Thanks for the excellent comparison. The M80 is mellower and possibly more natural to the ears of some, but I actually prefer the bright edge to the M1A - especially since I use a T.C. Electronics BodyRez in my acoustic board, which tames piezo quack but is also useful to warm up a soundhole mag. I'm shopping for a PU to go in my ol' beater Martin D1-CE which currently has an older SD Acoustic Tube mag - typical mag tone, weak output requiring a pre.
I definitely understand why the M80 is considered the better pickup, it is more expensive and has a richer and more mature tone. However, I LOVE the individual note articulation of the M1Active. I discovered the M1active after seeing Father John Misty in concert and marveling at his tone. He plays an HD28 with an M1Active and it just sings! I can't stand the piezo quack so it is nice to know that there is a hack to mitigate that rather than just needing to rip it out immediately (which I've done on three consecutive acoustics).
I'm curious what you liked about the M80 over the M1A? I have a slight preference for the M1A in my Martin. If I had a J45 then I think the M80 might be better for its mid-rangey sounds.
They both seem to have their uses. The M1 is bright and lets individual notes shine, but it's almost to shimmery for full chords. It's like six strings being played individually. The M80, on the other hand, melds them into one, full sound for strumming. However, that seems a little muddy for finger picking. The obvious solution is one of each on either side of the sound hole, right? 😄
That is a helpful way of putting it. I was going to say that the M80 has more midrange, but not in the nasally piezo sort of way. My gut instinct was to put the most expensive pickup in my most expensive guitar (HD28) and then put the next one in my Levin. I typically prefer mahogany bodies for warm/muddy strumming tones and rosewood bodies for the articulation of each individual note. Perhaps I should keep the M1Active with my HD28 and put the M80 in my Levin which is a D-18 knockoff.
I have two of the M80s. One in my 12 string and one in the 6 string. I like it better because it sounds more natural. I also have a Fishman rare earth, which sounds more like the M1. I'm now trying to swap the strings. So far I've had the M80 in the guitar with a Rosewood body and the Fishman in the mahogany body. Let's see what the change brings.
M80 definitely sounds like the rich choice for a 12 string. I was debating comparing the M1active to the Fishman Rare Earth. I actually ordered a Rare Earth but I got a faulty one that had some issues plus it would take a little more effort to swap in and out than the LR Baggs do so this made for the simplest comparison...and I randomly got an Amazon coupon for $35 off the M80 so it made it almost the same price. I'm going with M1Active in the mahogany to brighten it up and get more articulation. M80 in the rosewood to warm it up a bit.
I have a Taylor AD27 (mahogany top sapele sides) - which of the 2 pickups would you recommend? Would M80 be most versatile to switch between mahogany and rosewood guitars?
@@DeejayJimmy90 I actually think it is more a matter of what style music you play. I really like the M1Active because I'm usually a lead guitarist. I like getting that punchy articulation out of each individual note. I might prefer M1Active if I were a fingerstyle player as well but I wouldn't know since I'm terrible at finger style :) The M80 is the more expensive pickup, I think it gives you a more natural blend if you're playing with a band and better for percussive sounds and strumming. If you're a solo acoustic player singer/songwriter type then I think I would prefer the M1Active. It is all personal preference though because they are both outstanding pickups!
Honestly, I didn't even realize it had a passive mode. I'd imagine the passive mode is a much lower output. I'll mess with it after work today and see what I can figure out.
I've got an s6 cedar, my first ever acoustic in the year 2000. It is in rough shape but sounds great. I think I've just got a seymour duncan woody or a Dimarzio acoustic pickup in there.
The m1 definitely has adjustable pole pieces, I think the m80 does as well. My goal wasn't to try and make the pickups sound the same but to contrast them. I prefer the m1a for this guitar but might prefer the m80 in a mahogany guitar (D18 or j45 or something)
I use the Lyric in my 000-15. I prefer the sound of the Lyric for solo acoustic work. I find that the more scooped EQ sound disappears in a mix with a band. The mid-rangey tones of these pickups help you stay in the mix with a full band. To each their own though!
Thanks for the excellent comparison. The M80 is mellower and possibly more natural to the ears of some, but I actually prefer the bright edge to the M1A - especially since I use a T.C. Electronics BodyRez in my acoustic board, which tames piezo quack but is also useful to warm up a soundhole mag. I'm shopping for a PU to go in my ol' beater Martin D1-CE which currently has an older SD Acoustic Tube mag - typical mag tone, weak output requiring a pre.
