MXR 10 band, is this really the best EQ option?

[rockanomicon]

I am thinking about adding an EQ to my Roadster/4x12 setup. I have heard alot of people rave about the MXR 10 band EQ used in conjunction with a Recto/Roadster/Roadking. However, I've heard quite a few complain about it sucking tone, even when turned off. First off, do any of you guys have experience with this pedal? By the way, isn't it "true-bypass", how could it suck toned while being bypassed??

 

[RectoStudioGuy]

I use a few of them in various locations along my signal chain with great success but it truly depends on your needs, wants, and expectations as to whether it's the best option. Refered to as a hard-wire bypass but in truth the term "True-bypass" has become more of a buzz word creating hype and myth of great tone than anything else. Many different schools of thought surround it and all really come down to cable length/quality, effect placement/usage, voltage, transients...etc. http://www.guitarplayer.com/article/chairmen-boards/apr-08/35211 has some good insight on the topic.
Back on point...
I find the pedal to be a good product and a good buy. Mark Humphrey Audio Mods does a version of the Boss EQ that's really good as well. And for rack systems there's no topping the Alesis DEQ230 for the $$.

 

[rockanomicon]

Right on. Well, I planned on using it to pull some of the extreme highs/harshness out of the sound. I will see how things sound after I replace the stock tubes. The EQ is not absolutely necessary for what I do. Thanks for the info. If anything, I will try it out, and if it doesn't fit like I want it to, I'll return it for something else.

 

[Laskyman]

When I owned a Roadster- it never sounded better than with the MXR 10 band in the loop- it is a great pedal, no tone suck, very transparent. If I was in the market for another EQ- it would be my very first stop....

 

[boogieslayer]

i have a c+ with eq on board but still have a parametric eq and a graphic eq - from time to time ill use the graphic most of the time (if anything) it'll be the parametric...like said before , it depends on what sound you are looking for...

personally the last roadster i played didnt need any additional eq, again though it depends what tone you are looking for

 

[rockanomicon]

I tend to enjoy utilizing a variety of tones, from the over-driven Neil Young stuff, to Sunn O)))'s monolithic pillars of doom and gloom, to name a few.
I thought about utilizing a ParaEQ made by Empress Effects.
I think my first stop will be switching out tubes and experimenting. Over all I am really pleased with the tone, however I would like to see if I can pull some of the fizzyness out of the high gain stuff by switching out a few preamp tubes. I might see what some EHX el34's sound like in there as well. I am not really well versed when it comes to tubes.
More than likely I will pick up the MXR over the course of the next few weeks.

Thanks for the input guys! I am sure I will have a few questions over in the Tube forum.

 

[soundchaser59]

Let us know how you like the MXR. Curious to know if they are noisy or not.....

 

[RectoStudioGuy]

Never had a noise problem with the newer MXR's

 

[Chris McKinley]

Now if only MXR would throw an 800 Hz slider on there, I'd be a customer.

 

[dudleydawson]

for what it's worth - i just sent my barely-used-because-its-too-noisy Boss GE-7 to analogman for his pro EQ mod - and it sounds phenomenal.
dead quiet - and the 7 bands is perfect for anything i need...
i've never used an MXR - just throwing two more cents into the pot.
there's plenty of mod guys out there - i've had nothing but good experiences w analogman. (mailed on a friday, was jamming next thursday!) you can get a new modded one from him too..

 

[MrMason]

I like the MXR 10-band I have, but after discovering how much it colors my tone when it's off it's now collecting dust in my pedal drawer. Maybe I'll have to mod it to true bypass some day.

 

[MesaGod666]

MXR-KFK 10 Band Stereo EQ is all I need. Sounds brutal.