Jump to content

A consolidation of Mooer Micro Pedal reviews.


Recommended Posts

  • Members

I figure this might be a useful reference for folks looking for reviews of the Mooer Micro Pedals. Ideally I'd like to keep this thread specifically for reviews and for specific comments and questions about features and for other folks to post their reviews and opinions based on their hands on experience. smile.gif

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, I got my Mooer pedals home yesterday...I opened up the bottom pannel to get a look at the inside. All of the components are surface mounted on the other side of the board so you can't really see how securely they're applied, but all the solder joints that were visible for the other parts were cleanly done and seemed like they would hold up. As expected the jacks were mounted directly to the board which could be problematic over time but if you're like me and you use them in a loop switcher of some kind you won't be stomping them much so they should hold up fine. Surprisingly, the footswitch was not mounted directly to the main board, which should be a plus should you ever need to replace it.

The manual said that the pedals can be run up to 12v.

My quick take on each of them...

Mooer Black Secret
This was the first of the bunch that I tried out and I was immediately impressed. I've used a variety of modded rats, reissues and boutique clones over the years and out of the box this thing killed pretty much every reissue rat I've ever used and easily hung with some of the boutique rat clones and modded rats I've used. Both the "Vintage" and "Turbo" modes were useful. It does everything you expect from a rat...overdrive in lower gain settings to full on heavy distortion in higher gain settings. It seems to maintain definition at higher gain settings than the reissues and the filter knob works better...things don't get too fizzy. If you're considering any sort of rat pedal, this should be on your short list.


Mooer Hustle Drive
A lot of folks like the OCD and frankly I've never really cared for it or the Danelectro "Drive" pedal that was modeled after it. I tried a lot of versions of the OCD and always found it to be a little too dark for my tastes...especially with a closed back cab. However, I liked the clips I heard of The Hustle Drive and thought I'd give it a shot...and I'm glad I did. It's definitely in the OCD territory in terms of feel and overall sound but it was a little less dark sounding...still very full and amp-like in it's responsiveness but not murky and useless in it's darker voicing. Like the Black Secret, both modes were very useful and yielded some great tones. This pedal is a winner. If you're like me and you've been less than thrilled with the OCD, check out The Hustle Drive. It just might become a favorite on your board.


Mooer Ensemble King Chorus
I'm a chorus fan. Not in the hair metal lead and rhythm way of the 80's but more like the shoegaze or Cobain way of the late 80's early 90's (think more Radio Friendly Unit Shifter and less Cult of Personality). My go to chorus for most stuff is an Analogman Bi-Chorus but occasionally I go for the more subtle chorus of a Boss CE-2 or something similar...the Ensemble King is very much in that tradition. It doesn't get crazy fast speeds like the Analogman but it's full sounding, warm and what you want from a CE-2. There is no volume drop when you engage this pedal so it transitions nicely from dry signal to wet. The level knob is best set all the way up if you like a full chorus sound but for more subtle shades, backing it off a little works great...still no drop even when backing off the level. A true bypass version of the CE-2 in a tiny enclosure with a level control that actually sounds a lot like the original? Yes please.


Mooer Ana-Delay
As I mentioned above, I was the least impressed with this pedal BUT as analog delays go, it's a good one for the money. You get a reasonable amount of repeats before self oscillation, it's warm, not too bright, not too dark...it won't make angels jump out of your speakers or wash your balls for you but it will give you a decent analog delay tone for live use. Again, as I mentioned above there's a little high pitched artifact like some sort of comb filtering or oscillation going on in the repeats. It probably wouldn't be noticeable in a live situation and you might not even notice it in casual listening, but in a recording situation or under critical listening situations it might bug the hell out of you. It bugged me. I would still use it live but probably not in the studio.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 348
  • Created
  • Last Reply
  • Members
Mooer Flex Boost Overdrive
OK...with this one I was able to make a direct comparison to my Xotic AC Booster (the pedal the Flex Boost appears to reference) and it was very revealing. Overall the pots function very much like the AC Booster with the exception of the level control. You have to turn the pedal up to about 2:00 to get the same level out of it that you would with the AC Booster set at 12:00, but once you have the level up, it's PLENTY loud so no worries about running out of sweep to get your level.