I definitely understand why the M80 is considered the better pickup, it is more expensive and has a richer and more mature tone. However, I LOVE the individual note articulation of the M1Active. I discovered the M1active after seeing Father John Misty in concert and marveling at his tone. He plays an HD28 with an M1Active and it just sings!
I can't stand the piezo quack so it is nice to know that there is a hack to mitigate that rather than just needing to rip it out immediately (which I've done on three consecutive acoustics).
To be honest Im using a fishman sonitone china copy.. and an T.C bodyrez. I did not expect the output would be so nice. I save a lot of money
I have the m1 Active, but I think I prefer the M80 after listening to this demo❤
I'm curious what you liked about the M80 over the M1A? I have a slight preference for the M1A in my Martin. If I had a J45 then I think the M80 might be better for its mid-rangey sounds.
@@MikeTJorgensen I think the m80 sounded more homogeneous and thicker
They both seem to have their uses. The M1 is bright and lets individual notes shine, but it's almost to shimmery for full chords. It's like six strings being played individually. The M80, on the other hand, melds them into one, full sound for strumming. However, that seems a little muddy for finger picking. The obvious solution is one of each on either side of the sound hole, right? 😄
That is a helpful way of putting it. I was going to say that the M80 has more midrange, but not in the nasally piezo sort of way.
My gut instinct was to put the most expensive pickup in my most expensive guitar (HD28) and then put the next one in my Levin.
I typically prefer mahogany bodies for warm/muddy strumming tones and rosewood bodies for the articulation of each individual note. Perhaps I should keep the M1Active with my HD28 and put the M80 in my Levin which is a D-18 knockoff.
I have two of the M80s. One in my 12 string and one in the 6 string. I like it better because it sounds more natural. I also have a Fishman rare earth, which sounds more like the M1. I'm now trying to swap the strings. So far I've had the M80 in the guitar with a Rosewood body and the Fishman in the mahogany body. Let's see what the change brings.
M80 definitely sounds like the rich choice for a 12 string. I was debating comparing the M1active to the Fishman Rare Earth. I actually ordered a Rare Earth but I got a faulty one that had some issues plus it would take a little more effort to swap in and out than the LR Baggs do so this made for the simplest comparison...and I randomly got an Amazon coupon for $35 off the M80 so it made it almost the same price.
I'm going with M1Active in the mahogany to brighten it up and get more articulation. M80 in the rosewood to warm it up a bit.
I have a Taylor AD27 (mahogany top sapele sides) - which of the 2 pickups would you recommend? Would M80 be most versatile to switch between mahogany and rosewood guitars?
@@DeejayJimmy90 I actually think it is more a matter of what style music you play. I really like the M1Active because I'm usually a lead guitarist. I like getting that punchy articulation out of each individual note. I might prefer M1Active if I were a fingerstyle player as well but I wouldn't know since I'm terrible at finger style :)
The M80 is the more expensive pickup, I think it gives you a more natural blend if you're playing with a band and better for percussive sounds and strumming. If you're a solo acoustic player singer/songwriter type then I think I would prefer the M1Active. It is all personal preference though because they are both outstanding pickups!
Is there a significant difference in the M-80 between active mode and passive mode?
Honestly, I didn't even realize it had a passive mode. I'd imagine the passive mode is a much lower output. I'll mess with it after work today and see what I can figure out.
Since my seagull s6 has a cedar top and is already mellow, I chose the m1a
I've got an s6 cedar, my first ever acoustic in the year 2000. It is in rough shape but sounds great. I think I've just got a seymour duncan woody or a Dimarzio acoustic pickup in there.
Ahhhhh ... Dave Matthews ;D
haha yep, I'm not much of an acoustic player so it took me back to my high school days.
Don't these have adjustable pole pieces to fix some of the clarity issues or lack thereof ?
The m1 definitely has adjustable pole pieces, I think the m80 does as well. My goal wasn't to try and make the pickups sound the same but to contrast them.
I prefer the m1a for this guitar but might prefer the m80 in a mahogany guitar (D18 or j45 or something)
both not even close from anthem/lyric
I use the Lyric in my 000-15. I prefer the sound of the Lyric for solo acoustic work. I find that the more scooped EQ sound disappears in a mix with a band. The mid-rangey tones of these pickups help you stay in the mix with a full band. To each their own though!