LR Baggs M80 active or passive mode?

63telemaster · #1 05-17-2017, 06:40 AM

I've been using the Baggs M1a but have always been paranoid about the battery losing power mid performance. I finally decided to replace it with the M80 which I am able to use in active or passive mode but I'm wondering how you guys prefer it.

rschultz · #2 05-17-2017, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 63telemaster

I've been using the Baggs M1a but have always been paranoid about the battery losing power mid performance. I finally decided to replace it with the M80 which I am able to use in active or passive mode but I'm wondering how you guys prefer it.

Definitely active if you can, the body sensing part really does add some warmth. The M80 is a significant upgrade over the M1a.

63telemaster · #3 05-18-2017, 02:44 AM

I thought the active/passive mode referred to the preamp part of the pickup and that body sensing is in both active and passive modes.

I should add that I use an outboard preamp (actually a multi fx) so I'm more concerned with the actual sound differences between active and passive than any differences in output.

lkingston · #4 05-18-2017, 06:04 AM

I hear a lot more background hiss with the M80 in passive mode.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

MrErikJ · #5 05-18-2017, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 63telemaster

I thought the active/passive mode referred to the preamp part of the pickup and that body sensing is in both active and passive modes.

I should add that I use an outboard preamp (actually a multi fx) so I'm more concerned with the actual sound differences between active and passive than any differences in output.

You are correct that the body sensing is a passive action, the active boost shouldn't change that.

However, the built-in preamp probably reduces noise, so if that's an issue for you I would leave it in active mode. However, the active signal will be more likely to clip your outboard preamp and if you want more of the preamp's tone, I would recommend leaving it passive. Personally, I prefer passive pickups, like the LB6, that you can manage with outboard gear & leave batteries out of the guitar. For piezos, I think a passive pickup tends to "quack" less as there isn't an endpin preamp to overdrive, but I don't think the same applies to magnetics. I would just do whatever's easiest and sounds best to you.

63telemaster · #6 05-21-2017, 01:29 PM

I spent some time fitting and setting up the M80 in my D28 today and I must say I'm mightily impressed. A couple of hours tweaking the polepiece heights and my multifx resulted in a very usable sound with better than expected dynamics too which is a big thing for me.

As any noise would certainly be an issue I decided to try active first and was so pleased with the results I didn't bother checking it in passive. At least I now have the battery check light to take away the guesswork and the worry.

Thanks for the guidance.

varmonter · #7 05-24-2017, 07:22 PM

The m80 sounds good in my d28s.
I would prefer the passive/active switch be on top.
This way you could switch it without having
to remove the pup. I am not concerned about
the battery..just would like the option to use
the pup in either mode. Easily.

#8 05-24-2017, 07:34 PM

If the battery is your concern, remember there is a button on the face of the pickup that allows you to check its status. Also, I do understand why they didn't put the active/passive selector switch in a place where you could hit it accidentally, but they could have put it in a place where it could be reached relatively easily.

liv4ree · #9 09-20-2018, 06:01 PM

I have an M80 in my Martin D41 and use it in active mode. I love the M80. I also put together a pedalboard. I put some serious time into putting this pedalboard together.
I have a Polytune tuner to the Henretta Emerald Prince preamp, to an LR baggs Align EQ, Henretta Moody blue reverb then the Countryman type 85 DI. I use a very small amount of reverb. All pedals are always on. I'm just blown away by my tone.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/12wY...ew?usp=sharing

PANDAPANDELO · #10 09-20-2018, 08:16 PM

I have used the M80 in my HD28 for about a year.

I prefer the sound of it in the PASSIVE mode, but there is a lot of noise in a few venues I play. If you have a lot of hiss, put it in the Active mode, and it will almost disappear completely!

So, in my experience:

Sound: passive is better
Hiss: active is better
Battery Life: passive is better

Is just nice to know that you can change it in just a few minutes. You just have to be a kind of ninja to reach the passive/active switch! Hahahaha

noledog · #11 09-20-2018, 08:44 PM

* Many of you may have seen my demo of the M80 and Align EQ I use to perform with my D18...and I always use it in active mode for the tone, quiet operation, and volume knob function.

** Passive mode sounds good, but disables the volume wheel that I need on stage. The battery indicator should keep you informed with plenty of warning before they go dead. Even then, you can flip the switch to passive increase your gain on amp etc., if you don't wanna pull the pickup to replace the battery at a gig.

varmonter · #12 09-21-2018, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by varmonter

The m80 sounds good in my d28s.
I would prefer the passive/active switch be on top.
This way you could switch it without having
to remove the pup. I am not concerned about
the battery..just would like the option to use
the pup in either mode. Easily.

It's been over a year since this post.
i am still using the m80. After comparing the
sound back and forth i decided to leave it in
passive mode . with my setup i don't need the
pickups preamp and the actual sound difference
is negligible. Still wish they would make that
switch more accessable. Other than that switch
i love the pickup. over a year with the same pickup
is a record for me. haa

lkingston · #13 09-21-2018, 01:08 PM

On any battery powered pickup, you will hear it distort long before you risk having it die in the middle of a performance. Just replace the batteries as soon as you can after you hear it start to distort. The distortion should drive you nuts long before you are in danger of going dead in the middle of a performance. If you really want to be safe, keep a spare battery in your guitar case.

varmonter · #14 09-21-2018, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lkingston

On any battery powered pickup, you will hear it distort long before you risk having it die in the middle of a performance. Just replace the batteries as soon as you can after you hear it start to distort. The distortion should drive you nuts long before you are in danger of going dead in the middle of a performance. If you really want to be safe, keep a spare battery in your guitar case.

also there is a battery level indicator so you
should never need to get to this point .,

63telemaster · #15 09-23-2018, 04:20 AM

Thought I'd bring this one up to date.

After experiencing a battery going down between soundcheck and pre show tuning check and having to do a quick panic change (most likely a dodgy battery) I decided to go passive.

I was very happy with the M80 in passive mode for a while but decided to try a DiMarzio Black Angel as I was looking for a pickup for my 000. What a revelation! The BA just sounded great straight out of the box requiring very little tone shaping and only the usual polepiece adjustments. I've been using this for the past few months (2 or 3 shows a week) and for my application it is just perfect.