MXR Phase 90 Tone Suck?

IvisonGuitars

One for the pedal experts of these parts...

I'm thinking of getting an MXR Phase 90 but hear they are major tone suckers. Is this cork sniffing or a genuine problem? If so, any easy remedys?

Cheers
Neil

ICBM

Genuine problem - or at least they suck *some* tone, I wouldn't say 'major'... there are far worse.

Original - can easily be modded for true bypass. Reissue - can't easily, the switch is PCB-mounted.

Simple solution with either - run a buffer or any buffered pedal in front.

IvisonGuitars

Thanks @ICBM, so if I ran it straight after my TU2 it'd solve it?

ICBM

Yes.

mike_l

I've not noticed any, but I usuay have them after a Wah.

I shall try them alone tonight and see (Both Script and Block logo).

 

frankus

Or take a look at the Mooer equivalent ISTR this is TB.
Or the EVH version
Or the Whirlwind Orangebox

xSkarloey

My problem with the Phase 90 I had (about 10 yrs ago) was it added a bit of drive to my signal when engaged and when off there was bleed through of the phased sound.

ICBM did explain why that was in a previous thread. Lovely sounding pedal but those issues added to my reasons for selling it on.

Dave_Mc

frankus said:

Or the EVH version

According to the Dunlop site (I was looking this up last night coincidentally), the EVH version is half-assed bypass too... I suppose the input impedance might be different, though (but I doubt it).

ICBM

The 'drive' is caused by the very low headroom of the effect circuit, so it distorts - which makes it useless in most effects loops (although I know most people generally run them in front anyway) and will even distort with a loud humbucker.

The slight bleed is also a characteristic of the 'half-arsed bypass', and also goes away if you run a buffer in front.

I sold my last one, an absolutely dead mint - and I don't use that term lightly! - original block logo one when I found I could nail the sound of it exactly, but without any of those issues, with a Boss PH-1R… and which I didn't have to worry about scratching. (I'm not normally like that with gear but this pedal had survived in pristine condition for over thirty years, and it would have been a shame to ruin it.)

mike_l

Agree, they're no much use in the Loop. Causing a large volume drop when used there (certainly on my DSL).........

Using pretty loud/hot 'buckers I get a little clipping, but not much. I suspect with ceramic, or active pickups it'd be worse. It's the exact sound I think of when I think of phase, think the intro lead on Maiden's Children of the Damned.

When I had it  running through a switcher (my wah was in front of the switcher unit) I had none of the issues noted (with either of mine). And with a wah in front of it still don't.

I hadn't heard of these before today (at least I don't remember if I did), and have used block and script types for a few years......

Before I had a Boss phaser, which just didn't sound right (to me) and had too many variables.

Fazer

the retrosonic phaser is the best phase 90 style i tried - has an improved sound with better headroom, plus controls for depth and volume

dindude

Couldn't get on with the Phase 90 at all due to the tone suck and the drive.

Whirlwind Orange Box fixes all this and sounds sublime. 

mike_l

I probably haven't noticed the issues, as I tend to use a lot of gain. I'm guessing they're more prominent with a cleaner tone.

IvisonGuitars

Anyone ever done the R28 mod that apparently reduces the drive and the sweep, turning the block version closer to the script?

mike_l

There's not a massive difference between the script and block anyway. I did a back-to-back test a while ago, the block sweep is a little slower*, and the sound a little darker, but in a live situation you wouldn't know the difference.

*at like-for-like settings.

ICBM

mike_l said:

Before I had a Boss phaser, which just didn't sound right (to me) and had too many variables.

If it was a PH-2 I agree - it's too extreme and difficult to find any kind of subtle 'sweet spot'. But the PH-1R is a completely different, magical thing. When I had it and the Phase 90, I ran the two of them together and I could set the PH-1R so that you could not tell which pedal was on except by the lack of overdrive on the Boss.

Drew_TNBD

I've never noticed any of this. But I do have a Dunlop 535Q at the front of my board, and I *think* it is a buffered wah, no??

Anyway, Phase 90 is one of my favourite phasers.

mike_l

@ICBM yes it was a PH-2 - I had to think back I sold it a few years ago.

@Drew_fx the Phase90 is my favourite phaser. Hence I have 2......

not_the_dj

+1 for the Whirlwind Orange box.

Si_

Been using an EVH phase 90 for years and never had any problems or issues with it.

dogload

My phaser of choice is the MXR Phase100. It also adds a little drive to the signal, but that is one of the reasons I think I like it so much. It's a really chewy sound. I never experienced any bleed-through when in bypass mode and to be honest, until the last few years was blissfully ignorant of 'tone-suck' (thanks, internet forums!) so hadn't even considered that issue.

These days I employ the Mooer Orange 90 which has a similar sound to the MXR (obviously, it's 10 less though) purely for the practicality of it's small footprint.