Envelope filters, so many choices, I'm lost!

[alstocko]

As the title says, I've been looking at getting an envelope filter to fill up my pedalboard and give that funk into my tone.

The problem is, there's so many! Janek is swearing by the DOD FX25 (older version without blend) but I'd like to see what you guys think.

I'd like to spend less than £100 in the preowned market, and another notable point is that I use flatwounds on my bass, anyone here used that with a funk box?

[thisnameistaken]

I don't like the way the envelope follower behaves on the FX-25. Try one out, compare it to other units (the EHX Q-Tron for example) and you'll see - it feels like there's a very steep sensitivity curve. It takes a big push to get the filter to open, and it closes quite quickly too, there's not much subtlety to be had. To me it feels like pushing a heavy trolley up a steep hill. A lot of other filters are based on the same circuit and feel the same - the Tonefactor pedals and BYOC designs included.

On a budget I think the Q-Tron is a really good pedal but it can be awkward on a pedal board because it runs on 24v. At the more expensive end I like filters based on the Lovetone Meatball (so the 3Leaf Groove Regulator or the Robot Factory Meatwad). I imagine it's also worth checking out the EHX Enigma:Qballs which seems to have a lot of the flexibility of the Meatball but with the quacky funk sound of the Q-Tron, and runs on a 9v supply.

Edited January 4, 2013 by thisnameistaken

[xgsjx]

It really does depend what you're wanting it to do. Soundblox BEF is worth looking at & you get a hothand controller for it too (for added coolness).

[ahpook]

i'd strongly advise you to get one with some way of keeping your clean signal in the mix and/or a level control.

of the few i've tried i'd recommend the MXR bass envelope filter - the separate volumes for the clean and effected signals is great.

assuming you like the sound of the filter, that is.

i don't know about the preowned market, but i've seen them for less than a ton secondhand

Edited January 4, 2013 by ahpook

[Jus Lukin]

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Edited February 16, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='ahpook' timestamp='1357293882' post='1920389']of the few i've tried i'd recommend the MXR bass envelope filter - the separate volumes for the clean and effected signals is great.

assuming you like the sound of the filter, that is.[/quote]

Bear in mind that the MXR - and indeed the DOD FX25 - are band-pass filters, and as such they are more in need of a clean volume control or a blend control than low-pass filters are. Personally I prefer the sound of low-pass filters on bass.

[fretmeister]

I have a few

MXR - very good indeed.
DOD FX25 (No blend) - a fun pedal, but less versatile than most.
WMD Super Fatman - simply amazing. But also easy to get caught up in the options available.


The MXR is dead easy to use and the twin volume set up is superb. If I was only going to have 1 filter then it would be the MXR

[Lee Carter]

I have a [size=4][color=#000000]Digitech XBW Bass Synth Wah [/color][/size]and absolutely love it. Although I'll soon be selling it, fancy a Zoom B3.

[fretmeister]

I forgot! I have the Digitech too!

I mainly use it for the Synth noises, but it does a great filter.

[Jus Lukin]

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Edited February 16, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[xgsjx]

Re: Flats. works just fine on a filter. I've just finished playing about with my rig & can forget how much fun using the follower on the filter is.

Bass straight into filter & wap the follower up & funk central here we come, click the loop & on comes octave & dirt, the follower dies & the expression pedal takes over. Synthy goodness!

My filter is the Moog, so a bit more than £100 2nd hand but worth every penny.

[ahpook]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1357298152' post='1920476']
Bear in mind that the MXR - and indeed the DOD FX25 - are band-pass filters, and as such they are more in need of a clean volume control or a blend control than low-pass filters are. Personally I prefer the sound of low-pass filters on bass.
[/quote]

now [i]that[/i] - i did not know.

thanks for the enlightenment.

[hamfist]

I'm no expert on filters, but bought the MXR box and the EHX Enigma Qballs to try out recently. The EHX actually beat the MXR hands down , for me. It did everything the MXR could do, and a load more to boot. The EHX is simply a "funkier", more versatile pedal, all IMO, IME etc etc.

[dannybuoy]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1357298152' post='1920476']
Bear in mind that the MXR - and indeed the DOD FX25 - are band-pass filters, and as such they are more in need of a clean volume control or a blend control than low-pass filters are. Personally I prefer the sound of low-pass filters on bass.
[/quote]

Maybe off-topic as it's out of the price range of the OP, but when it comes to blended bandpass vs lowpass, I like the bass wah preset on the Sonuus Wahoo - fixed bandpass at 100Hz with the auto/pedal filter acting on another bandpass in parallel. I prefer the sound of a swept bandpass to a lowpass as it just sounds funkier, but this allows you to do that whilst keeping the lows intact!

