I have 6 sounds that I never depart from, the dimension with the 4 position on and about 32 %mix a vibrato then 4 delays usually the tape delay dry thru with a dotted 8 and a analog dry thru. Considering sending mine out to get the jvh3 mod.
Super cool video. I was the product manager for M9 which was birthed out of M13. Darrell Smith was my boss. An idea of a multi effect but in a DL4 size box was pitched by Jeorge Tripps a few years before. Angelo Mazzocco did the firmware and software and created particle verb and more. Dale Wagler did the industrial design. And Line 6 founder, Marcus Ryle got relative mode going as well as being a huge inspiration during development. I LOVE my Strymon friends who I worked with at Line 6 but none of my team for M13 and M9 is at Strymon. I'm the general manager of Tyler Guitars after spending 5 years as a product manager at KRK under Gibson. Darrell Smith has an amazing production company, Kung pow Productions. Jeorge is at Dunlop. Angelo is a main guy at Meris. And Marcus and his wife Susan Wolfe have a successful consulting company. And Dale is still designing at Line 6. I love that you call out Tim Pierce first. Hanging out with him as I was working on Spider III is how M13 happened. He had all 4 of the 4 button modelers on his pedal board, he was the second artist, after Dwayne Larring, to see Dale's first layout built from Darrell and my crude drawings. He then was my main guy to beta test the pedal and he actually helped find a bug in the DL4 that we fixed in M13 and M9.
Rich, thanks for all the information and corrections here. Certainly Line 6 at that time was a breeding ground for what spun off into several different major brands in the pedal game Meris, Strymon, etc. and the work that Jeorge went on to do with Way Huge via Dunlop. The amount of talent on those development teams is staggering, you guy had the dream team! Thanks again for chiming in and watching!
@@VertexEffectsInc We had a "class reunion" of sorts a few months ago. It was a dream team. So incredible. One of my fav fellow product manager was Mark McCrite. He is at Strymon kicking butt now. Some of the engineers from that era went on to Apple and the like. My very first meeting on my very first product on my first day, I was in a room with one of founders, Michel, the French guy. 2 former employees of Rocketdyne, 1 from Boeing, the head designer. I thought I had faked my way into the building. Lol!
Great insight. I do lot’s of sound design (mostly video games) and I relay HEAVILY on the M13 on my workflow, it sounds incredible with synthesizers and the modulations that can be have with that hardware. I do use a lot of Strymon on my process. But it’s something very special when mangling the easy access of the Line 6 M13. I often work with a few Ensoniq’s DP4+ which they have incredible flavor, but in a fast setting nothing beats the M13/M9/M5 Thanks for a great product
@@MeAlexSenna Amazing. I can totally picture that because my best friend was an engineer named Bryan Carlstrom (Alice in Chain, The Dreaming, The Offspring, etc) and he was one of my beta testers. He wired it into his analog synth rack and it was just ready to add sauce to any of his synths. Thank you for sharing your story with me.
@Rich Renken - Thanks for chipping in. It's great to hear from someone with feet on the ground during s device's development - I'd love to see a video on how these things are put together, how the effects are modelled, assessed and licensed (or not?); things I've always wondered about.
I'm here because I just watched a rig rundown with Satchel of Steel Panther. He uses an Atomic Amplifire 3 modeler which goes to FOH, along with a few pedals. He doesn't use an amp at all, just that modeler that costs about $260 used online, in front of hundreds, sometimes thousands of people and he just shreds onstage along with a beastly rock tone. At least 3 years ago I put away my M13 because, according to everyone, pedals are where the best tone is, so I made the switch to pedals. I've watched all the vids on modelers and stuff, but that vid on Satchel NOT using a big rig containing the best rock tube amp available along with the best boutique pedals really drove it home that the majority, if not all, listeners aren't going to notice or care how I get my delays, reverb, or chorus, etc... Tomorrow I'm going to take the time to dust off my M13 and connect it back up. And I'm sure I'll be happy with the way it sounds. And if I ever gig with it, I'm guessing that no one will notice or care how the effects on my guitar are being made. If Satchel can play live concerts through a small modeler and pro musicians are using the M9 to this day, then the M13 is certainly good enough for me!!
BRUSH IT OUT! The best tones come from time with your equipment and how you play your piece. This pedal and the Pod Go are sleeper hits for incredible sounds, both require TIME. People care more on how the sound is made, not what made the sound. Use what you love!
I think it sounds great. I figured out years ago not to trust public opinion on stuff like this. Took me about a year of working at a venue and realizing about 30% of people that played there couldn’t tell if they were in tune or not. 😂
I have a M13, and i use it with analog pedals using the send and return. I like vibrato, tri-chorus, and more and more i learn new ways for use it. Recently i notice if i use the signal path: compressor > send > mad professor> pinacle wamplerr > return > orange drive > analog delay > 63 reverb. Its is a real Nice distortion.
I have this on my board still.. Been playing drums for 25 years and last two picked up electric guitar. It's great functionality, I don't spend ages looking up some killer sounds. I have buffer> pre-amp > comp > OD's (Lightspeed, SickAs, ODR 1) > volume > DD8 (reverse delay) Stereo into M9 then Dream 65 stereo out. Nothing complex but it's really versatile. Live I use it in the scenes options with each pedal bringing up 6 different effects (3 on at once) each pedal being a new song. For $300 I can do what would cost a couple of thousand if you buy timeline, big sky, then a switcher like PCB6x etc. but then you still odn't have the modulation effects etc. Means I can focus on my playing and when I'm at the point it's time to invest, I'll take that step.
I'm a session guitar player too, and a producer of my own music projects, and i have to say that i use 2 line6 m5 and going against all the advice not to buy it(from friends) i couldn't be happier to took the risk. I use it on my rig with a true by pass switch and now i couldn't play without them, i actually have 5 new ones in the box just in case of a failure lol its been 7 years and they still work, i mod them myself with a switch when pressed goes directly to the(white screen) custom 25 presets that i have created, its always there, when not in use i just press my loop true bypass little box(the size of a matchbox) i had to open it up and sand paper the 4 screws from the bottom because i was having a problem with the power, sometimes wouldn't turn on, after some research i read that has to do with ground electric relief , the black paint was not letting the proper connection, those reverbs and delays made me save an enormous space on my pedalboard...memory man, phase 90, EVH MRX flanger, golden reverbrator, tc elec reverb, Strymon El Capistan etc ....those are amazing pedals but i had to do it, obviously if im at home recording guitars i will use them sometimes, but when it comes to move around the country (portugal) they wont go with me ...the point is if you adjust well the m6-m5 you will get a very well rounded sound. obviously i need my RAT or TS9 | TUBE SCREAMER and my precious Soldano 4×12” Straight Cabinet. by the way i have one of my M5 in the soldano loop (modulation or time based FX) reverbs i like to use it in the end of the chain. cheers and it is amazing to know these session guitar players are doing the same, meaning i was right, PS-beautiful Chord progressions my friend, well done
Recently got this cheap and it’s become an indispensable part of my rig. So cool to have all those sounds available so quickly. Plus, now I use it alone when I go to rehearsal or a quick “in-out” gig. The only thing I would have liked to see was more overall and individual level control but, it’s not a deal breaker
After a while with my M9, I can see why people love it. It sounds 85-95% of the analog pedals it’s emulating. It’s super fast. I don’t know why other companies, even L6, haven’t copied it’s interface. It’s brilliant, and inspired. A classic.
The M13 was my first ever “pedal” along with a little Vox AC4. Was honestly such a killer setup combined with a cheap Les Paul and knockoff Strat. So much ground covered.
I used the M9 for almost a decade on the worship circuit. I eventually got an HX Stomp, and truth be told I still use the legacy effects on the Stomp because I remember how great the effects sounded in the M9. Great unit with awesome sounding effects
I used to have an M5! Now I have an HX Stomp, and I love that most of those effects are back. I still use the cave reverb! To be honest, I use the M series effrcts more on my HX Stomp, because I like how simple they all are. The dynamic and other fancy reverbs can take too long to dial in.
Ive had one of these on my board since it came out… about 6 months ago… upgraded to the HX effects ( which includes all of the effects in the M9 plus the new stuff)
I love the Particle & Cave Verb. I have the M5 & M13. The M13 was my gateway into pedals. I recommend it to every guitarist whose just beginning to get into pedals. It has so much flexibility for arranging effects & so many different emulations of great pedals as well as some unique options. It allows new players a good deep dive to see how pedals work together & what sounds they do & don’t like. Some of the sounds are great some are lacking, but all in all it’s an amazing tool. Grateful to see it get some love here.
moved from an m9 to an hx effects, and honestly i've never regretted it. it's almost as simple, and the tones are next level. i still have an m5 and every once in a while i hook it up, and it just doesn't work for me anymore. as uncle larry described it, the sounds are passable. but in the hx, the sounds are really excellent.
I used to have this or the M13 on stage back in the old good days where gigs happened every week. Very solid pedals with endless possibilities. The HX Effects is a huge step not only in sound but in connectivity as well, I don't look back. If I had to, of course I would use a lovely M9 ...
