---
product_id: 4347902
title: "MXR® Bass Preamp"
brand: "mxr"
price: "€ 393.19"
currency: EUR
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 12
category: "Mxr"
url: https://www.desertcart.es/products/4347902-mxr-bass-preamp
store_origin: ES
region: Spain
---

# Compact Phase 90-sized form factor Studio-quality Direct Out 3-band EQ with sweepable mids MXR® Bass Preamp

**Brand:** mxr
**Price:** € 393.19
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Summary

> 🎸 Elevate your bass tone game with studio-grade precision in a pedalboard-friendly package!

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** MXR® Bass Preamp by mxr
- **How much does it cost?** € 393.19 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.es](https://www.desertcart.es/products/4347902-mxr-bass-preamp)

## Best For

- mxr enthusiasts

## Why This Product

- Trusted mxr brand quality
- Free international shipping included
- Worldwide delivery with tracking
- 15-day hassle-free returns

## Key Features

- • **Compact Powerhouse:** Phase 90-sized pedal packs high headroom and versatile controls without hogging pedalboard space.
- • **Pro-Grade Connectivity:** Studio-quality Direct Out ensures pristine signal delivery straight to the house or recording rig.
- • **Flexible Signal Routing:** Pre/Post EQ switch and ground lift eliminate hum and let you customize your output signal path.
- • **Precision Tone Sculpting:** Sweepable midrange EQ lets you dial in your signature bass voice with surgical accuracy.
- • **Battery or Phantom Powered:** Run on 9V battery, phantom power, or AC adapter for ultimate gig-ready versatility.

## Overview

The MXR Bass Preamp M81 is a compact, high-headroom bass preamp pedal featuring separate input/output level controls, a 3-band EQ with sweepable midrange (250Hz-1kHz), and a studio-quality Direct Out with pre/post EQ switching. Designed for professional bassists seeking tonal flexibility and pristine signal quality, it supports battery, phantom power, or AC adapter operation, and includes a ground lift switch to eliminate hum. Its small footprint and versatile features make it a top choice for both live and studio applications.

## Description

The MXR Bass Preamp combines a pristine bass preamp with a studio-quality Direct Out in a Phase 90-sized box, providing clear tone without hogging precious pedalboard space. Use it to add a new voice to an old passive bass, sweeten up any amp, or put some special sauce on a particular song. Dial it in just the way you want it and send it straight to the house—pre or post-EQ—with the built-in Direct Out. The Bass Preamp features separate Input and Output level controls and a 3-band EQ section with sweepable midrange—from 250hz to 1khz—for extensive tonal flexibility. It's all delivered super clean with high headroom thanks to our own Constant Headroom Technology™, and you can use the PRE/POST EQ switch to set whether or not your Direct Out signal is affected by the Bass Preamp's EQ section. And of course, the Bass Preamp features a GROUND LIFT switch in case you encounter ground loop hum. The Bass Preamp is factory preset to operate in ¼" out buffered bypass and Direct Out active. For players who only want to use the ¼" out, there are two internal switches that disable the Direct Out and ¼" out buffered bypass for true ¼" out bypass mode.

Review: Fantastic Bass Preamp Pedal - I tried a lot of preamps. The MXR M81 has all these features that made me buy and keep it. - Sounds great and doesn't change the character of my bass of amp. - Can run on battery, phantom power or standard A/C adapter. - DI on board with pre/post switch and ground lift. - Plenty of headroom. I can run direct into a power amp if needed. - Small form factor (like a Phase 90). To me this sounds a lot like a Sadowsky preamp. The MXR M81 is smaller than the Sadowsky SBP-1 but has sweepable mids and more headroom. It's more feature rich than the smaller Sadowsky SBP-2 having the advantage of a DI with phantom power and can run on a 9V battery or A/C adapter. Finally the MXR M81 is cheaper than both Sadowsky preamps. Great preamp!
Review: Gives me a very satisfying amount of control of my bass tone - I got this for playing a few different bass guitars direct and with headphones, so I can't speak to what this device can do for playing live, but I absolutely love it. I have an Ibanez Mikro bass (extra short scale) that I improved by adding Seymour Duncan pickups, but it still sounded a bit thin to my ears. This preamp completely kicks it up to a level of power and versatility that vindicates my sticking with this somewhat silly little bass. I can boost the low and low-midrange without losing crispness and clarity. And I don't have to use the tone controls on the bass, which always strike me as unsatisfactory. I'd previously tried a "bass boost" pedal that was basically equivalent to overusing the tone control and then amplifying that low but dead sound to dubious effect. Another of my basses is an entry level fretless with stock pickups that I haven't upgraded yet. This pedal does greatly improve the sound, but the effect does seem to be dependent on starting with quality pickups for the best result, so it doesn't magically fix an inherently poor tone. My third bass is an old 60s era Japanese EB-2 clone, with one of those lovely mudbucker pickups. That pickup is a force of nature. It basically turns you into a god of thunder, but it sure is muddy. I've always wanted to find the right way to enhance the high end a bit to give the sound a bit more definition or something. This pedal enables me to do that very nicely. Moral of story: if you keep your bass's tone control all the way open, you can use this pedal to shape the sound without losing anything, as long as your pickups are providing a good enough starting point. There is a slight learning curve, such as using the dip switches hidden behind the battery cover, learning whether to use the direct output or not, but it's not difficult. The only problem is that the pedal does not come with a proper manual that explains any of this, so you've got to search online for the manual.

