Line 6 M9 Stompbox Modeller

Hundreds of effects, presets, a looper, and stompbox simplicity - all in one

By Phil O'Keefe

This review is going to be a bit different than my usual reviews. Typically I give a basic overview of the product, and then go into the details about its various features as well as its limitations, and wrap it up with my conclusions. While I'll stick with that same basic framework, that's already been done here on Harmony Central - if you'd like to check out Jon Chappell's review of the Line 6 M9 and its larger sibling the M13, you can find it right here. A smaller version called the M5 is also available, and it includes the same basic collection of modeled effects as the two larger units, but can only do one effect at a time.

Instead of replicating that previous review, what I want to do is go into some of the reasons why (after using one extensively for a couple of years) I consider the M9 to be a true classic effects unit, and talk about some of the things I like about it and how I've been using it, as well as a few of the things I wish were different.

What You Need To Know

• With over 100 different effects models onboard (compiled from the Line 6 MM4 Modulation, DL4 Delay, FM4 Filter and DM4 Distortion Modelers, as well as the Verbzilla and Echo Pro), it's almost like having the sounds and capabilities of a huge collection of stompboxes in one pedal.

• There are two main modes of operation - stompbox and scenes. In stompbox mode, each switch is a dedicated on/off footswitch for one effect. You can run up to three effects at the same time. Click the two lower-right footswitches simultaneously and it calls up scene mode, where each footswitch calls up a complete "scene", with the possibility of having different effects configurations pre-saved. After calling up a scene, click the two footswitches again and you're back in stompbox mode, where you can turn individual pedals within the scene on and off.

• In stompbox mode, you can use up to three effects at a time, each one with another alternative virtual pedal ready to go with just a click of a footswitch. Any effect can be assigned to any of the six main footswitches.

• There are 24 memory locations for saving your own "scenes", or arrangement and order of virtual pedals. These can be recalled at will, which is great if you need to use the same combination of effects on a regular basis. To get anywhere near his kind of recall with individual analog pedals would require a expensive (and usually more complicated) switcher, and even then, you'd still lack the ability to save different settings on the individual pedals, and the ability to quickly reconfigure the order of the effects.

• At 10.5" W x 6.5" D x 2.4" H, the size is "just right." It's small enough that it can be incorporated into a larger pedalboard. It's big enough that operating it is fairly easy and straightforward, but compact enough that it can easily fit into the back of a moderately-sized combo amp, gig bag pocket or cable bag. Don't underestimate the importance of that. For times when taking my full-sized pedalboards along is overkill or too much hassle and floor space, the M9 Stompbox Modeler is a great alternative, and it provides a lot more capability than the two or three individual pedals I used to take with me in those types of "need to travel light" situations.

• Speaking of ease of use, the interface is largely free of menus and scrolling through seemingly endless lists of parameters just to change a setting on an effect. With six dedicated knobs - one for each parameter, all you have to do is twist a knob, just like with a analog pedal. And just like with an analog pedal, it "remembers" where you last set the knob - no need to "store" or "save" anything.

• I really like the color-coding of the display and assigned footswitches - you know what the effect category is at a glance. Yellow for overdrive, EQ, compressors and distortion, red for reverbs, green for delays, purple for filters and blue for modulation effects. To select an effect "type", just push on one of the knobs (which is clearly marked) and you can cycle through the various categories, then with a twist of the knob, you can scroll through the various models until you find the one you want. It's all very intuitive, and not at all like most "multi-effects."

• Setup is super-easy. Connect your guitar cable to the M9, another from the M9 to the amp, and plug in the included power adapter - done. Of course, there's plenty of connectivity to support stereo in and outputs, and you can even connect a pair of expression pedals for even more control if you wish. Any parameter can be assigned to a expression pedal, which makes them perfect for real-time control as you play.

• MIDI I/O means you can incorporate the M9 into a larger MIDI rig, or use your DAW for automation. For times when you don't want or need to use MIDI, an onboard universal tap tempo with a dedicated footswitch makes it easy to lock the tempo of the effects (delay times, modulation rates and so forth) to tempos set by you - or other musicians.  