I really have to thank you for this video, Mason. I have been really digging the channel and have learned a ton on my "Road to Tone Town." lol. Anyway, I have been in need a of a new reverb pedal so badly and thought about the HX Stomp, H9 and others, but this video made me realize how valuable the M9 is. I lived and worked in Nashville as a guitarist for a decade, and love old classic pedals, so the quality of this pedal was right up my alley. (I used to love going to Tom Bukovac's store in Berry Hill). After watching this video I made it a goal to get one second hand. Found one on craigslist in absolute excellent condition, negotiated with the seller, drove to Hollywood and bought it for $160. Truly a steal (seller is a keyboardist so switches haven't even been stepped on). Turns out me and the seller will also both be teaching songwriting/production at the same music college this summer, so I even made an acquaintance out the whole thing. Crazy small world. Thanks again!
excellent reveiw/demo! I have the M9 and also an M5. i use the m9 mostly like you have demonstrated and have it placed at end of signal chain. the m5 is at the front and believe it or not i use it mainly for a univibe placed pre-overdrive/distortion. another gem inside the m-series and many other line 6 products is the overdrive model called "Line 6 Drive". It has a unique and very versatile mid-range control that completely changes the character of the overdrive/distortion in very dramatic ways. I have been able to mimic quite a few of my analog overdrives and distortions using that one model alone. all the way from fuzz to overdrive and distortion.
So glad to be vindicated here! I've been playing an M9 for over a decade now (at one point I bought a backup as well) and it's still the fastest tool for getting sounds I've found in a pedal. The studio comp, the vibrato, the phaser (especially the barberpole in stereo), the analog with mod (the digital with mod is also great for lanois-type vibes), the lo res, the ping pong (as a slap delay in stereo), and the plate are all still relevant nearly 15 years later. There are pedals that sound 15% better but I can't control them with 5 knobs, 6 switches and an expression pedal. (Plus the looper from the DL4!) Love that dumb black box so much with the awful footswitches :)
Thank you Mason! (So validating, LOL:) Purchased my M9 the month L6 released it for an all in one mod, verb, delay solution. I didn't realize until a few years ago that Buk, Kenny, Shawn T., et al., use the M9. I love it. It's a swiss army knife. My fave models are analog delay w mod, analog chorus, plate, octo and particle verbs. Cheers! 🎸
I don’t know what year you’re talking about, but he changes things in and out a lot. Trey still uses the same two Tube Screamers, and digital delay he’s had since the first days of the band. He added 2 Boss synths, and he’s had a vintage Uni-Vibe. Check his 2021 Rig Rundown. You may be surprised how far away from an M9 he’s gotten, whenever he was using two. Maybe he uses those for backup? *He also uses a Snark tuner. I mention it, because I’ve gotten funny looks, if not made fun of for using one for well over a decade. Never had an issue live.
My M9 has lasted me 10+ years of gigging, still the foundation of my ultralight stage rig. Just grabbed a Pod Go simply so I can use more effects at once and so I have some emulators to use if my amp dies on me (happened during a show last month). Planned to try to migrate the boost, compression, overdrive, and modulation to the POD and run delays and verbs in the M9 at the end of the chain. Aside from a tendency for the tuner to spontaneously move a few cents from time to time, and for the insulation on the power supply cords to crack and expose copper, mine has been an absolute tank.
On the other price side for rough use…have a Boss ME20 (100$ now, bought new). Tank heavy built box and super SIMPLE. Blends very well with KoT V4 and rest of board! Bought a spare and have had two shops try to buy lately; surprisingly good for that price point.
I asked Tom about 10 years ago which 'mutli effects' box to purchase- he didn't hesitate... he said 'easy m9'. I wish Line 6 had the 'easy access' controls on the newer models.
I come from the mid to late 70's era and used a bunch of MXR and Electro_Harmonix stomp boxes back then. When life changes came about, I sold off most of that older (dated) equipment and moved away from that level of guitar involvement. Being retired, I decided to return to my guitars and immersing myself deeper in it. I looked into adding individual stomp boxes again like the old one's I had but the cost would've been huge (for me). I decided that the best bang for the buck back around 2015 or so would be the Line 6 M9. I picked one up at a local Guitar Center just to get me by for the time being. I figured that I'd replace it after acquiring the old stomp boxes piece meal over time. At first the M9 was a big learning curve (old school here).....but now, after having it for the past 8 or 9 years, it fills the need far better than all those individual stomp boxes ever could. The only downside to these M style stompbox modeler's is their cheap switches. They become intermittent after a (seemingly short) given time and some only engage after several attempts. I'm assuming a good spritzing of DeOxit will rectify that but we'll see.......other than that, I agree with you Mason......good to see your view on this one......
Yeah, while us old school guys still love the tube stuff, the versatility of the new technology stuff can't be denied. Nobody is lugging Marshall stacks to gigs anymore. This is the future, and present, of gigging, really good digital floor modelers that are small and powerful. Tube amps, of which I have many, are just relegated to the home studio now as a luxury. I have a RP360XP and Headrush Prime and couldn't be happier. My tube amps really don't get turned on very much now.
This is the best multi effects pedal ever built because it sounds very well and has the best user interface. You have 2 lines of 3 effects each at your feet and the parameters immediately available at your fingertips. You don’t need to dive into a tree of menus and get lost. The interface is simpler than the iPhone. Line6 could upgrade it like they did for DL4 with a better and faster processor and memory for the looper. If they keep the existing algorithms the latency will be the lowest in the market.
I use a Flint or Dream 65 for always on verb (depending on if I’m using amps or not). I use the M9 for spot effects (mods, delays, filters, particle and Oct verbs), and it’s a very good match - plays to the strength of the M9 (usability, variety, general fx quality) while mitigating any potential downfalls (DA a conversion, latencies) which I’m not really sure exist anyway. 😂 I really wish Line 6 would issue a true M9 MKII with same interface and size, but upgraded hardware. Mason, do you know of anyone who upgrades M9 switches, etc?
I wish I never sold my M13. That one direct to a clean amp's input was all I ever needed for my (then) band, but noooo I had to listen to the internet and buy "better, expensive" stuff. All that did was empty my wallet and made me sound the same, but it was way more complicated = more setup time on stage or rehersals. Now I have a Helix LT and I use it as "simple" as possible like I would use the M13. Love the "Legacy" effects from the M series and use them until today, way more than the Helix effects.
I have a Boss GX100. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE the tones and feel of this unit. No one seems to know about it but it is a MONSTER. This $600 modeler has absolutely changed my mind on having to have the $2000 latest thing.
As a budget conscious person, my "getting-to-know-MIDI" pedalboard is centered around the line 6 M5 and the TC Nova drive, each of which were bought secondhand, each for less than the price of a new Boss delay. I control them with a Boss MS-3, but those two pedals do most of the work in my patches. While I might augment this rig further I can't see myself upgrading either of those older pedals; it's the newer, pricier Boss switcher that's least satisfying. Great to see you, the boutique pedalboard guy, champion the excellent and unfairly forgotten Nova and M series recently.
I have nothing but love and fond memories of the older Line 6 stuff! From my experience they're tools for the working musician. I used to use a Line 6 Flextone II pretty rigorously and its held up much better than some of my friends pedalboards! It may not have that extra clear fidelity, but at the end of the day it sounded great and it got the job done!
I moved on from the m13 a good couple years ago to an AxeFX, but i suggested the unit to a friend 2-3 years ago and its really still a beast, he can't imagine ever getting rid of it. I used the pitch shifter to record pitched down rap vocals once hahahaha, its not a pristine sound for that but it actually worked remarkably well for that scenario. Alsohad a lot of fun running multiple instruments into the looper through mixer, or having an acoustic jam with a mic set up and different people going up and adding little percussive bits or the occasional guitar bassline with the half speed setting.
Axe is great, I have one myself, I feel like they're really two different things in the end. Certainly making changes on an AxeFX is way more complicated than the M9 or 13.
Rekindled my love of my M9. In a recent bout of G.A.S. I almost bought an Ocean Machine. Instead I put the M9 in the stereo loop of my POD Go and it sounds amazing for my needs. Delay - reverb - delay, save. Boom, done! And it does so much more!
This sounds perfect!. I sold my old pedal board 7 years ago to fund moving from Australia to England, and it had my MM-4 and DL-4 on it. As far as sound comparisons go, how does it hold up?. Only just found this channel, but I'm enjoying it a lot!.
