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So How Good Is The M13?


smrybacki
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I already have an HD500 and a JTV59, but I also have a few nice tube amps and traditional guitars with stomp boxes.  While I love my stomp boxes, the idea of 48 instantly accessible pedal boards with a looper in an easy to carry one piece deal has it's appeal I must admit.

 

My questions for those with one of these are:

- Is the build quality and reliability pretty good?

- I see by the marketing fluff that it says 3 effects in each of the 4 visible slots...does that mean I can have like 12 effects in a give configuration?
- It seems like my HD500 already has all of these effects in it, plus a looper and a one piece carry it at once design...but the amp modelling I would want to bypass...anyone done this by chance, effective turning their HD unit into an M Class?

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.......

- Is the build quality and reliability pretty good?

- I see by the marketing fluff that it says 3 effects in each of the 4 visible slots...does that mean I can have like 12 effects in a give configuration?........

Yes, build quality and reliability is good imho.

Yes you can have 12 FX in a given configuration/preset, but you can only have one active at a time in each of the 4 FX slots. So 4 active simultaneously.

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Yes, build quality and reliability is good imho.

Yes you can have 12 FX in a given configuration/preset, but you can only have one active at a time in each of the 4 FX slots. So 4 active simultaneously.

Is that what the A/B/C button thingies are for then, I assume? 1 preset with 4 effects slots with either A, B or C in each?

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You're welcome.

 

I'm sure you'll note that there is also an M9 model that has 3 FX slots rather than 4. It may sound like you're not giving up much to go with the less costly M9 but be aware that the M13 also has an FX Loop while the M9 does not, which means you can use the M13 via 4CM with the HD500 to achieve full flexibility in placing your M13 FX pre- or post-amp.

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Let me ask this though...It really seems by looking at the M series gear that it is designed to be used sans computer, IE there are actual knobs as opposed to menu surfing.  That to me seems way better suited to live or ad hoc use than the POD I have.  If I have a computer connection, the HD Edit makes the process pretty straight forward, but in a jam or on stage it would seem that barring a need for amp modelling, the M13 would be the better choice?

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Yes, it is designed to be used sans computer. There is no computer-based editor; everything is done on the device. You also need to update the firmware using a midi connection, not usb.

 

Also, the M13 is designed to be used like a set/series of standard stompboxes; it assumes that you have it connected to an amp. It has a true bypass The M-series FX in the HD500, on the other hand, are bundled into a device that also includes amp modeling. It's Input and Output options, along with the fact that there is no true bypass, can lead to some unexpected behaviours when using it solely for the M-series FX. The M13 is definitely more 'plug and play' than the HD500 if you don't want to use the amp modeling.

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Yes, it is designed to be used sans computer. There is no computer-based editor; everything is done on the device. You also need to update the firmware using a midi connection, not usb.

 

Also, the M13 is designed to be used like a set/series of standard stompboxes; it assumes that you have it connected to an amp. It has a true bypass The M-series FX in the HD500, on the other hand, are bundled into a device that also includes amp modeling. It's Input and Output options, along with the fact that there is no true bypass, can lead to some unexpected behaviours when using it solely for the M-series FX. The M13 is definitely more 'plug and play' than the HD500 if you don't want to use the amp modeling.

Thanks again silverhead...you're a credit to this ecosystem...

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I opted for the M5 first in the signal chain with expression pedal, into Boss Super Overdrive into HD147. I love the M5 to be able to add U-Vibe, Wah, Compression, and Harmony effects in conjuction to the onboard effects and volume controlled with FBV. With the bonus of having extra delay, chorus, script phase, and OD without taking up floor board real estate and doing river dance for patch changes while keeping input signal maximized. Also works great with my Ampeg BA500 2x10 combo although am thinking about getting an M9 just for bass duties

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  • 2 weeks later...