[johnDeereJack]

Another +1 for the MXR Bass Envelope Filter. Had one for a while now and it's with me at every gig. Very funky and easy to use pedal, gets very wet too! I'm sure you could get a used one for less than £100.
The 3Leaf Groove Regulator was mentioned earlier; I'm awaiting delivery of the GR2 version which (I believe) is low pass. I've never used one so will let you know how that compares to the band pass MXR once it arrives.

[Jimryan]

So far I've tried the digitech and really didn't like it, had a micro Q-tron and loved it but got fed up with the volume boost. I've always regarded the DOD FX25B as my favourite, love how unpredictable it can be, but hate the volume drop it has.

Saying that, I no longer use effects so I'm now selling the FX25B in the marketplace.

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1357303802' post='1920613']Maybe off-topic as it's out of the price range of the OP, but when it comes to blended bandpass vs lowpass, I like the bass wah preset on the Sonuus Wahoo - fixed bandpass at 100Hz with the auto/pedal filter acting on another bandpass in parallel. I prefer the sound of a swept bandpass to a lowpass as it just sounds funkier, but this allows you to do that whilst keeping the lows intact![/quote]

Whereas I think the low-pass on a Q-Tron is the funkiest sound you can get from just a filter on bass.

One thing I do like doing though is setting up an envelope-following band-passed fuzz on my Octavius Squeezer, with a pretty quick attack and decay, and mixing it with a soloed OC-2 -1 Oct signal. The envelope BP fuzz sounds really nerdy and weedy but if you add the octaver underneath it's a great sound. Very G-Funk.

[alstocko]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1357314660' post='1920880']
Whereas I think the low-pass on a Q-Tron is the funkiest sound you can get from just a filter on bass.

One thing I do like doing though is setting up an envelope-following band-passed fuzz on my Octavius Squeezer, with a pretty quick attack and decay, and mixing it with a soloed OC-2 -1 Oct signal. The envelope BP fuzz sounds really nerdy and weedy but if you add the octaver underneath it's a great sound. Very G-Funk.
[/quote]
Sounds nice, what's G-Funk?

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='alstocko' timestamp='1357315280' post='1920901']Sounds nice, what's G-Funk?[/quote]

The sound of Dr Dre's early '90s productions. Listen to The Chronic or Doggystyle.

[alstocko]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1357317248' post='1920964']
The sound of Dr Dre's early '90s productions. Listen to The Chronic or Doggystyle.
[/quote]
Ahh, I get ya.
I love those albums! Some great bass playing "Gin and Juice" is a personal favourite!

[Ba55me15ter]

I had the Digitech Synth Wah which had some good sounds, especially for the price, but the lack of a blend control rendered it useless in a live band situation. I added a little mixer to mix the wet and dry signals but that's a faff you shouldn't have to do.
I have just taken delivery of the MXR and I'm well impressed so far. It feels like it has been designed by a working bassist rather than a marketeer. I've plonked my OC-2 in front of it for a extra dollop of funkage.

[phagor]

Combining a filter with another pedal is fun. Octave before is good. I also like a fuzz before - it adds lots of extra frequencies that makes the envelope effect more obvious.

One problem is that most fuzzes act like compressors - they squash your bass's dynamic range, so the filter doesn't react as much as it does with just dry bass. I like the Groove Regulator 2 or more recent Wonderlove that has an effect loop to solve this problem. Bass into the GR2, fuzz (and octave) in the effect loop - much more responsive and synth-like.

[Jayben]

I got the [url="http://www.ehx.com/products/bassballs"]EHX Bassballs[/url] last month, which is a twin-band enveolpe filter.

With the distortion off, it's a really subtle effect, but with the distortion on you can get some really wacky sounds. The response pot effectively controls what kind of frequency range is affected by the effect unit, you can even control the frequency response and other e characteristics by changing the velocity of the signal, i.e. not hitting the strings as hard or what have you.

At about £50 give or take it's cheap, and I think it's incredibly versatile, sounds good!

[TheGreek]

I have an Ashdown Envelope Plus and though it is quite bulky compared to some of the others mentioned it does what I need it to...I saw one advertised on eBay recently - sold for about £30..

[Invisible]

MXR +1