Had the m13 since it came out, and it is and will always be the ‘brains’ of my pedalboard. As soon as I found out all the great ‘4’ range were being put in the one pedal, I was IN! It’s lived up to my expectations and way more. It’s WAY more versatile than the m9. Not sure why you wouldn’t have a m13 if you love the m9, apart from the pedalboard real estate. I just store it in my pedalboard case and run it on the floor next to my pedalboard, so no space problem. Universal tap tempo sync for ALL your effects, 4 effects simultaneously (including 4 of the same module if you want, so 4 delays at once!), 12 at your feet, all knobs tweakable and changeable at a button press, AMAZING looper with half speed, reverse, double speed, one shot, etc, tempo that can be used as midi clock for other midi pedals or synth/ ableton etc. Oh, and 2 expression pedal inputs! I use it for my solo loop based ambient experimental project and can switch the effects between pre and post and knob twiddle sound design to hearts content. I do augment it with LOTS of other effects before and after, to give me a well rounded sound palette, and to avoid potential samey sounds, but it’s a great control centre. I feel like it is really slept on by amateur guitarists, which is a huge shame. I will never not have one, and can’t imagine my pedalboard without it anymore. I just think, if you like the m9, just pay the extra $50 and get the m13. You won’t be disappointed!
My m13 got rid of my whole board for church worship. Then I got an hx stomp which replaced that and my tube amps. But honestly some effects on the m13 still sound better imho. Great delays and modulation.
Ive still got and use my M5. Fav sounds, 63' spring, Phase 90, Dimension and the Tube Drive. There is a guy called Dave Barlow on youtube uses an M5 with a Blugamp 1 and uses the midi switch amp and fx. Great Video Mason. M9 sellers are going to be pleased :)
I've had an M9 on my "heavier stuff" board for a little while now. As others have said, great Swiss Army Knife pedal... one of its most important roles on that board is as a tuner! Otherwise, I toggle between a couple EQs (one to un-muddy humbuckers, the other as a mids-and-level boost for solos), the '63 Spring, Tape Delay, and a chorus that also doubles as a Rotovibe sort of thing with the expression pedal. The fact that it has MIDI is also super-handy... I use a Tech 21 MIDI Mongoose (really small) with it, and that switches between my "scenes", leaving the switches on the M9 in effects on/off mode. Really, really easy to use live.
Sounds terrific. I can't compare it to the others out there these days, but what you played sounded awesome!!!!!! I'm still using a Digitech GSP 21 Pro - LOL!!! - and love it. Complex to set up for PERSONAL tones, but I just play it around the house for fun not gigging!!!! Thanks for the demo!!!!
I have the M13 and I love the tube drive on it and the particle reverb. Tron up and down are really good. These pedals are tanks!!! I was playing a show and someone knocked over a full pint of beer on my M13. I unplugged it cleaned it off and never had a problem with it. Still have it and that was 9 year’s ago. I still love it and I own some strymon stuff. Just a fantastic all in one and easy to use.
I used to have a small pedalboard, an oc2 into a VMT into an m5 and on to the amp. Now I have a small pedalboard, an hx stomp with a C4 in the loop. Full stop. I’ve also got a couple controllers (jet micro and a dod expression) and of course, my practice amp is the headphone out into a JBL Bluetooth speaker that is also on my board. I got rid of the VMT, one of my favorite pedals ever, because I could get 90% of what I wanted with a drive or two in the Stomp. Line6 team kills it more often than not, despite oft criticized offerings.
And, I’m happy to see becoming more popular, it’s all powered by an Anker battery bank via usb A (ripcord 9v) and usb C (via mission engineering somethingorother, an older one I paid too much for). Which can also power other parts of my rig, and like… my phone and stuff
Sometimes less is more or at least enough when it comes to effects. I’m so glad you added Jerry McPherson in your group of great session players. One of the best long time creative studio guitarists in the business.
All the M9 algorithms are IN THE HELIX now under the 'Legacy' effects section. I still prefer the Phase 90 M9 algorithm, than the current Helix version. I'd recommend the Helix HX to anyone, as a much better upgrade to the M9, with the same sounds and way more versatility.
Although I love all my original pedals, I started using the Line M13 years ago when it came out and have two expression pedals setup with it. I use the M13 on a smaller gig with a compact Tweed deluxe or with my Tweed Bandmaster for larger venues. That's it.
As always, this is an incredible video. Not just another vendor trying to sell his stuff. You teach us about making a pedal board, patch cables, all about getting the best tone…. Thanks so much man!! ❤️
Great job, man! Same story I see in audio Hi-Fi equipment. More kHz in sampling rate and more bits not always sounds better, than old stereo Amps and Receivers.
I have the m13. Pros: 1) up to 4 effects at once 2) has all the effects you really need 3) has true bypass or buffered 4) the effects sound great 5) you can send whichever sets of effects to fx loop if desired 6) built in looper and noise gate 7) many scenes and presets 8) no patch cables between effects or expensive power bricks. 9) UNIVERSAL TAP TEMPO Cons: 1) the drives are ok but compared to analog they don’t match up 2) limited to only 4 effects at once 3) no amp modeling 4) reverbs are great but lose volume with ambient tones 5) effects are comparable to single analog pedals but just don’t sound up to par. Very close, but never win. 6) switches are delicate and people wear them out, though I’m pretty gentle and haven’t had that issue 🤞 There’s more pros than cons but the cons definitely have made me have my doubts about going back to single effects. Especially analog, like the CE-1. Every time I switch back to single pedals though, I miss the versatility of the m13, and is my current board.
I think most guys are using them for the wet processing effects, including Bukovac. 4 effects is still more than most Multi-Effects or more than most would supplement with analog pedals. An H9 comparatively can only do one thing at once. No amp modeling, but neither does the HX Effects (it's nearest competitor). I haven't found that be an issue with volume loss. I think some of the effects are on par. Spring Reverb is great, Analog with Mod is amazing, the Chorus tones are up there with any modeler that's representing a vintage pedal. Switches are crap, ideally these would be changed to momentary switches hardwired to the PCB.
I used the Obi Wah and the Voice Box on the Song Rockin' the Ryman. I used the Particle Verb on a guitar solo yesterday and it made this mid high frequency sustain feedback noise with the dwell on at all but that was going direct into the Apollo and not into an amp cab.
One of the best things about the M9 was not having to page through settings for each effect. Having the 6 small knobs so every parameter has a dedicated knob was great. It's amazing what a difference a little thing like that makes. It's too bad Line6 didn't carry that over to the HX Effects which seemed like it was trying to carry the torch for the M9.
I had the M13 back in the day, really enjoyed it, but it was a bit TOO much for my needs. It was cool to instantly switch between pedalboards while still having an intuitive layout
I have a line 6 M13, with an full tone ocd, Mxr super badass, and Mxr distortion plus, ( all plugged into an a/ b//c ) three way switcher. Don’t care too much for the distortion/overdrive/boost/fuzz, built in. But all the other effects are Fantastic! My go to for everything but distortion/od/fuzz/boost. Great money saver, and still using it.I use it all the time, with three different amp setups. Killer effects units!
I started with a Digitech RP300. it served us well in our live setup for an everyday working man's band. Later I moved up to the Digitech GNX4. THAT THING IS A MONSTER FOR ALL IT CAN DO! Only drawback in my mind is the plastic pedals. Solid, good sounding units though.
It's a great foundation for what it is, but now that the HX fx is on the scene it has the potential to carry the line far into the future. Especially considering that the M9 fx are on board the HX with tons more on board as well. I find the HX extremely easy to navigate and dial useful tones when in need for gigs, session work, etc... I have other stuff on my live touring rig, but have since built another complete rig with a small 18w amp that rivals what I have in a rack based system...albeit in a much smaller simplistic package! My next update to my larger touring rig is going to contain the helix rack for live use, but at home work and session work will be me, an amp, and the HX FX and that's about it!
In the full interview with Tom Bukovac he talks about why he doesn't use the HX and the sound and interface differences that make it not workable for him.
@@VertexEffectsInc as lovely as Tom is. I take no notice of what he thinks about gear in the same way as I take no notice of any musician about the gear they use and how they use it
I have an M13 that is showing some wear after close to 700 shows before being retired. When I got a gig playing for a country artist that required flying, I got an M9; it didn’t make it 3 months before it started having software issues. Sent it back and got another one, same thing.
great video review/post. count me as a fan. i have an M9 and M5 for many years now and they are without a doubt the most valuable Swiss Army Knife fx in my collection. I mainly use the M9 at end of fx chain for time-based delay/reverb and modulation fx. the M5 i use at front of chain for Univibe and one-off distortion/overdrive fx but mostly the Univibe. In fact it replaced a Fulltone Deja-Vibe. is it better sounding than the Deja-Vibe? probably not but it still sounds damn good and is very tweakable and has so much more on tap. In fact i think i bought both of these units used in-box for dirt cheap. they have paid for themselves many times over.
