Question about MXR Pedals

[GuitarBilly]

I like a lot of the MXR effects - particularly the Phase 90 but a bunch of others as well - but I can't use any of them because I notice a big high end loss whenever they're in the signal chain, regardless of whether they are on or off. I know a lot of pros use these pedals so I wonder if I am doing something wrong? Do they have any special requirements for buffers or power supplies that I am unaware of?

Oddly enough the Dunlop wahs seem fine, even though they are made by the same companiy, it's only with the MXR branded pedals that I notice it.

[_ej_]

I have a true bypass loop pedal you could have. Leave the MXR jawn on and use the loop as a bypass.

[GuitarBilly]

I have a true bypass loop pedal you could have. Leave the MXR jawn on and use the loop as a bypass.

Thanks man that is very nice of you. I don't think I want to deal with the extra cabling and space of a true bypass loop, I'm currently using a Pedaltrain Nano and I'd lime to keep the small board.
I do appreciate the offer though

[spawnofthesith]

I don’t recall ever noticing this issue… don’t have any MXR on my board currently but like 2 years ago it was almost all MXR. I have a tendency to run my shit pretty bright so maybe it just made my tone normal

[GuitarBilly]

I don’t recall ever noticing this issue… don’t have any MXR on my board currently but like 2 years ago it was almost all MXR. I have a tendency to run my shit pretty bright so maybe it just made my tone normal

Yeah, that seems to be the consensus, which is why I'm wondering if I'm doing something wrong lol

[spawnofthesith]

I’ve always had at least 1 or 2 boss on my board too, maybe those buffers helped ?

[ZEEGLER]

I have a Carbon Copy on my primary pedal board, and have definitely noticed that with some amps, when the pedal is engaged, it sounds like a thick blanket has been put over my speaker cab. It was most severe with my Nitrox and Überschall. I did figure out that if I lowered either the channel volume on the Nitrox, or the loop level or channel volume on the Uber, the problem would go away. The higher the signal going through the loop, the darker the pedal got. For some reason, I never had an issue using the Carbon Copy with the Rivera, even with the loop turned up high. I am now using a JHS delay with the Überschall and it doesn't have the same issue at all.

[GuitarBilly]

I’ve always had at least 1 or 2 boss on my board too, maybe those buffers helped ?

I have Boss on my board too, actually with the exception of the Dunlop wah, all the pedals I am currently using are Boss (TU-2, SD-1, CH-1, DD3) but as soon as I add any MXR pedal to the chain, I notice it.

I have a Carbon Copy on my primary pedal board, and have definitely noticed that with some amps, when the pedal is engaged, it sounds like a thick blanket has been put over my speaker cab. It was most severe with my Nitrox and Überschall. I did figure out that if I lowered either the channel volume on the Nitrox, or the loop level or channel volume on the Uber, the problem would go away. The higher the signal going through the loop, the darker the pedal got. For some reason, I never had an issue using the Carbon Copy with the Rivera, even with the loop turned up high. I am now using a JHS delay with the Überschall and it doesn't have the same issue at all.

I am even noticing on the pedals in front of the amp. I was running the MXR Anlog Phase and phase 90 out front and had that issue It has to be something I am doing wrong. I don't know what it could be though. I am using a good power supply (CIOKS DC7), Mogami cables etc..

[Dave]

Dude I have a similar weird issue with my carbon copy and one of my OCD pedals. (V2)

I can’t recall the specifics but it only happens when I have both of those on my board. Blanket over the amp kinda shit. I will try to recreate it tomorrow and let you know what it’s doing. I had forgotten all about that…

If I remember right the issue occurred when the delay was off and the ocd was on. When I turned the delay on the blanket was lifted. So weird.

[colejustesen]

I wonder if you are having an impedance mismatch along the path... Usually having a buffer can help, but clearly you have that with your Boss pedals. Do you think you could be overloading the input of it? I know analog pedals can be sensitive to that. Is there an internal trim pot to adjust the input gain?

