  The COMPASS experiment at CERN is dedicated to light hadron spectroscopy with
emphasis on the detection of new states, in particular the search for spin
exotic states and glueballs. After a short pilot run in 2004 (190 GeV/c
$\pi^{-}$ beam, Pb target) showing significant production strength of an exotic
$J^{PC}=1^{-+}$ state at 1.66\,GeV/${\rm c^2}$, we have collected data with 190
GeV/c hadron beams on a liquid hydrogen target in 2008/09. The spectrometer
features good coverage by calorimetry and our data provide excellent
opportunity for simultaneous observation of new states in different decay
modes. The diffractively produced $(3\pi)^{-}$ system for example can be
studied in both modes $\pi^{-}p \rightarrow \pi^{-}\pi^{+}\pi^{-}p$ and
$\pi^{-}~p \rightarrow \pi^{-}\pi^{0}\pi^{0}~p$. Reconstruction of charged and
neutral mode rely on completely different parts of the apparatus. Observation
of new st ates in both modes provides important checks. The results on
diffractive dissociation into 3$\pi$ final states from the 2004 data recently
published are discussed as well as the first comparison of neutral vs. charged
mode based on a first partial wave analysis of 2008 data.