I love videos like this aye. Bringing out the “unsung heroes” of the gear world and showing that it isn’t about having the latest and greatest. Keep up the content Vertex FX! 👍
Hi Mason, I really do appreciate you getting your guitar neck so close to the camera - Doing so makes it a lot easier to maybe learn what you are playing on the guitar. I just got a M9 and I just used the Tron up on the Strat and the Tron Down on my Bass. On the Gibson I thought the chorus might make it sound too over processed for the publisher so I choose to leave that dry. This is written 2 years later in 2024 and I can just assume that the M9 is still being used in the studio I am thankful that you mentioned Tom Bukovac, Derek Wells and Kenny Greenberg so I could study their pedal boards. All these session guitarists including you do offer some really great stuff. I was curious about playing in stereo and if there is channel separation for effects but really if what is played is not panned in the center you have to cram everything over to one channel or the other. But mono has to stay mono at least on the session I just did. If you can do a zoom session sometime I will try to schedule that. Thank you for the video and a Thank You really big Shootout to Uncle Larry.
The plate reverb, ducking delay, spring reverb, and dimension in my M5 all sound great. Tim Pierce recently updated his board. Sandwiched between two Eventide H9’s was an M5. Go figure…
Sounds like a great gigging upgrade from my MS-50g which also sounds astonishingly good considering its single pedal format and decade old tech. The zoom multistomp compromise is that they require us to menu dive but they are ingeniously intuitive for their tiny size and minimal input controls. I regularly consider selling my real pedals since the MS-50g is all I use these days.
Agreed! Great stomps from zoom..just takes a little tweaking..I use the ms cdr70 for all my modulation at tail of my chain as I can stack 6 different mod effects..all w a ton of control...replaces dozens of pedals honestly
the Helix has all the same sounds plus a ton more. On the Helix, you also have the knobs, and it's very easy to to adjust. All you do is touch the button where your pedal is, and it brings up all the controls. I think here it's just a case of ain't broke--don't fix.
The M13 was the most expensive effect thing I had bought back when I got mine. I loved that thing to death, and looking back, there were some things I liked about it more than my current Helix rig. If the helix control had the knob array like the M9/M13 does for adjusting parameters, it would be awesome! Walking back to the rack to tweak something for the room doesn't sound the same as standing out in front of my board, so you end up having to walk back and forth a bunch of times.
For me best part of this are delays but i find that analog modulation sound better to me. Real MXR 95 sound more open and alive. Same with chorus which btw isn bad in m9. One control chorus sound better, more 3D. Reverbs are okey. Its great pedal for searching what sounds you really like. I really like the looper also. I think about changing for new line 6 ddl mkii, i think it will sound better but m9 is great gear for the buck and for start.
I was surprised with the spring reverb on the M9. My reverb unit is a GFI Systems Specular Tempus and it definitely has higher resolution, but its spring algorithm cant get that "drip" or the bongingness of the springs that the M9 creates. I can see the appeal of the M9 despite the age of the unit, especially on the simplicity aspect. I have a Timeline and even though i love its tone and capabilities, im not a fan of editing patches on it without the software editor. I think simplicity in equipment allows for creativity to happen more spontaneous and frequently, instead of having to stop that inspiring moment in order to dive through menus and lists of parameters to fine tune that sound ur after, but on the other hand, having the capabilities to edit parameters so deeply and complex functionality enables one to discover something new, unique and their own sound. The M9 seems really cool.
The M9 is great, there are things it can do that the Specular Tempus does, but also many things it can't. For great "meat and potatoes" reverbs, delays, and modulation, it's great and as good as anything out there.
I wanted an M9 but found a M13 for $120 on reverb a few years ago. I is a huge beast of a pedal but I only use it for recoding so it doesn't matter. I like most everything but the dirt but most are useable.
m5/m9 are my absolute favourite pedals - not because everything on it is killer, but just bang for the buck I get access to anything and everything, and can fill in the blanks around. I'm a pretty simple guy, and I can throw the m9 and 5 on my board (I had the 5 already, then just kept wanting to have more than one of the m5 - the m5 will be on every board I have, so no point getting rid of it only to want to buy it again down the road!) and have everything I want at at least a good level, and then throw on my favourite drive and boost pedal, couple of more unique specialist effects (drop pedal, octave pedal for e.g) and I am off to the races. Glad I got both mine before they invariably go back up in price after this video! Though I often feel like they are this secret weapon that have been hiding in plain sight. Beyond those you mention, I've heard people like Tim Pierce swear by them as well.
I have the hd500x and the fx in that are all the M fx from the M5, M9, M13. Funny thing is , mostly all I use are OD, DISTORTION, A FEW AMP MODELS , DELAY AND REVERB. I rarely use chorus , flange etc . It’s been working for me
@@VertexEffectsInc yes! I had it for a long time but didn't know how to use it, as I wanted to make a midi controlled system, so I put it in the rack as an effects group before the amp. It's fantastic!
I love my M9. My only complaint with it is the copy paste function. I can't tell you how many times I've blown over FX settings. Its easy to copy an effect to another switch, but you have to remember to wait until the screen goes back to the parameters... if you get impatient and think the copy is complete and you click to a different footswitch you will paste the FX in the clipboard again.
I have an M5 which I hang on to as it has proved useful when I want a few effects I only use in one or two songs. When I was in a 60s band it replaced about 5 pedals when combined with a midi switcher / loop system. I think I might start looking for an M9!
One common issue with the M9 is that over time, the pedal knobs tend to become loose, causing them to get stuck when transitioning between effects or turning the unit off. My m9 doesn't work anymore, stopped working today - i really liked it though
I have an HX Stomp and an M9. Guess which one lives on my board? The M9 is so easy to use, and yes the effects in the stomp are better but the user interface is nuts. I had to bring a laptop with me to use it. The M9 is idiot-proof and still sounds great.
I have the m13 and use it in FX loop mode, sometimes stereo too, where the mod fx etc are all in the FX loop of the amp and all the pre amp fx are, well, pre amp.... In this mode the only effect I have before the amp input is the MXR Comp model. I really don't rate any of the non fx loop models except the compressor, so I have a Boss OD1 pedal between the Compressor output and the amp and rely on a mix of the OD1 and the 2 overdrive channels on a Fender 2x12 HotRod Deville (or 4 if there's 2 amps in stereo). I also have a Line6 DL4 on the board too which may seem like delay overkill but it does come in handy depending on the switching mode you have the m13 set to. So 2 pedals an amp and an m13 is about all I can imagine most people would ever need.
Do you have any favorite settings on the Line 6 M9 (or any of the other M-series pedals)? Let's start a list in the comments!
I have the M5 and I love the Octo Reverb preset and, I gotta say, the Fuzz Pi (with the right tweaking) NAILS my Big Muff PI dead on. I love it.
Love the analog delay blended with chorus and some plate reverb, great for ambient tones on the M13
I have 6 sounds that I never depart from, the dimension with the 4 position on and about 32 %mix a vibrato then 4 delays usually the tape delay dry thru with a dotted 8 and a analog dry thru.
Considering sending mine out to get the jvh3 mod.
The ping pong and multi head are lights out as well and who can forget the craziness of the particle verb
The Flangers are great, delays & reverbs also. Not convinced about the drives or distortions though .
Super cool video. I was the product manager for M9 which was birthed out of M13. Darrell Smith was my boss. An idea of a multi effect but in a DL4 size box was pitched by Jeorge Tripps a few years before. Angelo Mazzocco did the firmware and software and created particle verb and more. Dale Wagler did the industrial design. And Line 6 founder, Marcus Ryle got relative mode going as well as being a huge inspiration during development.
I LOVE my Strymon friends who I worked with at Line 6 but none of my team for M13 and M9 is at Strymon. I'm the general manager of Tyler Guitars after spending 5 years as a product manager at KRK under Gibson. Darrell Smith has an amazing production company, Kung pow Productions. Jeorge is at Dunlop. Angelo is a main guy at Meris. And Marcus and his wife Susan Wolfe have a successful consulting company. And Dale is still designing at Line 6.
I love that you call out Tim Pierce first. Hanging out with him as I was working on Spider III is how M13 happened. He had all 4 of the 4 button modelers on his pedal board, he was the second artist, after Dwayne Larring, to see Dale's first layout built from Darrell and my crude drawings. He then was my main guy to beta test the pedal and he actually helped find a bug in the DL4 that we fixed in M13 and M9.
Rich, thanks for all the information and corrections here. Certainly Line 6 at that time was a breeding ground for what spun off into several different major brands in the pedal game Meris, Strymon, etc. and the work that Jeorge went on to do with Way Huge via Dunlop. The amount of talent on those development teams is staggering, you guy had the dream team! Thanks again for chiming in and watching!
@@VertexEffectsInc We had a "class reunion" of sorts a few months ago. It was a dream team. So incredible. One of my fav fellow product manager was Mark McCrite. He is at Strymon kicking butt now. Some of the engineers from that era went on to Apple and the like. My very first meeting on my very first product on my first day, I was in a room with one of founders, Michel, the French guy. 2 former employees of Rocketdyne, 1 from Boeing, the head designer. I thought I had faked my way into the building. Lol!
