The Line 6 M5 is a stompbox modeler: a single pedal that holds over one hundred effect models, from delays and modulation to overdrives and tremolos, and plays one of them at a time like a conventional stompbox. It arrived in the 2010s and sold over a 14-year lifetime to thousands of guitarists as a one-at-a-time multi-effects problem-solver1. As Delicious Audio put it, "If it's a modern boutique tremolo pedal or a vintage overdrive you are searching for, chances are the M5 can provide an option"2.
What the M5 does
The M5 shoehorns over one hundred effect models into a stout 6.5 inch square all-metal box2. Unlike a multi-effects unit, it runs only one of those models at a time, and Line 6 made it simple to store 24 of them as presets you can scroll through with your foot5. Editing works the way it does on a traditional pedal: "the M5 lets the user edit their sounds with a group of external knobs just like traditional effects"2. Premier Guitar's reviewer called the design effective, with a backlit LCD that clearly shows the chosen effect and what each knob does5.
All time-based effects, such as delays and echoes, plus the LFO speeds of the modulation effects, are tap tempo-able with rhythmic subdivisions. Delicious Audio's reviewer summed it up: "On the whole, the way the M5 deals with tempo is really useful."2 The M5 also carries an on-board tuner and MIDI capabilities3.
In a MusicRadar demo video from the M5's launch, Line 6's Mike described it as having "the kind of simple stopbox style interface that the M13 and the M9 have", with stereo input and stereo output6.
The M5 found its way onto real boards. In a Guitar World rig tour, Chad Taylor of Live used one for modulation, saying "It does the most basic modulations", with that modulation routed only into his second guitar amp onstage7.
MIDI, stereo and expression connections
The rear panel carries stereo 1/4 inch inputs and outputs plus MIDI in and out, so the M5 can sit alongside a keyboard or guitar rig and be switched externally2. MIDI control is possible, and you can add an expression pedal for real-time parameter changes4. There is no USB MIDI interface for connecting to a computer, so external control runs through the MIDI ports4.
For players integrating the M5 with a larger switching system, Disaster Area Designs lists the M5 as a supported device, with expression control on CC18.
Disaster Area Designs advises M5 users to set AutoSave to OFF to avoid corrupting presets. The M5 can be set up to automatically save any knob tweak4, which is convenient on its own but can overwrite stored presets when the unit is under external MIDI or expression control8.
Where it sits in the Line 6 modeler range
The M5 is the smallest of Line 6's three M-series stompbox modelers, and all three share the same model gallery9. The differences are about how many effects run at once:
| Model | Effects at once | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| M5 | One | Stompbox-sized, one model at a time25 |
| M9 | Three | Onboard tuner, tap tempo across all effects in use10 |
| M13 | Four | Chain of four stompbox modelers, each with three memories, more flexible routing11 |
As Delicious Audio framed it, "the M5 isn't here to be your one stop multi effect (the larger M9 and M13 tackle that job)"2. The M9 and M13 offer over 100 effects types and allow up to three or four effects simultaneously4, and the M13 adds full stereo ins and outs, MIDI for external switching and expression pedal connections11.
The M5's build quality held up in reviews. Premier Guitar described "a rugged, all-metal chassis with a cool black finish"5, and Guitar.com's reviewer found "Its bent-steel chassis also felt extremely rugged, and could take many many hours of stomping"12. MusicRadar has called it a somewhat underrated entry in the line13.
Videos
Line6Support
Reverb
PMTVUK
Questions
Can the Line 6 M5 run more than one effect at once?
No. The M5 runs only one of its effect models at a time, where the larger Line 6 M9 runs three simultaneously and the M13 runs four. Line 6 positioned the M5 as a single stompbox rather than a multi-effects unit, and its 24 preset slots are each a single stored effect.
How many presets does the Line 6 M5 have?
The M5 has 24 onboard presets, factory programmed and easily overwritten. You scroll through them with your foot using the metal stomp switches, and any of the effect models can be saved into a preset slot for instant recall.
Does the Line 6 M5 have tap tempo?
Yes. All time-based effects such as delays and echoes, plus the LFO speeds of the modulation effects, can be set with tap tempo, with rhythmic subdivisions available. Delicious Audio's reviewer called the M5's tempo handling really useful.
Does the Line 6 M5 have MIDI?
Yes, the M5 has MIDI in and out on the rear panel, so it can be integrated with keyboards or other MIDI gear and switched externally. There is no USB MIDI interface for connecting to a computer, so MIDI control works through the MIDI ports only.
Can you connect an expression pedal to the Line 6 M5?
Yes. There is an expression pedal input on the rear panel for real-time parameter changes. Disaster Area Designs lists the M5's expression control on CC1, and recommends setting the M5's AutoSave to OFF when using external control to avoid corrupting presets.
Why should AutoSave be turned off on the Line 6 M5?
Because AutoSave automatically writes every knob tweak into the current preset, external MIDI or expression control can overwrite stored presets without you intending it. Disaster Area Designs advises setting AutoSave to OFF to avoid corrupting presets when the M5 is under external control.
Sources (13)
- TC Electronic Plethora X1 review, Guitar.com, 2025-02-17
- Line 6 M5 Stomp Box Modeler, Delicious Audio, 2011-10-19
- Line 6 M5 Stompbox Modeler (JHV3-modded), Pedal of the Day (www.pedal-of-the-day.com), 2016-04-29
- Line 6 M5 Stompbox Modeller review, MusicRadar, 2011-06-21
- Line 6 M5 Stompbox Modeler Review, Premier Guitar, 2011-10-20
- Line 6 M5 Stompbox Modeler up close at Frankfurt Musikmesse 2011, MusicRadar, 2011-04-08
- Rig tour: Live's resident "fuzz junkie", Chad Taylor, Guitar World, 2020-01-09
- Supported Devices, Disaster Area Designs, 2021-10-11
- Line 6 | Legacy Products, Line 6
- Line 6 M9 Stompbox Modeler, MusicPlayers.com, 2010-07-10
- Line 6 M13 review, MusicRadar, 2008-10-07
- Line 6 HX One review: worthy of a place on every pedalboard?, Guitar.com, 2024-06-07
- "It's a chameleon for your pedalboard": Line 6 HX One review, MusicRadar, 2024-05-22