• The onboard tuner is also nice to have, and saves you from needing to bring along a dedicated tuner.

Some examples of situations where I find the Line 6 Stompbox Modeler very handy…

• As a backup at gigs in case of an issue with something on one of my main boards, or as a spare in case someone else wants to join the fun.

• It's also perfect for "grab and go" spur of the moment jam sessions. And it's not just for guitar - it works very well as a bass or keyboard effects unit too.

• For people who are relatively new to effects, the M9 is a very useful tool, and serves as a great, cost-effective introduction to what various effects sound like, as well as what you can do with them. After all, buying hundreds of individual pedals to get a feel for what tickles your personal fancy and what doesn't can get rather expensive.

• While each effects category has its standout models, the reverbs, delays and modulation effects are categories I find particularly strong. I also appreciate some of the more "out there" effects types that are included. I probably wouldn't use them often enough to justify spending a ton of money on several of these types of pedals, but having them on-hand for the occasional times when I have need of them is definitely cool.

• Because of the built-in 28 second looper, I find it extremely valuable in the studio. If you ever work alone in a multi-room studio, or at home with the amp isolated in one room while your recording gear is in another and need to dial up the amp and mixing console settings, you can either grow a third arm and work on your ability to be in two places at once, or record a bit of the part you're about to track into the looper, hit playback, and have a virtual you playing the guitar, thus freeing up your hands to dial in the sound at the amp and with your mic preamps, outboards and DAW software. 

• In addition to the obvious live performance applications, the onboard looper is also useful for practicing at home. Throw down a loop of some riffs or rhythm parts, and practice soloing over the top. I find it's also great for songwriting; throw down the chord progression you're working on for the chorus or verse section and you're freed up to think about the lyrics, or work out the supporting riffs.

Limitations

• Some of the overdrives and distortions don't seem quite as convincing to me as many of the other effects. Don't get me wrong - nearly everything is at least useable, and some are actually quite good, and all of them give you at least a reasonably close approximation of the effect that was modeled, but I feel that the delays and modulations are, overall, a bit more sonically satisfying than some of the dirt.

• Some users have reported issues with the footswitches, although this has never been a problem for me. The rest of the unit is quite durable, with a solid metal case where you'd normally expect to find plastic.

• There's no master volume control for adjusting overall output levels.

• The footswitch LEDs and the backlit screen can be a bit hard to read in bright sunlight. If you play outdoor daytime gigs a lot, this might be a concern for you, but as a studio-dwelling engineer / musician, it's not really a major issue for me.

• It's not a amp and speaker cabinet simulator like the Line 6 POD modules, so if you want to record with it, you'll need to use a suitable hardware or software amp simulator, or run the M9 into an amp and mic it up the old-fashioned way.

Conclusions

The Line 6 M9 has that magic combination of compactness, versatility, ease of use, solid sound quality, and reasonable price that makes it a must-have for many musicians. Line 6 describes it as "stompbox simple, pedal board powerful and totally portable", and I'd say that's pretty darned accurate. For the cost of a couple of nice analog pedals, it gives you the sonic capabilities of dozens and dozens of them. While it hasn't replaced all of my individual boutique pedals, it augments them beautifully. Mine has been rock-solid reliable, but if it died, I'd go out and buy another one in a heartbeat. I really do feel it's one of the few multi effects pedals that deserves to be called a classic. If you've never tried one out, do yourself a favor and give it a whirl sometime. I think you'll be impressed.

Resources

Musicians Friend Line 6 M9 Stompbox Modeler online catalog page ($559.99 MSRP, $399.99 "street")

Line 6 M9 Stompbox Modeler product web page

Phil O'Keefe is a multi-instrumentalist, recording engineer / producer and the Senior Editor of Harmony Central. He has engineered, produced and performed on countless recording sessions in a diverse range of styles, with artists such as Alien Ant Farm, Jules Day, Voodoo Glow Skulls, John McGill, Michael Knott and Alexa's Wish. He is a former featured monthly columnist for EQ magazine, and his articles and product reviews have also appeared in Keyboard, Electronic Musician and Guitar Player magazines.