Great insight. I do lot’s of sound design (mostly video games) and I relay HEAVILY on the M13 on my workflow, it sounds incredible with synthesizers and the modulations that can be have with that hardware. I do use a lot of Strymon on my process. But it’s something very special when mangling the easy access of the Line 6 M13. I often work with a few Ensoniq’s DP4+ which they have incredible flavor, but in a fast setting nothing beats the M13/M9/M5 Thanks for a great product
@@MeAlexSenna Amazing. I can totally picture that because my best friend was an engineer named Bryan Carlstrom (Alice in Chain, The Dreaming, The Offspring, etc) and he was one of my beta testers. He wired it into his analog synth rack and it was just ready to add sauce to any of his synths. Thank you for sharing your story with me.
@Rich Renken - Thanks for chipping in. It's great to hear from someone with feet on the ground during s device's development - I'd love to see a video on how these things are put together, how the effects are modelled, assessed and licensed (or not?); things I've always wondered about.
I'm here because I just watched a rig rundown with Satchel of Steel Panther. He uses an Atomic Amplifire 3 modeler which goes to FOH, along with a few pedals. He doesn't use an amp at all, just that modeler that costs about $260 used online, in front of hundreds, sometimes thousands of people and he just shreds onstage along with a beastly rock tone.
At least 3 years ago I put away my M13 because, according to everyone, pedals are where the best tone is, so I made the switch to pedals. I've watched all the vids on modelers and stuff, but that vid on Satchel NOT using a big rig containing the best rock tube amp available along with the best boutique pedals really drove it home that the majority, if not all, listeners aren't going to notice or care how I get my delays, reverb, or chorus, etc...
Tomorrow I'm going to take the time to dust off my M13 and connect it back up. And I'm sure I'll be happy with the way it sounds. And if I ever gig with it, I'm guessing that no one will notice or care how the effects on my guitar are being made. If Satchel can play live concerts through a small modeler and pro musicians are using the M9 to this day, then the M13 is certainly good enough for me!!
BRUSH IT OUT! The best tones come from time with your equipment and how you play your piece. This pedal and the Pod Go are sleeper hits for incredible sounds, both require TIME.
People care more on how the sound is made, not what made the sound. Use what you love!
I think it sounds great. I figured out years ago not to trust public opinion on stuff like this. Took me about a year of working at a venue and realizing about 30% of people that played there couldn’t tell if they were in tune or not. 😂
Amazing! M9 rocks!
I have a M13, and i use it with analog pedals using the send and return. I like vibrato, tri-chorus, and more and more i learn new ways for use it. Recently i notice if i use the signal path: compressor > send > mad professor> pinacle wamplerr > return > orange drive > analog delay > 63 reverb. Its is a real Nice distortion.
Thanks for sharing!
I have this on my board still.. Been playing drums for 25 years and last two picked up electric guitar. It's great functionality, I don't spend ages looking up some killer sounds.
I have buffer> pre-amp > comp > OD's (Lightspeed, SickAs, ODR 1) > volume > DD8 (reverse delay) Stereo into M9 then Dream 65 stereo out. Nothing complex but it's really versatile.
Live I use it in the scenes options with each pedal bringing up 6 different effects (3 on at once) each pedal being a new song. For $300 I can do what would cost a couple of thousand if you buy timeline, big sky, then a switcher like PCB6x etc. but then you still odn't have the modulation effects etc. Means I can focus on my playing and when I'm at the point it's time to invest, I'll take that step.
I still use mine all the time - the ability to control ANY parameter and COMBINATION of parameters via expression pedal is genius!
Yes!!!
Love this pedal. It's never left my board. Sounds great and packs all kinds of sounds I use all the time.
For sure!
I'm a session guitar player too, and a producer of my own music projects, and i have to say that i use 2 line6 m5 and going against all the advice not to buy it(from friends) i couldn't be happier to took the risk. I use it on my rig with a true by pass switch and now i couldn't play without them, i actually have 5 new ones in the box just in case of a failure lol its been 7 years and they still work, i mod them myself with a switch when pressed goes directly to the(white screen) custom 25 presets that i have created, its always there, when not in use i just press my loop true bypass little box(the size of a matchbox)
i had to open it up and sand paper the 4 screws from the bottom because i was having a problem with the power, sometimes wouldn't turn on, after some research i read that has to do with ground electric relief , the black paint was not letting the proper connection, those reverbs and delays made me save an enormous space on my pedalboard...memory man, phase 90, EVH MRX flanger, golden reverbrator, tc elec reverb, Strymon El Capistan etc ....those are amazing pedals but i had to do it, obviously if im at home recording guitars i will use them sometimes, but when it comes to move around the country (portugal) they wont go with me ...the point is if you adjust well the m6-m5 you will get a very well rounded sound. obviously i need my RAT or TS9 | TUBE SCREAMER and my precious Soldano 4×12” Straight Cabinet. by the way i have one of my M5 in the soldano loop (modulation or time based FX) reverbs i like to use it in the end of the chain. cheers and it is amazing to know these session guitar players are doing the same, meaning i was right,
PS-beautiful Chord progressions my friend, well done
I have had one of these for 6 or 7 years and stilll love it. I don't use it that much these days...but it is still reliable whenever I need it.
Bought it the day it dropped, hasn't left my board.
Niiice!!!
I'm late to this party but the intro of "My favorite mistake" made me put a huge smile on my face. One of the best intros ever.
Recently got this cheap and it’s become an indispensable part of my rig. So cool to have all those sounds available so quickly. Plus, now I use it alone when I go to rehearsal or a quick “in-out” gig. The only thing I would have liked to see was more overall and individual level control but, it’s not a deal breaker
After a while with my M9, I can see why people love it. It sounds 85-95% of the analog pedals it’s emulating. It’s super fast. I don’t know why other companies, even L6, haven’t copied it’s interface. It’s brilliant, and inspired. A classic.
Watching this segment always revitalizes my energy for playing thank you for that!
The M13 was my first ever “pedal” along with a little Vox AC4. Was honestly such a killer setup combined with a cheap Les Paul and knockoff Strat. So much ground covered.
Nice! That wouldn't been a big buy for a first pedal!
Hi there
I'm semi beginner and don't have neither a loop pedal
Any thoughts about a looper ""with "drumbeats?
I used the M9 for almost a decade on the worship circuit. I eventually got an HX Stomp, and truth be told I still use the legacy effects on the Stomp because I remember how great the effects sounded in the M9. Great unit with awesome sounding effects
Thanks for sharing!
I used to have an M5! Now I have an HX Stomp, and I love that most of those effects are back.
I still use the cave reverb! To be honest, I use the M series effrcts more on my HX Stomp, because I like how simple they all are. The dynamic and other fancy reverbs can take too long to dial in.
Simplicity is king!
I have had mine since 2013 too. I tried to retire it a few months ago but it’s now back in use ! Its just good, it does the job needed.
Heck yea!
Ive had one of these on my board since it came out… about 6 months ago… upgraded to the HX effects ( which includes all of the effects in the M9 plus the new stuff)
Yea...but it's still not quite the same, Tom talks about this in the full interview which I'll publish soon.
13 years = nearly 20 years , that's some impressive rounding up.
I was going off of memory when I shot the video, it was after that I released it was 13. I was thinking it came out at the same time as the DL-4.
Maf ftw
I love the Particle & Cave Verb. I have the M5 & M13. The M13 was my gateway into pedals. I recommend it to every guitarist whose just beginning to get into pedals. It has so much flexibility for arranging effects & so many different emulations of great pedals as well as some unique options. It allows new players a good deep dive to see how pedals work together & what sounds they do & don’t like. Some of the sounds are great some are lacking, but all in all it’s an amazing tool. Grateful to see it get some love here.
moved from an m9 to an hx effects, and honestly i've never regretted it. it's almost as simple, and the tones are next level. i still have an m5 and every once in a while i hook it up, and it just doesn't work for me anymore. as uncle larry described it, the sounds are passable. but in the hx, the sounds are really excellent.
Where’d you run your M5 in your chain?
@@BillyRogan towards the end, right before carbon copy delay & hall of fame reverb. I mostly used it for delay but sometimes modulation or pitch.
I used to have this or the M13 on stage back in the old good days where gigs happened every week. Very solid pedals with endless possibilities.
The HX Effects is a huge step not only in sound but in connectivity as well, I don't look back. If I had to, of course I would use a lovely M9 ...
Nice! Thanks for watching!
My favorite chorus sound is actually to use the “Pitch Glide”-effect. Set it at +0,1 and the mix at about 40-50% and you get a lovely chorus.
Nice!!!
I really have to thank you for this video, Mason. I have been really digging the channel and have learned a ton on my "Road to Tone Town." lol. Anyway, I have been in need a of a new reverb pedal so badly and thought about the HX Stomp, H9 and others, but this video made me realize how valuable the M9 is. I lived and worked in Nashville as a guitarist for a decade, and love old classic pedals, so the quality of this pedal was right up my alley. (I used to love going to Tom Bukovac's store in Berry Hill). After watching this video I made it a goal to get one second hand. Found one on craigslist in absolute excellent condition, negotiated with the seller, drove to Hollywood and bought it for $160. Truly a steal (seller is a keyboardist so switches haven't even been stepped on). Turns out me and the seller will also both be teaching songwriting/production at the same music college this summer, so I even made an acquaintance out the whole thing. Crazy small world. Thanks again!
