Envelope filters

[Thump]

I'm looking for a recommendation from you experienced folks , as per the title i am looking to add an envelope filter to the xmas list as the wife is nagging me already.

 

It can be stand alone as or part of a multi effects unit. Possibly looking for a chorus at some point too.

 

The only one i have heard so far is the MXR M82 at about £170 , it does sound good but i'm wondering what other options are available that would be recommended by the good people here

 

Thanks 

[fretmeister]

My current favourite is the Source Audio Spectrum.

 

 

 

 

 

It does everything. It sounds great.

[Bigwan]

EHX Nano Q-tron would be my first call nowadays I think

[Thump]

Thanks guys , both options sound really good 

[itu]

Onkart Gromt Funky fellow

Subdecay has two models, I think

Iron Ether Xerograph (and Deluxe)

DOD FX25 (and B)

 

Some reading:

https://www.hochstrasserelectronics.com/news/introductiontoenvelopefilters

[admiralchew]

Possibly not in time for Christmas (although they are batched I think, so maybe) but the Triungulo Lab Barbanera is the funkiest, wettest filter I’ve used.

 

The Broughton Josh Wah is well worth a look too (and should arrive from Canada in less than a couple of weeks). Broughton pedals punch well above their retail price.

[GR7G5TER]

I've got an Emma Electronics Discumbobulator, Iron Ether Xerograph, MuTron Micro Tron IV EHX Bassballs and MXR Phase 90 (i know not an envelope filter but...) my favoutire tones come from running the bassballs into the phase 90, i can just dial in the exact tone in my head in seconds, the distortion circuit really helps.

 

I've also had the SA spectrum , whilst it sounded fantastic, it just had too much flexibility and i just ended up not able to dial anything in!

 

It's worth looking at octave and fuzz/distortion pedals to go with them as that can be a match made in heaven. 

[Thump]

Lots of reading up to do! Thanks folks , i know what i'll be doing on my next two nightshifts

[SumOne]

If you're anything like me it is a never ending journey rather than destination!

 

The M82 is a good start as it gives a lot of control (pay about £90 second hand) but is only 'up' sweep and bandpass, there are other envelope filter types: The EBS BassIQ blue label does up/down sweep, and bandpass/lowpass so is a good way of hearing those different things. They are both available in the effects for sale section right now. 

 

 

'Good' Envelope filters are quite a personal choice though and can sound quite different with different playing styles/strings/pickups/other pedals etc.

so I'd buy/sell second hand on here to try quite a few out and you don't lose much £.

 

Edited October 25, 2023 by SumOne

[jimbobothy]

I’m surprised no-one has

commented on the Aguilar Filter Twin. There is one of the new ones on the F/S thread for £130 (only been taken out of the box!). I’ve got an older version and am still tempted lol!

… and a pic of 3 in a row lol on the F/S section 😎

Edited October 25, 2023 by jimbobothy

[Thump]

Right then, this appears to be the correct thread this time...

 

After having listened to the options listed so far on youtube via some headphones, the EBS is the front runner so far. Will need to speak to the wife as she is the one with paypal.

Thanks for all contributions so far 👍

[SumOne]

^^

Keep an eye out for the confusing naming of the EBS BassIQ (there are two different ones for sale, both called BassIQ, the 'blue label' one has the extra features and costs more). 

Edited October 26, 2023 by SumOne

[LukeFRC]

On 24/10/2023 at 22:38, admiralchew said:

Possibly not in time for Christmas (although they are batched I think, so maybe) but the Triungulo Lab Barbanera is the funkiest, wettest filter I’ve used.

I didn't know what this is before looking it up. Now I want one!

[Boodang]

Reviews and clips of the three EFs I own. The Fwonkbeta has a huge bottom heavy sound, not very versatile but nothing else like it. The Supa Funk is the closest to a normal EF, quite subtle, the Funk Machine is mental and good for the extreme Brecker Brothers 'Sponge' sound or as an LPF.

[stewblack]

11 hours ago, Thump said:

Right then, this appears to be the correct thread this time...

 

After having listened to the options listed so far on youtube via some headphones, the EBS is the front runner so far. Will need to speak to the wife as she is the one with paypal.

Thanks for all contributions so far 👍

I have bought so many over the years and the EBS is the best. In a live mix it does the sound I hear in my head when I think envelope filter 

[fretmeister]

The EBS is one of the few that I have never tried.

 

Now I have GAS.

