig this pedal because it doesn't do too much. I've played through similar pedals and they're either too muddy or too bright, but this one sits nicely. I run direct a lot, but my amp setup is an Aguilar Tone Hammer 350 with a Carvin 2x10 cab and it takes it from a vintage tone to a very fat modern tone. However, if I want that grit, the distortion unit is exactly that, and not a fuzz. I usually blend about 15% into the dry signal to achieve that vintage tone if I so desire. I prefer this over the more expensive models that are out there.

Great, thick, classic tone..

Stop chasing that distorted bass tone in your head, because here it is. No secrets lie within this pedal, it's all right there. No tricks, no features you're never going to use, just a straightforward bass distortion.

The distortion is cutting and present without being harsh or shrill. It's got good body without becoming boomy or muddy. The gate function is perfect. Just turn the trigger all the way up, it'll work just fine. The color switch (while it only affects the clean side) is like a pre-mixed tone switch. Clear and thumping bass every time. The blend control is what makes the whole pedal work. Setting above noon will yield a distorted tone that cuts through a mix without throwing your low end away when you need it most.

The graphics glow in the dark too.

The only thing I'd change would be the amount of output volume for the distorted channel. If it had about 4-10db more it could really drive anything. It's not lacking without it, but with it this would be a bassists go-to pedal every time.

I've had this pedal for years & it still blows me away. I've played through Sans & tech 21's, but there are so few good distortion/overdrive bass pedals. My dad had this for a long time and eventually sold it, but i got mine since 1-i wanted distortion and loved his tone when he had it, 2-it's a D.I. where i can set my own EQ and tone to my liking. 3-it's compact and ease of use. Studio & live use has never been the same. Always in my signal, I'd recommend this product since it does give you more than the Sansamp pedals, although they are classics too, they're just really tame compared to the M80.

Great quality, but doesn't quite meet the tone of the SANSAMP to my liking. However, I suppose that's subjective :) Still, I'm giving this a 4.5 star rating because I really did like the TECH 21 SANS more. The MXR has a dedicated drive channel with some knobs to fine tune your distortion sound (as well as a useful noise gate), but if you're not as interested in having a drive channel, you'll probably get more tonal options out of the SANS.

This is a great pedal. The preamp part works well and the preset EQ seems well sorted it for the sound of most basses. Unlike some the distortion is usable and versatile. I used mine on a truly disgusting Peavey TNT last week and it actually made that amp not only tolerable, but actually powerful enough to shake the stage. It fits in the pocket of my gig bag and the price is right.
I DO wish it had an external input and a headphone out like some others do, but it's not a deal breaker.
Best spent money on a pedal in years.

I bought this pedal in lieu of the MXR distortion pedal, and I don't regret it. The distortion is good and it's a good pedal as a volume boost and a DI. However if you're looking to beef up your tone, this is not the pedal for you. I have an older Tech 21 VT Bass and it smokes this MXR. So for tone, get a Tech 21 character series pedal.

its okay the pedal is built strong seams like it would survive a bomb blast
how ever the distortion sound's like white noise and the color button is always engaged when in useing distortion cant be switched off
you can get a great slap tone with it