The overall tone was remarkably similar and with a few small tweaks I was able to get them sounding extremely close to one another. The only difference was in the feel, which again, is very similar, but part if what makes the AC Booster and other Xotic pedals so great is their amp like responsiveness. That being said, the Flex Boost is no slouch. Running the Flex Boost at 12 volts instead of 9 volts yielded a little more responsiveness and with a little more tweaking I was able to get even closer to the AC Boost. When all is said and done I definitely prefer the AC Boost but I would happily use the Flex Boost in it's place without feeling like I was losing a whole lot. If you're on a budget or if you're like me and you want to put together the smallest board possible for fly-in gigs and recording sessions, the Flex Boost is an excellent choice if you're considering the AC Booster. It's hard to not like this pedal.


Mooer Triangle Buff Fuzz
As the name implies, the pedal is modled after the Electro Harmonix Big Muff...and it definitely achieves Big Muffiness. The question is which Muff as there are so many versions (and clones). My reference points here at home are the Wren & Cuff "Box Of War" pedals, the Skreddy Top Fuel, and the Electro Harmonix Little Big Muff. Now does the Mooer Triangle Buff compare to a $200 boutique Big Muff clone? Shit no! Are you high? It's good, but it's not that good. If you like a stock Big Muff, you will probably like this one better. It's a little quieter noise wise and can sound a little more open than the Little Big Muff at similar settings. It's great for pretty much everything you'd buy a Big Muff for. I definitely like it better than my Little Big Muff and at a third of the size it's kind of a no brainer if you're considering any of Electro Harmonix's current Big Muff offerings. I wish it had a little more mid range on tap (this pedal has more hair than teeth)...maybe a nice mid range toggle switch would be a great addition but as you know Big Muffs aren't known for having agressive mids. Definitely worth the price of admission and then some.


Mooer Ninety Orange Phaser
Another nice analog modulation pedal from Mooer. Based on the MXR Phase 90, it features a popular Phase 90 mod with it's Vintage/Modern toggle switch. I compared this to my Retro Sonic Phaser, which is a very nice Phase 90 clone. The overall sound is about what you would expect. There is no volume drop or boost. In the lower speed setting it's not as lush as the Retro Sonic. I like the slow warm round phaser sounds you hear on Smashing Pumpkins' "Mayonaise" for clean arpeggios...the Ninety Orange does not do that as well. Where this phaser really starts to come to life is around 11:00 or 12:00. It's a little more full sounding...from noon to full up you get nicer slow to fast vibrato sounds that easily rival some decent Univibe type pedals. Switch the toggle from vintage to modern and it gets a little brighter and more open sounding which works better with distortion and overdrive, in my opinion. It's a nice phaser but some might find it a little bright or hard sounding in lower speed settings and that might be a deciding factor for you if you're looking for a main phaser. For me, I already have a phaser I like. The Orange 90 does some things my favorite phaser doesn't do as well so for me it's a keeper.