## Features

- Separate INPUT & OUTPUT level controls
- 3-band EQ section with sweep able midrange
- Studio-quality Direct Out
- Model Number: M81

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| ASIN | B00I3TOXVM |
| Batteries | 1 9V batteries required. |
| Best Sellers Rank | #12,113 in Musical Instruments ( See Top 100 in Musical Instruments ) #30 in Guitar Signal Path & Pedal Tuners #70 in Bass Guitar Effects #3,122 in Guitar & Bass Accessories |
| Customer Reviews | 4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars (180) |
| Date First Available | January 29, 2014 |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Item Weight | 8 ounces |
| Item model number | M81 |
| Manufacturer | Jim Dunlop |
| Product Dimensions | 5.5 x 2.5 x 4.5 inches |

## Product Details

- **Brand:** MXR
- **Compatible Devices:** Double Bass
- **Item Weight:** 8 ounces
- **Output Wattage:** 15 Watts
- **Product Dimensions:** 2.5"D x 5.5"W x 4.5"H

## Images

![MXR® Bass Preamp - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71nSQxvoIXS.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Fantastic Bass Preamp Pedal
*by J***T on June 11, 2020*

I tried a lot of preamps. The MXR M81 has all these features that made me buy and keep it. - Sounds great and doesn't change the character of my bass of amp. - Can run on battery, phantom power or standard A/C adapter. - DI on board with pre/post switch and ground lift. - Plenty of headroom. I can run direct into a power amp if needed. - Small form factor (like a Phase 90). To me this sounds a lot like a Sadowsky preamp. The MXR M81 is smaller than the Sadowsky SBP-1 but has sweepable mids and more headroom. It's more feature rich than the smaller Sadowsky SBP-2 having the advantage of a DI with phantom power and can run on a 9V battery or A/C adapter. Finally the MXR M81 is cheaper than both Sadowsky preamps. Great preamp!

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Gives me a very satisfying amount of control of my bass tone
*by A***R on December 31, 2023*

I got this for playing a few different bass guitars direct and with headphones, so I can't speak to what this device can do for playing live, but I absolutely love it. I have an Ibanez Mikro bass (extra short scale) that I improved by adding Seymour Duncan pickups, but it still sounded a bit thin to my ears. This preamp completely kicks it up to a level of power and versatility that vindicates my sticking with this somewhat silly little bass. I can boost the low and low-midrange without losing crispness and clarity. And I don't have to use the tone controls on the bass, which always strike me as unsatisfactory. I'd previously tried a "bass boost" pedal that was basically equivalent to overusing the tone control and then amplifying that low but dead sound to dubious effect. Another of my basses is an entry level fretless with stock pickups that I haven't upgraded yet. This pedal does greatly improve the sound, but the effect does seem to be dependent on starting with quality pickups for the best result, so it doesn't magically fix an inherently poor tone. My third bass is an old 60s era Japanese EB-2 clone, with one of those lovely mudbucker pickups. That pickup is a force of nature. It basically turns you into a god of thunder, but it sure is muddy. I've always wanted to find the right way to enhance the high end a bit to give the sound a bit more definition or something. This pedal enables me to do that very nicely. Moral of story: if you keep your bass's tone control all the way open, you can use this pedal to shape the sound without losing anything, as long as your pickups are providing a good enough starting point. There is a slight learning curve, such as using the dip switches hidden behind the battery cover, learning whether to use the direct output or not, but it's not difficult. The only problem is that the pedal does not come with a proper manual that explains any of this, so you've got to search online for the manual.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ MXR M81: Great for Acoustic Guitars too.
*by J***E on September 4, 2015*

Although this is marketed as a bass preamp I acquired it for my Maton 225 acoustic-electric guitar to play into a Fender 65 Deluxe tube amp. There are dedicated acoustic preamps out there but all I wanted was something rugged, basic and versatile. The MXR M81 has a very high impedance input, good selection of tone controls, and outputs for either a guitar amp or a balanced output for a PA. The mid control is especially useful as you can select the frequency and boost or cut it. Fender blackface style amps have a big dip in the guitar's mid frequencies (or a boost in the bass and high frequencies if you look at it another way) so I've been able to dial in a tone setup that compensates for this. It also worked well as a clean boost for a Strat. Alternatively it could be used as a buffer at the start of a pedalboard; like the MXR Six Band EQ and the MXR Dyna-Comp I think it is a really very useful piece of kit. Bought off Amazon direct and got very good service from the seller.

## Frequently Bought Together

- Jim Dunlop Power Amplifier (11081000001)
- D'Addario Accessories PW-CT-9V DC Power Adapter – Pedalboard Power Supply - Minimize Need to Change Batteries on Pedalboard and Other Devices Requiring 9V – Guitar Pedal Power Supply
- MXR Patch Cable 6 in|15 cm - 3 Pack (3PDCP06)

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---

*Product available on Desertcart Spain*
*Store origin: ES*
*Last updated: 2026-02-24*