Filters with control over attack and decay?

[Jared Lash]

The title says it all. Basically I'm looking to compile a list of envelope filters that let you control the attack and decay parameters. Ideally both, but I'll take note of any that let you control one or the other.

The only one that immediately comes to mind for both is the Meatball and its clones (Grinder, Meatwad, Groove Regulator).

Whatcha got?

[RickenBoogie]

Does the Mooger? I would think, but that's a big'un.

[Jared Lash]

Originally Posted by RickenBoogie

Does the Mooger? I would think, but that's a big'un.

Nope, unfortunately not. The Moog has controls for Drive, Envelope, Cutoff, Mix and Resonance but not attack and decay. I use the Moog LPF quite a bit, but it won't do what I need in this case.

Anybody else? Basically I'm looking for the ability to set up a slow attack and fast decay. Are Meatball clones the only ones that will allow this?

[seacouch]

Not exactly what you're talking about, but the Guyatone Ultron will let you select the speed and shape of the envelope (basically you're triggering an adjustable LFO). I'm not crazy about the overall tone of the unit, but I probably need to spend more time with it before passing judgement.

[fightthepower]

I'm pretty sure the BR2 has a decay knob... but other than that I can't add anything to your list. *edit* Photron filter attack and decay.

That said, the Grinder kicks ass. My most used setting has the filter color dialed back a bit, a medium attack and shortest decay time, for a slow bubble that barely pops and leaves a hollow shimmer at the top of the shallow sweep. It took me a while to wrap my head around it, as it has more knobs than any of my other pedals, and they all have to potential to blow your rig up (tip: start with the input gain at 0,and the rest of the top row of knobs fully clockwise and work back from there) but it's a great filter that does subtle-'synthy'-wetnfunky. It also has the fattest bottom of any envelope filter I've played with in the lowest freq settings.

[seacouch]

The Modmax filter has 'attack' and 'release' controls, plus LFO speed and shape adjustments.

[dannybuoy]

WMD Fatman has an attack control.

[Jared Lash]

Thanks for the responses.

Originally Posted by seacouch

Not exactly what you're talking about, but the Guyatone Ultron will let you select the speed and shape of the envelope (basically you're triggering an adjustable LFO). I'm not crazy about the overall tone of the unit, but I probably need to spend more time with it before passing judgement.

That's been my issue with the samples I've heard of the Ultron as well. It looks so feature packed, but I just haven't like the basic character of the filter.

Originally Posted by fightthepower

I'm pretty sure the BR2 has a decay knob... but other than that I can't add anything to your list. *edit* Photron filter attack and decay.

That said, the Grinder kicks ass.

The BR2 isn't for me as IMO it's about the least funky filter ever. The Photron is intriguing, but also more than I need. I wonder if Mario would be willing to make a stripped down version? Something to ask him I guess.

Yeah, I've been looking at the Grinder and the Meatwad. Other than cost (which I'm fine with if I get what I want) my concern from playing around with the original Meatball was that its super tweakability means a lot of knob twiddling for live use. And while the Groove Regulator simplified the Meatball interface, they did so by removing a couple controls that I would have rather had them keep.

Originally Posted by seacouch

The Modmax filter has 'attack' and 'release' controls, plus LFO speed and shape adjustments.

The ModMax stuff is always so intriguing. But they're huge, expensive, and I've never heard so much as a guitar sample.

[Jared Lash]

Originally Posted by dannybuoy

WMD Fatman has an attack control.

True. I have a 00Funk on the way from Tonefactor and if it doesn't fit the bill, maybe I'll try the FatMan.

But the Robotalk 2 has a decay control and it's attack is already set at the speed I'm looking for, assuming it's basically the same as the old version. I killed Xotic for not including the S&H with the new design but maybe it's worth checking out after all.

[seacouch]

Originally Posted by TheBigO

The ModMax stuff is always so intriguing. But they're huge, expensive, and I've never heard so much as a guitar sample.

They have some samples up on their website, including I believe, some guitar stuff. And there are some killer keyboard demos by one of the owners, Marc St. Regis.

I killed Xotic for not including the S&H with the new design but maybe it's worth checking out after all.

Although I like both of the effects (EF & SH) in Robotalk 1, I think it was a mistake to put both in the same pedal. IMO, that pedal has a couple design flaws, starting with the combo effect concept. I think it should have been two seperate pedals to begin with. And, I assume that there's not tremendous demand for S&H pedals, so I can see why they'd just drop that functionality altogether.

I'm curious about the Robo2. If you get one, please let us know what you think.

