The BEST Multi-Effect Pedal Ever Made

The Line 6 M9 multi-effects pedal is used by the music industry's top guitarists, in spite of it being released over 13 years ago. Today, I'm sitting down with Tom Bukovac to find out why the M9 continues to outshine the latest and greatest multi-effects pedals on the market.
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Table of Contents
00:00 Intro
00:25 What is a Multi-Effects Pedal?
01:14 Our Objective
01:46 What is the M9?
02:50 What Makes the M9 Great?
04:22 Bringing in a Pro!
05:02 Interview with Tom Bukovac
06:25 Tom's Favorite M9 Settings
07:33 Tom Responds to M9 Criticism
08:07 Digesting Tom's Commentary on the M9
09:35 How Does it Sound?
10:05 Spring Reverb Setting
11:16 Ambient Setting
12:16 Phaser Setting
13:55 Low Res Delay Setting (plus chorus and reverb)
14:31 Modulated Analog Delay Setting
16:10 Final Thoughts on the M9
19:12 Thanks for Watching!
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CREDITS:
Host/Co-Production: Mason Marangella
Video: Nico Sotomayor
Video Editing: Victor San Pedro
Co-Production/Design: Mason Mejia
Audio Engineering: Hunter Harrison
#MultiEffects #M9 #Line6

[@VertexEffectsInc]

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!

[@theelusive9625]

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.

[@PetesGuitar2303]

Love the analog delay blended with chorus and some plate reverb, great for ambient tones on the M13

[@coryfraser7554]

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.

[@coryfraser7554]

The ping pong and multi head are lights out as well and who can forget the craziness of the particle verb

[@jamesgrobertson8024]

The Flangers are great, delays & reverbs also. Not convinced about the drives or distortions though .

[@richrenken]

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.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

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!

[@richrenken]

@@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!

[@MeAlexSenna]

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

[@richrenken]

@@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.

[@-Pol-]

@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.

[@megamania501]

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!!

[@diontes1480]

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!

[@lucassamsmusic]

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. 😂

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Amazing! M9 rocks!

[@vaughngallacher6454]

Watching this segment always revitalizes my energy for playing thank you for that!

[@warpold]

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!

[@VertexEffectsInc]

❤️❤️❤️ great deal!!!

[@dougbelford4565]

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

[@rexamai4982]

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.

[@marcosavila8215]

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

[@adamannear]

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.

[@BURTBROWN]

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!!!!

[@guitphil]

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.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

It's a great pedal for sure! I thought it was best for wet effects personally.

[@Brooksnation1]

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! 🎸

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Yes, it's soooo good!

[@rfeufjf]

Thanks for sharing this, Mason! Great content and great playing!

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@michaelr.4878]

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.

[@jeffroq]

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 :)

[@VertexEffectsInc]

All great ones!

[@miguelnavarroangulo1865]

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 ...

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Nice! Thanks for watching!

[@danielferrera8773]

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.

[@echopark78]

Great playing and adding the flip over thump. I learn to play doing that and it opens up so many different ways to play.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Glad you like it!

[@aidanknight]

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 :)

[@robertguitar1746]

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.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Thanks for sharing!

[@1rwjwith]

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.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Heck yea!

[@jaredtorres1000]

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!

[@VertexEffectsInc]

They're great, no doubt!

[@ericgendell8874]

Mason, thanks for another great video. I watch alot of gear videos to separate fact from the fiction of industry hype and you are one of the best reviewers/ demonstrators on KZbin. I am a skeptic who is not easily convinced because there are as many clever sales pitches as people making videos wo are not as knowledgeable, well informed and experienced as you are. Listening to you is refreshing because you are the real deal, one of the few who are reliable because you know what you are talking about. On the basis of your recommendations, I bought a Fender Michael Landau HotRod Deville and this Line 6 M9 and could not be happier. In the future, I will purchase the Vertex Effects Pedalboard Buffer Interface and when I feel I have done everything can, eliminating unnecessary pedals I will book a consultation. Thanks again.

[@johnbehan1526]

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.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Nice! Thanks for sharing!

[@DareBear2099]

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

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Thanks for sharing!