Mooer Blue Faze Fuzz
Of the four pedals in this batch, this was probably my least favorite but I was still able to find some useful tones that I'm not getting from my other fuzz pedals. It appears to be modled after a silicon Fuzz Face. My reference point for comparison is my FoxRox Hot Silicon, which, I will state up front absolutely kills the Blue Faze. They're not even in the same league even though their inspiration is the same. The Blue Faze is a simple, two knob affair. Like most Fuzz Faces you really need to crank the volume knob to get the fuzz to match your clean signal. I found I pretty much had to turn the volume of the Blue Faze all the way up so that it balanced well with my clean sound (distortion should pretty much always be at LEAST a little louder than your clean sound. There is no greater rookie move than when a guitarist is at a gig, hits his distortion after playing a clean intro and it's actually quieter than his clean sound. facepalm.gif That being said, once I maxed out the level I was able to get an appropriate level against my clean and work the fuzz control to fine tune things. The tone is definitely in the vintage fuzz realm...a little splatty to a little ratty depending on how you set it. To my ears it sounded more like an octave fuzz but without the octave...it had the same spatty, fuzzy tone like an octave fuzz...just no oscillation. With a clean boost after it it starts to soar a bit. Before an overdrive it doesn't fair as well but give it a loud, clean headroom boost and it has a unique lead voice. If you're looking for a good silicon Fuzz Face pedal, there are a lot of great options out there and this probably wouldn't be your first choice. BUT...if you're looking for a unique lead pedal or a raunchy vintage style rhythm fuzz (was able to crank out a pretty gnarly sounding version of the Stones' Brown Sugar with it) the cost makes it an easy and useful addition to your fuzz collection. YMMV. smile.gif
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

This thread is relevant to my interest. Thanks for the great reviews! I'm really interested in the Phase and chorus. I don't have much space on my board for dedicated pedals for those things (since I don't use them often) but I would love to have them nonetheless. How much do these pedals run?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

 

Quote Originally Posted by sameoldbluesman

View Post

This thread is relevant to my interest. Thanks for the great reviews! I'm really interested in the Phase and chorus. I don't have much space on my board for dedicated pedals for those things (since I don't use them often) but I would love to have them nonetheless. How much do these pedals run?

 

They typically run for $80 including shipping on eBay, however you can find them on DH Gate for about $45-$60 each including shipping. Also, most sellers on eBay will give you a substantial price break if you buy more than one pedal so be sure to ask what they have in stock and see if you can get a multi pedal discount.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

 

Quote Originally Posted by renula

View Post

FUCKIN DEMOS TY!!!!!!!!!!!!! redface.gifredface.gifredface.gif

 

I know...I'm in two bands and rehearse 5 days a week plus I hold down a fulltime day job...and I was just about to join a third band and have been focusing on that when I realized I had bitten off more than I could chew and had to back out, so it's been a busy week. I'll get something up soon. smile.gif
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
Quote Originally Posted by mlabbee View Post
Any quality issues?
Nope...everything I noticed I mentioned at the top of the thread. smile.gif

Quote Originally Posted by mlabbee View Post
I just had to return an Akai (Biyang-rebrand) pedal because the switch was broken right out of the box. I've heard some of these Chinese brands can have pretty bad QC.
They can, but of the 8 I have received so far they have been very consistent quality wise. smile.gif
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

 

Quote Originally Posted by One Man Banned

View Post

I can, but as I mentioned at the top of the thread there isn't much to reveal as the components aren't facing the bottom of the pedal...just the jacks and footswitch. smile.gif

 

Ah ok. It must really be a minimal delay circuit then. Thats all i was curious about.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
Mooer Cruncher
So, it's my understanding that this is inspired by the MI Audio Crunch Box which is one of many "Marshall in a box" pedals on the market today. I've never played one but I've heard plenty of clips. My "go to" Marshall in a box pedal is the Xotic BB Preamp. Since I've been looking to find pedals in the Mooer line that sound as close as possible to the ones I have on my main board so I can build a board for fly-in shows and recording sessions I figured I'd give the Cruncher a try to see if it could get me close enough to the BB Preamp to do what I need it to do.