[markjazzbassist]

Originally Posted by TheBigO

True. I have a 00Funk on the way from Tonefactor and if it doesn't fit the bill, maybe I'll try the FatMan.

i'd love to hear how you like the Agent FUnk. I"m interested in one as well and am interested in hearing what you think.

[Jared Lash]

Originally Posted by seacouch

They have some samples up on their website, including I believe, some guitar stuff. And there are some killer keyboard demos by one of the owners, Marc St. Regis.

The only samples I could find were on this page which has one guitar sample that created more questions than it answered. That page also rekindled my GAS for their phaser. But at almost $500 each I'd need to try it and love it before I considered buying either of them.

Originally Posted by seacouch

Although I like both of the effects (EF & SH) in Robotalk 1, I think it was a mistake to put both in the same pedal. IMO, that pedal has a couple design flaws, starting with the combo effect concept. I think it should have been two seperate pedals to begin with. And, I assume that there's not tremendous demand for S&H pedals, so I can see why they'd just drop that functionality altogether.

I'm curious about the Robo2. If you get one, please let us know what you think.

The Robotalk was based on the old Maestro FSH-1 which answers why the Xotic has sample & hold. As for why the Maestro itself was built with both effects I don't know. I may try the Robotalk 2. I liked that filter quite a bit and I'm going through a mad pedal selling/buying/trading phase so I might as well. I tried to order a Jacques Trinity from Musician's Friend but came to find out they're backordered for 40 days or more. So maybe I'll try the R2.

Originally Posted by markjazzbassist

i'd love to hear how you like the Agent FUnk. I"m interested in one as well and am interested in hearing what you think.

Sure. I'll try and make some clips too. From my experience with the Squeezer it's a synthy rather than organic sounding filter so it will be interesting to compare with the Maxon AF-9

[rnilson]

Originally Posted by TheBigO

Nope, unfortunately not. The Moog has controls for Drive, Envelope, Cutoff, Mix and Resonance but not attack and decay. I use the Moog LPF quite a bit, but it won't do what I need in this case.

*A bit off topic* How are you liking the robot factory mod box controlling the cutoff of the MF101?

[Jared Lash]

Originally Posted by rnilson

*A bit off topic* How are you liking the robot factory mod box controlling the cutoff of the MF101?

I'm not.

At least not yet. I had one balanced line cable and it's not working. I'll pick up another one this weekend so I can try it.

[Mudfuzz]

Originally Posted by TheBigO

I'll try and make some clips too. From my experience with the Squeezer it's a synthy rather than organic sounding filter so it will be interesting to compare with the Maxon AF-9

No, you can get more organic sounds out of the 00funk with tweaking, but that is the key with that filter, to get anything out of it it takes tweaking.

[Chronicle]

Loving my Groove Regulator. The most funky, organic, and natural sounding filter i've heard.

[bongomania]

Originally Posted by TheBigO

guitar sample that created more questions than it answered.

Tell me about it. I asked them why not market their pedals with samples that actually demonstrated the functions of the pedal without other processing, and they chewed me out for it saying I was a small-minded uncreative loser.

[Jared Lash]

Originally Posted by Mudfuzz

No, you can get more organic sounds out of the 00funk with tweaking, but that is the key with that filter, to get anything out of it it takes tweaking.

Tweaking I'm fine with. The vast majority of my board is reaching set and forget territory so I don't mind if I have a pedal or two that takes some knob twiddling.

Originally Posted by Chronicle

Loving my Groove Regulator. The most funky, organic, and natural sounding filter i've heard.

I love the Meatball and its clones, but I don't think of them as organic sounding. They are very tweakable and can be really funky but I think of them as more clean than greasy compared to the old MuTron and the AF-9. The Groove Regulator looks nice, but if I go the Meatball route I'll likely go with the Meatwad.

[Jared Lash]

Originally Posted by bongomania

Tell me about it. I asked them why not market their pedals with samples that actually demonstrated the functions of the pedal without other processing, and they chewed me out for it saying I was a small-minded uncreative loser.

The truth hurts, eh bongo?



Despite all the strikes against them I'd still like to give one a whirl but I'd never even consider it unless I could find a distributor/seller with a generous return policy.

In any event, I think my new filter search is going to shape up like this:

00Funk
Robotalk 2
Fatman
Jacques Trinity (if they're still not backordered)
Meatwad

And I'll stop as soon as I find one that fits my needs. When I do, the AF-9 will migrate to my guitar player's board.

[rottenramone]

the filter section of the EHX bassmicro synth is, i believe, ADSR based, just differently named.