 

Damn you all.

[lee650]

The EBS is one of my favourite filters! However I do NOT recommend the first version. It does not trigger well,making the downsweep unusable. Get the one with "true bypass" written on the front, its thevV2 abd they vastly improved the sensitivity. The new blue label, I've yet to try but bits on my list.

[ped]

I absolutely live and breathe envelope filters lol. After trying nearly all of them I have come to the conclusion that every filter reacts differently to every instrument you use it with, and that also depends on the player's style and attack. As such it's really hard to recommend any given filter because even some of my favourites sound better with some basses than others. As said above, it's a slippery but funky slope and you won't lose anything by trying out as many used examples of all the different types as you can. Can I also recommend that you keep your first one, because it's annoying to realise that you liked that one best all along when you're about 20 filters through the journey! 

[Ramsay777]

Personally have limited experience with them but I felt the Aguilar Filter Twin was a big let down. Keeping an eye on this thread for some ideas...

[NoirBass]

I’ve just rediscovered my big box mini Q tron, it has the slurpy sound I always had in my head. Been using it ever since I plugged it back in!

[ped]

I think I posted this elsewhere but:

 

This is the list of filters I have had (not including those built in to various multi fx):

Had and sold:
Mini Qtron
FX25 (sparkle)
MXR M87
3Leaf Wonderlove
3Leaf Proton V4
Meridian Funk-u-lator
Mr Black Fwonkbeta
Aguilar Filter Twin
Chunk Syatems Octavius Squeezer
Maxon AF9

Lovetone Meatball

Solid Gold FX Supa Funk

Currently have:
Mutron III
Bassballs Green Russian
Mutron III+
Qtron
Qtron+
Bassballs USA
FX25 (light green V1)

Xotic Robotalk 2

I think my all time faves and the ones on my board are the Mutron III+ as well as the original and the Green Bassballs.

Trouble is there are so many things to take into consideration - the bass you put into the pedal, your dynamics, how you amplify.. some of the pedals I sold ages ago may sound better with my current setup. But I'm definitely happy with the Mutron sound, something about the lack of anything harsh and the usefulness of the range switch.

[Thump]

Until I started this thread I had no idea of the amount of options that are available. Its a bit of an eye opener.

 

I think I may end up with a small collection of these. I did see the Mutron pedals (I saw Donny Benet use one and loved the sound) but nearly crapped my pants at the price. Maybe one day, but initially its gonna be more wallet friendly.  BassIQ is still in front for me but all these other options give me food for thought.

[Greg Edwards69]

There's quite a few filters in the Helix ecosystem - my particular favourite is their own design "autofilter".  All of these are in the new HX One pedal and HX Stomp if they're in your budget.

 

Helix models

https://helixhelp.com/models?categoryId=8&subCategoryId=4

 

Legacy models (from the old M series)

https://helixhelp.com/models?categoryId=8&subCategoryId=6

[ped]

2 hours ago, Thump said:

Until I started this thread I had no idea of the amount of options that are available. Its a bit of an eye opener.

 

I think I may end up with a small collection of these. I did see the Mutron pedals (I saw Donny Benet use one and loved the sound) but nearly crapped my pants at the price. Maybe one day, but initially its gonna be more wallet friendly.  BassIQ is still in front for me but all these other options give me food for thought.

Yeah there are loads, and it’s great fun trying them. I think the Bass IQ is a great choice and may be all you’ll ever need. I’ve seen pretty much every filter on basschat over the years so buying used you’ll never be short of pedals to try! If I wasn’t going for the EBS I’d probably try the new Nano Qtron. 
 

BTW there are two versions of the Mutron, the original Musitronics version (says Musitronics on the bottom left near footswitch) which are crazy expensive because ‘vintage’ but then there’s the Haz Labs ‘reissue’ which can be had for a fair bit less, and I like them both as much as each other, maybe the reissue slightly more in some ways.
 

I bet you’ll love the EBS so let us know how you get on. 

[GR7G5TER]

On 26/10/2023 at 12:53, stewblack said:

I have bought so many over the years and the EBS is the best. In a live mix it does the sound I hear in my head when I think envelope filter 

That's the thing with the filers, it's about finding the one that gives you the sound you hear, I don't ever want to sell any of mine (we'll see) bit one gets used more than all the others out together

 

There are two envelope pedals on sale in the classifieds (from the same seller), neither of which I had heard of but have GAS for now!