❤️❤️❤️ great deal!!!
excellent reveiw/demo! I have the M9 and also an M5. i use the m9 mostly like you have demonstrated and have it placed at end of signal chain. the m5 is at the front and believe it or not i use it mainly for a univibe placed pre-overdrive/distortion. another gem inside the m-series and many other line 6 products is the overdrive model called "Line 6 Drive". It has a unique and very versatile mid-range control that completely changes the character of the overdrive/distortion in very dramatic ways. I have been able to mimic quite a few of my analog overdrives and distortions using that one model alone. all the way from fuzz to overdrive and distortion.
It's a great pedal for sure! I thought it was best for wet effects personally.
So glad to be vindicated here! I've been playing an M9 for over a decade now (at one point I bought a backup as well) and it's still the fastest tool for getting sounds I've found in a pedal. The studio comp, the vibrato, the phaser (especially the barberpole in stereo), the analog with mod (the digital with mod is also great for lanois-type vibes), the lo res, the ping pong (as a slap delay in stereo), and the plate are all still relevant nearly 15 years later.
There are pedals that sound 15% better but I can't control them with 5 knobs, 6 switches and an expression pedal. (Plus the looper from the DL4!) Love that dumb black box so much with the awful footswitches :)
Thank you Mason! (So validating, LOL:) Purchased my M9 the month L6 released it for an all in one mod, verb, delay solution. I didn't realize until a few years ago that Buk, Kenny, Shawn T., et al., use the M9. I love it. It's a swiss army knife. My fave models are analog delay w mod, analog chorus, plate, octo and particle verbs. Cheers! 🎸
Yes, it's soooo good!
My main man Trey Anastasio has 2 M9's on his Phish tour board if that says anything about how good these are...
Nice!!!
I don’t know what year you’re talking about, but he changes things in and out a lot. Trey still uses the same two Tube Screamers, and digital delay he’s had since the first days of the band.
He added 2 Boss synths, and he’s had a vintage Uni-Vibe.
Check his 2021 Rig Rundown. You may be surprised how far away from an M9 he’s gotten, whenever he was using two.
Maybe he uses those for backup?
*He also uses a Snark tuner. I mention it, because I’ve gotten funny looks, if not made fun of for using one for well over a decade. Never had an issue live.
I saw on his 2021 rig rundown that he has two M5s in the rack for an effect each. Same effect family.
Yes they were the M5. I stand corrected.
And they were in the rack. He made a point to say how great they still were in his rig rundown.
My M9 has lasted me 10+ years of gigging, still the foundation of my ultralight stage rig. Just grabbed a Pod Go simply so I can use more effects at once and so I have some emulators to use if my amp dies on me (happened during a show last month). Planned to try to migrate the boost, compression, overdrive, and modulation to the POD and run delays and verbs in the M9 at the end of the chain.
Aside from a tendency for the tuner to spontaneously move a few cents from time to time, and for the insulation on the power supply cords to crack and expose copper, mine has been an absolute tank.
M9 is still a classic!
On the other price side for rough use…have a Boss ME20 (100$ now, bought new). Tank heavy built box and super SIMPLE. Blends very well with KoT V4 and rest of board! Bought a spare and have had two shops try to buy lately; surprisingly good for that price point.
I still have mine on my board and live by it. Hands down my favorite piece of equipment.
I asked Tom about 10 years ago which 'mutli effects' box to purchase- he didn't hesitate... he said 'easy m9'. I wish Line 6 had the 'easy access' controls on the newer models.
Yessir!
I have this one (M9) and I still use it today! Great sounds!! ❤🎸😃
Very nice!
I come from the mid to late 70's era and used a bunch of MXR and Electro_Harmonix stomp boxes back then. When life changes came about, I sold off most of that older (dated) equipment and moved away from that level of guitar involvement. Being retired, I decided to return to my guitars and immersing myself deeper in it. I looked into adding individual stomp boxes again like the old one's I had but the cost would've been huge (for me). I decided that the best bang for the buck back around 2015 or so would be the Line 6 M9. I picked one up at a local Guitar Center just to get me by for the time being. I figured that I'd replace it after acquiring the old stomp boxes piece meal over time. At first the M9 was a big learning curve (old school here).....but now, after having it for the past 8 or 9 years, it fills the need far better than all those individual stomp boxes ever could. The only downside to these M style stompbox modeler's is their cheap switches. They become intermittent after a (seemingly short) given time and some only engage after several attempts. I'm assuming a good spritzing of DeOxit will rectify that but we'll see.......other than that, I agree with you Mason......good to see your view on this one......
Thanks for watching!!!
Yeah, while us old school guys still love the tube stuff, the versatility of the new technology stuff can't be denied. Nobody is lugging Marshall stacks to gigs anymore. This is the future, and present, of gigging, really good digital floor modelers that are small and powerful. Tube amps, of which I have many, are just relegated to the home studio now as a luxury. I have a RP360XP and Headrush Prime and couldn't be happier. My tube amps really don't get turned on very much now.
This is the best multi effects pedal ever built because it sounds very well and has the best user interface. You have 2 lines of 3 effects each at your feet and the parameters immediately available at your fingertips. You don’t need to dive into a tree of menus and get lost. The interface is simpler than the iPhone. Line6 could upgrade it like they did for DL4 with a better and faster processor and memory for the looper. If they keep the existing algorithms the latency will be the lowest in the market.
The interface is the unsung hero of this pedal!
I use a Flint or Dream 65 for always on verb (depending on if I’m using amps or not). I use the M9 for spot effects (mods, delays, filters, particle and Oct verbs), and it’s a very good match - plays to the strength of the M9 (usability, variety, general fx quality) while mitigating any potential downfalls (DA a conversion, latencies) which I’m not really sure exist anyway. 😂
I really wish Line 6 would issue a true M9 MKII with same interface and size, but upgraded hardware. Mason, do you know of anyone who upgrades M9 switches, etc?
I wish I never sold my M13.
That one direct to a clean amp's input was all I ever needed for my (then) band, but noooo I had to listen to the internet and buy "better, expensive" stuff.
All that did was empty my wallet and made me sound the same, but it was way more complicated = more setup time on stage or rehersals.
Now I have a Helix LT and I use it as "simple" as possible like I would use the M13.
Love the "Legacy" effects from the M series and use them until today, way more than the Helix effects.
Sounds like there are several folks that wished they'd held onto their M5, 9, 13.
👍🏼
from 2010 I'm still using it until now, the sound is still reliable, one of the best ever made.
It's still great!
I have a Boss GX100. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE the tones and feel of this unit. No one seems to know about it but it is a MONSTER. This $600 modeler has absolutely changed my mind on having to have the $2000 latest thing.
As a budget conscious person, my "getting-to-know-MIDI" pedalboard is centered around the line 6 M5 and the TC Nova drive, each of which were bought secondhand, each for less than the price of a new Boss delay. I control them with a Boss MS-3, but those two pedals do most of the work in my patches. While I might augment this rig further I can't see myself upgrading either of those older pedals; it's the newer, pricier Boss switcher that's least satisfying. Great to see you, the boutique pedalboard guy, champion the excellent and unfairly forgotten Nova and M series recently.
Nice! Thanks for sharing!
I have nothing but love and fond memories of the older Line 6 stuff! From my experience they're tools for the working musician. I used to use a Line 6 Flextone II pretty rigorously and its held up much better than some of my friends pedalboards! It may not have that extra clear fidelity, but at the end of the day it sounded great and it got the job done!
They're great, no doubt!
I moved on from the m13 a good couple years ago to an AxeFX, but i suggested the unit to a friend 2-3 years ago and its really still a beast, he can't imagine ever getting rid of it. I used the pitch shifter to record pitched down rap vocals once hahahaha, its not a pristine sound for that but it actually worked remarkably well for that scenario. Alsohad a lot of fun running multiple instruments into the looper through mixer, or having an acoustic jam with a mic set up and different people going up and adding little percussive bits or the occasional guitar bassline with the half speed setting.
Axe is great, I have one myself, I feel like they're really two different things in the end. Certainly making changes on an AxeFX is way more complicated than the M9 or 13.
Rekindled my love of my M9. In a recent bout of G.A.S. I almost bought an Ocean Machine. Instead I put the M9 in the stereo loop of my POD Go and it sounds amazing for my needs. Delay - reverb - delay, save. Boom, done! And it does so much more!
Good choice!
This sounds perfect!. I sold my old pedal board 7 years ago to fund moving from Australia to England, and it had my MM-4 and DL-4 on it. As far as sound comparisons go, how does it hold up?. Only just found this channel, but I'm enjoying it a lot!.
Thanks for watching!
I have the M5 and use it for chorus and reverbs. Best $140 I've ever spent!
Wow! 😯
Had the m13 since it came out, and it is and will always be the ‘brains’ of my pedalboard. As soon as I found out all the great ‘4’ range were being put in the one pedal, I was IN!
