The MXR Phase 95 is a mini analog phaser pedal from MXR, the Dunlop-owned brand behind the classic Phase 90 and Phase 45. It combines both of those circuits in one small box: a 45/90 switch selects between the Phase 45's subtle two-stage phasing and the Phase 90's more pronounced four-stage phasing, and a second switch chooses between Script and Block voicings1. Dunlop bills it as four phasers in one, and MusicRadar's reviewer counted it exactly that way2.
Dunlop describes the pedal as small but "full of rich phase tones, and it'll take a beating on the road"1. It is set to modern style phasing by default, which relies on feedback to create light harmonic distortion and gives the effect a more accentuated swoosh1.
Phase 45 and Phase 90 voicings in a mini pedal
The Phase 95's whole appeal is that it puts two classic phasers in one housing. The 45/90 switch toggles between the Phase 45 mode's subtle two-stage phasing and the Phase 90 mode's more pronounced four-stage phasing1. The manual marks the two settings with LEDs: Phase 45 lights red, Phase 90 lights blue5.
A second switch selects between Script and Block versions of the circuits, the same vintage-versus-modern choice MXR offers across its Phase 90 family8. The Script setting follows the original, feedback-free voicing; the Block setting adds the feedback path. As Dunlop explains, the modern style "relies on feedback to create light harmonic distortion and gives the effect a more accentuated swoosh"1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Speed knob | Sets the rate of the phase sweep |
| 45/90 switch | Two-stage Phase 45 phasing or four-stage Phase 90 phasing1 |
| Script/Block switch | Vintage Script voicing or modern Block voicing8 |
How the two modes differ in practice, in the words of MusicRadar's editors:
"Phase 45 is more uni-vibe-esque, lush, warm, and mellow. On the Phase 90 circuit, you can hear a deep and wide phase sound, which intensifies the more you crank the speed knob."9
For players weighing the alternatives, the same review notes how the MXR character sits against the Electro-Harmonix Small Stone: "the MXR is punchier in the mids, and therefore brighter, whereas the Small Stone is known for its darker timbre"2. MXR also sells the circuits separately as the Phase 45 and Phase 90, and later added the two-knob Deep Phase to the lineup.
Power and connections
Setup is simple: run a cable from your guitar to the M290's INPUT jack, and a cable from the output to your amplifier5. Power comes from a 9V DC supply; the manual lists the draw as 8 mA at 9VDC5.
The Phase 95 cannot be powered by a battery. The manual states this outright5, and Premier Guitar's reviewer notes that "the tight quarters means there's no 9V battery option"3. Plan on a power supply or pedalboard power brick.
Dunlop says the pedal can be powered by a Dunlop ECB003 9-volt adapter, or the DC Brick, Iso-Brick, and Mini Iso-Brick power supplies, none of which are included1. Guitar World's review, from the pedal's launch period, reported a Dunlop nine-volt adapter in the box10, and Gearnews similarly said the ECB003 was included in the price at launch8, so what ships with it has varied over time.
Built from the Phase 45 and Phase 90 circuits
The Phase 95 is a direct descendant of MXR's two original phasers. Dunlop's own description: "The Phase 95 combines the Phase 45 and Phase 90 circuits, toggled by the 45/90 switch, in a mini housing"1. The manual puts it the same way, calling it a combination of "the two-stage Phase 45 and the four-stage Phase 90"5.
The pedal was announced in late 2016, with Gearnews reporting in September 2016 that the Phase 95 Mini Phaser would launch later that year8. Aion FX's project page dates the release to 2017, describing a mini pedal "with a switch to activate a Phase 45 mode by bypassing two of the phase stages"6. Dunlop's own announcement called it "the first ever mini pedal from MXR," at half the size of its forebear11.
That size is the other half of the story. The housing has about half the footprint of a standard MXR pedal1, which Guitar World's Paul Riario measured at one-and-one-half inches wide and three-and-one-half inches long10. For a player with a crowded board, that is the practical difference between the Phase 95 and a full-size Phase 90.
What reviewers said
Reviews were consistently positive. Guitar World awarded the pedal a Platinum Award at launch, calling it a versatile mini pedal combining four classic MXR phasers10. MusicRadar's Alex Lynham summed up the value plainly:
"+ One of the two classic phaser voicings. + Four phasers in one. - None at this price"2
Premier Guitar's 2023 review went deeper on the voicings, finding that "the 'block' Phase 90 voice is excellent," detailed and characterful at just about every point between wave peaks, while the block Phase 45 has some of the same harmonic depth but a more subdued rise and fall, good for tucking the phase back in the mix and a great match for trebly fuzz3.
The pedal also has documented users. Opeth's Fredrik Åkesson told Guitar World in a rig rundown12:
"The MXR Phase 95 sounds brilliant; it's like the original but has more features"12
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Questions
Is the MXR Phase 95 analog?
Yes. Premier Guitar's reviewer describes it as an analog phaser, noting that extra stages in an analog phaser can generate extra distortion. The pedal combines the two-stage Phase 45 and four-stage Phase 90 circuits in one housing351.
Is the MXR Phase 95 true bypass?
Yes. MusicRadar's review lists its bypass as true bypass, so the signal passes through untouched when the pedal is off2.
Can the MXR Phase 95 run on a battery?
No. The Dunlop manual states plainly that the pedal cannot be powered by a battery, and Premier Guitar notes the tight quarters of the mini housing leave no room for one. It needs a 9V DC power supply531.
What is the difference between the Phase 45 and Phase 90 modes on the Phase 95?
The 45/90 switch toggles between the Phase 45 mode's subtle two-stage phasing and the Phase 90 mode's more pronounced four-stage phasing. MusicRadar's editors describe the Phase 45 as more uni-vibe-esque, lush, warm and mellow, and the Phase 90 as a deep and wide phase sound that intensifies with speed19.
What is the MXR Phase 95 model number?
The model number is M290, as listed on Dunlop's product page and in the pedal's manual. It is sometimes sold under the full name MXR M290 Phase 951.
How big is the MXR Phase 95 compared to the Phase 90?
It is a mini pedal with about half the footprint of a standard MXR pedal. Guitar World's review measured it at one-and-one-half inches wide and three-and-one-half inches long, and Dunlop describes it as the first ever mini pedal from MXR11110.
Sources (12)
- MXR® PHASE 95, Dunlop (www.jimdunlop.com)
- 5 great phaser pedals guitar players need to try, MusicRadar, 2021-05-17
- MXR Phase 95 Review, Premier Guitar, 2017-03-24
- 15 essential pedals for live guitarists, Guitar World, 2021-07-13
- M290.pdf, Dunlop Manufacturing, Inc., 2020
- Apex JFET Phaser / MXR Phase 45, Aion FX, 2024-04-19
- MXR® TALK BOX TUBE, Dunlop (www.jimdunlop.com)
- MXR Phase 95 Mini Phaser, gearnews.com, 2016-09-21
- Best mini pedals: Small-scale stompboxes, MusicRadar, 2023-02-23
- Review: MXR Phase 95 Pedal, guitarworld.com, 2016-12-05
- Enter the Next Phase, Dunlop (lifestyle.jimdunlop.com), 2017-02-15
- Opeth and Ghost guitarist Fredrik Åkesson reveals what's on his pedalboard, Guitar World, 2023-03-02
Steve Lukather