[@dannicholas1]

Thanks for putting this effect on my radar, and for the Uncle Larry cameo, can't get too much of that guy. Real nice playing too doc, I hear you.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Thanks for listening

[@santellavision]

Love this pedal. It's never left my board. Sounds great and packs all kinds of sounds I use all the time.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

For sure!

[@echopark78]

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.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Couldn't agree more!

[@jesussavesrick]

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!! ❤️

[@VertexEffectsInc]

My pleasure!

[@ambiguationdotnet]

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!

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Good choice!

[@benjamincoggins6568]

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!

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Thanks for watching and the comment!

[@strayhorserecords]

I still have mine on my board and live by it. Hands down my favorite piece of equipment.

[@ogmakefirefiregood]

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.

[@theoforde-stiegler]

I still use mine all the time - the ability to control ANY parameter and COMBINATION of parameters via expression pedal is genius!

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Yes!!!

[@rahmanoff]

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.

[@stevieh7161]

Hey Mason, I really enjoyed your commentary on the m9. I had an m9, and unfortunately it crashed hard , on a gig. Sent it back, they repaired it, well sort of.......... That said , I think I'm going to buy another, and hope for the best. You make few really good points. The effects sound great, it's easy to use, and it's affordable. On another note, I have your 'Steel string' pedal, which is a GREAT pedal. Appreciate you.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

What happened? Footswitches are the most common issue. So glad you dig the Steel String!

[@MantasticHams]

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.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

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.

[@br8801]

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.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

M9 is still a classic!

[@kenpowilliamson]

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.

[@inigomontoya6961]

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.

[@liontone]

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.

[@caesarbarbosa]

I have this one (M9) and I still use it today! Great sounds!! ❤🎸😃

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Very nice!

[@dynamicalan]

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.

[@lilybeejones]

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.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Simplicity is king!

[@felinekaiju4517]

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!.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Thanks for watching!

[@masonjones1506]

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.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Totally agree!

[@atroye]

Bought it the day it dropped, hasn't left my board.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Niiice!!!

[@bobmcelver1484]

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......

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Thanks for watching!!!

[@Bridging_the_Political_Divide]

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.

[@GATvsGAT]

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! 👍

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Thanks for watching!

[@prinzbach]

This is the mutli effect that I bought the most number of times (I keep selling and buying again used)... I bought one to test some modulation 4 years ago and discovered my love for the phase 90 with it. If you are new to the intimidating world of pedals > It is still a great and cheap option available. Great video!

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Thanks for watching!

[@timothyweesner6286]

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!

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Nice! Thanks for watching!

[@JayTheLane]

Great video as always Mason...I nearly picked up one of these a while ago, really good bit of kit direct into a clean amp.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Cool, thanks!

[@damianhannon1581]

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.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

They're so good! Thanks for watching!

[@dynamicalan]

Hi Mason, Thank you for doing this video showing these settings - I was wondering what you thought about the distortion settings that are tube drive because if I use any drive at all they distort - But your favorite effects and settings really do help a lot.

[@bobbarry1001]

👍🏼 from 2010 I'm still using it until now, the sound is still reliable, one of the best ever made.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

It's still great!

[@martindeuker39]

Not to forget the overdrive/distortion section!!! It is not just the fuzz, definitely try out the „Line6 Distortion“! Although originally it is a High Gain type model, with lower gain settings and a Strat (neck position) I get the glassy tone out of it which I love. I have analog Pedals like Tube Screamer, TC Electronic Zeus (Klon Centaur Clone) and Xotic SL Drive, but the I really prefer the digital Line6 Distortion over it.

[@D-8-Tone2]

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.

[@ggman946]

Thanks for the video. Currently using an M5, mostly for modulated effects. I’ll keep an eye out for the M9 on the used market. 👍🏻

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Nice!

[@51guitarzan]

Nice review, well done, no screaming shredding

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@goranturborn5895]

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.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Nice!!!

[@brendanflaherty6696]

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.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Nice! Thanks for watching and for this share!

[@PeterJaquesMusic]

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.

[@BillyRogan]

Where’d you run your M5 in your chain?

[@PeterJaquesMusic]

@@BillyRogan towards the end, right before carbon copy delay & hall of fame reverb. I mostly used it for delay but sometimes modulation or pitch.