It’s lived up to my expectations and way more.
It’s WAY more versatile than the m9. Not sure why you wouldn’t have a m13 if you love the m9, apart from the pedalboard real estate. I just store it in my pedalboard case and run it on the floor next to my pedalboard, so no space problem.
Universal tap tempo sync for ALL your effects, 4 effects simultaneously (including 4 of the same module if you want, so 4 delays at once!), 12 at your feet, all knobs tweakable and changeable at a button press, AMAZING looper with half speed, reverse, double speed, one shot, etc, tempo that can be used as midi clock for other midi pedals or synth/ ableton etc. Oh, and 2 expression pedal inputs!
I use it for my solo loop based ambient experimental project and can switch the effects between pre and post and knob twiddle sound design to hearts content.
I do augment it with LOTS of other effects before and after, to give me a well rounded sound palette, and to avoid potential samey sounds, but it’s a great control centre.
I feel like it is really slept on by amateur guitarists, which is a huge shame.
I will never not have one, and can’t imagine my pedalboard without it anymore.
I just think, if you like the m9, just pay the extra $50 and get the m13. You won’t be disappointed!
Thanks for watching and the comment!
I have an M13 and two M5s, absolutely love these products.
Dang, that’s like having an M 23
😅😅
My m13 got rid of my whole board for church worship. Then I got an hx stomp which replaced that and my tube amps. But honestly some effects on the m13 still sound better imho. Great delays and modulation.
It does have a certain "something" in the M9, M13, etc. series.
Ive still got and use my M5. Fav sounds, 63' spring, Phase 90, Dimension and the Tube Drive. There is a guy called Dave Barlow on youtube uses an M5 with a Blugamp 1 and uses the midi switch amp and fx. Great Video Mason. M9 sellers are going to be pleased :)
All great ones!
I've had an M9 on my "heavier stuff" board for a little while now. As others have said, great Swiss Army Knife pedal... one of its most important roles on that board is as a tuner! Otherwise, I toggle between a couple EQs (one to un-muddy humbuckers, the other as a mids-and-level boost for solos), the '63 Spring, Tape Delay, and a chorus that also doubles as a Rotovibe sort of thing with the expression pedal. The fact that it has MIDI is also super-handy... I use a Tech 21 MIDI Mongoose (really small) with it, and that switches between my "scenes", leaving the switches on the M9 in effects on/off mode. Really, really easy to use live.
Nice! Thanks for watching and for this share!
Sounds terrific. I can't compare it to the others out there these days, but what you played sounded awesome!!!!!! I'm still using a Digitech GSP 21 Pro - LOL!!! - and love it. Complex to set up for PERSONAL tones, but I just play it around the house for fun not gigging!!!! Thanks for the demo!!!!
I have the M13 and I love the tube drive on it and the particle reverb. Tron up and down are really good. These pedals are tanks!!! I was playing a show and someone knocked over a full pint of beer on my M13. I unplugged it cleaned it off and never had a problem with it. Still have it and that was 9 year’s ago. I still love it and I own some strymon stuff. Just a fantastic all in one and easy to use.
Couldn't agree more!
I used to have a small pedalboard, an oc2 into a VMT into an m5 and on to the amp. Now I have a small pedalboard, an hx stomp with a C4 in the loop. Full stop. I’ve also got a couple controllers (jet micro and a dod expression) and of course, my practice amp is the headphone out into a JBL Bluetooth speaker that is also on my board.
I got rid of the VMT, one of my favorite pedals ever, because I could get 90% of what I wanted with a drive or two in the Stomp.
Line6 team kills it more often than not, despite oft criticized offerings.
And, I’m happy to see becoming more popular, it’s all powered by an Anker battery bank via usb A (ripcord 9v) and usb C (via mission engineering somethingorother, an older one I paid too much for). Which can also power other parts of my rig, and like… my phone and stuff
Cool! Thanks for watching and for the comment!
Sometimes less is more or at least enough when it comes to effects. I’m so glad you added Jerry McPherson in your group of great session players. One of the best long time creative studio guitarists in the business.
Absolutely!! He's the best!
It’s a cool unit. All the right stuff in a small package and quick and easy to use
Yes indeed!
I used to have an m13 I upgraded to the hx and often use the legacy section for delays and modulations in particular! Great sounds
All the M9 algorithms are IN THE HELIX now under the 'Legacy' effects section. I still prefer the Phase 90 M9 algorithm, than the current Helix version. I'd recommend the Helix HX to anyone, as a much better upgrade to the M9, with the same sounds and way more versatility.
Yea...the M9 still sounds different.
Although I love all my original pedals, I started using the Line M13 years ago when it came out and have two expression pedals setup with it. I use the M13 on a smaller gig with a compact Tweed deluxe or with my Tweed Bandmaster for larger venues. That's it.
As always, this is an incredible video. Not just another vendor trying to sell his stuff. You teach us about making a pedal board, patch cables, all about getting the best tone…. Thanks so much man!! ❤️
My pleasure!
Great job, man! Same story I see in audio Hi-Fi equipment. More kHz in sampling rate and more bits not always sounds better, than old stereo Amps and Receivers.
I've got it and it's perfect, especially for reverbs and delays
Nice!
Great playing and adding the flip over thump. I learn to play doing that and it opens up so many different ways to play.
Glad you like it!
I have the m13.
Pros:
1) up to 4 effects at once
2) has all the effects you really need
3) has true bypass or buffered
4) the effects sound great
5) you can send whichever sets of effects to fx loop if desired
6) built in looper and noise gate
7) many scenes and presets
8) no patch cables between effects or expensive power bricks.
9) UNIVERSAL TAP TEMPO
Cons:
1) the drives are ok but compared to analog they don’t match up
2) limited to only 4 effects at once
3) no amp modeling
4) reverbs are great but lose volume with ambient tones
5) effects are comparable to single analog pedals but just don’t sound up to par. Very close, but never win.
6) switches are delicate and people wear them out, though I’m pretty gentle and haven’t had that issue 🤞
There’s more pros than cons but the cons definitely have made me have my doubts about going back to single effects. Especially analog, like the CE-1.
Every time I switch back to single pedals though, I miss the versatility of the m13, and is my current board.
I think most guys are using them for the wet processing effects, including Bukovac. 4 effects is still more than most Multi-Effects or more than most would supplement with analog pedals. An H9 comparatively can only do one thing at once. No amp modeling, but neither does the HX Effects (it's nearest competitor). I haven't found that be an issue with volume loss. I think some of the effects are on par. Spring Reverb is great, Analog with Mod is amazing, the Chorus tones are up there with any modeler that's representing a vintage pedal. Switches are crap, ideally these would be changed to momentary switches hardwired to the PCB.
I used the Obi Wah and the Voice Box on the Song Rockin' the Ryman. I used the Particle Verb on a guitar solo yesterday and it made this mid high frequency sustain feedback noise with the dwell on at all but that was going direct into the Apollo and not into an amp cab.
One of the best things about the M9 was not having to page through settings for each effect. Having the 6 small knobs so every parameter has a dedicated knob was great. It's amazing what a difference a little thing like that makes. It's too bad Line6 didn't carry that over to the HX Effects which seemed like it was trying to carry the torch for the M9.
Totally agree!
Thanks for sharing this, Mason! Great content and great playing!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I had the M13 back in the day, really enjoyed it, but it was a bit TOO much for my needs. It was cool to instantly switch between pedalboards while still having an intuitive layout
Maybe the M5 or M9 could be a good intermediary?
I have a line 6 M13, with an full tone ocd, Mxr super badass, and Mxr distortion plus, ( all plugged into an a/ b//c ) three way switcher. Don’t care too much for the distortion/overdrive/boost/fuzz, built in. But all the other effects are Fantastic! My go to for everything but distortion/od/fuzz/boost. Great money saver, and still using it.I use it all the time, with three different amp setups. Killer effects units!
Nice! Thanks for watching!
I started with a Digitech RP300. it served us well in our live setup for an everyday working man's band. Later I moved up to the Digitech GNX4. THAT THING IS A MONSTER FOR ALL IT CAN DO! Only drawback in my mind is the plastic pedals. Solid, good sounding units though.
Thanks for sharing!
I love my old Gnx 2 and have gotten my favorite hybrid distortions with that beast, despite other limitations
It's a great foundation for what it is, but now that the HX fx is on the scene it has the potential to carry the line far into the future. Especially considering that the M9 fx are on board the HX with tons more on board as well. I find the HX extremely easy to navigate and dial useful tones when in need for gigs, session work, etc... I have other stuff on my live touring rig, but have since built another complete rig with a small 18w amp that rivals what I have in a rack based system...albeit in a much smaller simplistic package! My next update to my larger touring rig is going to contain the helix rack for live use, but at home work and session work will be me, an amp, and the HX FX and that's about it!
In the full interview with Tom Bukovac he talks about why he doesn't use the HX and the sound and interface differences that make it not workable for him.
