Envelope filter/wah Your opinion needed?

[low2groove]

I'm looking for an envelope filter/autowah pedal and I'm having trouble deciding which to lay my money on.

I only need it for clean and I'd like it to keep my dynamics in tact when I play and of course no "tone suck"

I've listened on youtube to many videos and have narrowed it down to those listed below.

My price range is under $200 new or used.

Thanks for the help!

EBS - Bass IQ

3Leaf Audio - Groove Regulator

EHX - Q-tron or Q-tron+

MXR - M82

MXR - Auto Q

[DONZI97]

Q-balls

[Greg75]

I have a Groove Regulator on it's way to me. It's the one with the sound and options I prefer. But, I haven't spent much time fiddling with one. Did get a chance to try the MXR M82 and EBS IQ. Thought both were very good, too (slightly prefer the adjustability/controls and available discounts on the MXR over the EBS).

[low2groove]

True bypass would be great also.

[TXLawDawg]

Although I still have GAS for the 3leaf, I've never played one. I can however tell you that the MXR M82 is a niiiiiiiiiiiice filter. Very wet and funky but not too wild.

[billphreets]

from the options you listed i`d probably be tempted to go for the 3leaf.. saying that though: i have an old q-tron+ that i LOVE!

[Explorer]

I love the fact that my Q-tron Plus has a loop, as does the Groove Regulator.

Like other pieces of EHX gear, the Q-tron can be pressed to the extreme edge... and then beyond. The Groove Regulator is very usable... and can't be pushed to the edge.

[low2groove]

After watching a **** load of youtube videos and reading a small mountain of reviewsI've narrowed it down to these two pedals.

3 Leaf Audio - Groove Regulator Because of it's very usable natural sound that's not over the top and true bypass.

OR

EHX - Enigma Q-Balls. It still gets a fairly natural sound but can be pushed over the edge if needed.

Leaning towards the 3 leaf though!

[DanRJBrasil]

q balls with a exp pedal, there you have a excellent envelope and also a wah pedal, the exp pedal gives the extra flexibility that others in the same price range lack

[bass12]

You mentioned keeping dynamics "intact". I'm not sure exactly what you mean by that but my thinking is that the Qtron might not be for you. That particular pedal is known for producing volume spikes and, for that reason, I won't use them anymore. You also say you only need it "for clean". What do you mean? Anyway, for what it's worth I would go with the 3Leaf. I owned an MXR Auto Q and I didn't like it (I found it didn't sit very well in the mix and coloured my sound in a way I didn't like). Tried an M82 at a shop the other day and wasn't impressed in the least (muddy and not very "funky" sounding to my ears). Although I never gigged one, I did quite like the Agent 00Funk (over $200 new but you might find one at a decent price second hand).

[WaldoNova]

Originally Posted by DanRJBrasil

q balls with a exp pedal, there you have a excellent envelope and also a wah pedal, the exp pedal gives the extra flexibility that others in the same price range lack

Yes the expression pedal option with the Qballs is awesome. Best Wah ever!!!!!

[low2groove]

Many guys use some type of fuzz or distortion with their bass, I don't so it will only be used on a clean setting so I don't need any built in distortion of any type.

Several pedals I've tried seem to mask the dynamics and have volume spikes or what feels like some type of compression going on in the circuit.

[bass12]

Originally Posted by low2groove

Many guys use some type of fuzz or distortion with their bass, I don't so it will only be used on a clean setting so I don't need any built in distortion of any type.

Several pedals I've tried seem to mask the dynamics and have volume spikes or what feels like some type of compression going on in the circuit.

Okay, I gotcha. I should specify that the QTrons I'm familiar with are not the most recent ones. I don't know how much they might have changed in recent years but the ones from the early 2000s definitely had an issue with volume spikes. Have you done a search for envelope filter threads? There are a few here and you might find them useful.

[PostApocalypso]

If you're concerned with volume spikes, jam a compressor or limiter after the filter. I also find I need a booster in front of my Groove Regulator to drive it... You might end up having less of a clean signal than you think to get what you want.

Groove Regulator is 'funkier', but it isn't extreme. Q-Balls can be very 'spacey' sounding. Completely different beasts in my opinion.

[Greg75]

My Groove Regulator arrived tonight. And, I spent a few hours playing around with it. No problem for me driving it with either my Jazz (passive, but with Fralins) or of course my Stingray. The sensitivity (input gain) knob gave me all the adjustability I needed to match the volumes.

Not a bad sound to be found. In fact, the GR sounded good no matter what I tried and great whenever I put any thought into what I was doing with the dials. Even better, the Jazz sounded like my Jazz and the Stingray sounded like my Ray, with the effect clearly adding to what I put through it rather than replacing the sounds of my basses with the filter's own sound, as many others seem to do. Hope that makes sense.

Bottom line: Based on admittedly limited experience playing through Envelope Filters (and most other effects), I do think the GR easily is one of the best filters available, and I think it meets or exceeds all the requirements.

[Will006]

moogerfooger low pass filter
but you can forget about true bypass

[*insertcoolname]

Shout out for the BassIQ. Really solid pedal with a surprising amount of (usable) sounds packed into it. Really quality pedal, strongly recommend.

[Zach_Tapp]

I use a ebs bassIQ and it produces some NASTY sounds! It's very easy to tweak it to get the sound you're looking for in a live setting. the first time i tried it out, i knew that it was a keeper!

[Eric!]

I've tried a few, but I strongly favor the Groove Regulator. It's one of those pedals that you just don't want to ever see go