[@blessedheavyelements8544]

Very cool! Thanks so much for showing this. Best Regards and Best Wishes!

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Thanks so much for watching!

[@MarkRomeroMusic]

Thanks for the great video! I've had this pedal for a while and this really helped. Just curious, when you were doing particle+analog delay w/mod, were you using a spring reverb? My particle adds the effect, but the signal sounds dry compared to what you got out of it. Thanks again!

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Spring Reverb

[@kennylyon1934]

Thanks for a good revisit to a great effect. And don't sell yourself short! There was no mediocre playing at all; you have a great touch.

[@BertSummersell]

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)

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Yea...but it's still not quite the same, Tom talks about this in the full interview which I'll publish soon.

[@mattcarnevali]

Great video, thanks! I’m looking into getting a Boss GT-1 but I’ll try this unit too!

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Give it a try for sure!

[@fredmanteghian5913]

Great job. Great presentation! Thank you.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Thanks Fred!

[@-Pol-]

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.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

They're great!

[@ericwarrington6650]

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

[@211squirrel]

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.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

They're the same hardware as the M13...could just be bad luck.

[@mistermojo1969]

Also have an M13, love mine. Might pick up an M9 at some point if I get a deal on one.

[@211squirrel]

@@mistermojo1969 after getting an HX Stomp, I would totally go with one of the HX pedals instead!

[@mistermojo1969]

@@211squirrel Also wouldn’t say no to an HX. I’m sure they’re fantastic!

[@grahamnunn8998]

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!

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Yes, great pedal!

[@SunshineHB]

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.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Still one of the best interfaces of all time. still love this thing!

[@diontes1480]

Hope you give the Pod Go a try! I've been eyeing this specific model, along with the M13 and stumbled on it. It's like the perfect gateway to Helix and the M models when used correctly!

[@dynamicalan]

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.

[@PatrickAdams307Music]

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.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Thanks for sharing!

[@KennethDonnellyStargazer21]

I love my old Gnx 2 and have gotten my favorite hybrid distortions with that beast, despite other limitations

[@CraigRMerriman]

Great stuff! These units are all fantastic. My HX Effects does everything I need and then some.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Yes indeed!

[@mkii1964]

Mason, do you have Tom's settings as you mentioned? I just ordered one of these and can't wait to try it out!! Thank You!

[@haukurastvaldsson136]

I have an M13 and two M5s, absolutely love these products.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Dang, that’s like having an M 23

[@haukurastvaldsson136]

😅😅

[@guitphil]

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.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Well said!

[@theother526]

Cool video! I own the M5 since 2011. I am not planning to replace it, It can do everything I need when I need it, Maybe just maybe, I would consider to replace it if L6 came with a HX effects in this format and size, just the effects not all the complex routing, inputs, just a couple of additional functions.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Totally agree!

[@devilslide01]

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]

Great!

[@jackprice7828]

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.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Absolutely!! He's the best!

[@robertmurray1104]

I love videos like this! The newest gear isn't always the best. It's truly how you use it! But I have used the M5 for the last few years and it is awesome! It's still comparable to all my friend's Strymon, Walrus and other boutique pedals. The M5 already sounds really good but for whatever reason it sounds even better using a midi controller!

[@robertmurray1104]

To my ear it sounds better running it in true bypass instead of the dsp.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

@@robertmurray1104 is there a choice on the M5?

[@robertmurray1104]

@@VertexEffectsInc Yeah! You just hold down the tap switch and press the selector knob! It takes you to the settings!

[@VertexEffectsInc]

@@robertmurray1104 cool!

[@csharp57]

I’ve used this pedal so much over the years. With bass, guitars and my Rhodes. It doesn’t do everything well, but it’s ok when needed. I’m currently into individual pedals once more. Never getting rid of my M9 though

[@danielmiller2886]

I am curious when mixing the M9 with other pedals, where do you place it in the signal chain? For example if you are using the verb or delay, you would want it near the end of the chain, but let's say you are using distortion with that verb and delay (all inside the m9) and you want to add that phaser pedal you talked about. Would you put it in front or behind the M9? OR... does that force you to choose only using part of the effects in the M9 that you were before - cut out the drive and just use the verb and delay?