@@VertexEffectsInc as lovely as Tom is. I take no notice of what he thinks about gear in the same way as I take no notice of any musician about the gear they use and how they use it
I have an M13 that is showing some wear after close to 700 shows before being retired. When I got a gig playing for a country artist that required flying, I got an M9; it didn’t make it 3 months before it started having software issues. Sent it back and got another one, same thing.
They're the same hardware as the M13...could just be bad luck.
Also have an M13, love mine. Might pick up an M9 at some point if I get a deal on one.
@@mistermojo1969 after getting an HX Stomp, I would totally go with one of the HX pedals instead!
@@211squirrel Also wouldn’t say no to an HX. I’m sure they’re fantastic!
great video review/post. count me as a fan. i have an M9 and M5 for many years now and they are without a doubt the most valuable Swiss Army Knife fx in my collection. I mainly use the M9 at end of fx chain for time-based delay/reverb and modulation fx. the M5 i use at front of chain for Univibe and one-off distortion/overdrive fx but mostly the Univibe. In fact it replaced a Fulltone Deja-Vibe. is it better sounding than the Deja-Vibe? probably not but it still sounds damn good and is very tweakable and has so much more on tap. In fact i think i bought both of these units used in-box for dirt cheap. they have paid for themselves many times over.
Well said!
It sounds really cool. I used to play a lot of rock and now experimenting with ambient music, it seems to be a good gear to do that.
Curious to see what will happen to these on Reverb I the next few days... 😁
I don't think we have that much influence on that.
I love videos like this aye. Bringing out the “unsung heroes” of the gear world and showing that it isn’t about having the latest and greatest. Keep up the content Vertex FX! 👍
Thanks for watching!
Hi Mason, I really do appreciate you getting your guitar neck so close to the camera - Doing so makes it a lot easier to maybe learn what you are playing on the guitar. I just got a M9 and I just used the Tron up on the Strat and the Tron Down on my Bass. On the Gibson I thought the chorus might make it sound too over processed for the publisher so I choose to leave that dry. This is written 2 years later in 2024 and I can just assume that the M9 is still being used in the studio I am thankful that you mentioned Tom Bukovac, Derek Wells and Kenny Greenberg so I could study their pedal boards. All these session guitarists including you do offer some really great stuff. I was curious about playing in stereo and if there is channel separation for effects but really if what is played is not panned in the center you have to cram everything over to one channel or the other. But mono has to stay mono at least on the session I just did. If you can do a zoom session sometime I will try to schedule that. Thank you for the video and a Thank You really big Shootout to Uncle Larry.
The plate reverb, ducking delay, spring reverb, and dimension in my M5 all sound great. Tim Pierce recently updated his board. Sandwiched between two Eventide H9’s was an M5. Go figure…
Agreed! Great device!
Sounds like a great gigging upgrade from my MS-50g which also sounds astonishingly good considering its single pedal format and decade old tech. The zoom multistomp compromise is that they require us to menu dive but they are ingeniously intuitive for their tiny size and minimal input controls. I regularly consider selling my real pedals since the MS-50g is all I use these days.
They're great!
Agreed! Great stomps from zoom..just takes a little tweaking..I use the ms cdr70 for all my modulation at tail of my chain as I can stack 6 different mod effects..all w a ton of control...replaces dozens of pedals honestly
For $50 more you can get the Helix fx which contains all the M series pedals
the Helix has all the same sounds plus a ton more. On the Helix, you also have the knobs, and it's very easy to to adjust. All you do is touch the button where your pedal is, and it brings up all the controls. I think here it's just a case of ain't broke--don't fix.
The M13 was the most expensive effect thing I had bought back when I got mine. I loved that thing to death, and looking back, there were some things I liked about it more than my current Helix rig. If the helix control had the knob array like the M9/M13 does for adjusting parameters, it would be awesome! Walking back to the rack to tweak something for the room doesn't sound the same as standing out in front of my board, so you end up having to walk back and forth a bunch of times.
Still one of the best interfaces of all time. still love this thing!
For me best part of this are delays but i find that analog modulation sound better to me. Real MXR 95 sound more open and alive. Same with chorus which btw isn bad in m9. One control chorus sound better, more 3D. Reverbs are okey. Its great pedal for searching what sounds you really like. I really like the looper also. I think about changing for new line 6 ddl mkii, i think it will sound better but m9 is great gear for the buck and for start.
Thanks for watching and sharing!
I was surprised with the spring reverb on the M9. My reverb unit is a GFI Systems Specular Tempus and it definitely has higher resolution, but its spring algorithm cant get that "drip" or the bongingness of the springs that the M9 creates. I can see the appeal of the M9 despite the age of the unit, especially on the simplicity aspect. I have a Timeline and even though i love its tone and capabilities, im not a fan of editing patches on it without the software editor. I think simplicity in equipment allows for creativity to happen more spontaneous and frequently, instead of having to stop that inspiring moment in order to dive through menus and lists of parameters to fine tune that sound ur after, but on the other hand, having the capabilities to edit parameters so deeply and complex functionality enables one to discover something new, unique and their own sound. The M9 seems really cool.
The M9 is great, there are things it can do that the Specular Tempus does, but also many things it can't. For great "meat and potatoes" reverbs, delays, and modulation, it's great and as good as anything out there.
I wanted an M9 but found a M13 for $120 on reverb a few years ago. I is a huge beast of a pedal but I only use it for recoding so it doesn't matter. I like most everything but the dirt but most are useable.
m5/m9 are my absolute favourite pedals - not because everything on it is killer, but just bang for the buck I get access to anything and everything, and can fill in the blanks around. I'm a pretty simple guy, and I can throw the m9 and 5 on my board (I had the 5 already, then just kept wanting to have more than one of the m5 - the m5 will be on every board I have, so no point getting rid of it only to want to buy it again down the road!) and have everything I want at at least a good level, and then throw on my favourite drive and boost pedal, couple of more unique specialist effects (drop pedal, octave pedal for e.g) and I am off to the races.
Glad I got both mine before they invariably go back up in price after this video! Though I often feel like they are this secret weapon that have been hiding in plain sight. Beyond those you mention, I've heard people like Tim Pierce swear by them as well.
They're so good! Thanks for watching!
I have the hd500x and the fx in that are all the M fx from the M5, M9, M13. Funny thing is , mostly all I use are OD, DISTORTION, A FEW AMP MODELS , DELAY AND REVERB. I rarely use chorus , flange etc . It’s been working for me
Great!
I'm 100% convinced on the current gen of the line 6 phase 90. In fact its almost an always on effect for all my patches, albeit very mild settings.
👍👍👍
I got an m13 in front of my Mesa dc13, midi controlled, and It sounds amazing!!
Sounds great!
@@VertexEffectsInc yes! I had it for a long time but didn't know how to use it, as I wanted to make a midi controlled system, so I put it in the rack as an effects group before the amp. It's fantastic!
I love my M9. My only complaint with it is the copy paste function. I can't tell you how many times I've blown over FX settings. Its easy to copy an effect to another switch, but you have to remember to wait until the screen goes back to the parameters... if you get impatient and think the copy is complete and you click to a different footswitch you will paste the FX in the clipboard again.
Certified classic!
Yes!!!
You can’t tell anyone on a commercial flight how much you like this. Because “it’s the BOMB.”
Ha!
@@VertexEffectsInc Yeah, I’m a Dad…
I have an M5 which I hang on to as it has proved useful when I want a few effects I only use in one or two songs. When I was in a 60s band it replaced about 5 pedals when combined with a midi switcher / loop system. I think I might start looking for an M9!
Yes, great pedal!
One common issue with the M9 is that over time, the pedal knobs tend to become loose, causing them to get stuck when transitioning between effects or turning the unit off. My m9 doesn't work anymore, stopped working today - i really liked it though
my favorite use is with an expression pedal, heel: low distortion and vibrato, toe gainy distortion an subtle chorus
Yes, very smart application!
Great stuff! These units are all fantastic. My HX Effects does everything I need and then some.
Yes indeed!
I have an HX Stomp and an M9. Guess which one lives on my board? The M9 is so easy to use, and yes the effects in the stomp are better but the user interface is nuts. I had to bring a laptop with me to use it. The M9 is idiot-proof and still sounds great.
I agree with all of this. I have an M13 and recommend it.
Great unit!
I have the m13 and use it in FX loop mode, sometimes stereo too, where the mod fx etc are all in the FX loop of the amp and all the pre amp fx are, well, pre amp.... In this mode the only effect I have before the amp input is the MXR Comp model. I really don't rate any of the non fx loop models except the compressor, so I have a Boss OD1 pedal between the Compressor output and the amp and rely on a mix of the OD1 and the 2 overdrive channels on a Fender 2x12 HotRod Deville (or 4 if there's 2 amps in stereo). I also have a Line6 DL4 on the board too which may seem like delay overkill but it does come in handy depending on the switching mode you have the m13 set to. So 2 pedals an amp and an m13 is about all I can imagine most people would ever need.
Nice! Thanks for sharing!