My initial thoughts are that the Crunch Box definitely does what it's designed to do and right off the bat I was able to get some tones that were very similar to the BB Preamp. Like the Flex Boost, it lacks some of the amp like feel of the Xotic pedals. Also like the Flex Boost, running the Cruncher at 12 volts helps give it a little more of that feel. There is a lot of gain on tap here and like most of the Mooer distortion boxes, the EQ/Tone knobs are pretty effective so I suggest starting with your volume around noon, your gain around 8:00 or 9:00 and your tone set at noon and adjust to taste. Overall I found it to be a suitable substitute for my Xotic BB Preamp...I'd prefer the BB Preamp but I could easily get though a show with it without many complaints. Like the BB Preamp, it cascades nicely with my other dirt boxes without getting too fizzy. If you're looking for a stand alone Marshall in a Box pedal, this is definitely worth considering. Pair it with any of Mooer's other mid gain dirt boxes (Flex Boost, Hustle Drive, etc.) and you've got a pretty nice setup for not a lot of dough and a very compact size. It's good. thumb.gif


Mooer Blade Distortion
Judging from the graphics, it's safe to assume that this is intended to be an EHX Metal Muff clone...and if the original sounds anything like this, it's no wonder people hate it. I have to be honest, this is the first Mooer pedal that I've tried that I can honestly say I don't like. Two points I should make...one, I'm not that big on metal in general. I like what I like...but every once in a while I like to crank out some Master of Puppets, Some early Slayer, maybe some Quicksand or Helmet and just hammer the fuck out of my amp with a decent metal pedal. Secondly, I usually come from the same school as Phil on distortion pedals in that I don't believe there are any "bad" distortion pedals...just pedals that haven't found their proper context (with the one exception being the Rocktron Black Jack Distortion...yes, it sucks and no, nothing you say will convince me otherwise). As of today the Mooer Blade earns a special place right next to the Black Jack as the worst distortion device ever made.

Why is it so bad? Let me count the ways...

1. Flat mode...OK, in this mode, the pedal is in it's "natural state", if you will. One might more or less assume that in this position this is where the good stuff starts. If it sounds good here it will probably sound good in the other modes. Well...you know the old adage about assumptions? This assumption defines it. The base tone with the gain set at 8, volume at noon and tone at noon is unmusically bright and thin...in fact, it's not very "metal" at all. Fiddling with the tone and gain knobs don't help. In fact, it just gets bright to the point of static at about 2:00 on the tone knob...even backing it all the way off only seems to cut the mids a bit and you're left with a tone that makes the DOD Grunge pedal seem like a Timmy in comparison. So surely switching the toggle to "low boost" will solve the problem and give this pedal some much needed girth, yes? Wrong again....

2. Low boost...So my first thought is, "OK...someone at the factory mislabeled the toggle or put it in upside down or something." Why? Because instead of a boosted low end, the pedal actually got brighter than it was in the "boost off" or flat mode. So what was once a horribly bright pedal to the point of being absolutely useless is now even more so. How can this be? I mean, any brighter and only my dog will be able to hear the damn thing. So I go to test my theory about the toggle switch being mislabeled. That's got to be it, right? It just couldn't possibly get brighter than this. facepalm.gif

3. High boost...The one thing I will say about the Mooer Blade is that it opened my mind to just how painfully bright and thin a pedal can be. At this point your guitar tone practically becomes an aerosol...which might be cool if the frequency was right...but it's just painful...even with the tone rolled all the way off. No amount of tweaking of any setting could make it sound good. Maybe if you threw some compression and EQ after it with a little reverb you might be able to come up with something interesting but the noise at that point would drown out anything you put into it.

My advice...avoid the Mooer Blade. I'll probably hold onto it and see if I can find a track in a recording somewhere I can work it into or experiment with it some more to see if I can get some useful noise out of it, but if not, it's a paperweight. I have higher hopes for the Mooer Rage Machine that I have coming...the clips of which sounded pretty nice.

EDIT: Having just watched the Blade demo again I noticed that the text on the video says the "Lo Boost" actually boosts a "narrow band of high frequencies a little bit" (that is, it's not a low end boost) and in the "Hi Boost" mode "a higher amount of boost is engaged".
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...