The Electro-Harmonix MEL9 is a digital pedal that turns what you play on guitar into Mellotron-style tape keyboard sounds. Electro-Harmonix calls it a Tape Replay Machine, and it pays homage to nine of what the maker describes as "nine magically quirky, dark and unique Mellotron® sounds": Orchestra, Cello, Strings, Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, Brass, Low Choir and High Choir1. It was designed to work on guitar without any modifications, special pickups or MIDI implementation, so you plug straight in and play2.
The pedal arrived in 2016324 and uses the same technology that powers EHX's B9 and C9 Organ Machines and the KEY9 Electric Piano Machine2. MusicRadar's reviewer described it as using similar technology to that implemented in the EHX POG5. It sells for $259.50 USD1.
What the MEL9 does
The MEL9 emulates classic Mellotron sounds2, the early polyphonic tape replay keyboards whose pre-recorded tape loops gave 1960s and 1970s records their flutes, strings and choirs. Electro-Harmonix founder Mike Matthews pitched it as "a portable, practical and affordable way to emulate the sounds of early polyphonic tape replay keyboards"7. MusicRadar's reviewer noted the pedal is equipped with nine preset sounds based on original Mellotron tapes, selected via a rotary switch5.
The nine sounds, selected by the PRESET knob, are1:
- Orchestra
- Cello
- Strings
- Flute
- Clarinet
- Saxophone
- Brass
- Low Choir
- High Choir
Because it tracks pitch rather than needing MIDI, the MEL9 works with more than guitar. It responds to bass down to the open A string, and to keyboards within its polyphony of 5 notes and its range of A1 to A524. Delicious Audio notes you can trigger it with any instrument that produces an electrical output down to 55 Hz, or A14.
The controls
The front panel keeps things simple: a rotary preset selector, four knobs and a bypass footswitch. The BYPASS footswitch toggles between effect mode and bypass1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| PRESET | Selects one of the nine preset sounds1 |
| EFFECT VOL | Controls the overall volume of the selected preset at the EFFECT OUTPUT jack1 |
| DRY VOL | Controls the volume of the untreated instrument level on the EFFECT OUTPUT jack1 |
| ATTACK | Sets the volume swell speed, or the speed at which the effect begins to be heard1 |
| BYPASS footswitch | Toggles between effect mode and bypass1 |
The ATTACK and SUSTAIN controls shape how each chosen sound starts and holds8, and the separate Effect and Dry volume controls let you set the blend at the effect output852.
Outputs and connections
The MEL9 has one audio input jack and two outputs, which is where it gets flexible for a pedalboard1.
- EFFECT OUTPUT jack: sends the mix set by the DRY and EFFECT volume controls1.
- DRY OUTPUT jack: outputs the signal present at the input jack at unity gain, and it is always active19.
MusicRadar's reviewer highlighted what this means in practice: "There's also an extra output that passes the dry signal, as heard at the input at all times, so that you can have a standard guitar signal chain totally separate from the Mellotron sounds"5. Guitar.com's review noted the two signals can be blended together at the effect output or run independently through the pedal's effect and dry outputs10. Premier Guitar's review likewise noted the two outputs for dry and effected signals6.
History: from the POG to the B9, C9 and MEL9
The MEL9 sits in EHX's "9" series of instrument-emulation pedals. The line began with the B9 Organ Machine, which offered many types of Hammond sounds and won a MIPA award111213. The C9 Organ Machine followed, branching out into other kinds of organs11. The KEY9 Electric Piano Machine arrived in 2015 as a follow-up to the B9 and C91415, and the MEL9 Tape Replay Machine followed in 2016, using similar technology to that implemented in the POG14153.
MusicRadar's reviewer traced the family tree further back, noting the MEL9 uses similar technology to that implemented in the EHX POG, the company's polyphonic octave pedal5. At the pedal's launch, Premier Guitar's demo video billed it as "Mad scientist Mike Matthews creates a new stompbox"16.
What reviewers said
Reviews were positive about the pedal's realism and range. Delicious Audio called it "a pedal that offers surprisingly realistic takes on nine different settings" and went further on its place in the series: "but in my opinion this is a much more versatile pedal. The organ machines are certainly cool, but those sounds tend to be achievable from high quality reverb pedals"4. Guitar.com's review noted the enclosure wears "the unmistakably Mellotron-esque white outfit"10.
Premier Guitar's review covered the practical details, confirming the two outputs and noting plainly that "There is no battery option"6.
The MEL9 has no battery option6. It runs from the included 9.6VDC-200mA adapter and draws 100mA1, so plan a power supply accordingly if you are building it into a board.
Videos
EHX
Chords Of Orion
Reverb
News
Questions
Does the EHX MEL9 work with bass?
Yes. Electro-Harmonix designed the MEL9 to work with bass down to the open A string, and it also responds to any instrument producing an electrical output down to 55 Hz, or A1. Notes below that range will not track, so the low E string on a four-string bass falls outside what the pedal can reproduce.
Can you use the MEL9 with a keyboard?
Yes. The MEL9 can be triggered by a keyboard within its polyphony limit of 5 notes and its range of A1 to A5. It accepts any instrument with an electrical output through its standard input jack, so no special connections are needed.
Does the MEL9 run on batteries?
No. Premier Guitar's review notes there is no battery option. The pedal runs from the included 9.6VDC-200mA power adapter, which plugs into a standard 9V DC center negative style EHX power supply input.
Is the MEL9 true bypass?
No. Electro-Harmonix lists the MEL9 as buffered bypass. When the effect is off, a buffer passes the signal rather than a true bypass switch, which is worth knowing if you are particular about bypass on your pedalboard.
What power supply does the MEL9 need?
The MEL9 draws 100mA and ships with a 9.6VDC-200mA power adapter included in the box. There is no battery option, so you need that adapter or an equivalent power supply capable of supplying at least the pedal's 100mA draw.
Sources (16)
- MEL9 | Tape Replay Machine - Electro-Harmonix, Electro-Harmonix
- Electro-Harmonix Launches Mel9 Tape Replay Machine, Premier Guitar, 2016-03-14
- Electro-Harmonix adds the STRING9 String Ensemble to their celebrated 9 Series guitar effects range, MusicRadar, 2022-06-21
- Electro-Harmonix Mel9 Tape Replay Machine, Delicious Audio, 2023-04-04
- Electro-Harmonix MEL9 review, MusicRadar, 2016-07-06
- Electro-Harmonix Mel9 Review, Premier Guitar, 2016-09-01
- Electro-Harmonix Unveils the Mel9 Tape Replay Machine, Guitar Interactive Magazine, 2016-03-16
- Electro Harmonix Mel9 Tape Replay Machine, gearnews.com, 2016-03-15
- Electro-Harmonix hit rewind with the new Mel9 Tape Replay Machine, MusicRadar, 2016-03-14
- Electro-Harmonix Mel9 Review, Guitar.com, 2016-09-16
- New Pedals: Electro-Harmonix C9, Organ Machine, Delicious Audio, 2015-04-15
- B9 | Organ Machine - Electro-Harmonix, Electro-Harmonix
- Electro-Harmonix Releases the KEY9, Premier Guitar, 2015-09-09
- KEY9 | Electric Piano Machine - Electro-Harmonix, Electro-Harmonix
- Electro-Harmonix Key9 review, MusicRadar, 2016-03-22
- SNAMM '16, Premier Guitar, 2016-07-06