One of the things I find most interesting creatively about the M13 is the expression pedal. There are very few limits to what you can do creatively with it. You can control various parameters on different pedals simultaneously. For example gradually add in the mix from pedal 1 (let's say fuzz) and reduce mix from pedal 2 (let's say synth) with 1 pedal/movement. Then add a 2nd pedal and it becomes crazy/possible what you can do with this thing. As far as sound quality, I A/B it the M13's equivalent of the EHX Big Muff Pi with the actual pedal and it was really, really close.

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  • 1 month later...

I had M13 for couple years now.. I did have love hate relationship. which was typical of all my relationship with L6 stuff..   Staring with POD 2.0, XTLive, Variax 300.

 

I have 2 expression pedal. one is for vol, comp, wah.  the other is for drive level on all my overdrive & distortion pedals - I love it. I love the tube driver (based on Chandler Tube Driver) I can do 90% of the stuff with this one OD model.. using exp pedal slight crunch to all out over drive. It does work well with good tube amp. My Marshall Haze M13 combination is just great. I changed to my old 1985 Mesa Mk 3 last week because I needed more cleaner tone than Haze. Then the Tube Drive on Clean channel of Mesa just screamed!!.. I do not need mesa's drive channel.  as a matter of fact it was more focused and pronounced then mesa over drive. 

 

Now I hear a lot about HD 500 - wondering if anyone made transition from M13/M9 to HD500 and give us a review. can it be replacement or upgrade. 

 

keep on chopping wood..

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if you have the HD500 then you are really getting nothing new with the M13.

 

If you have the M13 and are thinking of the HD500 then in a similar footprint, you get 8 simultaneous effects, the ability to turn multiple fx on/off at once (vs toe tapping) plus a headphone output, aux in for metronome or drum machine etc..  just a better piece.

 

The only thing you lose is the immediacy of twiddling the pedals... but if you are playing songs then making presets is the way regardless.

 

I have the M13 and the pod hd desktop + FBV Express II..

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if you have the HD500 then you are really getting nothing new with the M13.

 

If you have the M13 and are thinking of the HD500 then in a similar footprint, you get 8 simultaneous effects, the ability to turn multiple fx on/off at once (vs toe tapping) plus a headphone output, aux in for metronome or drum machine etc..  just a better piece.

 

The only thing you lose is the immediacy of twiddling the pedals... but if you are playing songs then making presets is the way regardless.

 

I have the M13 and the pod hd desktop + FBV Express II..

Great info, thanks.

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  • 1 month later...

Hey there,

 

just wanted to chime in on this- I bought a used M13 two days ago; I also use the JTV59 and HD500. *Loving* the M13. This thing is amazing!

 

I am running it in the effects loop of the HD500 as my "post" effects processor. I am using a TRS splitter to run the HD500 fx loop in stereo to and from the M13.

 

The one thing I didn't fully comprehend and/or appreciate about the design of the M13, is the amount of "on deck" effects - as you mentioned,  basically twelve stomp boxes each with on/off footswitch - and all able to be configured / saved in presets. Four "on" at any given time.

 

And the manner in which the footswitches work is nice - it just switches between the effects defined in each "fx" stack (across, 1-4, down, A,B,C.)

 

It's been great for doing some crazy cool combinations of mods, delays and reverbs. And I am running dual amp paths, panning them hard left/right in the mixer before it hits the M13 - the ping pong and stereo effects sound pretty stellar routed through the HD500 effects loop. Something about that configuration just worked really well.

 

I was also able to integrate my "pre amp model" analog pedalboard into the rig, and everything sounded stellar together. It got late (two nights in a row! lots of coffee making work do-able today) so I switched out of using the DT25, and just ran the 1/4" outs from the HD500 into my soundcard and monitored through some M-Audio speakers. The stereo effects are really nice when you have the speakers spread wide and you sit in the sweet spot.

 

I can see how stereo is complex though, and presents unique challenges when creating a live sound, vs home studio noodling! Even just panning the two amp models center vs wide left/right made a fair bit of difference in the tone; and the stereo ping-pong sounds good regardless of the source feeding it, mono or stereo.

 

 

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