[@matthewwwtaylor]

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.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Nice! That wouldn't been a big buy for a first pedal!

[@dimitrisaivaliotis5616]

Hi there I'm semi beginner and don't have neither a loop pedal Any thoughts about a looper ""with "drumbeats?

[@accentontheoff]

Great video, thanks. Very educational. Would be very hard to find this where I live, what would you recommend for someone getting a multi fx pedal today, something that does more or less the same thing. Maybe something with amp modellers as well? The Boss ME-80 comes to mind but the amp modellers are supposedly terrible on that.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Really!? There were 10 of thousands if not 100's of thousands of these made. I'm sure you can find them used for sure.

[@accentontheoff]

@@VertexEffectsInc Sure you never know. Thing is I am in India, there are shipping issues if I buy from abroad, so I would need to get lucky. Any similar, more current multi fx you would recommend? Thanks for the reply.

[@accentontheoff]

Although, hang on, it seems to be available new 😀 Is it still being made. Would that be worth it. I need to use it in home recording.

[@Terrible_Peril]

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.

[@Terrible_Peril]

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

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Cool! Thanks for watching and for the comment!

[@DanielBrophyMusic]

Great video! I had an M13 which I had modded by JHV3 for a while, back when I first started taking my guitar playing more seriously. It was a great way for me to get use to pedal routing and live switching. I sold it a while back. I use a Fractal FX8 currently, in 4CM, with a bunch of analog drive pedals at various points in the chain. FX8 hold it's own as a multi-FX. I wish they'd do a MK2 with better LCDs and smaller footprint. Have thought about a HX Effects too. BTW--- is that a 1953 Custom Shop Telecaster? Beautiful.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Very cool! This is a 1952 Custom Shop Fender Heavy Relic Tele

[@alexlococo3866]

I got a question...I really admire your knowledge in this field...you're a MASTER...🤜 what is better ..to have a stomp box or a pedalboard with individual effects no counting money budget...why is stomp box use for??? Is the quality of pedalbord better???

[@idanshahar]

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.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Sounds like there are several folks that wished they'd held onto their M5, 9, 13.

[@stephenfleming8030]

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.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Nice! Thanks for sharing!

[@beeftheheat]

Thanks and good luck with your channel. Another fellow here says he prefers the POD XT Live-I have that unit also, and it's pretty great-the size and durability are easy to work with, and the Wah/Volume pedal available for each effect is excellent. I Do wonder about the tone processing quality though-do more recent machines like this one have much superior 'Chips?'?

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Thanks! The newer DSP tech is certainly more efficient and higher fidelity, more power, more processing, but all the vintage stuff didn't have that, so in a way these older units often feel and react more like what we know.

[@beeftheheat]

@@VertexEffectsInc Thanks, interesting POV. A positive aspect of earlier tech.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

@@beeftheheat thanks again for watching!

[@flyguyty33]

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.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

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.

[@brian91145]

Great video mason! Any chance you can make a video updating the foot switches?

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Perhaps?

[@Paul_Lenard_Ewing]

Have you checked you LAA Custom's Smart switcher. The foot switch bar is wireless plus you get a wireless hand control which looks like a cell phone but the guts/patchbay half stays on your board. What I like is being able to get hands on without having to bend over because you can put your board on a stand.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

I have seen it on their website, not in person.

[@christophercameron4615]

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.

[@artysanmobile]

I heard you mention lack of Dry Thru. If you mean a dry direct out, a look at the schematic shows that’s quite achievable. You might be referring to something else. A small add-on pcb and some drilling are required but the dry signal is readily available, in stereo no less, at the inputs to the Codec. Incidentally, the schematics reveal fantastic design quality! Really world class stuff.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Peter, no, it means the analog dry signal is maintained in parallel with the wet effect, you can do this to any non-analog dry through by putting them in a mixer.

[@artysanmobile]

Ah, thanks. In other words, it was designed with traditional stompbox use in mind. Not at all surprising and hardly a dealbreaker for a quick and easy ‘b’ rig.

[@bobroberts1530]

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.