Cole

[eyeball987]

The only MXR pedal on my board right now is the M300 reverb. Last pedal in the loop right after a Boss DD-500. I don't notice a high end loss when engaged though. The tone will smooth out a hair when on, but reverb tends to do that anyway.

[itchyfingers]

I'm with Cole, sounds like an impedance issue, aka "these boxes do not play well together". I've had it pop up with certain fuzzes.

Kinda boring for some, but I recommend a pedalboard rebuild, starting with your SD-1 and adding one pedal at a time. Once you trigger the issue, try moving that pedal around in the chain, dropping in a buffer to see if you can eliminate the impedance issue, or you may need to remove the culprit(s) entirely.

[Dave]

I'm with Cole, sounds like an impedance issue, aka "these boxes do not play well together". I've had it pop up with certain fuzzes.

Kinda boring for some, but I recommend a pedalboard rebuild, starting with your SD-1 and adding one pedal at a time. Once you trigger the issue, try moving that pedal around in the chain, dropping in a buffer to see if you can eliminate the impedance issue, or you may need to remove the culprit(s) entirely.

What is this negativity about?

Clearly the answer is to buy more and different pedals. Maybe sometimes rebuy the original offending pedals to make sure you weren’t remembering it wrong.

When the same problem crops up, heaven forbid it was an actual issue with a specific pedal, be sure to trash the product online and buy multiple competitor pedals to fix the issue.

Then a couple years later rebuy the original pedal a third time bc you probably just needed another attempt to make it work.

[screamingdaisy]

I’ve noticed it over the years. My various Phase 90s were the most obvious, but I actually preferred it and would keep one in my signal chain because I liked how it bled off some top end.

I think that Dunlop’s thinking is either the wah should be buffering everything that’s downstream, or that 90% of guitarists run a TU-2.

If you’re running a Boss pedal first or second in line (I prefer mine after the wah) I’m surprised you can hear the tone loss.

[screamingdaisy]

If I remember right the issue occurred when the delay was off and the ocd was on. When I turned the delay on the blanket was lifted. So weird.

If I remember correctly, the OCD is loaded down by the impedance of the cable hanging off the output. Changing the cable length (in this case, turning on the delay) alters the sound of the OCD.

In some ways it’s cool because you can tune the circuit, in other ways it’s irritating as fuck. Get too OCD about it and Eric Johnson starts making more sense after while.

[JiveTurkey]

I'm with Cole, sounds like an impedance issue, aka "these boxes do not play well together". I've had it pop up with certain fuzzes.

Kinda boring for some, but I recommend a pedalboard rebuild, starting with your SD-1 and adding one pedal at a time. Once you trigger the issue, try moving that pedal around in the chain, dropping in a buffer to see if you can eliminate the impedance issue, or you may need to remove the culprit(s) entirely.

What is this negativity about?

Clearly the answer is to buy more and different pedals. Maybe sometimes rebuy the original offending pedals to make sure you weren’t remembering it wrong.

When the same problem crops up, heaven forbid it was an actual issue with a specific pedal, be sure to trash the product online and buy multiple competitor pedals to fix the issue.

Then a couple years later rebuy the original pedal a third time bc you probably just needed another attempt to make it work.

[itchyfingers]

I'm with Cole, sounds like an impedance issue, aka "these boxes do not play well together". I've had it pop up with certain fuzzes.

Kinda boring for some, but I recommend a pedalboard rebuild, starting with your SD-1 and adding one pedal at a time. Once you trigger the issue, try moving that pedal around in the chain, dropping in a buffer to see if you can eliminate the impedance issue, or you may need to remove the culprit(s) entirely.

What is this negativity about?

Clearly the answer is to buy more and different pedals. Maybe sometimes rebuy the original offending pedals to make sure you weren’t remembering it wrong.

When the same problem crops up, heaven forbid it was an actual issue with a specific pedal, be sure to trash the product online and buy multiple competitor pedals to fix the issue.

Then a couple years later rebuy the original pedal a third time bc you probably just needed another attempt to make it work.

I clearly enjoyed the holiday a little too much yesterday, and retract my original statement in favor of the much wiser and appropriate, 'just keep buying more pedals' strategy.

[GuitarBilly]